Can I just tell you how cool it is to have an in-house photographer??!!

Evidence of Katie's art:

July 25 update

Brad is in Guatemala, comes home on Friday evening. Katie has had the last couple of days off. She and I went to see Phantom of the Opera last night at the Kennedy Center. FABULOUS!!! Laura was diagnosed with pneumonia on Tuesday, and is on day 11 of a fever of 102 or higher. She is one pale, thin child. Hopefully the antibiotic will kick in today.
Some workmen will be here all day replacing our airconditioning and furnace system, which was dying.
I am trying to finish up some very big projects: for Loudoun Symphony: arranging all the venues for the next year; for stake Relief Society: scheduling lessons and teachers for a daytime Institute class in two different buildings in the stake for the next school year.
I leave on Tuesday for Utah, Wednesday I fly to Portland for Brooks and Heather's sealing. Thursday I fly back to SLC, and get to work on the condo (flooring, new bed in master bedroom, staining kitchen cupboards.
Whew! Maybe I'll just go back to bed....

Harry Potter Day!!!! Warning: crazed fans alert!

Katie and Laura have been awaiting this day with huge anticipation and much dread as well: the last Harry Potter book is released today. Laura, with her 102 degree fever, reading in bed, and Katie, on hers, devouring the pages, with sporadic screams and running to each others bedrooms: "Can you believe???" "Did you read???"

Celebrating at the zoo

It was such a hot day and the mist felt so good!
Originally uploaded by ValerieBW

For Em's bday, we spent the day at the National Zoo. Can I just say it was really hot? We loved the mist spritzers that are strategically stationed along the path. Maddie loved the pandas, and was very proud later in the day that she

remembered that they eat "bamboom!"
L - R: Trina, Maddie, Katie, Marie, Spencer in stroller
Ryan crashed on Daniel in the early afternoon. Aren't they adorable?!!?

She's 30??!!??

She's 30??!!??
Originally uploaded by ValerieBW

Yes, it's true. Our oldest daughter is th...thi...{{cough}}..thirty!! I'm more depressed about it than she is. We celebrated by going to the National Zoo in DC, eating Red Hot and Blue for dinner, and peach cobbler for "cake". Jorge Luis drove all the way from NYC for the occasion.

We forgot!

Or at least I forgot...that we have this blog. I'll start adding to it and you can too! I'm just back from camp where I learned a few things about myself. I need to do life WITH makeup and showers. I get headaches if I stay in the heat all day. Girl's camp is pretty darn fun.