Greenpeace's newest member.

There are three intriguing items sitting on a side table in my parents' bedroom. A pebble, a piece of driftwood, and a white seashell. They are reminders of a trip they took to the Oregon Coast about eight years ago. Jack was investigating them yesterday (sadly, without his trusty serpentine magnifying glass) while my mom was doing some other things. Out of the blue he started to lecture her in very disappointed tones that she should not have these in her house. He said, "The stick belongs in the water, the rock belongs in the rock pile, and the shell belongs on the beach!" Apparently, his declaration did not produce enough humble penitence on my mother's part. Jack then attacked my mother where it really hurts.

"You stole these! You are breaking Heavenly Father's RULES!!!"

This child obviously lives close to federally protected lands...we just hadn't realized how militant he has become.

Preview.

During our July trip to Utah, all the Baileys assembled for family pictures. I've only seen a few--the rest I'll get to see soon. For your enjoyment:

Jack and I take off on trip number two tomorrow morning. I'm looking forward to the cool(er) weather, a cousin's wedding, and of course seeing both families.

By request, the other eight pictures.

I went on vacation, and you get...nothing.

It's official. I am completely unreliable when it comes to documenting anything memorable in our lives. When Allan and I went to Europe five years ago we only took about twenty pictures. And we aren't in any of them. Just some old buildings that no one would recognize. We just got back from a fabulous vacation in Utah where we saw both families, and I took NINE pictures--with no one but me, Jack, and Allan in them. Pitiful.

I am even worse at getting pictures developed. I have a lovely picture frame in our guest bathroom that has three empty slots. It has been hanging for a year now. My dad even gifted me Photoshop a few months ago--I'm sure my parents would appreciate seeing some evidence that I have used it more than a few times.

I hope to do better. I just feel like I have nothing to show or say these days. Life is pretty uneventful...

Actually, I know what's wrong. We got DirectTV and a DVR. That is really when blogging went out the window.

Provo was lovely. We saw most of the people we love best in this world. We were able to stop by some of the restaurants we still dream about. I stocked up on modest undertees (isn't that what every young mom does when they stop in Utah?). I ran a 5K without having run a single mile in the last four months. And Allan scoured the entire Wasatch Front for some size 13 hiking boots and a HUGE backpack.

We also saw Grandpa Welling for--unbeknownst to us--the last time. We paid him and Grandma a visit a few hours before he came down with pneumonia and went to the hospital. Our conversation was meaningful in the moment, and even more precious in retrospect. He was truly an amazing man by anyone's standards. And he knew that the Lord's standard is what matters most. You can read more about him here.

Allan and his brother, Brett, flew out for the funeral from Oakland, while Sarah and I stayed behind with the kids. I have a sliver of sunburn on my back to remind me of our visit to the waterpark (and the necessity of making sure to spray your ENTIRE back), and a pile of books Sarah graciously let me borrow. As expected after such a fun-filled weekend, Jack is yet again aware of how lame it is to be an only child.

But at least he has his magnifying glass to keep him busy: