Isn't it a fascinating that we are hardwired to learn? To me it's one of the many ways I know there is a loving God who values light and intelligence. Learning is like a kaleidoscope.With just a twist of the hand new patterns and colors emerge. Likewise with a change of pace, scenery, people,  or location we can learn new patterns in our own lives as well. In truth the kaleidoscope of learning has endless variations and patterns just like the eternities.

     I think about this analogy and reflect back on our homeschool week. A new work schedule means we now have three mornings a week free from scheduled activities. From this vantage point I can now see that my kids learn better in the mornings. There's time to wake up, eat and talk.  I'm not running around stressed trying to be at work by 9:00 AM. I have some breathing room which means happier kids.

     We twisted the kaleidoscope and realized my five year old, "Scout", isn't ready for formal academic work and likes to try things out on his own. Giving him the space he needs to try something and fail helps him learn and understand the world around him. His determination to pour his own cereal and milk resulted in a Froot Loop bath for the dog. He took charge of his situation by cleaning up the mess himself and asking for help. 

   I discovered that Scout really likes school time because it's one on one time with me. He's into playing around with letters, numbers and writing. He's ready for concentrated academics in small amounts of time. Anything longer than a few minutes and he gets frustrated and surly resulting in exasperation for me and a distaste for school for him. Taking things at his pace is a much better idea.

This guys has his own ideas about things.

  Another glimpse into our kaleidoscope showed me that writing needs to be relevant to my nine year old. In public school "Pen" wrote essays that amazed her teacher and principal. Pen even had one of her pieces read at staff meeting. A poem she wrote about home touched her second grade teacher so much she was in tears at the parent teacher meeting. I fully anticipated that with Pen's love of reading and gift for writing her true abilities would be unleashed with homeschooling. However despite the purchase of numerous journals, lots of pencils, and topics I thought she'd love to write about I could barely coax a paragraph out of her.

Yet, she was writing all the time. She made up recipes for the cat, designed word games for her friends and crafted a business plan for her dog washing station. While I can teach the mechanics of writing I can't force or make inspiration.

Pen is full of ideas that she may or may not write about.

One last glimpse into my Kaleidoscope revealed that I don't make learning happen. I can provide opportunities, I can guide, and I can motivate. Just like I can't make it rain or the wind blow I can't make my kids learn. Hmm, I guess I'm not as awesome as I thought. 

Smiling and hoping that Pen and Scout are learning something at the museum.

The Walker Academy of Rockets and Excellence

     Welcome to the Walker Academy of Rockets and Excellence!  We officially opened our doors Monday, August 26th 2013 with a full enrollment of two students!  We have two full time faculty/administrators and four school pets.
     Our school name was chosen by the students. We are most certinally aiming for excellence and are working towards the rockets. So far homeschooling has been a great experience.  We are still working out schedules and the "rhythm" of school at home.  We knew it would be an adjustment and are giving ourselves plenty of time to adjust.
     So far we have discovered two really great facts about homeschooling.  First, any concern that the kids would not have enough social interaction was blown out of the water within the first week. We are part of a weekly homeschool history group that has 12 or more kids in attendance each week.  The ages range from two to 13 and there are plenty of kids to learn and play with.  In addition our students are also involved in dance class, piano class, church groups with the possibility of a drama group and martial arts class.  In the first two weeks of Walker Academy our students have learned, played and socialized with more kids of diverse ages than they have all summer.  The trick, we've discovered is not a lack of socialization for homeschoolers but making sure that all the activities that are available don't overrun school and family time!
     The second great fact we've discovered is that since school is at home learning happens all the time. Learning numbers is really fun when you're entering the time on the microwave for your oatmeal.  Literature discussions like comparing and contrasting personal attributes of book characters like, Harry Potter, Worm Tail, Ralph Moody of "Little Britches" and Edmund from "The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe" can happen impromptu at the park in the middle of the day.  We've learned that there are some subjects that have to be taught one on one but there are far more subjects that can be learned together regardless of age or academic ability.
     Now, some of you may be wondering about WARE's new headmistress and teacher, Mrs. Walker.  She has spent the past summer in several intensive courses preparing for her new role.  She will be the first to admit the new role has been stressful at times. The academy which also serves as the family dwelling is not as tidy as it was when the students attended public school.  Dinner was burned twice and now there is a constant stream of toys AND school supplies that need to be corralled on a daily basis.
     However, Mrs. Walker also recalls last year when both student attended an excellent public school in the area.  The house was a good deal cleaner, laundry was mostly done in a timely manner and dinner was rarely burned.  There was ample time for  part time employment in Mrs. Walker's profession. Shopping was no longer harried and she could wheel the cart freely throughout the store with out four extra sets of feet and hands hanging on the basket or dropping mystery items in the cart.
      Yes, she did enjoy the new found freedom how ever as the year went on Mrs.Walker found her home very quiet and still during the day. Sometimes it felt very empty and she was thankful for the pets that kept her company. She noticed a little burst of joy in the carpool line as she saw her two students waiting in the school lobby.  She was so glad to see them. She loved hearing about their day and the neat things they were learning at school. When she really thought about it Mrs. Walker knew the majority of her children's day she would never really know about, participate in or even see.  The school teachers and administrators were kind and wonderful but even they could only really offer a sample of the learning and growing that were taking place in the from of a conference or holiday assemblies. Weekly folders sent home with crayon drawings, completed worksheets, and essays on Egypt or dogs only offered the end of some learning never the actual process.
     So, yes there have been some who believe that Mrs. Walker is some kind of saint to want to be with her children all day.  There are even those who feel that she is too overprotective or could make better use of her time by attending to full time employment in her chosen profession.  She is fairly confident that the closest she has ever been to sainthood was the few times she placed a spider outside of the house instead of squashing it with her shoe.  As for the other comments, Mrs. Walker has long felt the pull of schooling at home.  Really, she says, she has been called to it. One can only ignore their  life's calling for so long.
    In light of all this Mrs. Walker and Associate Vice Headmaster, Mr. Walker are very pleased with WARE and will be sharing all of our learning adventures here on the blog.

First Day of Walker Academy of Rockets and Excellence

History Group, settling of the west.

Even cowboys and little ladies need a refreshing swing.

Studying native american tribes.

Is Marriage Dead?

     It's seems the question to "pop" isn't "will you marry me?" but "do we even need marriage?". If you've heard five minutes of a news report the past few days we've heard about a famous and powerful political couple calling it quits after 25 years due to numerous alleged infidelities (on his part) including one affair that resulted in a child. Of course this isn't the first high profile couple to have their marriage woes made public and there are numerous articles, blogs,celebrities and even therapists griping that marriage has outlived its purpose.  Scientists state that our biology is not made for monogamy. Sociologists state that "family" is now a fluid definition no longer centered on a married couple with children.
      I recently read an article by a famous psychologist who said that marriage is the chief complaint of most of his clients and it causes more stress and unhappiness than any other problem that walks through his door. He stated that as a "healer" he can no longer condone marriage and that we, as a society, need to find something else to replace marriage. He, of course, as a by thought added that naturally any children born of the new replacement-of- marriage-thing would be financially provided for by the parents. Hmmm...
     As a Christian I believe that marriage was ordained of God, between a man and a woman and is and essential building block to another much maligned institution, the family. Over time, like many things God Given, man has taken marriage and changed it to suit his purposes. However, I know that many people don't believe that God is keenly interested in marriage or that he even exists. Our culture tends to look at marriage as a contract made between two people about the kind of relationship they will have "until death do us part".
         What I have noticed is missing from this new philosophy of personal freedom and happiness  is any shred of personal responsibility. Blaming marriage for our stress, heartache or feeling personally unfulfilled is like blaming the sun for the rise in skin cancer when no one bothers to put on sun screen. I know in our culture we like to have a fall guy other than ourselves. It's so much easier to say that the unrealistic confines of marriage are the chief reason why we cheat, lie, let ourselves go and shoot our spouse to get a payout from the life insurance instead of looking at these things as issues of integrity.
     So, if we won't even attempt to keep promises made to a husband or wife why should we keep promises at all? Why is fidelity in marriage so different from Fidelity in a business deal, or confidences in a friendship? Do we really think that by ditching marriage we will all be happier, healthier people? Will we see a dramatic rise in honest politicians and CEO's once they no longer have the shackles of marriage hindering their rise in power? Will we now have scads of well adjusted children who grow into well adjusted adults because they were raised by adults who put their own sexual and personal happiness ahead of all else? Call me skeptical but I doubt it.
   

Cheating Our Kids

     I recently read an article in "Reader's Digest" by a professional "paper writer". He worked for an internet company that wrote papers and completed class assignments for college students. Shocking as it may seem that people make scads of money doing something so unethical even more shocking was the large number of students across all majors paying upwards of $2000.00 per paper to cheat their way through college.
     Mr. Professional Paper Writer even shared some e-mails from his clients and quickly demonstrated why he was hired. The e-mails were a mixture of texting shortcuts, grammatical errors, and misspelling so horrendous I couldn't even understand what the students were saying. They were illiterate, at least in their written expression.
     Just like any social issue this one, in my opinion, has many facets. We could debate the quality of our schools, or conditions of the family, cultural ethics and morals, personal responsibility all which, again in my opinion, contribute to a twenty something graduate student who can't write a literate e-mail. However, I want to focus on what I think is the psychological junk food of "Katie can do anything or be anything and she's entitled to it."
     We start while our kids are young. Trophies for everyone. No one looses. Things that were once considered privileges  TV, computer games, phones, lavish vacations are all now considered essential to good parenting. We teach our kids to expect that life will provide six figure income jobs and a spouse that will answer their every  need simply because they are entitled to it. And on the occasion when reality might come a little too close to home, like having to write an actual thesis for your graduate program, you can always pay someone else to do the , uhmmm, what's that word?? Oh, yea, WORK!
     There's nothing wrong in encouraging our kids to reach for the stars. This is , after all, the American Dream. But we are doing a great disservice by not teaching them that hard work and personal responsibility are just as important as the dream. Personal integrity is a must. A nursing student my pay someone to write her case studies but what happens when she's on the emergency room floor? Will the MBA who bought a pre-made thesis have any qualms about embezzling money from the company? Scary stuff for sure!
   

Girls Gone Wild Tours it's Positive Message Via RV Bus

I was travelling 81 South outside of Winchester , VA last week on my way back from a visit to NY.  Rumbling along beside me was a huge marketing RV for the raunchy "Girls Gone Wild". The entire RV was covered in giant , scantily clad "women" with size DD busts blown up to make the 50 Ft Woman look small chested. In addition to the lager than life porn-on-the-side-of-a-bus the people at GGW also included a few headlines from their self titled magazine like "How to get your woman to do dirty stuff in bed". As a side note I wondered if that article included suggestions like "pick up after yourself", "do the dishes" "go one week with out asking, 'what's there to eat?'
     So, did I mention that I was traveling with Grace and Marshall? At the exact moment when the trashy RV was about to pass and I was pleading to God that there be someway my kids be spared looking at that stuff Marshall hit Grace. Thankfully, the siblings pounding each other kept them so occupied they didn't even notice porn on wheels go by. Whewww!
      I do, however, want to thank the producers and models and all those that planned the slick marketing RV. Without people like you how will my daughter know that her express purpose here is to be sexual entertainment for men? How will she know that she should hate her body and pay doctors to surgically alter anything that doesn't fit your defined definition of sexual beauty. How will my son learn that relationships between men and women should be based only on sexual gratification?
     The RV was brilliant! I know how difficult it must be to get your message out!  The market is saturated with "adult" content as it is. But this way you take your message directly consumers no matter how young or old they might be. Classy.

Keeping it Local and Reusable bags actually work!

  

 With gas prices continuing to jump with every little hiccup in the world I'm doing more and more of my shopping right here in Pulaski. The other day I needed some garden supplies and was pleasantly surprised when I found most of what I needed less than two miles from my house at Magic Mart. Magic Mart also carried my brand of printer cartridge as well as a new battery for the riding lawn mower. So, glad I didn't have to hike to Radford or C'burg. In fact I'm trying new stores like tractor supply and dollar general in an effort to find stuff without having to go into C'burg. Sometimes I pay a little more but I think I'd pay a little more to save gas and time.
     Also loving the Dollar Tree, again less than two miles from home. The other day I found Fruitables drink boxes in packages of 3 at the Dollar Tree. I pay 3.69 for nine at Kroger. Also stumbled upon a 32.oz bag of rice for 1.00 compared to 1.79 at Kroger.
     I've discovered the joy of reusable bags! Personally, I've always missed the days of paper bags. Funny how back in the late 80's paper bags were seen as environmentally unsound and plastic was the wave of the future. My family always saved the paper bags to use for garbage, crafts, and book covers for school. Anyway, one day I had enough to the wimpy plastic bags and bought two reusable bags. Wow! Not only were they sturdy and roomy but not one ripped open on me! We're not over run with bags after I unload the groceries. Luv it! Just don't expect to see a Smart Car in my driveway anytime soon!
  
  

Parents are Stupid and That's Why We Need The Center for Science in The Public Interest

I was browsing through the editorial section of the Roanoke Times yesterday (yes, I still get and read a daily paper) when I stumbled upon an interesting article called "The dark side of bright colored food" written by David Schab, professor of psychiatry at Columbia University and Michael Jacobson, executive director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest.
     Schab and Jacobson start their giant four column rant on food dyes by comparing the super market to a "fun   house of hues" and aisles that "feature riotously colored processed foods". I knew exactly where these two scary food clowns were headed. The article was incredibly frightening claiming that popular food dyes have been shown in studies to cause cancer and affecting behavior in children. The "bad guys" known as Red #3, Red#40, yellow #5 and yellow#6 need to be banned by the FDA according to Schab and Jacobson who claim that scientific studies back up their assertions.
     Particularly insulting to parents everywhere was this lovely paragraph "Despite those concerns parents continued to serve up meals and stuff their children's lunch boxes with more and more processed foods colored with dyes, stoking a fie fold increase in the per-capita production of food dyes over the past 30 years."  First, I'm not sure the last time Mr. Schab or Mr. Jacobson have been to an elementary, middle, or high school but the vast majority of kids buy their lunches at school on  a regular basis. When I drop my daughter off to her kindergarten class room in the morning there are usually only 3-5 lunch bags on the packers table out of her class of 14 students. In addition, as a food purchaser and  packer of my daughter's lunch I can assure both gentlemen that I neither "serve up" process loaded meals or "stuff" her lunch bag with deadly toxins. Again, if Mr.s Schab or Jacobson have done any shopping lately they'd find that buying processed convenience  foods is generally more expensive than non processed stuff. Let's take crackers and cheese. It's much cheaper to buy a box of crackers and a block of cheese than to buy the handi cheese and cracker snacks. Buying a loaf of bread and a jar of peanut butter is cheaper than a Lunchable. You get the idea.
      Now, let me also say that I have bought handi snacks, Lunchables and boxed Mac N Cheese. I buy chips and gasp, cookies. My kids have been know to drink a Capri Sun or two.  Mondays at our house are the busy days. Work ,School, music class,  and dance class usually mean a quick dinner of sloppy joes here. But key here is that we don't eat that stuff every day. Simple common parental sense tells me when it's OK for my kids to have a treat and when to say no. I've only had nutrition in seventh and eight grade Home EC so how do I avoid Big Foods attempt to "manipulate" my perceptions with fancy and colorful food dyes? I'm savey enough to know that brightly colored foods and packageing don't always mean a better product. You get this way if you shop for food regularly.
     Let's address Mr. Scab's and Mr. Jacobson's claim that dyes cause cancer and behavior problems. I went to the Center for Science in The Public website and looked up the bad guy dyes. Surprisingly most of the studies were either done many years ago with no follow up study or the results were questionable at best. In addition Schab and Jacobson claim the the FDA released a study a week ago that concluded that synthetic food colorings do affect some children. Well, the link on the website puts you to a mammoth government document that states this:

 In summary, based on the data reviewed in these publications FDA concludes that a causal 
relationship between exposure to color additives and hyperactivity in children in the general 
population has not been established.  However, for certain susceptible children with ADHD and 
other problem behaviors, the data suggest that their condition may be exacerbated by exposure to 
a number of substances in food, including, but not limited to, artificial food colors.  Findings 
from relevant clinical trials indicate that the effects on their behavior appear to be due to a 
unique intolerance to these substances and not to any inherent neurotoxic properties.

     OK, so artificial coloring MAY affect some kids that have ADHD. That's sounds different from the dire warnings sounded in the Schab and Jacobson article. Additionally, the FDA says that if there is a connection between dyes and behavior it maybe a "unique intolerance to these substances and not to any inherent neurotoxic properties."  Schab and Jacobson call for an outright ban on these food dyes simply based on some inconsistent testing and this report from the FDA.
     I don't support food dyes, junk food or children gorging on nutritionally deficient foods. But I do support your right as a parent to determine what you feed your family. I'm glad that we have people who study nutrition and consumer advocacy groups that work to make products safe for every one. However, I'm wholeheartedly against using questionable science and fear mongering into scaring parents into supporting political causes.

Oh, by the way, here is the link to CSITPI website listing all kinds of chemicals found in foods and what kind of nasty things can happen if you eat them. Look for Yellow #5, and #6 Red 40 and #3 .http://www.cspinet.org/reports/chemcuisine.htm





















    

Beach Front Vacation is Not a Good Deal.

I love the beach. My family vacationed at beaches in both North Carolina and Virgina as I was growing up. Most of my fondest vacation memories are of digging in the sand, finding shells or looking for sand crabs. Even now that I'm married it's my favorite place to vacation. This year, Carl and I decided to take a beach vacation with the kids. So, I began searching  for place at our favorite beach in North Carolina.

For the first few searches I was following the sensible, frugal approach. Growing up in a family of eight means that frugality is the word of the day every day. I instictively started looking at houses a few rows back from the beach as they are less expensive than and ocean front rental. I found a few good candidates and decided to check out the price of ocean front rentals just to compare.  I was surprised to find some that were just a bit more than the other rentals a few rows back and still in line with the budget. "Granted", I told myself, "these are smaller. And, OK, the kids will have to share a bed in this one, but look there are ocean views from the master bedroom window".  I envisioned a week right on the ocean front. We would  be a few steps from sandcastles, beach combing, and wave riding. It would only take a few minutes to cart sandy, tired kids back to the little duplex. I could even sit on the small deck and watch as other parents packed their sandy kids, bulky ubrellas and coolers and hiked across the foot burning sand all the way back to their "almost oceanfront" and "bayside" rentals.

 I pushed the "book it" button and did a little dance of happiness which lasted only for a moment until I saw the complete price for oceanfront property. Taxes and insurance and other fees added another $200 to the total. For a moment I thought "We can do it. It's vacation and only happens once a year" "It's worth the extra money just to be so close." And then I then wondered what else I could do with $200. $200.00 is a good chunk of my monthly food budget. It's gas we need to go on vacation. It's $50.00 short of  our power bill. It's two months worth of water and sewer service. It's a big deal for my family and, as it turns out,an oceanfront rental is a crummy deal for the Walker's.  I thought about how I quickly justified trashing our vacation budget and here is what I came up with:

1)  Just like anything else, you need to read the fine print. On the surface the rental price between the houses a few rows from the ocean and the smaller oceanfront home was just 40.00 but higher taxes,fees and insurance home significantly added to the overall cost of the home. I also thought it was interesting that the rental company wouldn't give you the entire cost up front. Only after searching and finding a rental that meets your expectation and after clicking the "book it" button do you find out the true cost.

2) Using emotion to justify buying more than we had budgeted for. I'd spent time searching and then was pretty excited about staying right on the ocean and I justified this was enough to spend more money on the rental.

I went back to my original selections and picked a rental further from the ocean and that was in line with our budget.

Will I be able to endure saving for a car?

It's prudent and economically sound to pay cash for a car but A) I've never done it before. B) it's ALOT of money to save even for a used car. and C) I don't wannna WAAAAAH. It became apparent, very early in our marriage that I was a comfort gal and a bit of a whinner when it came to doing stuff  I didn't want to do. Carl type A all the way!  50 mile hike up giant mountain? Carl had his gear packed and ready to go two hours early and chomping at the bit to get there. He often says that if our family had to leave Navoo like the early saints did that I wouldn't have made it to the city limits.

Sadly, he is right. And with my whining comes fantastic optimism. For example, this is the car I envision that we can save for:

Or, if we are leaving Navoo (happy singing children not included)

Avatar Review: If you hate warmed over leftovers you will not like this movie!

We finally rented "Avatar" and watched it last week. My impression: Fern Gully Meets Star Wars. Yes, the CGI was great but unfortunately for many movie makers I am a story gal. Pretty pictures will only hold my interest for so long. And I found the Avatar story predictable and warmed over. Jaded, depressed Marine goes on a mercenary mission to a far away planet that just happens to be a natural utopia. Stupid humans do not realize this because, gasp!, they are greedy. We even have a homicidal general who spouts lines like "Let's get this done. I wanna be home for dinner." as the at-one-with-nature natives flee from gas bombs of homicidal general. Jaded Marine becomes a native through advanced science so advanced movie makers don't really explain how it works! Marine sees the folly, oh the human folly, and tries to protect natives from evil corporation. Final battle scene involves nature kicking butt and machines and humans leaving planet. If you've seen the final battle scenes in Return of the Jedi then you can probably skip this part of the movie. It's the same thing minus the Ewoks. 

Field Days and Candy!

The last week of May was full of fun and farewells as we finished school and said goodbye to good friends.

Grace had field days to celebrate the end of pre-school. It was funny to watch a bunch of five year olds do egg races, sack races and tug of war. Marshall and I were able to cheer Grace on and eat a picnic lunch under the trees. It's moments like these where I'm thankful I'm able to be a stay at home  Mom.

After Field days we hopped in the car and drove to Meadows of Dan (yes, that's a name of a tiny town in VA) to visit Nancy's Candy Co. It's a working chocolate factory where glass windows let visitors view the candy making process. Naturally there's a HUGE candy store attached to the factory.

We went with the Taylors, Brames, Paxtons, and Hales. All together we had 16 kids roaming the candy store! I think the staff breathed a sigh of relief when we left. Here are Ellie, Janet and Delany (left-right).

Grace was happy to wear her medal from field days to the candy store. She was very happy to sample the chocolate peanut butter fudge.

As a parent concerned about providing healthy snacks for my children I never give them giant lollipops.

Children eat candy then hang on rails outside candy store.

After the candy we went to Maubry Mill a real working mill  that still grinds corn. It was a fun day. Kids slept well that night.

It behooves a good wife...

I love old cookbooks! Not only can you find long forgotten recipes like "Clever Judy Frosting" and "Lemon Chiffon Pie" but you can discover so much about the standards for home and family in cookbooks. I'm no historian but it seems that most cookbooks were written for women. I get a kick out of looking at the tips and hints on what women could do to make home a better place for everyone else. Here are some of my favorites gleaned from my small collection and one I just purchased from an antique store for a friend.

" Most women claim to dislike market shopping but we know that in their heart of hearts they love it!" General Foods Cookbook 1959.

Write up for California Onion Dip in Betty Crocker Cookbook 1969 " An easy, lower calorie version of the all time favorite. Whip up a batch for the ladies with skim milk and let the men indulge the
                                                                sour cream version."

"It's a wise woman who knows her baking rules." All About Baking 1937.

"The man you marry will know the way he likes his eggs. And chances are he'll be fussy about them. So it behooves a good wife to know how to make and egg behave." Betty Crocker Cookbook 1969.

" The tea service must be complete, dainty and immaculate. Remember that confusion and disorder are enemies to good conversation and repose for which the tea hours stands for, first of all." All About Baking 1937.

 PS. I had an elderly friend several years ago who was a wife and mother during the 1950's. She told me she changed into a clean dress, pearls and heels every night before her husband got home. The children were also bathed and changed into fresh clean clothes and were expected to engage in quiet activities for the rest of the evening so Dad could enjoy a quiet happy home. HAHAHAHAHAHAH

In which we pet lambs

This past Monday Grace's preschool class to a field trip to a local farm to visit newborn lambs. I was surprised at how curious and friendly the lambs were. They came right up to the kids. Grace had so much fun feeding and petting them. Little brother, Marshall tagged along but he wasn't as charmed by the woolly cuteness in front of him.

Marshall is not so sure about this one although this lamb followed Marshall all through the field trip.

Some of Grace's schoolmates learn how to feed a lamb from the farmer.

It was a beautiful spring day. Perfect for visiting a farm.

Kids line up to get back on the bus. The farmer invited all the kids back to watch sheep shearing when class reached first grade. "What's first grade", asked on little student.

A Sunny Easter

We had a fantastic 3 day visit with Carl's sister and family in Jacksonville, NC for Easter Weekend. The weather was warm  (in the 80's) and sunny and the kids had a great time dying eggs, playing with cousins and hunting eggs in the house and yard. We attended church on Easter Sunday and felt the Spirit testify of the Resurrection. Thanks, Becky and Ron for letting us take over your house! We love you guys!




                                                                                    
                                                                                           Kids Easter outfits.

Grace and Allie get ready to dye eggs.

                                             Daddy and Marshall wonder what's in the water at the park.

                                                                                            Grace found all her eggs, even the hard ones.

First Steps

There's not much to look at outside your window in February or March. Snow may still blanket the ground and trees remain naked and grey. However, if you look closely you can see the first buds on the dogwoods or tiny sprouts of  crocus and tulips breaking the cold earth. In our house we had a few "firsts" during the last weeks of winter.

Grace and Marshall play games together! Grace is finally old enough to understand that Marshall might need some help to play and Marshall is old enough to want to play with someone else. Of course the play only lasts for a few minutes at most but it's a start!

Playing Giant Hands with hot mitts!

Grace shows Marshall a few tricks on the computer.

We also got a new puppy. We've had a difficult dog year  and really almost given up looking for another dog. But our kind vet gave some great advice and put us on the path to a fluffy seven month old puppy we named Cricket. We have no idea what kind of dog she is but we do know she is playful, sweet and patient with the kids. We love her dearly. 

Grace snuggles her new friend, Cricket.

In early March Grace lost her first tooth! Nana and Aunt Nat were down for a visit and were actually present with the little tooth was pulled by Dad! Grace promptly lost the tooth in her room and after a frantic search by Mom, Dad and Aunt Nat we finally wrote a note to the tooth fairy. She understood and left four quarters anyway.

Her new toothy grin!

And lastly we registered Grace for kindergarten at Critzer Elementary in Pulaski. Grace was a bit tentative at first but was soon relaxed and more confident as friendly staff and teachers welcomed her to the school. Both Grace and Marshall loved the real tarantula spider, gerbils, and frogs in the kindergarten class room. I was so proud as I heard her clearly say and spell her name to the teacher. As we left Grace wanted to know if she could go to kindergarten tomorrow and was very disappointed when we told her she would have to wait until the fall. Any doubt that I had about Grace being ready for school quickly left after registration. She's ready to try her big kid wings (sniff, sniff).

Grace stands on the state of VA outside Critzer Elementary.

Sometimes it seems like diapers, spills, peanut butter smears and scattered toys will never end. But I know that our little family is growing quickly.

Winter Fun

It was challenging to stay warm and occupied during the recent"snow in" Grace was out of pre-school for three weeks and we has several days where it was too snowy or icy or both for going very far. Still we managed to have some fun.

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Dog Days of Winter

We now have nearly two feet of snow and ice all over. Grace has been out of school now for over two weeks and is missing her teachers and friends. We've discovered that most stores down here don't stock sleds. Carl has been on a quest since the first big snow back in December to no avail. We ended up borrowing one from our neighbors (Thanks Bruce Family). Carl and Grace have now been out in the back field zipping down the hills. Grandma Walker suggested plastic Walmart bags to go over Grace's feet and WOW have they made a difference! She's gone from 10 minutes max in the snow to well over an hour. We have to drag her back in! Yesterday she wanted to hike way back in the field and wanted Carl to carry her back home. So I guess hiking is only fun one way.

Marshall wants to go outside with big sis and even insisted on putting on his gloves in the house yesterday. He went to sleep last night clutching his mittens. Right now his favorite activity is to run really fast towards something dangerous, like a power outlet, all the while saying "no, no, no".

Fall"Funtivities"

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Wow, I've been away from blog land for a while ( I just don't know where the time goes, ha ha) but I wanted to post our fall stuff.  Grace got to wear her costume five times the week of Halloween.  Between the class parties, trunk or treat, treat trail in Radford and Halloween night Grace brought home a years supply of candy (does that count for food storage?).  Marshall didn't complain too much about his costume although he tried to ditch his hat by stealth during the Radford Treat Trail.  Much to his dismay an observant lady found the cap and followed us for two blocks to give it back.  Lucky Marshall.

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Ok, More pics of the beach in a nice scrapbook format.  This is as close to scrapbooking as I will ever get.  Thank you Hallmark!

More Birthday Stuff

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