Sacha Arrives!

I finally got Sacha to give me one "courtesy" smile at then end of our raspberry picking expedition.

Julianne and Sacha with their raspberry pickings. Sacha always the ham!

Jacob carefully fills his container with juicy, ripe berries.

Rebekah and baby Noah enjoying some quality outdoor time.

Sacha, Julianne and Isaac walking along rows of raspberry bushes.

Sacha arrived from Maryland this Tuesday evening. She walked off, she looks great, very tan and I think even a bit taller than when I saw her in March. We haven't actually stood back to back, but I think she is at least my height now. Sacha is now 16 - that means we've entered the driving realm. I have to admit I thought I'd be more calm and Sacha would be more nervous. A little background- Sacha has her permit, but must log 60 hours of drive time in order to obtain her license. I had great aspirations that whenever we would drive somewhere Sacha would do the driving. Well, now we live in St. Louis and I am rather unfamiliar with routes so I don't feel comfortable having Sacha drive them. To be fair, Sacha is a good driver. What is making me crazy is that I want her to come to gradual stops. I admit, I yelled several times- "Press on the brake--- harder, harder, STOP!" I think that is about how it went. I pictured us running into the backs of cars several times this week. I gave myself (and Sacha) a respite over the weekend, but I think we might stick to some 25 mile per hour residential zones with no cars.
Sacha and Julianne are happy to be reunited once again and are as fun as ever to see together. They are rarely separated except when I take Sacha to the gym in the evenings. She is quite the fit girl and is thrilled to have a pass to the Bally gym. I warned her about the guy "gym rats" who may try to flirt with her. But, I know she could probably take them down, if not physically, she can give a bone chilling stare.
One more note- we went berry picking this week, raspberries to be exact. What fun, they were thornless bushes so that made the experience fun and pain free. Bonnie, being the domestic diva that she is, canned (with a little help from me) jam. We also enjoyed fresh berries and Bonnie also froze a few batches.