T Russons_End of a Warm Summer!

Hi Family! We love you so so much. We fasted for you today Hannah! Hope your symptoms are mild and that Joe and Macky can skip the virus all together! We're mindful of and pray for Collin and Brandon!

At the beginning of the August, Mike and Cami rode in the Maah Daah Hey Bike race.

They did the 13.5 mile ride, and Cami was first in her age group, but also beat several other age groups too. They recovered for a day and we took to the road for a family vacation in Minnesota. We stayed at a lake house at Long Lake in Minnesota.

It was so relaxing! Boating, tubing Zup boarding, fishing, and cooking good food. August was busy after our trip. Troy had two weekend calls (usually gets one month like that every year).

Mid month, Cami and Marrissa loaded up the white Outback and drove to Provo! They loved seeing family and settling her in her apartment at Heritage Halls. She has one roommate, and two more suite-mates. Cami hiked Timpanogos with some of her siblings, then flew back home. So we've had 2 weeks with a smaller household. It's so different without her here. We miss her tremendously! We keep telling the kids that her being gone is hard but good. Good for her to launch into life.

Josh, Eva, and Michael have begun homeschooling, with Cami as their teacher, using the curriculum made by "the Good and the Beautiful. They've set up the basement "craft room" as their classroom. She spent many hours preparing, organizing, and gathering all the materials to start the teaching. It was good to get to Labor day weekend! Days off from school and work are so needed for all of us! Michael has started his cello lessons again, and Eva continues with her violin lessons. She also takes piano with Emily. And Emily has started up her voice lessons again. Music lessons are a healthy part of our monthly budget believe you me. Michael also is on the middle school golf team and has practice 4 times a week. He and Troy played 9 holes yesterday and Mike had improved a lot! Troy has not. :)

Well, tomorrow's Labor day, and it's supposed to be a lot cooler around here. Like cover the tomatoes cooler! So we will probably get some things done in the yard and we're planning to do some fall organizing in the storage room. Not putting away the wave runner yet thought. We still have some hopes of a warm day or two left this year. All of you love you all of you! Troy, Cami, Marissa (19 Friday), Emily (16), Michael (12), Eva (just turned 11), and Josh (6).