School, West Virginia, and Community Day

 We are 8 days into my 12th year of educating our children at home. It is nice to be at the point where I can see that my children are well educated, not just hoping that it will all come together. Isaiah is reading so very well. Math is coming together for Anna. Josiah is a Freshman. He is taking Alegbra 1 and Physical Science along with his other subjects this year. Aliza is a Junior. She is taking Algebra 2, Chemistry, and Spanish 2 along with her other subjects. I'm also not using video instruction for a couple classes for Anna and Josiah. This is the first year I've felt up for doing parent led instruction. 

We had some bumps during the first 3 days. By Friday afternoon I was in tears and wondering if I could actually do this and if I was doing it all wrong for a particular child. I was so discouraged. We headed to West Virginia for the weekend (more on that in a second) and I headed into our first full week of school with a bit of trepidation. For as discouraged as I was, I was equally encouraged at the end of last week. There were no tears over school all week. We finished between 1:30 and 2:00 every day (Aliza was a little later.) It was good. It also takes me being 100% present for schoolwork from 9:30-1:30.

Back to West Virginia--there was not an occasion for this trip. It was just time to visit Grandma and Grandpa and Joel and Amanda. Anna loved having fruit for breakfast.

Isaiah got the buddy treehouse cleaned up. I pitched a lot of balls for Isaiah to hit. After he hit me on the first pitch, I took it a little more seriously!

Anna spent Saturday with Grandma. They went shopping, stopped at a yard sale and then Grandma set up a painting table in the garage for Anna to paint a jewelry cabinet.

Anna had the best time painting.

Meanwhile, Jeremy, Aliza and Josiah went to Joel and Amanda's house to meet their new dog and then they went to Shepherdstown to play Pokemon.

Saturday evening I worked up the courage to sew the elastic and ribbons on Anna's pointe shoes. I only sewed one ribbon at the wrong angle and had to tear it out and redo it.

I just found this picture in my camera roll that Anna set up and took. (her pointe shoes beside her new bag) She starting a new dance class this fall and is so excited--and nervous.

Aliza planned a family outing this weekend for a Pokemon event. We went to SU for a couple hours and walked around, did some raids and got really hungry and thirsty. Isaiah and I shared a device. It was perfect. He rode his scooter when we were walking and when we stopped, he played. He LOVED being my "little Pokemon buddy." (his words) He talked his way through every step of the game, appraising each Pokemon he caught right away and deciding whether to keep it or not. He would explain to me his logic for transferring or keeping each one. This is a fun way for us to all be together. Lunch and shakes from Cookout was just the right way to end our adventure.

 

The Front Room

 Almost 8 months since we have moved in to our addition and I am just thrilled to be able to write about the transformation of the LAST room in our house. All of the tools and the paint have been taken to the shed and our house is finished!

This room has never had a real purpose. It's housed all of the children's toys for many years. Jeremy's computers were set up here for a while and this year it has been the staging area for painting and storing furniture and boxes while we were moving rooms around. This picture was from the very beginning. Most recently it was so full that there was just a walk way. Not the way I like to live at all! Even though I could pretty much ignore this space, I was still anxious to know that it was neat and clean.

I started doing the small tedious painting as I could over the last couple weeks. The trim on the outside of the stairs,

the built in bookcase, the window and door trims, and primed the crown molding.

Josiah did lots and lots of caulking.

Jeremy took out the heaters and I helped him remove the plaster. Every step of the way we reminded ourselves that this was the LAST time we had to do each step. Plaster is not very much fun to deal with. The start of school was quickly approaching and Jeremy knew that I so very much wanted the house done before I started school. Last week he was working on spackling the drywall. On Saturday he sanded the last coat and put up the floor trim. I decided to delay the start of school for 2 days to paint and set up the front room. 

On Monday Aliza and I painted. I could not have pulled this off without her. I painted trim and cut in. She rolled. We had the primer done by lunch. I had also cut in the ceiling for Jeremy. In the afternoon we did the first coat of paint. After supper Jeremy rolled the ceiling and I cut in and rolled the second coat of paint. I was exhausted but it was SO worth it!

Tuesday morning Mom came to help me scrub the floor. It was a mess. And then Mom helped me move around the furniture. We were given a couch last week that fits perfectly. Anna claimed it for school and had a ball organizing all her things.

Tuesday night I unpacked all the boxes of my things. I found so many things that I had forgotten about since I packed them up 9 months ago.

Probably most exciting was setting up my scrapbooking space. I was so EXCITED Tuesday night. Truth be told, I still am!

I've had my "Are you ready to see your Fixer Upper?" feeling. Every step has felt great, but knowing that it's done is a feeling of great accomplishment. 

7 out of 7 spaces finished!

(We did start school on Wednesday. More on that later!)
 

Around Here Lately

 Our days have been FULL and FUN!
One of my college roommates was at the beach and came over to visit for a morning. It was so fun to catch up with her and meet her little guy.

Aliza and Anna LOVED playing with him.

My brave sister took her girls and mine for an epic adventure at Busch Gardens. Aliza and Anna had never been to an amusement park. They were beyond excited and had SO MUCH FUN.

Aliza was all about the rides. Anna was all about the experience. This is going to be a trip they will always remember.

Anna made a house for her dog, Lucy, with a door that opens and closes. She was sure to tell me that the towel was Great Gramma's.

A nice beach day in spite of the water being unseasonably cold.

A new chair that the boys have claimed. I can't help myself--I take way too many brother pictures.

We went to the cove to watch the sunset. Instead we watched a storm roll in. It was still a nice evening with friends.

Aliza and I are going to do something new this fall. She and I took a training yesterday to be able to volunteer in the ESL class that several churches work together to offer to the community. 

I have school ready to go. We were going to start tomorrow, but instead, the last room is ready for paint and I so badly wanted to have the painting done before school started. I'm going to paint tomorrow and we will start school later in the week. I think knowing the painting projects are finished will put me in a better frame of mind for school. I'm hoping so anyway!
 

Joy Dare::July

9276. Dessert and walking around The Vault with Mom
9277. Listening to them tell Grandma all the camp stories
9278. Supper and shopping with Anna
9279. Haircuts

9280. Friends over for supper
9281. Lemon blueberry cake
9282. I didn't feel worse this morning
9283. The youth sharing about camp
9284. Giving Isaiah my attention this evening
9285. Holiday work day
9286. Cookout kind of supper
9287. Jeremy and I worked together and got the stairwell painting finished
9288. Isaiah practicing self-control
9289. Reading time
9290. Anna's sweet birthday card and gift
9291. Texts, notes and flowers
9292. Wedding is good for the soul
9293. Anna and Renee making a video
9294. Aliza spending the afternoon with Lydia
9295. Planning for the school year
9296. Isaiah whisper singing bedtime songs because my throat was sore
9297. Making apple pies
9298. The sound of summer rain on leaves
9299. Jeremy is so patient and kind
9300. Immune systems that are strong
9301. Safely home
9302. The technology to watch church when I'm home with kids with colds
9303. Aliza and Josiah had so much fun

9304. Ice cream with Anna and Isaiah
9305. Jeremy got to have a fun day
9306. Talking with another homeschool mom
9307. My girls could make supper so I could have friend time
9308. Summer storm
9309. Lunch with Anna and Isaiah
9310. Cleaned up the laundry room
9311. Successful project with Mom's help
9312. Anniversary date night
9313. Corn hole on the porch after dark
9314. Isaiah had a good attitude
9315. Quiet evening together
9316. A Saturday with no plans
9317. Hanging out with Jeremy to help him
9318. Listening to Aliza's thought on the way to camp
9319. Making it possible for Aliza to do all the things this summer
9320. "Mom, thanks for everything you did while I was sick." Isaiah
9321. Supper that Jeremy enjoyed
9322. An evening walk
9323. The "I'm having fun" text from Aliza
9324. When Josiah has things to talk about
9325. Playing games with Isaiah
9326. Hugging my Aliza girl
9327. The excuse to call Karen every day
9328. Finishing the Hebrews Bible study
9329. Hearing Aliza tell me about her friend accepting Jesus
9330. This season of having big kids and little kids
9331. Isaiah curled up beside me and fell asleep
9332. Drenching summer rain
9333. The first dahlia bloom
9334. Watching home videos with Anna (that she made years ago) and laughing until we cry
9335. Picking up porch chairs
9336. Aliza shining on the stage
9337. Hugging my girl and bringing her home
9338. Sunday rest
9339. Checking on Aliza while she sleeps
9340. Aliza's playlist for painting the dining room
9341. This crew

9342. Wind off the water
9343. Learning all about Agron from a young man's vast knowledge

9344. Seeing Anna in pointe shoes for the first time

9345. Alla of Anna's excited, grateful hugs
9346. Finished dining room

9347. Key lime pie for Mom
9348. Reading about sharks with Isaiah
9349. Taylor coming over to hang out
9350. Family car time
9351. Mountain fresh air
9352. Watching everyone have so much fun kayaking
9353. Talking around the fire
9354. Snuggled in with Anna and Aliza
9355. A place that brings out the best in our family
9356. A second night around the fire
9357. Special pictures and stories
9358. Song service for church
9359. Very smooth trip home
9360. Seeing the BLUE confetti

 

A Refreshing Weekend

 Whether it's the setting or the people or a combination of both, this weekend brings out the best in my family. We have been going to Trout Run, PA to visit my aunt and uncle for 5 years now and it is the most looked forward to trip by all of the children. The weather was perfectly warm during the day and cool at night. The water was mountain cold, but that did not stop the children and Jeremy from swimming. I opted not to get wet above my knees which made Anna very sad.

The kayaks were in constant use for two afternoons.

 

Josiah declared this fishing kayak his "dream kayak".  I don't think anyone else had a turn in that one.

In the morning we walked on the mostly dry riverbed in another area.

Aliza climbed the landslide and mostly slide down.

The others caught minnows and looked for crawdads.

There was also lots of trampoline jumping, scavenger hunting, and yard game playing. 

Dan laid out his artistic photos from Kenya in the evening. I had never seen them or heard the stories behind the pictures. At one point all the children were around a picture that Dan was telling them about. Aliza asked questions which I know is so fun for someone who has stories to tell that are different from most people's experiences. It turned out to be a special time that I will treasure.

This week Isaiah has continued to lobby for us to go every 6 months instead of just once of year!