Update

I'm so way behind on updating my blog with actual details about my life. Here is a quick update with pictures.

Way back in May, we had our first ever Young Women's Conference at the home of one of the YW leader's in-laws. The conference had a Star Wars theme and was a Friday/Saturday overnight conference. Friday we mostly just had fun -- ate dinner and s'mores, did karaoke, hung out and talked. Saturday we put the girls through the Jedi Academy. We visited different planets and locales around the galaxy and the girls unknowingly worked on their Personal Progress at each stop. The leaders were the Jedi Masters, complete with costume. It was a lot of work, but a total success and was so much fun.



The next big event was that Josh and I went to see Phantom of the Opera. Josh had seen the movie, but had never seen a live production (this was my 3rd time seeing it on stage). We bought tickets as our anniversary present last November, when tickets went on sale, and finally got to see the show in June. The guy who played the Phantom was AMAZING. Best Phantom ever. And we had a very fun date in the middle of the day (we saw a matinee on a Thursday).

Before the show

Me in my early birthday present

Alek also went to Cub Scout camp in June. The theme was "Cubs of the Round Table" and they did all these medieval-related activities. He had a BLAST.

Sir Alek the brave.

Jousting.

So, yeah, I had a birthday. My awesome in-laws helped me have a fantastic birthday by funding a date (Josh and I went to dinner and to see Wall-E) and my wonderful sister-in-law, Doreen, babysat our kids. Then Josh's parents went even further to help me have an awesome birthday by funding a birthday bash Josh had for me on my actual birthday. He invited a bunch of the young men and young women over and we ate pizza and played Karaoke Revolution and talked and had fun. And Josh finally gave me the birthday present I was supposed to get last year (a watercolor he painted for me). Totally worth the wait. Alek also gave me an awesome birthday gift -- the Brother Francis doll he made in school (they learned about saints and good-deed-doers from around the world this year). He sewed and knitted everything himself. Isn't that awesome?

My gift from Josh

My gift from Alek


My teenage friends at my party


Charlie loved my birthday cake


Katie looking adorable while waiting for cake

In July, we celebrated Alek's 9th birthday. His cousin Josselyn's birthday is just a few days after his, so we had a co-birthday party with the Barker clan. My sister-in-law, Olivia, made this totally adorable cake for my niece.

Josselyn's ladybug cake and flower garden cupcakes

Earlier that morning, I finally got around to figuring out what kind of cake I would make Alek. He looked through some options on a web site I found and decided he wanted a moon cake. He was happy with it, it was easy and fast, but it was pathetic looking, honestly -- especially compared to Liv's creation! Oh well. Not one of my talents, cake decorating.

Alek with his moon cake.

Alek had a great time at his party. He's so easy to please this one -- every present was wonderful (and there weren't that many, but you'd think he'd gotten the best haul in the world the way he acted), the cake was wonderful, the party was wonderful. He had no complaints, except he didn't want to go home at the end of the day. :) I'm one lucky mom.

Besides that, there is not much to report. Josh is getting ready to fall semester and is looking for a part-time job without success. I'm working on finding child care for Katie and Charlie while Josh is at school -- grandma is no longer an option. The summer has been fairly mild, the smoke from the fires finally cleared up and the Barker family is chugging along, happy with our lot.