Good Golly, Is It Only Mid-August?

Four babies later, I still find their sleeping poses just as cute and peaceful.

A week and a half ago, we went to a demolition derby in Oberlin. We brought ear protection for the kids.

Dancy helped herself because we only have two pairs.

First time for everyone but Shad! Shad's friend Tim came with us. He's the one who took the picture.

Right after that picture, a severe thunderstorm started blowing in. We were only at the derby for one hour before deciding to leave. The wind really started picking up as we crossed the dirt lot to get to our van. We only made it halfway before the wind grew so strong that the dirt was stinging and visibility was almost zero. I was carrying Thora and holding Katie's hand, while Shad and Tim were ahead of us with Tom and Dancy. I told Katie to close her eyes, and pressed Thora's face into my shirt until we got back to the van. It took us an hour to get home, including getting out of the parking lot. Oberlin is only half an hour away. Such heavy rain, and almost constant lightning!

One morning, this was their activity. Trying to pull Tom's pants off. Though she's pouting into the carpet for this picture, Dancy was participating too.

Ruthie came on Thursday!! She's on her way to Nebraska to go home before leaving on her mission. We had lots of fun hanging out at home, playing at the park, 

on the swing set, eating at Las Canteras (and getting her face creamed for her birthday), playing games, and star gazing out at the lake. We saw more satellites than usual, and far more satellites than meteors. Weird satellites, too! They made bright flashes in the sky. Someone call Area 51! 

Getting Ruth creamed at Las Canteras didn't even cross my mind. We were took her there for her birthday and I told her so when we were ordering, and our waiter heard me. He came back later and asked to verify, then showed up with a cheese cake, sang Feliz Cumpleanos, and smashed a paper towel of whipped cream into her face. This guy is one of my favorites!

"Building" a puzzle with Ruthie.

Tada!

Ruth stayed with us until Saturday afternoon, at which time we realized it would've been great to send Tom and Katie to Nana's house with her, given that we'll be up there on Friday. If we'd have thought about it sooner than the moment she was saying goodbye, we probably would have made such arrangements.