Yep, folks, the weather is warming up here in the foothills of Virginia. Not that it was ever that cold this past winter, not that we saw more than 3 inches of snow this past winter...but now that spring is springing about us, we are all happy to get back outside. We are enjoying sitting out on our deck doing school work. We love the warmth of the sun as we sit on the deck reading a good book. The birds are fill the air with their lovely song and the yard beckons us to pick up last winter's debris.
How can one step outside on a sunny 70 degree day filled with a cavorting breeze and happy birds and not want to just sit out there forever and enjoy the blessing of this beautiful and amazing world we live in? Why am I in here typing when I could be out there? It is because of you, gentle reader, that I have taken a brief detour indoors to let you know what's going on in my neck of the woods.
Saturday, March 8th. The children had friends over Friday night. Saturday morning, everyone was up early because Katrina and Jack had to be in Lynchburg at the Gold Cup Competition. 40 minutes to get there, 40 minutes to come home and 20 minutes there... The kids spent the rest of the afternoon playing while I watched Madame Bovary in my room and worked on my granny afghan. After the children had been returned to their families, we did a quick clean up of the house because we were hosting the Subdivision meeting where we would be discussing such weighty subjects as where to put gravel on the raod this spring season.
Sunday, March 9th. We remembered to turn our clocks ahead (I am still missing that hour of sleep) and we arrived at Sunday School on time. Which was a great relief to our music director as Katrina was playing the special music for Sunday. Katrina's friend came home with us for the afternoon. I worked more on my granny afghan and I watched Neverwas. Then it was off to Awanas.
Friday: Spring is Springing and A Week in Review
http://www.melissaomarkham.com/2008/03/friday_spring_is_springing_and.html
Monday, March 10th School work in the morning, stuff eggs in the afternoon (I am in charge of the church Easter egg hunt and some people who have donated brought in the eggs and the candy, but not the candy in the eggs. Plus I had bought 12 dozen eggs myself to stuff. Then Katrina had her group piano lesson. While she was at that, I picked up a prescription at CVS and a couple of needed pet items at Walmart. We watched a lot of Jim Henson's The Storyteller today.
Tuesday, March 11th School work in the morning, then off we went to meet some other homeschoolers at the local bowling alley and we bowled a couple of games. Katrina was really tickled when she won the first game. Jack came in second both times. Next Jack went to his group piano lesson while Katrina and I went to Goodwill and picked up a couple of springy outfits. Katrina found a really cute Alvin Chipmunks shirt and an adorable pair of purple sandals. I found three new outfits for church and Jack got a cool astronomy t-shirt. Next we went to Lowe's and picked up a huge roll of black plastic, then took books back to the library and then went to the grocery store.
Wednesday, March 12th School work in the morning. Then we spent the afternoon visiting some friends and Karen and I discussed curriculum while the kids played. I am going to be going with Saxon again next year and Shurley English (for the first time). I also think I am going to be using Apologia science. We will continue with Natrual Speller and Story of the World. We came home and put the black paper down to prepare for a mulch delivery on Thursday.
We also made peanut butter cookies today and took them to a gentleman in our church who does a lot (helps with Awanas, visits nursing homes, greets people at the door and plays guitar). He fell down last week and broke two ribs. We wanted him to know we missed him.
Thursday, March 13th I spent a lot of today working on church children bulletins. We are putting them together ourselves. I had a great deal of fun doing this and actually got 2 1/2 months worth done.
I also made two lasagnas (one for us and one for a new mom in our church) and delivered one lasagna. Plus we visited and I got to hold the little baby. I had forgotten how tiny they are in the beginning!
We also spent about four hours laying down some mulch. Last year, I decided to mulch the front yard. We ran out of money and my knee went out and the yard didn't quite get finished. There was a small section in the front and then there was a triangle between our two sidewalks. You can see the pictures of last year's work and the waiting triangle if you click the above link.
The triangle in particular has fretted me because I have had to walk past it every day for months and the black paper we had put down had become shredded, most of the grass had been killed (as was my plan) and there was mud and it was awful looking. So now we have some money and I ordered another load of mulch. Because of my knee I told myself, I would only do a little a day. But after having looked at that mess for so long and with hubby coming home today and with the weather being so nice yesterday, I actually completely did the triangle, with the help of the kids. Particularly Katrina. In fact, Katrina and I were so close to the end when it got dark last night, that I turned on the lights of the Xterra and we worked by the lights of it so we could finish up. Isn't it lovely? (we still need to trim the black plastic and we hope to pour another concrete sidewalk this year where the white rock sidewalk is now. Easier on people with knee problems).
And here is the mulch we have left to work with for the remaining patch and the barespots.
We still have the small patch in the front yard to do and a few bare spots to recover, but the biggest part is done and I am so pleased! And my back and shoulders and knee are talking loudly to me today...when did my body stop being willing to do the things I wanted it to do?
Friday, March 14, 2008 We have done some school work today. Usually Friday is our day off, but since we ended up getting caught up in other things yesterday, we are doing it today. Daniel is on his way home and will be here by 6 pm. The sun is shining, the breeze is blowing and the world is a beautiful place to live in!
For those of you who have lasted all the way to here...thanks for staying with me! Now get outside and do something springy!
My husband snores...and I don't mean the gentle snore of a young child or of a sleeping pet. I mean, he snores so loud that it rattles the windows, shakes the doors and has been heard from 20 feet away in our home. His 
Summary: 
I was recently sent a bottle of 
Much like in is exhibited by the Pay It Forward movement, when we do something kind for another person, then they will often go forth and do something kind to someone else. 
I have been reading the work of Stephen King since the late 1970s/early 1980s. I can't tell you the first book I read, probably Carrie. But once I read the first book, I was hooked. And I have read every book Stephen King has written. When I heard of his accident, I was terrified. Terrified that there would be no more stories. Terrified that the man who was a master at scaring me, a master at storytelling wouldn't survive a senseless accident, wouldn't continue to share his talents with the rest of the world.
Edgar Freemantle and Stephen King have a lot in common. Both have survived horrible accidents against the odds. And both have a magic that affects others. In some ways, this work seems a bit autobiographical.