Bounce

I feel like we have lived this summer as if we were a human bouncy ball! I think we were gone more than we were home during the months of June, July and August. We would come home from one event and bounce back off to another after we finished laundry and repacked our bags! It has been wonderful, and now we're gearing up to bounce into the new school year.

Highlights from July:
Brad and I celebrated our 8th anniversary. Mom and Dad Bierma took Cora and Peter overnight while Brad and I camped near Lake City, CO, hiked Uncompaghre Peak, and enjoyed driving some beautiful 4 wheel drive roads in Dad's awesome Jeep - Engineer Pass, Cinnamon Pass and Mineral Springs. It was a blast!
(Below: On top of Umcompaghre Peak)

Yes, this is Brad...

Mom and Dad Bierma celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary this year. We enjoyed a family reunion with most of Brad's siblings, nephews and nieces, and his parents in Pagosa Springs and some time at the cabin. It was so much fun to reunite and catch up.

I had the privelege of celebrating my 30th birthday with my nephew Josh, who turned 9 a few days later, and the rest of the Bierma gang. We had fun with a piñata, Malted Milk Ball Dessert and singing the "Happy Birtday" song 30 times in various forms!

Brad hosted/guided the 3rd annual New Life Church Gunnison River Canoe/Camping Trip later in July. I reluctantly chose not to go this year, due to our already hectic summer schedule. I guess I'll have to look for pictures from that trip. I know it was great, and Brad really enjoyed having his brother, Greg, along, too.

Finaly, on July 31st I flew with Cora and Peter to Michigan. I learned the hard way that redeeming frequent flier miles for a free ticket is NOT one of the ways that United Airlines shows appreciation for their frequent fliers. We had 4 flights to get from Grand Junction to Grand Rapids, which is normally 2 flights. We stopped in Denver, Memphis and Chicago along the way. It was a crazy day (we missed the last flight and ended up spending 5 hours in Chicago, then flying into Muskegeon at midnight and losing luggage on top of it all), BUT Cora and Peter were super travelers and I was surrounded the whole day by either angels or incredibly compassionate and helpful co-passengers. I haven't decided whether or not they were human, or undercover heavenly creatures sent to bless me and my children!