¹⁸ She sees that her trading is profitable,
and her lamp does not go out at night.

and

²⁷ She watches over the affairs of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.

So what am I actually doing?

I am using my resourceful craftiness to create shabby chic junk for a local Junk Market. I have a few before and after posts in the works for all y’all fellow do-it-yourselfers. I hope that all my nights of work will turn a bit of a profit…if not, it sure has been fun dumpster diving, painting, and farting around in the garage.

Nextly, (that is a cool word, yes, grammarians I’m using it), I am sorting through my house brick by brick. er…Paper by paper? maybe, Toy cubby by cubby!? Whatever, you get the idea. I intend to get our family life is ship shape for this verse. More to come on that as well.

Although I am knee deep in “work”, I still find time for goofing off.

Ryan learned how to be the Captain of a boat this past weekend. He loves going fast!

I love going fast too. We’re a good team, he punches the throttle and I look where the heck we are going.

Love,
Jess

My nails don’t sport the vampy dressings very long but it is a dramatic run while it lasts.

I have a metromint water bottle on display. I hate it. Peter Loves it with a capital L.

The season of preparation is upon us as temperatures dip to hat wearing depths. Good news the sun is still warm and the trees are changing so slowly and beautifully. I have a photo walk in the plans- no photos yet.

Grammy Kris harvests transplant shoots to nurse over the winter as Ryan draws her glasses.

We have friends in town that we adore. The Donovans! Now a family of four Matt, Kristin, Jaimes and Gracie are in MN to celebrate a family wedding. We are going to steal them for a day. We are going to the apple orchard tomorrow. I already have visions of homemade apple sauce swirling in my head.

Ryan visits with Jaimes up from Texas in the summer of 2005.

Jaimes, 4, and Ryan, 3 11/12. They are already fast friends that love to play yard games, eat S'mores and watch cartoons.

Here is an image summary of how I captured Summer 2008 through my lens.

Ryan learned how to: ride a bike (with training wheels); play soccer; scale a climbing wall and the ABCs.

Molly learned how to: run; climb; say kitty and that screaming is funny.

Peter learned that: a year of working out can help hit the softball farther, that letting his wife take over the garage with 1/2 finished projects is not as bad as originally anticipated and making new connections with fellow believers has been worthwhile. (written by me about him)

I learned that: playing in the water is still fun; how-to use an orbital sander and my meal swapper group has been a HUGE blessing for without which I wonder if I would have cooked all summer!

Here are some delightful images from less than a week ago that are infused with warmness. So I say “Nee-ner-Nee-ner” to today’s weather!

Ryan running the 'surf' on Prior Lake.

Molly went tubing with Mommy in Big Bertha.

Molly's favorite hobby is rock picking.

Ryan and Mom at the Swing Bar at Captain Jack's lakeside restaurant.

Peter and Ryan watching the lake.

A great way to end a boat day! Fresh corn and Davanni's Pizza.

Mom and Molly on the Lake Superior Shore in Duluth's Sandy Beach

Please stop over here to see an entire blog entry by the Kobies about our lovely afternoon on the North Shore.

I took the kids to Cascade Bay for an evening dip because tonight admission was free. Peter joined us after work. We pretended to be crabs and motor boats. We tossed around sand the largest sand box I have ever seen. Molly’s lips quivered from the cool evening air. Ryan went down a ship style water slide more times than I can count.

We ate a dinner of concessions as we listened to steel drums.

As an added plus Market Fest, Eagan’s weekly summer market, was moved to the pathway in front of Cascade Bay. Fresh veggie vendors, live music, artisans and cotton candy-very lovely indeed.

Molly in her zip-up jammies all dried off from the water looked longingly around the patio chair at the pool. I can relate. Fall creates anticipation for holding blankets, wearing sweatshirts and early nights. Yet, I am still tempted look longingly at the summer fun that is mostly behind us now.

Papa Dennis, Ryan, Molly and Grammy Lu play on the waterside in Prior Lake.

Molly loves the water. She loves it in every way possible. [Drink, bathe, run through, splash, swim, pour] From her very first bath in the Hospital she has adored water. She is a water baby.

Ryan likes the water. He likes water to see the fish in the lake, jump from the side of the pool and mix the water in the juice pitcher. He is a hesitant water lover but he wouldn’t think of missing out on any water experience just the same.