On Sarah's driving, chipper encouragement from Rebecca: "[It was] not so jerky this time!" and, after getting out of the car, "No dents, no scratches--High Five!" And from Anna: "You're a good driver, Sarah!" and "Sarah, slow down on the bumps!"

"I have had enough camping to last me my lifetime." Sarah, after attending her 4th year hike, Young Women's camp, and Youth Conference (which was hiking and river rafting). I just had to put that down for the record. Let's watch her be a YW president for 20 years.

Anna to Peter: "Guess what?" "What?" "I love you."

"I wish I had my own horse. Then you wouldn't ever have to drive me to school!" Peter, (who has heard stories of Grandpa Doug riding his horse to school from his earliest days). Dream big, Pete.

"My dream is to have a baby like Jane. I cry sometimes I miss her so much." Eliza, when she was looking at photos. She really got close to her name-sharing cousin in June.

Eliza was spreading tomato sauce on some pepperoni slices. (It is 9:38 pm). I asked her what she was doing. "I'm making homemade pizza bites for my dinner!"

Eliza was teaching Peter how to play "Yankee Doodle" on the piano. Peter excitedly reported, "I can play 'Yankee Doodle went to town riding on a pone. I can't play pon-y yet.' "

As I eyed the pieces of Eliza's meat up that I cut up for her, as per her request, I encouraged her to cut them smaller since the pieces were a little large-ish. "That's OK," she replied. "I have a big mouth."

"Mom, can I count the stars tonight?" (Anna)

Sarah's 15th birthday is fast approaching, and the possibility of her learning to drive is on everyone's mind. Eliza saw a police car yesterday with lights flashing and a car pulled over. "I bet it's a 15 year old driving without a parent. Or 14...."

Sugar cereal is a Sunday morning phenomenon at our home, except on Fast Sunday, when children who are fasting "catch up" by eating it for lunch. I told Julia and Nate they could NOT have 5 bowls--2 would be better. Nate objected: "Two? C'mon! I collected fast offerings with my [suit] coat on [and it's hot today]!"

"How do you know I'm old enough to do my laundry basket?" asked Peter this morning. I said that if he was old enough to go to cousin sleepovers, then he was old enough to do his jobs. He conceeded.

"It feels so lonely in here." Eliza to Becca, after waving goodbye to Sarah, Mallory, and Christina, who had just left for EFY.

Anna, with great excitement, as she watched the eggs boiling on the stove: "Mom! The eggs are dancing!"

Eliza, on driving: "I know how to drive a car. I just don't know what the gas pedal is for."