Little Things with Isaiah

 I want to remember these days that Isaiah is 7 years old. 

Being the youngest of 4, he does big kid things, plays big kid games, uses big kid words, and hangs out with the big kids' friends. 

So when I catch him acting that he is 7, it melts my heart and makes me want to bottle it up in my heart forever. 

His favorite way to fall asleep is on my shoulder with my arm wrapped around him. And then, around 2:30am, he will crawl in bed beside me. Some nights I tell him he has to crawl in with Josiah because I need to sleep all night. And Josiah complains because Isaiah will make sure he sleeps touching Josiah the rest of the night.

When we are reading for school or he is watching a video on my phone, he will bring a pillow and blanket and snuggle in beside me on the couch. 

Last week I took Isaiah to a homeschool field trip to a local strawberry patch. He loved coming home and telling his brother and sisters all about how strawberries are planted and grown.

We picked strawberries and played on the playground.

The quickest way to this kid's heart, though, is food....preferably McDonald's, Dominos pizza, or Cheerios. If he and I are out together he usually has an extensive plan for snacks. On the strawberry picking day, he was sure that we needed to get shakes at Cook Out before picking up McDonald's for everyone for lunch. (Cook Out shakes did not happen that day. lol)

An unintended consequence of construction is that we have a rather large mud puddle in a place that makes it very attractive to play in. Isaiah can't stay out of it when he is outside. Whether it's just walking in it, practically swimming in it or riding his bike through it. And then, of course, he has to hose off and threaten to spray anyone who is within distance of the hose.  

It may not appear that Isaiah is listening because it looks like he is moving and distracted. I've heard over and over from Sunday School teachers that he will answer a question correctly when they thought he was completely distracted.

Lastly, Isaiah does not stop talking when he has your attention. He's my dishwasher loader and unloader--and he will talk the entire time. In the car. In the microphone with friends, aunt/uncle, dad or siblings playing games. At night when he needs to be going to sleep.   

I love this stage. 

 

 

A Day in the Life of Aliza

 Aliza's life is pretty eventful these days! Bright and early Friday morning she recorded at the local TV station with the Salisbury Children's Choir. She very much enjoyed the experience especially seeing all the camera and crew working behind the scenes.

She got home in time to rest up for a couple hours before getting ready for the homeschool formal. This year she decided to wear her jazz dance costume. She loved this long costume and it really did work well for this occasion too.

These are the 4 who rode together. They are all part of a larger group that met up at the formal. It was fun for Aliza and Alena to take some pictures together before we left.

Anna is looking forward to the time when she can go to formal!

While the kids spent the evening dancing, the moms sat in a restaurant and talked. It was good food and good conversation.

 

Joy Dare::April

9000!! One more day of school at Grandma's house but starting it with a cup of tea and Duck Dynasty
9001. Dance pictures = so. much. excitement.
9002. Finding all of Aliza's "childhood" treasures
9003. Cookies made
9004. Aliza slept in her new room
9005. Experiencing a new church
9006. Moving the rest of Aliza's room
9007. Afternoon with friends
9008. Way more progress in Anna's room than I even hoped for
9009. Jeremy made Aliza's day (by hanging up her swing)
9010. House cleaning
9011. Grandma and Grandpa are here!
9012. My parents could come over and visit
9013. Isaiah climbing trees
9014. Ramen for supper

9015. Family evening at home.
9016. For King and Country put on a great show
9017. Watching Anna interact with her dance class
9018. Late night snacks
9019, Another week of school finished
9020. Recycling taken care of
9021. A new book started
9022. Spring yard cleanup
9023. Jeremy worked on a project he's been wanting to do
9024. Anna did something outside of her comfort zone and had fun
9025. I scrapbooked for the first time in months
9026. Lots of conversation after church
9027. Riding along with Jeremy and Aliza for Pokemon Community Day
9028. After dark Easter egg hunt
9029. Noticing all the little green leaves
9030. Found a desk for Aliza
9031. More cleaning out and cleaning up
9032. Morning walks resumed
9033. Smelling honeysuckle in the air
9034. A perfectly beautiful spring day
9035. Windows open
9036. When the bank took so long, Aliza could right home from dance with a friend
9037. Brownies and ice cream
9038. Boys playing
9039. Lunch outside
9040. Podcasts to listen to while I paint
9041. Girls afternoon
9042. Anna getting excited about her bedroom makeover
9043. Dinner with Jeremy
9044. Anna liked her paint color
9045. Anna made the key lime pies
9046. Worked so hard and got so much done
9047. Easter church service
9048. Easter family dinner and egg hunt
9049. Cousins playing long and happily
9050. Setting up Anna's room
9051. Isaiah was my buddy for errands
9052. Some time to read before bed
9053. Sun and vibrant green after a day of rain
9054. These cute faces

9055. Aliza's book club
9056. Jeremy had a good day
9057. Tucking everyone into bed in their own rooms
9058. Last day of dance
9059. Chatting over coffee
9060. Reading to Anna
9061. Rhododendron blooms

9062. Hair and makeup went so smoothly
9063. Taking friends to dress rehearsal
9064. Clean floors
9065. All the dance recital feels
9066. Tacos, friends, laughter and old dance recital videos
9067. Sunday School for the first time in many years
9068. Long Sunday nap
9069. Sitting on the porch
9070. Startig the week off with a morning walk
9071. Saying yes when everyone wanted to go to Pemberton Park
9072. Aliza got some really positive feedback
9073. Isaiah stayed in his bed all night
9074. Finding all sorts of interesting things in Isaiah's room
9075. Anna made the lasagna
9076. Quiet, at home evening
9077, School got done while I was gone
9078. I didn't have to cook supper
9079. A friend to eat with
9080. buying some dahlia bulbs
9081. Isaiah's room the cleanest its ever been
9082. Decision made
9083. A trunk full of flower starts
9084. Planting all the plants
9085. Josiah helping to the end
9086. The surprise of a new refrigerator in our house
9087. Dad and Jeremy made a great team
9088. Anna playing
 

Last Week

 On one of our warm sunny days, the lunch conversation turned to how much everyone loves going to Pemberton Park. We finished school and headed out for a walk. There wasn't much time before the next thing we had to do, but everyone was happy to get out.

It was Aliza and Josaih who recognized the blooming fiddleleaf ferns.

Isaiah got "tired" and laid down and Josiah offered to be his pillow.

On Friday Mom and I went to a friend's house to get some starts for my flowerbeds. Anna Mae has flowerbeds around her entire farm home and she just kept digging starts for me. Each bag in the picture has a different plant in it.

Naturally, those plants needed to get back in the ground as soon as possible. After supper, Josiah and I did some quick ground clearing and planting. It was after dark until we finished watering the plants. I have about 5 different places around the house they they are planted. I had almost forgotten how happy flowering plants make me! Now we will see if I can keep them alive!

Saturday brought a big, unexpected surprised. When we planned the kitchen, the space for the refrigerator was made larger than our current small refrigerator because, in the event that we would replace it, we would get a larger one.

Without warning, a MUCH larger refrigerator became available. I measured the space and soon after Jeremy and my Dad had it loaded on the truck. Thankfully our doorways were also built wide enough to accommodate moving in a large refrigerator! lol It was pretty tight in a few places.

It was originally bought off the floor as a scratch and dent. The price was negotiated to well less than half of the original price and was used for an outreach food program.

It's amazing! It looks just right in the kitchen. There is so much space in the freezer and the fridge. Even after the week's grocery shopping there was extra room.

 I'm just truly grateful for this gift that I didn't even know I needed or even wanted!