… And not your regular, every day, run of the mill denial. Serious Denial. The kind that causes your sister in law to write, concerned for your homeschooled children. “When are you starting school?” she casually asks, perhaps wondering if you have forgotten September is, oh, I don’t know, right around the corner; the time that most people begin their academic studies.
School? It’s time for water adventures, not school.
Ha! Perhaps ths is why organized, motivated folk accomplish things with their lives.
No, I’m in denial.
- Denial that school starts next week.
- Denial that my life of blogging until the wee hours of the night is coming to my husband’s negative attention.
- Denial that my 15 year college reunion is rapidly approaching and I still have 25 pounds to lose (the same pounds I’ve been working to lose for the last year and a half). Can you drop 25 pounds in 2 months? Is there a Biggest Loser trainer in these parts, available for hire?
- Denial that our homeschooling co-op begins in a few weeks, and I’m teaching two classes.
- Denial that I have become a summer sloth and haven’t touched a treadmill or elliptical machine for months (except to use as a storage rack).
- Denial over the state of Daniel and David’s room which has yet to be decorated (while their toys are currently strewn across my bedroom floor).
Ah, Mommy, don’t worry about all of that. Come and play with us!
There are probably a few more areas I should address, but I don’t want to think about them. This being a classic case of denial and all.
Fully embracing this new life motto, I abandoned today’s work and finagled an invitation to a friend’s house. Her lake house. Yes, it was another gorgeous day here in Washington. One of those days that tease you with the promise of eternal summer. Summer, not fall. Not school time, with its busyness and activities galore.
Are Nancy and Kirsten 1) praising the Lord; 2) attempting beach yoga; or 3) trying to tell time?
Some of these faces might look familiar. Same beach babes, different beach front.
Rachel stepped on a nasty stick and later crashed into Allison on the edge of the dock. She was one tired girl by the end of our lake visit.
How is a person supposed to plan school, or go to the club for a work-out, or organize toys when the sunshine and water beckon so loudly? They call, not with a whisper or faint suggestion, but a fierce and demanding cry:
“Get out in the sunshine! Grab towels, snacks and head to the beach!”
David can’t even open his eyes, the sunshine is so piercing.
Fishing, jumping, floating, snorkeling, kayaking, diving. These are words with much more charm than sorting, folding, writing, organizing.
Jake does a little snorkeling before heading off on the kayak.
Surely there’s time for work another day. What do the scriptures say?
A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest – and poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man. — Proverbs 6:10-11
Whew! That’s why we send Tim off to work and don’t fold our hands a bit while we’re at the lake. 
Perhaps a little fun and fellowship, before the rigors of school descend upon us, can serve as delight and refreshment to the soul. I know I find myself drinking in the sun and warmth like a thirsty child.
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven … — Ecclesiastes 3:1
This was definitely a season for kayaking.
Emma and Julia enjoy a little snack. Yum. Seaweed.
Mom, what’s a bass? Eli and Jake keep talking about a bass? Is it a fish?
David’s buddy, Eli, is not a strong swimmer but he adores the water. He was our resolute fisherman yesterday and he was eager for a kayak ride today. Jake (age 9 and an able seaman) proved to be an excellent kayak guide.
The voice of the LORD is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the LORD thunders over the mighty waters. The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is majestic. Psalm 29:3-4
I am so thankful for sweet friends, the beauty of God’s creation, and another day full of life and laughter spent with my family.
Kathy
Project 365 – Day 242
Hey, who says you have to start school the same week as everyone else, anyway?
Our schools start back next Monday but we are off to the beach for a week’s surfing. The prices drop seriously the first week of September. It’s the only time we can afford to go. Still hoping for warmth. After the worst May, June and July since the C18th.
Play as long as the weather allows it. Winter is long enough.
Dorothy’s right! I didn’t mean to pour conviction on you! Your photos make the day look just perfect – I’d have gone out too. That’s part of why we homeschool, isn’t it? Flexibility to make the most of the days? Winter is coming when no man may play at the lake, or something like that.
What gorgeous pictures! I don’t blame you for wanting to play. Unfortunately, I’m awful at putting things aside to play — awful. It’s a character fault. My goal this summer was to spend one entire day by the pool, doing nothing. I didn’t do it! Sigh!
Kathy, that picture of the water makes me want to drop all plans for the day and find a gorgeous lake to swim in. Can I just come on over to WA and drop in that water?
Would Thom mind the expense, you think?
ha! I’m with you Kathy….remember those days in college (okay, maybe they were just my days! – ha!) when it was so much easier to go to the park or lay in the sun enjoying the warmth than to sit in a boring class all afternoon? Enjoy the sun while it’s there – the rainy season for you will start soon enough!
And who can resist playing hooky when there are other willing participants?? We’re abnormal here – today marks our first month of school done! Who goes to school August 1st?? Apparently only the daft southerners….
Come on, Kathy, isn’t that one of the BIG reasons we homeschool, so we can play when the playing is good! We are not slaves to the schedules of the masses.
We love the flexibility of picking days to play when it seems right. There is always another day to get some book work done.
Enjoy the glorious days of summer, they can be so fleeting in the north.
Love all the sparkling, water pictures and happy faces enjoying the last days of summer.
Ahhhhh…..I’m so glad to have you as a partner in crime!!!
I think we’ll not be as fortunate today…..clouds are appearing, threatening to thwart our lake adventures…how dare they?-!
As others commented above, we can spend this time with the babes because our summers are so very short and school schedule, what school schedule? ha! Our kids will be happy their mom’s mottos are ‘We Break for Lakes’!
Sounds like school to me! You all did marine biology, health, and pe. See? and you thought you were behind.LOL
Blessings,
Lisa in Jax
I’m in denial too. For the past few weeks I keep saying, “Oh we’ll start school on Monday.” They are begging me to start and I keep stalling…what’ wrong with me? :o) So this weekend I’m pulling together a schedule and meal plans and chore charts and hopefully this will be the lucky monday!
When the sun shines in the Northwest, school can take a back seat : )
I’m also in serious denial about all of the school year activities starting next week! UGH…. but we haven’t been playing all summer like you have been >VBG>!!!!! We’ve been working up a storm here which is why I haven’t had much time for blogging….. we’ve redecorated, decluttered, and reorganized something in every single room in our home this summer!
First of all, your water picks are GORGEOUS! The two times my kids have been swimming in Washington (which is the only time they’ve been to the ocean ever!), they wrapped seaweed around themselves to keep warm!
Denial is NOT just a river in Egypt. I’m in denial too. However, we always start school slowly, a few subjects gently, adding things in. So far, I know that I am reading aloud The Wind in the Willows (literature) to both and reading The Bronze Bow aloud to Holly (history). Okay, honestly I have a few other ideas, but that’s the only stuff I have scheduled in ink. Yet. We start Tuesday.
Kathy, Just enjoy it! No feeling guilty. I remember many summers relaxing by the lake. Unfortunatly, I didn’t blog or take many photographs back then. Now my “children” are almost all gone. Sniff… Everyone tells you to enjoy your children while they are young because it goes by fast and they are right!
Dorothy – I hope you all have a WONDERFUL time on your family vacation. I am praying you get some warm weather. You are so right, the winter is long enough. We are enjoying the sunshine while we have it. Sometimes I wonder about our decision to live in Washington. It is a beautiful state and there is to enjoy about it. On the other hand, it is GREY a LOT here and our summers are often short. I think our weather is very similiar to England.
On the other hand, I wouldn’t do well with the bugs you find in the south. Ha!
Michele – thanks for the reminder that the children grow so fast. I think you are right, it won’t be many more years that they are young and all gathered in my household.
I’m trying to enjoy them as much as I can right now. It’s hard, sometimes, when I feel like I am doing more parenting and training than enjoying.
Lisa – now there’s a woman who’s helping me retain the homeschooling perspective. Marine biology, PE, health, and even some basic first aid. You’re right, we had a very productive day. Ha!