BOOKS I FINISHED - AUGUST 2026

The Backyard Bird Chronicles, written and narrated by Amy Tan with foreword written by David Allen Sibley and narrated by Evan Sibley

This "skip the line" option on Libby is slow-moving, a five year journal of bird watching. I have some feeders and enjoy watching the birds that show up in my yard, but I have no interest in identifying them or spending any more time, money, or energy in feeding them than I already do. However, I could relate to Tan's enjoyment of nature. Although I chose it only because none of the other available options appealed to me, this ended up being the right book at the right time. Her gentle voice and cadence (even at my preferred 1.25 speed) were soothing when I needed to listen to something calm. The print version includes her bird drawings, so I may grab a copy at the library. The descriptions of her bird-friendly home also intrigued me and I'll probably check to see if there are pictures online.

Cartwheeling in Thunderstorms, written by Katherine Rundell and narrated by Bianca Amato 

I discovered this novel while searching Libby for books narrated by Amato, as I recently enjoyed her narration of another novel. Technically a middle grade book, which I didn't realize until I'd finished it, I think readers of all ages would like it. The protagonist has spent her childhood living pretty wildly in Zimbabwe, blissfully enjoying nature, space, freedom, and the people in her life. Against her will, and during a traumatic time of loss and change, she's sent to a boarding school in London. Needless to say, that transition doesn't go smoothly. Resourceful, courageous, and very much alone, she does what it takes to save her sanity and keep moving forward. I loved this story.

Coconut: A Black Girl, a White Foster Family, and the Search for Belonging and Identity, written by Florence Olajide

Born in London in 1962 to parents from Nigeria, fostered by a British family from ages one to six, moved to Nigeria with her family, then returned to London many years later, the author dealt with an expected and overwhelming amount of culture shock and struggles with identity. This memoir is one about loneliness and belonging, how both governments and citizens can be either blessing or a burden to immigrants, a fierce commitment to education, and the struggle to find a balance between confidently holding your heritage close while also happily embracing your present situation. While some of her experiences were obviously difficult, the story itself is hopeful. A friend passed this book to me after she'd read it and, as always, I enjoyed reading about the life of someone whose experiences have been very different than my own. 

p. 371, "My son is always in trouble at school, so I have taken all his toys and TV away permanently," one parent said.

"Since his punishment is permanent, what incentive has he got to behave better?" I asked.

p. 374, I didn't know what my future held or how many more proverbial glass ceilings I'd happen upon. But I knew if I hit my head against glass hard enough, it would crack, and my bruises would heal. 

Custodians of Wonder: Ancient Customs, Profound Traditions, and the Last People Keeping Them Alive, written by Eliot Stein and narrated by Danny Hughes

I learned about this book from What Should I Read Next?, episode 491 - Our team's best books of summer (Part 2) and thought it was really interesting. Each chapter highlights a rare and specialized custom or tradition, one that's on the verge of extinction, from somewhere in the world. The reader learns not only about the custom or tradition, but about the country it's from, the history surrounding it, and the person keeping it alive. A few examples are the people paid to read novels to cigar factory workers in Cuba, the mail carrier for a tree in Germany that has its own address, makers of a soy sauce method that spans several hundred years in Japan, and a man in Peru who regularly rebuilds a woven grass bridge. 

Home Front, written by Kristin Hannah and narrated by Maggi-Meg Reed with an author interview at the end 

Despite Hannah's popularity, this is the first book of hers that I've finished. I started one several years ago, but quit because I wasn't enjoying it, and the others I've avoided because of all the hype. This one, however, was unfamiliar to me and came up as a "skip the line option" in Libby. It's a story about a marriage that's falling apart, the wife being deployed to Iraq, and her husband continuing to raise their two daughters while keeping up with his work as a lawyer while she's gone. The couple's relationship and the radical sacrifices that military families make are at the center of the novel, but it's also about the impact of people in our lives who both show us compassion and push us out of our comfort zone, the importance of dealing with traumatic experiences and negative emotions in a healthy way, and the brutal reality of PTSD, specifically for soldiers. I really enjoyed it.

12:20:04, "They are heroes, our soldiers. The men and women who go into harm's way to protect us, our way of life. It doesn't matter what you think of the war, you have to be grateful to the warriors, of whom we ask so much, to whom we sometimes give too little."

The Mad Wife, written by Meagan Church and narrated by Susan Bennett 

I learned about this novel from a friend who showed me the list of titles her book club was considering and it intrigued me. Set in the 1950s, it's the story of a woman buckling under the weight of her own experiences and society's expectations. It's about marriage, motherhood, guilt, suspicion, mental health, medical care, friendship, and women who either don't have the freedom to be honest about how they're doing or who aren't taken seriously when they speak up. The subject matter is heavy and trigger warnings apply, but I enjoyed the book.

Make Believe: On Telling Stories to Children, written by Mac Barnett

Our children's librarian was telling me about this book as she returned it to the library, so I immediately checked it out. It's a short book, written with humor by a prolific author, about how important books are for kids, the fact that every aspect of children's book publishing is controlled by adults, that children's books don't need (and shouldn't always have) a point to make or lesson to teach, and the joy of imagination and entertainment in books.

p. 9, Our definition of children's books must be expansive, encompassing works as varied in subject, style, and viewpoint - and even quality - as we find in books for adults. Really, children's books must be as varied as the lives of the children who read them. 

p. 10, The best children's writers tell the truth in a way that is recognizable and authentic to children.

p. 54, Even a story with a lesson should always be judged by how effectively that lesson is conveyed, not how worthy its message is or how important we think it is for kids to hear it. We can agree wholeheartedly with a book's lesson and still deem it an artistic failure. 

p. 60, ... amid the acrid smoke of a failed experiment, you can always catch a whiff of genius.

p. 85, Fiction is a kind of game, and reading is a way of playing. 

Outer Order, Inner Calm: Declutter & Organize to Make More Room for Happiness, written and narrated by Gretchen Rubin

I'm naturally wired to choose order, cleanliness, efficiency, and so on, and my environment absolutely impacts my mood and energy. So this short book, which was a "skip the line" option on Libby, felt like a reminder of things I already value or do. That being said, I think it would also be excellent for people wired differently or who are anywhere on the spectrum from mildly annoyed to greatly overwhelmed by the state of their home or workspace. Like a couple of other people I follow, Rubin acknowledges that there's no one level of organization or system to acquire it that matters or works for everyone. Instead, this book reads more like a kind and understanding brainstorm of practical ideas and questions for you to sift through, starting with small steps, and doing only what works for you.

16:04, At the same time, it's important to remember that outer order isn't simply a matter of having less or having more; it's a matter of wanting what we have. 

17:21, Consider the three big questions of clutter. When trying to consider the fate of a possession, ask yourself: Do I need it? Do I love it? Do I use it?

1:30:08, The best guide to the future is the past. If you haven't used that thing since you acquired it, it's unlikely you'll start now. 

1:41:15, Accept yourself, and expect more from yourself. Or as writer Flannery O'Connor put it, "Accepting oneself does not preclude an attempt to become better." We can accept ourselves and acknowledge what's true about our nature and habits, and we can also ask ourselves to try harder in our approach to clearing clutter and for everything else. 

The Second Story Bookshop, written by Denise Hunter and narrated by Kim Churchill

This book showed up in a Libby search for something else and I checked it out because I enjoy a story set in a bookshop. I liked the premise of a grandma partially bequeathing her beloved bookshop to her granddaughter, the surprise of a high school boyfriend who broke the granddaughter's heart being giving almost equal ownership, and all the small town drama surrounding their relationship, his imprisoned dad, and the shop's financial struggles. It worked for a light read, but felt too much like a predictable Hallmark movie in book form for my taste and I was distracted by all the similes. 

1:14:41, "A good novel is like a vacation for the mind."  

The Summer of Yes, written by Courtney Walsh

Recommended by a friend, I enjoyed this light read. The novel centers on two women in New York. One is in her early thirties and focused entirely on her career. The other is old enough to be her mom and has built a famously successful business from the ground up. They meet by chance in a shared hospital room, the younger there after being hit by a car and the older because of kidney failure. Although their interactions are strained, they end up spending a summer together, saying yes to things they'd normally say no to. It's a predictable story of friendship, sacrifice, love, fear, regrets, and second chances.

p. 1-2, "You're in the hospital." She smiles. "I'm Cecilia, and I'll be taking care of you."

Thanks to my parents, her name triggers an automatic Simon and Garfunkel response, and I find myself trying hard not to get down on my knees to beg her please to come home. 

p. 16, Regrets are more in focus when hindsight is twenty-twenty. 

p. 63, Daniel Strong is the male equivalent of a burger from Five Guys.

Great marketing, but up close he's pretty greasy and horribly overpriced.

p. 191, Saying yes to simple pleasures might be even more important to me than saying yes to big things. After all, it's the little moments that make a life. 

Uncluttered Faith: Own Less, Love More, and Make an Impact in Your World, written by Joshua Becker with Eric Stanford

I've been following Becker for many years, have quoted him often, and appreciate his gentle, humble, and practical advice for people wanting to be more intentional about what they own. A pastor before he started advocating for minimalism full-time, his work has never been faith-centered. This book, however, combines two parts of his life, minimalism and Christianity, and shows how the two are intertwined. I obviously don't need my all my books to be faith-based, but I want the ones that are to have plenty of Bible verse references to support what they're saying. This books has tons. Lest any potential reader think he'll tell you to get rid of everything, he won't. His definition of minimalism is "the intentional promotion of the things we most value and the removal of everything that distracts us from it." If you don't share his religious beliefs but want to learn more about his approach to minimalism, check out his other books or his site, Becoming Minimalist. 

p. 18, Even though we now live in homes with four times more square footage than that of our grandparents, 11 percent of households rent storage units to hold on to extra things.  

p. 18, Americans buy an average of fifty-three new items of clothing each year, or about four times as many now as in the year 2000.

p. 26, Entangled by American materialism, we're spending more money on comfort and luxury for ourselves than on the basic needs of the poor and the expansion of God's kingdom.

p. 42 (speaking of John the Baptist), Everything he told the people to do to get ready for Jesus focused on their money or physical possessions. <snip> In other words, his advice to the people - the one thing at the top of his mind when he thought about preparing hearts for Jesus - was this: "Get rid of the stuff you don't need, and be content with what you have."

p. 61, According to one online calculator, if you make $50,000 per year, your income puts you in the top 2 percent worldwide for income. Even an annual income of $20,000 puts you in the top 10 percent. (These numbers vary slightly based on household size, but the point remains.)

We live in a world where half the global population lives on less than seven dollars per day. That is lower than the hourly minimum wage in every state in America. 

p. 78, Greed says, "Eat, drink, and be merry!" Worry says, "Protect, guard, and control." But the result is the same: unnecessary and harmful accumulation of stuff. 

p. 124, Recently I spoke at a local university. During the Q&A portion, a professor in the back raised her hand and asked this question: "How do we keep our kids from always wanting more and more stuff?"

I answered, "We model that for them. If our kids are raised in a home where Amazon is delivering a package every couple days or we have so much stuff in our garage that we can't park in it, the message will be received loud and clear: Keep on buying!"

p. 138, So are you becoming more like Jesus in love, in relationships, in word, and in actions? Do you prioritize conversation with the heavenly Father as He did? Do you speak the truth as boldly? Do you go to the needy as readily? Do you have a similar humility? Do you hold the world as loosely? 

p. 174, Our state of contentment or the opposite is not based on our circumstances, but it is exposed in our circumstances. For those who are poor, discontentment means envy, and for those who have wealth, it means excess. 

p. 176, There is simply no joy to be found in constantly desiring things we do not have; joy is found in appreciating the blessings we already have around us. 

p. 179, Enough is more than too much. 

Wild and Precious: A Celebration of Mary Oliver, narrated by Sophia Bush and Mary Oliver, along with Kazim Ali, Elizabeth Bradfield, Summer Brennan, Susan Cain, Cathleen Falsani, James Ishmael Ford, Ross Gay, Mushim Ikeda, Aidan Kingwell, Carmen Maria Machado, Laurette Nicoll, Samin Nosrat, Busy Philipps, Matt Pillischer, Emily Popek, Danya Ruttenberg, Omid Safi, Claire Bidwell Smith, Lisa Starr, Alexander Westphal, and Rainn Wilson

Except for a couple friends who sometimes post her poems on social media, I wasn't familiar with Oliver's work, but that limited exposure led me to choose this "skip the line" option on Libby. This is a collection of over 30 poems read by both Oliver and others, as well as firsthand accounts about how she and her work impacted friends, students, neighbors, and readers. I love that she was a noticer, someone who intentionally paid attention to and valued nature and life. It was neither her perspective nor that of those who contributed to the book (although many did find a sacredness in nature), but I think much of her poetry points to a creation that's so beautifully intricate that only God could have been the creator. I enjoyed listening to this short audiobook as I went on walks and worked in the yard. 

17:35 (from It Was Early), Sometimes I need only to stand wherever I am to be blessed.

40:57 (from Mindful), Every day I see or hear something that more or less kills me with delight.

8/26/23 - WORTH REPEATING

*****

Poem

Fingerprints look like ripples
because time keeps dropping
another stone into our palm.

~ Bill Knott, quoted in 180 More: Extraordinary Poems for Every Day, selected and with an introduction by Billy Collins

*****

Your truth is the whisper in the chaos.

~ King of Glory  // All Sons & Daughters // All Sons & Daughters

*****

Hard times create strong men, strong men create good times, good times create weak men, and weak men create hard times.

~ Those Who Remain: A Postapocalyptic Novel // G. Michael Hopf

*****

The measure of achievement is not winning awards. It’s doing something that you appreciate, something you believe is worthwhile."

- Julia Child // quoted in 8/15/23 1440 Daily Digest

*****

Love God and do whatever you please: for the soul trained in love to God will do nothing to offend the one who is beloved.

~ St. Augustine

*****

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OIL CHANGES AND FISH-SHAPED BEDS

I had to take my vehicle in for an oil change this morning and was mildly annoyed at the inconvenience of it. I just wasn't in the mood. Trying to make use of the time, I packed up my Bible, a devotional book I'm reading (from December because my plan to read a great Advent study that month didn't go the way I hoped), and a couple books for fun, then headed out.

As I found a seat in the waiting room, I noticed a woman sewing something and asked what she was making. My vehicle was done about 45 minutes later, about 5 of which I spent reading my Advent book, looking up the verse it focused on, and writing the verse down. The other 40 minutes were spent visiting with the lady.

We talked about our families, our faith (turns out we have that in common), and how cool it is that God made people with a variety of skills and personalities. We know how many kids (ours) and grandkids (hers) we have, how old we are, how long we've each been married, and which foreign countries we've visited family members in. We're basically oil change best friends. 

I also found out she makes something I have absolutely no use for and didn't even know existed.

Fish-shaped pet beds.

Seriously.

A cozy little place for your cat or small dog to sleep that requires them entering the mouth of a fish. Did you know such a thing existed? I didn't, wouldn't be in the market if I had, and am completely amused. 

I told her I was going to link her Etsy shop on my FB page and asked for a picture of her hands working on the pot holder she was making. (Which, of course, led to us talking about the appearance of our hands.)

So, yeah. That was my morning. An interaction that was exactly what I didn't know I needed and couldn't have happened without first doing something I didn't want to do. And an opportunity to let my friends who want a fish-shaped pet bed in their life know where to get one.

6/21/22 - WORTH REPEATING

*****

Everything we say at funerals should be said at birthday parties instead. We leave so much love unspoken. 

~ jmadhu, quoted from Twitter on Facebook

*****

As I've defined it many times, faith is acting like God is telling the truth. Or another way, acting like it is so, even when it's not so, in order that it might be so, simply because God said so. 

As we have stated so often, faith is measured by your feet, not by your feelings. Your feelings are the caboose, your movement is the engine.

~ Tony Evans // Never Give Up // OnePlace

*****

Your life is an occasion. Rise to it. 

~ Dustin Hoffman as Mr. Magorium // Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium

*****

Why is it so much easier to be unkind when you can't see the person? Herein, I think, lies the answer: when we speak unkindly to someone's face, we can see hurt. We can see pain. But our devices take that connection, that physical connection, and break it off so that we can no longer see a person's eyes fill with tears or the red climbing into their cheeks. We have lost the ability to be ashamed of ourselves for these comments, and I think that in this, we are losing the ability to communicate with each other as a whole.

~ Cecilia Landis // Kindness and Critique // The Stories Between Us

*****

Shared laughter is like throwing open the shutters in a gloomy room and letting in fresh air and sunshine.

~ Lila Green // Winning Words: Quotations to Uplift, Inspire, Motivate and Delight, compiled by Allen Klein

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A PEACEFUL & PRODUCTIVE DAY

This morning Michelle and I met for a walk around Molalla River State Park (she'd been there before, I hadn't), did some shopping at The Book Nook (first visit for both of us), and enjoyed a delicious lunch outside at Wayward Sandwiches (I'd been there before, she hadn't). It was a perfect way to spend a few hours! 

Sidenote: The book and puzzle were bought used from The Book Nook. I'd read The Eleventh Trade before (it's great!) and we love Dowdle puzzles, so Plymouth (never done it before) came home with me. 

Silas and Natie came over later in the afternoon because he wanted to split firewood and we just happened to have plenty that needed to be split. The two of us spent a chunk of time working together, him splitting and me stacking. So thankful for the help!

 

SPRING BREAK - 2021

Our family got to have some of our bonus Ws hang out with us during spring break. So fun! Here are some highlights of the last week. 

SATURDAY

Shon, Devry, and Michael arrived last Saturday afternoon and I, as usual, had to get a picture with them soon after they walked through our door. Having these guys around always makes me happy. 

SUNDAY

Although they've visited us several times over the last couple years, schedules and pandemic closures have kept them from ever joining us at church. This time, though, they were all able to come with us Sunday morning. They watch our church's kids' program from home each week, so the boys thought it was cool to actually attend a live service.

Shon took off once church was done and the rest of us headed home. Later in the day we went to Centennial for some baseball fun. Tim played coach, working on catching and throwing with the little boys (but all six of us played catch in rotating pairs) and giving batting tips to all four kids. 

The kids wanted to spent a little time at the playground before we wrapped things up, so we hung out for a while longer and let them run around. One of our kids' favorite things to do there is have one kid crawl on top of a spinning thing and get it going while the other kids stand below. I'm pretty sure I have pictures of Silas and/or Devon on top from years past, but this time around Naomi was the biggest kid and took the position. 

They loved it!

MONDAY

One of our other bonus Ws spent Monday with all of us. We've really missed having Gabi here on a regular basis, but the combination of his family moving away from next door and all the C19 stuff has made it tricky to get together. Needless to say, we absolutely loved having him for the day! The four boys had posed for a picture together in July 2019, so they lined up in height order again for another picture. 

Here's the original shot, which is from this post. 

It's fun to see how much taller they've gotten since the first picture! They built a giant fort, jumped on the trampoline, played tetherball, and just hung out together all morning. I pulled out a few library books and read to them before we started down time in the afternoon.

I walked in the living room later in the afternoon to discover that Devry had pulled out a giant dictionary we use as something to set a lamp on. He spent at least an hour flipping through it and I snapped a picture at one point. 

"Wait, take another one!" I complied with his request and got this pose, a look of shock at how big the dictionary is. Goofball!

A friend recently offered up a mostly unused box of 3D puzzle that could be colored before assembling, so I snagged them for some spring break entertainment. Devon and Devry each ended up assembling one later, but Naomi, Gabi, Tyler, Michael, and I chatted as we worked on ours first. 

TUESDAY

We decided to take a mid-morning walk on Tuesday. Devry and Michael visited a free little library near us during one of their previous visits and asked if we could stop by it on our walk. Deal. In fact, we walked the opposite way first so they could check out another one that's also close to our home, where we also dropped some books off, then backtracked to the one they already knew about. All the little boys ended up with a stash of books to take home. And Michael, as he did last year, was sure to grab ones for his grandma that he thought she'd like. 

We got back home and just hung out for the rest of the morning. Devry used some of that time to make a paper bag puppet. 

I told everyone to get shoes on and grab water bottles after lunch, then drove everyone to the Hallie Ford Museum of Art, where I'd reserved tickets ahead of time. We'd been there once before, a couple years ago, and I said we'd be sure to visit again. But we never have. And what I thought was a couple years was actually four years ago. Yikes! The museum is always free for minors, but everyone can get in free on Tuesdays. The only charge is metered parking in the area, so it's a super affordable outing. We took a quick group picture with the sign in the background for we masked up and headed inside. 

We went through each room slowly, pointing out the artwork we liked best in each one. These are just two of the museum's several colorful windows and the boys wanted a picture to remember what they looked like.

The museum is across the street from the Oregon State Capitol, so we strolled around part of the grounds, got a picture with the Oregon Pioneer in the background, and admired some of the material, design, and sculpture that are part of the building. It's possible that I was asked if Governor Brown was there and if we could talk to her. Ha! I explained that I wasn't sure where she was at that point in the day, but that governors can't just come out and visit with people walking by. I think there was an element of ... I don't know ... maybe awe that a leader a kid has only heard about or seen on the news could actually be in the building they're standing in front of. 

Next up, Bush's Pasture Park. I love that place! We only spent about thirty minutes there, but the boys had fun playing lava monster on the playground while Naomi and I relaxed. Then it was home for dinner, followed by Tim taking the kids back to Centennial for more baseball practice while I got a little bit of time alone. That night they gathered around as he showed them some pictures and videos from a crane class he's taking. 

WEDNESDAY

In our family, people who get up before everyone else find a book (or a stack of them) to hunker down with. So that's what Devry and Michael do while they're with us. I found Michael buried in Where's Waldo in Hollywood? on Wednesday morning. The Where's Waldo? series is enjoyed by everyone around here!

Devry had asked me on Monday if we could have oatmeal pancakes, a favorite of his from other visits, while they were here and said he wanted to help make them. So he and I teamed up Wednesday morning and made a bunch of batter. 

We always have dessert as a family when our church's midweek service is done on Wednesday nights, which the boys know, so Michael asked to help me make it this time around. He didn't know I'd decided on polka dot cookies until after he'd already committed to helping, but once he knew the plan he quickly (and quite discreetly, as he knew he'd landed some special treatment) asked if I still had a rule that the baker can eat one, and only one, plain chocolate chip when a recipe calls for them. Yep, that's still allowed. I did make him wait until all the dough was made and the mess cleaned up, though. 

We read some library books about baseball players during the week, including You Never Heard of Sandy Koufax?!, so we pulled up a highlights video of the famous lefty pitcher as lunch wrapped up. 

One of the first things Devry and Michael did during their first week with us last year was to build little sidewalk fires with Devon. They asked about building one this time and I'd promised them we would at some point. Devon was out of the house a lot during the week, but was a champ and took time to build a fire with them on Wednesday afternoon.

We already hit two free little libraries on Tuesday, but there are two others a little farther away. The little boys all asked if I'd drive them over to see what was available, so we did a quick blitz to some other neighborhoods. Three silly faces and more books!

They all dug into their new books as soon as we got home, then we heard a squeal from Devry when he found a dollar bill in one of his. He was super excited!

THURSDAY

Our bonus Ws had asked to go to the Woodburn Public Library with us while they were in town. We're there at least once a week, so I planned on taking them, as well as any little Ws who needed to do library stuff, on Thursday. That morning I happened to see a Facebook post from Bauman's reminding people about their petting zoo, so I piled everyone in the van and headed out early. We spent about an hour checking out the animals and enjoying the playground. 

One of Michael's trips down a slide. 

Followed by one of Tyler's.

Then one of Devry's.

Finally, all three of them, one right after another. 

They posed for a picture in front of slides for a size reference. Those slides were a hit with my little crew!

Then it was time for a regular library. The little Ws all have their own library cards and got their own stuff, but Devry and Michael chose some books that I checked out for them. Pretty sure they'd have stayed longer if they could have!

And more books! Because there's always a shortage in our home, right? 

Speaking of imaginary book shortages, the little boys all wanted to do one more free little library trip to return some books they'd picked up earlier in the week and were done with. And, perhaps, luck out in finding some new donations to pick up. Hence the backpacks. They were prepared! So we went on a one mile walk that ended with two book stops. I love seeing them trek down the road together.

The bigs were all gone for the evening, so the guys had a low-key evening of popcorn (they think Tim makes the best popcorn) and Clone Wars while I read a book and did stuff online.

I had a great view of the pretty sunset from my seat and asked them to pause their movie for a minute to come check it out. They looked, then pointed out to me that it matched the sunset on the screen at that moment we hit pause. 

FRIDAY 

Devry's always creating things, so I wasn't surprised when he asked me to look at something he'd made on Friday morning. He'd found a broken toothpick and turned it into a mini pencil. 

Later he showed me something else. At the beginning of the week I'd shown all the kids a collection of brand new twisty ties that had been in a kitchen drawer for ages. I have no idea where they came from and we have no use for them. I'd just about tossed them the week before our bonus Ws arrived, then decided I'd offer them up for potential projects.

Good thing I saved them! Inspired by the slew of Native American baskets we saw at Hallie Ford on Tuesday, Devry made a little basket from twisty ties. 

He even made a twisty tie baby to put in it later.

So glad I saved those for a few more days!

We picked up Gabi in the afternoon, then joined a couple friends and the four boys between them at Aurora City Park. Two hours. Eight boys in grade school and younger. One girl in junior high. Three moms. Unfortunately, we were all so busy playing and talking that it didn't get occur to me to snap a picture until we were halfway home. It was definitely a highlight of the day, though, so I'm mentioning it in spite of the lack of picture proof it happened. 

Later that evening, as we were chatting around the table and wrapping up dinner, Shon walked in the house. Devry and Michael were pretty excited to see their dad! 

SATURDAY

Today was time to clean up and pack up, so the little boys posed in the door of the fort they built at the start of the week before they tore it all down. That space got put to good use this week! 

Alex texted at one point in the morning, so I sent him a quick picture of me and Shon. For those who don't know who either of those guys are, Alex and I were two of Shon's closest friends in high school. Both of them are still part of my life (and my family's life) all these years later.

We ended our time together by being treated to Chinese food for lunch, a promise Shon had made earlier in the week. When you can't eat in the restaurant and going home isn't practical, but the sun is shining and there's a short, unused segment of sidewalk by your vehicles, you sit down and have a picnic. 

When the kids willingly agree to it, even though you know it's not their favorite thing, you take a last minute group picture. One with Tim hunched over to be closer to the boys, making him look way shorter than Shon. One with all the boys making weird faces because we were staring right into the sun. One that's less than perfect, but you still like because it's a realistic, fun reminder of the day. 

And then we parted ways. 

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