Homecoming

September 12, the doorbell rang. Nobody was there, but this clever invitation for Lisa was waiting on our front porch.

Lisa chose the smaller rock.

Lisa being Lisa, should couldn't just take the rock to school. (We suggested that she paint YES over the NO, and leave the big rock in his locker for him to deal with, but she decided to go a different route.)

Before the day of the big dance was the day of the big Homecoming football game. Which is also where they announce the candidates for Homecoming Queen (and King, but honestly, who pays much attention to the boys?) Lisa was nominated. (After she found out she had to go to the office to ask which organization nominated her, because she's involved in five groups that it could have been -- orchestra, musical theater, National Honor Society, ski team, and Japan Club. It was the latter one.)

Anyway, she made the top 10, so she got introduced at halftime at the game.

Then Saturday was the dance. Here are a few photos:

Lisa was excited to wear a new dress this time.

She was in a small group, which was more laid back than some of the monster groups she's gone to dances with in the past.

 

She had fun.

Under the sky

September 18, one of Lisa's friends put together a recital. It was held at the outdoor amphitheater in the new Kleiner Park, which is a really nice venue.

Several of Lisa's friends played, both solo and in small ensembles. Lisa played as part of a quartet, and also did a solo.

There were about 50 people watching. It was a very nice concert.

Eighteen

Last month Lisa turned the big 1-8!

We got together with Grandma, Grandpa, and Jeff's family to do a joint celebration with Regan. Regan decided she wanted doughnuts, so Maria made these:

Yumiko made a strawberry triffle for Lisa. Both desserts were amazingly good.

Contemplating her wish...

For her birthday dinner we went to Texas Roadhouse, where Lisa tucked into a slab of ribs.

And enjoyed some ice cream for desert.

She got several presents, including some fun music...

...and a rock tumbler from our amazing home teacher.

Even Sunny joined in the festivities.

Congratulations, Lisa!

Bird's eye view

August 20-21 I went to Portland for a conference.  Though the plane didn't fly as far north as I was hoping it would, I got a few photos of Boise.

From this one you can see that it does actually make sense for Boise to be called the "City of Trees." At least compared to the foothills...

Here is Mom and Dad's neighborhood, with the gravel pits (now a park).

Here is our neighborhood.  Can you find our house?

Here it is!  (The resolution is really bad... the camera settings were wonky.  Darn...)

Two more from different angles.

Centennial High School.

Lowell Scott Middle School.

Some mountains near Portland.  Two of the Three Sisters, I think.

A forest fire.

On the way back to the airport I stopped by the Portland temple and took a few photos.

Out in the streets

On August 24 we went to an outdoor street fair in downtown Boise.  It was interesting. They had several blocks of the main streets blocked off, with a bunch of small booths set up.

There were a lot of interesting people walking around.

There were booths selling bread

and organic vegetables

and a variety of artwork, pottery, etc.

As you were wandering around, sometimes you'd also come across people playing music, like this.

Yes, that's Lisa and her quartet playing on the street corner.

They played for about four hours.

They had a really good spot, on the corner of 8th and Idaho, right at the center of the street fair.

A lot of people stopped to listen.

A fair number also put money in their tip jar. Lisa made more than if she'd taken an extra shift at her "day job."

Here's her friend Chelsey, who was playing the harp on the opposite corner of the intersection.

They had fun....

...and sounded great.

Way to go, kids!