Dear Kids,
          I’m excited for the family reunion! It’s nearly here. Thanks, Nora, for sending out the e-mail with the schedule. Thanks, Donna and Vanessa, for helping with the plans. With great food, lots of people, and a beautiful campground, it can’t help but be wonderful. I’ve checked the 10-day weather report, and although it’s supposed to be cool tomorrow and Tuesday, it will warm up for the weekend, which will be great for those of us sleeping in tents. 
           We’ve had a great week working in our yard! Dad and John put up the pergola, with extra help at the last minute from Donna and Bevan. I’m still raking dirt and rocks. My goal all summer has been to plant at least three sections of grass by August 1. I’m not going to make it, but I hope I won’t be too far behind my goal. The hardest thing has been planting trees and shrubs, because for every hole I dig, I pull out a pile of rocks bigger than the hole is deep. I have to put in lots of topsoil and peat moss to give my shrubs at least half a chance. But it’s all starting to look pretty good. 
           On Wednesday, Nora showed up at piano class driving a 12-passenger van with 10 children in it. Her kids were having "cousins week" with Vanessa’s, while Vanessa and Trent were off in the mountains hiking and camping and backpacking and fishing. Nora had borrowed the van from a neighbor. Thursday night, Nora and James came by our house with all the kids, on their way to the cabin. I wondered if they needed anything to eat, and Nora said any snacks would be welcome. So I pulled out flavor ices and gummi bears and cookies and snack cakes and ice cream, and they devoured almost everything. Nora said it would hold them off until dinner, because they needed time to get the fire pit going. I’m sure they all had a good time. Dad went over for breakfast Friday morning, but I was still raking dirt and rocks.
           I’m excited to take a break from all that for the reunion! See you soon!
          Lots of love, Mom