Bethany turned sweet sixteen this Saturday! We listened to Sixteen Candles five times, went clothes and makeup shopping, and decorated for her party with friends that night. I would say, "Can you believe she's 16?" but she's been through a lot of hard things this year and has shown a lot of maturity and growth. She's an amazing young woman and I'm so glad she's with us! We had such fun shopping together on Saturday. Her sisters took her shopping on Friday, too! She is very loved. Beth also finished the class work for driver's ed this week. Hurrah! She still needs to do the driving course and the road hours, but the academic hurdle has been crossed. Way to go my brand-new sixteen-year-old!!

This was Benjamin's last week of Springville tennis league. He had a match on Tuesday morning that he was losing 4-7 (they were playing to 8) and he came back to win it in a tie breaker! He and his opponent were playing really well and it was fun to watch. Unfortunately, the next day at the end of practice he fell skinned up his knee and hurt his hand. The swelling in his knee went down but we've had his thumb in a brace since Thursday. He tried warming up for the tournament on Friday, but his hand was giving him too much pain (it is his left hand or I wouldn't have had him try) so he missed the tourney. It would have been good experience for him but it's ok. These four weeks have been good for him either way and I think he's become a stronger player! The other sad thing about him hurting his hand is that my kitchen is still brown--he couldn't paint my kitchen for me! That's ok, too. There's always next week. :)

Savannah worked this week. She's also been a great help picking up Beth from driver's ed this week, getting the house clean for the party Saturday, and also babysitting for Sarah. She also replaced the door knob on Avery's door for Sarah when she heard they've been getting locked in her room. Sweet girl! Her car is in the shop and needing a new transmission which means lots of money and lots of tears. Aw life and its curveballs.

Kevin is busy with the YSA ward and work and online projects. He and Ben did a lot of work in our back wilderness clearing dead branches and cutting the grass that grows to knee high in the spring and then dies and becomes a fire hazard for the duration of the summer. Also, Ben has discovered an online version of Risk (the board game) and has roped Kevin into playing and that's been fun for them.

I've had work and homework this week and I'm still enjoying it. I'm super excited because Kevin and I signed up to go on a cruise with my parents to Mexico this fall. I love summer and the warmth and the green life all around me. I love it when my daughters who have moved out stop by and visit. I also love spending time with Avery and Lyla. Avery helped me wash my car on Saturday and it reminded me of helping my dad wash the car when I was a kid. Good memories to make and to relive. Life is good.