Applied 2018-01-23 for passport applications for two minor children, one new, one renewal. I will update progress. One change was that now appointments are required at our local Post Office, or we would have applied several weeks earlier but needed to wait for a timeslot.

Previous history:
2013: standard processing (not expedited) passports in ~2 weeks.
April 10, 2017. Applied for two new passports at Post Office. Sent two old passports in for renewal. Unfortunately, minor passports are processed as new applications (not as renewals). Standard 6-8 week processing. Not processed in time. Paid expedite fee and drove ~700 miles one way to nearest passport agency to pick up in person on June 9, 2017.