The First Week

 This week marked my 13th year educating our children at home. This one feels like a milestone year with Aliza being a Senior. I've made the whole circuit, used all the BJU Press books in the catalog.

This was also the first year that I've waited to start school until September. I still wasn't ready to start and so we planned some things to look forward to during the first week of school. After our first day of school, we went to the beach for the evening. Besides the horses being absolutely crazy and pillaging through our things multiple times, it was a beautiful evening. Jeremy was able to come with us and we just had fun together.

On Tuesday there was an appointment that went into lunch time and so I brought home Chick Fil A for lunch. 

Later in the week Island Creamery was necessary.

Somehow we all survied--some with more sanity than others! Aliza has a lighter course load this year. Josiah has Geometry which has already caused him and I to have increased heart rates. Anna and Isaiah have new responsibilities appropriate to 7th and 4th grade which is an adjustment. 

The spoiler alert is--the 2nd week is going more smoothly!
 

Joy Dare::August

 10,416. Windows designed to be washed
10,417. Thanking about how I'm spending my life
10,418. A perfect evening for hosting Bible study on the porch
10,419. Watching Anna be so excited about her first guitar lesson
10,420. A car full of cousins going to youth group
10,421. Back porch with a roof
10,422. Jeremy could go to the beach with us
10,423. Sandy octopus with goggles

10,424. Anna really enjoying helping Laura with babysitting
10,425. Finishing several scrapbook layouts
10,426. When my nails match my mug

10,427. Summer greens
10,428. Cleaned up yard
10,429. A new supper recipe
10,430. Sunday routines and rhythms
10,431. A beautiful evening to walk around SU
10,432. Choosing pictures to print
10,433. Josiah survived his first Drivers Ed class
10,434. Visiting with Buzz and Donna
10,435. A Grandma outing for Anna and Isaiah
10,436. Making applesauce
10,437. Josiah making me laugh until I cry
10,438. Late summer nights
10,439. A busy afternoon and all the timing worked out
10,440. An evening with Elizabeth
10,441. Girl cousin time at its best
10,442. Encouragement for Josiah
10,443. Anna snuggles
10,444. Watching Aliza grow up
10,445. Lunch and games with friends

10,446. The halfway mark in driver's ed
10,447. Getting to watch Aliza's audition
10,448. Chipotle for supper
10,449. All the end of summer feelings
10,450. Riding with Jeremy to pick up someone for church
10,451. Touring Teackle Mansion
10,452. Isaiah decided to some 9:45pm cleaning

10,453. Walking
10,454. Laughing at myself
10,455. Pear crisp
10,456. A left handed guitar found and purchased
10,457. Everyone helped with a great attitude
10,458. The yellow dahlia

10,459. Homemade pico de gallo
10,460. All the driver's ed stories
10,461. Laughing at ourselves
10,462. Just me and Isaiah for most of the day
10,463. Jeremy came home with pie and quiche
10,464. The process of separating as a child becomes independent happens in all kinds of surprising ways
10,465. A couple of the kids enjoyed the beach today
10,466. Josiah proud of finishing driver's ed well

10,467. Loved watching Aliza do her call back audition
10,468. Playing mini golf to celebrate Lydia
10,469. Singing Hymn of Heaven in church
10,470. Aliza and Anna's concert excitement
10,471. A great hotel
10,472. An evening of worship
10,473. Vacation Relaxing

10,474. PA Dutch buffet
10,475. Pool side conversation
10,476. Watching Moses at Sight & Sound
10,477. Reading a really good book
10,478. So many good memories made
10,479. Visiting with a neighbor
10,480. Guitar lesson on the porch
10,481. Not having to cook supper
10,482. Life skills being learned

10,483. Sean's group hug and sweet prayer
10,484. Relaxing

10,485. A nice morning at the park
10,486. Chai with Mom
10,487. Hearing all of Aliza's exciting stories
10,488. Feeling sick over a weekend means I can just lay low
10,489. Lots of reading
10,490. Being able to watch church
10,491. Jeremy helping with cooking
10,492. Video calls with Texas cousins
10,493. Slept all night and woke up with some energy
10,494. Candle burning on a rainy day
10,495. Crossing off the organizing tasks
10,496. Home
10,497. School cabinet organized
10,498. Anna still has a sense of humor even with a cold
10,499. Serving together

10,500. Learning to hold the schedule with an open hand
10,501. More dahlias

10,502. Preview of the season to come
10,503. Listening to the boys carry on
10,504. Catching up on some outside tasks
 

Memories Made

 Right after church our family left with the Morgan family for a couple days of crossing off the last of our summer list of fun.
First on the agenda was a concert--KB, Brandon Lake and Phil Wickham. This was a dream line up for Aliza and Josiah (Siah) Morgan especially.

When KB came out, they could not even contain their excitement. We were up at the very top of the stadium with next to no room for movement, but those 5 kids, in the row in front of us adults and Isaiah, did not stop moving the entire concert.

How they kept up that level of energy from 7:30-8 and 9-11pm, I cannot explain! I thoroughly enjoyed the concert too. It was one of those concerts that you can sing every song. At times the crowd was singing over Brandon Lake and Phil Wickham. It was just really, really fun to worship GOD in such a crowd!

Isaiah was a great sport, but he would have much rather been with his cousin Ezra! Isaiah reminded us that we were really in the nosebleed seats when he got a nose bleed mid concert. That startled me. Thankfully it wasn't too serious and didn't last long.

We got back to our hotel at 12:30am and we were wiped and still wound up. The Heslop room stayed dark long into the next morning. The Morgan family was starting to wonder if we were ever going to emerge! It didn't matter because that day was strictly for relaxing and visiting-- getting to catch up on a couple months of conversation that we've missed. Isaiah was thrilled for two sessions of swimming in the pool. We had a late lunch at a PA Dutch smorgasbord. We had some family time. And a movie that night.

I don't get many pictures of Anna and Tabitha! I love this one though!

Our second main event was watching Moses at Sight and Sound. Aliza LOVED it as much as I thought she would. Anna loved it even MORE than I thought she would.

The show was amazing as usual. Isaiah even sat still through the whole thing. And Jeremy took one picture that he was not supposed to take. The scene here is God speaking to Moses from the burning bush.

 

Some Little Things

 These last few weeks have been filled chock full of little moments. It's been busy! Even with Aliza driving, I've felt like a taxi driver!

While the oldest three were at youth group, Jeremy, Isaiah and I took a walk around SU campus. I wanted to finish something on Pokemon that I can't even remember now. It was good excuse, though, to take a walk on a beautiful evening.

For years Josiah has asked to make applesauce. Grandma told us that she had apples and so we made a batch of applesauce. She told me it was a small bag. I was skeptical of what a "small bag" was to her. It was actually a small bag. lol Aliza and I helped too.

I love having a couple dahlia plants and this yellow one is my favorite.

Jeremy was at a local pie bakery called Ugly Pie and came home with this Death By Chocolate pie and a quiche. I was so thankful to be able to put the quiche in the oven for supper tonight!

Listening to Phil Wickham's new album on repeat. Aliza stayed up until midnight last night to listen to it as soon as it released. Not that staying up until midnight is all that unusual for her these days.

Another gem Anna left on my phone.

The girls have enjoyed going to Lift youth group this summer. That's Aliza with her hands raised. They particularly love the worship time there. Plus they get to hang out with their cousins.

 And now it is just about time for one more drive today to pick up Josiah from his last Driver's Ed class. He and I are both excited that this is the last night!

Joy Dare::July

 10,325. Picking raspberries
10,326. 4th of July picnic
10,327. That good-kind-of-tired feeling
10,328. Gideon playing on the worship
10,329. A little time with Jeremy
10,330. Rest and preparation for the week
10,331. Amazing kids who are willing to give me up to help Grandma Karen
10,332. Snacking on blueberries and strawberries
10,333. Bedtime reading with Isaiah over video call
10,334. A little Ronan time
10,335. Seeing a few fireworks from the door
10,336. Listening to "I'm So Blessed" with Karen
10,337. Little improvements each day for Karen
10,338. Flowers and chocolate
10,339. An evening walk
10,340. Birthday flowers
10,341. Visit from a friend
10,342. Emotion released
10,343. With both of my moms
10,344. The nap I needed to drive home
10,345. Hugging my family
10,346. A day at home
10,347. My little piece of Smith Island cake

10,348. Setting up the scrapbook cabinet
10,349. Seeing Dad
10,350. Family afternoon
10,351. Making cookies with Isaiah
10,352. Seeing Aliza at work
10,353. Another smooth trip to WV
10,354. 4 square
10,355. Karen is getting stronger and sleeping better
10,356. Mowing grass for Van
10,357. Walking around the lake
10,358. A little cousin time with Ronan
10,359. Van's work situation got better
10,360. Peony tubers
10,361. Aliza took care of supper
10,362. My own bed
10,363. Laughing over a game together
10,364. Anniversary roses
10,365. Anniversary date
10,366. Finally cleaning out the school cabinet
10,367. Family weekend
10,368. Aliza leading worship
10,369. Scrapbook spread out on the floor
10,370. Listening to the late night Minecraft playing with Joel and Amanda
10,371. All the normal Monday tasks
10,372. A beautiful beach evening
10,373. Jeremy came to the beach after work
10,374. Taking a mall walk with Isaiah
10,375. Aliza handling an adult situation
10,376. Connecting with another mom
10,377. Anna, Renee and Lydia spent the morning together
10,378. So much to tell my mom
10,379. Pretty excited about an open August schedule
10,380. Watching the turtles
10,381. Getting orthodontics started for Anna
10,382. Jeremy's milkshakes
10,383. Aliza finishing strong
10,384. A vivid double rainbow

10,385. A new game we all could play
10,386. Spending time with my cousin
10,387. Kayaking
10,388. Isaiah laughing so hard
10,389. Cool nights
10,390. Time with my aunt
10,391. Josiah's pure excitement
10,392. Aliza could help with driving
10,393. Good memories
10,394. Isaiah so exited to go bow fishing
10,395. A wonderful pool afternoon
10,396. Renee and Lydia
10,397. Summer storm
10,398. The iconic summer beach day
10,399. Children old enough to be self sufficient
10,400. The mom who had vinegar with her for jellyfish stings was a lifesaver for Anna
10,401. A new place for tea

10,402. Friends
10,403. Completely lost track of time
10,404. Isaiah confident and excited
10,405. Some Janell time
10,406. A weekend with Josiah
10,407. Josiah and his Panera baguette
10,408. Supper with Mom
10,409. Hearing the fishing stories be told
10,410. A guest speaker at church
10,411. Isaiah had so much fun at camp
10,412. A break in the heat to mow grass
10,413. Time to catch up with some friends
10,414. Celebrating Mom

10,415. Cousins being together
 

One Weekend, Many Adventures

This was sort of a choose-your-own-adventure weekend. Jeremy and Taylor took Isaiah to kids camp at Skycroft. Isaiah was so excited to get to have his own camp experience.

Isaiah is always up for a game of chess.

This was literally called OMC--Organized Mass Chaos. From the pictures it lived up to the name. The kids each got a card with a challenge on it and when they completed it, they got another card. The one rule was that you couldn't say No--if anyone asked for help, the kids couldn't say No, they had to help each other.

Gaga Ball was Isaiah's favorite game. If you ask him his favorite part of camp, he will probably

Aliza and Anna had their own adventure with Janell's family at Busch Gardens.

Aliza was very excited to ride all the big rides with Jeff.

Anna leaves me these gems to find.

Anna got brave and rode the swings and a couple other rides that she didn't do last year.

In the evening there was a Matthew West concert which they thoroughly enjoyed.

Josiah and I were at home. It was very quiet here! We had lunch at Panera where we both like the same summer salad. Josiah wanted a whole baguette. He didn't think I would actually get it for him. When I did, his joy was priceless.

 

Josiah and Grandad had their own fishing adventure. The weather wasn't great so they decided to go to the Chincoteague bay areas for sand shark and stingrays. Josiah didn't feel very optimistic about catching anything. After a prayer for less wind and a catch, he reeled in a 40 inch sand shark. He was thrilled!

There were lots of stories to share on Sunday when everyone was home again! There was also an early bedtime and sleeping in on Monday. Everyone was TIRED!