Every year we join with the Wright family and head to the Oregon Coast for Labor Day weekend. It marks for us the end of summer, the start of another school year and the pleasures of long-lasting friendships. Peggy Wright and I have been friends for 31 years. We met at Oregon State University when we were both 19. We both married men named Tim and our children have become friends over the year. In fact, our sons, Stephan & Matt, have been roommates for the past year in Bend, Oregon. Peggy and I were roomies at OSU. (Hope you got that Beaver game the other night!) Peggy works at Harvest House, a Christian publisher in Eugene, where she is an editor. And, as you know, I write books. It seems our conversations have evolved just like our lives, over the years.

Tonight is our annual crab fest. Tim and I always get a mess of crabs and we cook 'em up and everyone enjoys 'em. But Matt is abstaining from mean due to some stupid bet he has going. And Amanda never eats shellfish, simply because she doesn't like it. So I've been wracking my brain all day trying to come up with an alternative meal plan. I'll figure something out, but if not, Matt said he brought peanut butter.

I hope you & your family are enjoying this last little bit of summer...

Shelby, Kenzie, Katie & Konnie. Missing are Amanda, who was back at the house and Ashley, who didn't make the trip this year. Not the same without her.

Konnie & Kenzie jumping for joy at Beach Weekend!