My 3 new students...So proud!

LAST DAY OF SUMMER...

...and the Cappels know how to do it up right! We had SUCH a fun time on the lake. We had lightning storms the day before and the day after, but Saturday was beautiful. We couldn't have asked for a more perfect ending to a fabulous summer.

(You can see all the pics at Lake Pics)

Back to School

AJ's very best friend, Gwyneth, is leaving her private school to go to Lake Pointe Elementary this year. I cannot tell you how ecstatically happy this makes Amelia. So yesterday they got AJ's yearbook down and went through it very slowly. Amelia was pointing out all of her friends and teachers; showing Gwyneth pictures of the cafeteria, gym, playgrounds, and everything else. Of course they looked up Gwyneth's new teacher. It was so cute, both of them with their heads together over the yearbook looking very earnest.

Amelia had back to school night last night and got really excited for school. I think being at the school and seeing all of her old friends reminded her how much she LOVES school. She has a great class with lots of friends–Cora (YEA!!! for her and me!); Sam, Andrew and Lee from T-ball; Naomi from church; and Carson from Girl Scouts. So I think she has it made! And her teacher, Mrs. Bradford, is "very nice and very pretty."

And he's off...

We got to talk to my bother, Ky, during his layover at LAX yesterday. He should now be settling in at his new home in Fukuoka, Japan. (The picture is the LDS Fukuoka Temple.) For my non-Mormon friends, my brother will spend the next 2 years proselytizing to the people in Japan about the Mormon gospel. He sounded so excited to be finally going, after spending 3 months preparing at the "Missionary Training Center" in Provo, Utah. This will be such an amazing experience for him, and we are very proud and excited for him.

In even more surprising news–my mom seems to be doing okay! Ky is a major mama's boy (I now understand that relationship much better, since my baby is also a boy!) and I thought she would die sending him off for 2 years, but she is so proud of him and is holding it together really well. So, kudos to my mom for keeping it together!

Ky gets to email home once a week, and call home on Christmas and Mother's Day, but that is it! We really enjoy his emails, and the kids have been good about drawing pictures for him almost every week. So keep him in your thoughts and prayers, I'm sure he will be in for an adjustment. Actually, the Japanese members will probably be in for an adjustment as well, I'm sure Ky will stand out in the crown–I think he is 6'5"!

AJ and Jack SMASH...

Perseid Meteor Shower...Not a figment of my imagination!!!

Alright, for all of you who didn't believe me, there is a quote from Austin 8's weather blog, "The International Meteor Organization reports as many as 130 meteors per hour were observed at the peak of this year's shower yesterday morning." So I'm not crazy!

We planned a star gazing party for the kids in the cul-de-sac. We made star sugar cookies, spread out blankets and lawn chairs, and planned to be amazed. Unfortunately, only one shooting star was seen all night! But the kids had so much fun running around in the dark, and the grown-ups sat around reminiscing about "the good old days."

I think everyone had fun, even without the shooting stars. Here is a quick video:

Perfect Summer Day...

Our friends from the cul-de-sac (Gwyneth and Payton's family) invited us to go boating on Saturday. It was such a blast. First we cruised up and down Lake Austin looking at all the mansions and daydreaming about living in them! Then they took us into an inlet called Bull Creek where we anchored off and spent the afternoon swimming and chasing turtles. It was such a blast, that is the way to spend a hot Texas afternoon. It was something we will always remember, truly a highlight of our summer.

Thanks Cappels!!!