Project 365, Week 35

This week we focused our efforts the basement and outside at the lake. We worked to make the lake look like it hadn't been under construction for the last month and we tried to make our house look like it hadn't been neglected for the last month. Ha!

August 25

Lots to do but a beautiful time of year.

August 26

Back in June when school was out, Aiden and I talked about him doing a 6-week college class to make good use of the summer, explore something of interest and earn college credit. As I searched for a class, I didn't find anything that suited our summer needs but I did enter the world of college credit for high schoolers and the more I researched, the more my interest was piqued. 

Aiden and I talked about what it would look like to do dual enrollment for high school and he latched right onto the idea but it was a really big decision so we had many conversations weighing the pros and cons.

I spoke with a friend who has four kids, the youngest is also a junior. This friend is a wealth of knowledge and passionate about making college as inexpensive and brief as possible. Having three boys, she and her husband have also felt the responsibility to raise boys who have the ability to financially support a family.

Shaun, Aiden and I were on board, the final hurdle, and the factor that brought the decision down to the wire was soccer. In our state, he had to choose playing high school soccer or doing dual enrollment.  

Ultimately, he chose to start college. :) He is taking four college courses this semester, all online. Two classes from our local community college and two classes from ORU (as it happens, his dad did freshman year there). Total cost of those 12 credits is about $500.

Its not for everyone, but for Aiden and our family, it seems like a good fit and so far its going really well. He plans to go to the office with us and do most of his school work there, tucked away from clients. Something like this...

It took me longer than it should have to find/make/print a First Day of School sign. I even double-checked the spelling because "sophomore" looked stranger than I remember. It actually didn't end up mattering because he is a JUNIOR. 11th grade!!

And a virtual visit from this pretty face who is working on settling into school.

August 27

Back at the lake house, work continued on the basement. We pressed again this week ahead of the planned Labor Day festivities.

August 28

Shaun gets out fishing most mornings now.

A friend stopped by early in the morning to help unload this beast of an appliance.

On a lovely summer afternoon, I sat on a fresh Marketplace pickup and watched my son takeoff and land a plane. 

Avery and I snuck out for a date...can't get enough time with her. And then, back at it.

August 29

School. :)

I mapped out a loop of Marketplace stops to make, which took me on some roads less traveled. And to a storage unit (??).

And the addition of a working stove. Appliance purchases complete!

August 30

We worked really hard all morning to have the lake as ready as it could be for our first hosted event, LobsterFest Day 1! It was so great to be with everyone and it felt satisfying to have powered through the days of work to get to the place of being able to share it with people.

It was sad that the college kids were already gone, but it was fun that Amanda joined me in the kitchen. :)

August 31

The boys slept at Rocco's house and had a slow morning with a hot breakfast.

After church, people started to trickle in with arms full and excitement in the air. We were happy to be together, happy to be celebrating year 21 of a cherished tradition! For a number of reasons, we were missing quite a few people this year, which definitely left a hole.

There were gun battles, football games, spike ball, babies and talk of babies, pretty flowers. We feasted on amazing food, caught up on life-happenings, and took calls from the college girls. There was laughter and a recognition of the blessing we have in each other. And then the evening ended with a friendly family football draft. It was a heart-filling, happy-sigh weekend.