Tuesday, January 31, 2012

The Mulberry House


Once upon a time, just the other day, there lived a family of five just down the street. Some days Momma stayed home, and some days Daddy stayed home. Every day Ava Anne, Savannah Lynn, and Hunter Thomas stayed home. Nothing extravagant ever seemed to happen. In fact, every day seemed almost the same as the day before. When Ava Anne, Savannah Lynn and Hunter Thomas awoke, they would tip-toe out of their bedrooms, down the hall, and to the kitchen. Momma or Daddy would be there or on the nearby couch, reading or eating or doing something uninteresting like sorting mail.


On this particular day, Ava Anne, Savannah Lynn and Hunter Thomas were awakened by Momma and Daddy.


“Good morning, good morning, good mooor-ning; it’s time to rise and shine!” Momma sang to her girls as she switched on the light and turned off the fan in their room.


Ava Anne groaned and rolled over. Savannah Lynn did not move. Momma bent over each of her girls and kissed them on the cheek and forehead.


In the other room, Daddy was singing, too. He had his own morning song. He picked up Hunter Thomas and began searching his closet for something to wear. Hunter Thomas curled up on Daddy’s shoulder with his eyes still firmly closed.


“Do you know where we’re going today, Hunt?” Daddy asked as he pulled out a pair of jeans.


Hunter Thomas shook his head a little, but did not open his eyes.


“We’re going to see your cousin, Mary Caroline, today,” Momma said in the other room.


Ava Anne really liked visiting her cousin. Mary Caroline was six, just a year younger than Ava Anne and a year older than Savannah Lynn.


“Will we get to play all day?” Ava Anne asked Momma.


“Yep.”


Mary Caroline, Aunt Lisa and Uncle John lived two hours away, so the family of five who lived just down the street only visited them once in a while. On the days they drove two hours to see their family, they woke up very early and arrived home very late.


Finally, everyone was fully awake and dressed. Toast with peanut butter and jelly had been eaten. The beds were made, and the family of five was in the car. Momma turned on the kids’ favorite audio storybook as Daddy turned out of the driveway.


Three stories and one bathroom stop later, Daddy turned into another driveway.


“We’re here!” Savannah Lynn exclaimed. Within seconds, the girls had their seatbelts off and were helping their brother out of his car seat. As soon as the car was parked the doors were open and all three kids were piling out. At the same moment, the front door of the house swung open and Mary Caroline came bounding out.


“C’mon,” Mary Caroline said with a gasp, “let’s go to the Mulberry House.” They took off around the corner of Mary Caroline’s big, blue house and vanished from sight. Momma and Daddy were barely to the front door.


In one cramped corner of the backyard grew an enormous mulberry tree. It was in this tree that Uncle John had built a tree house for Mary Caroline.


“This is how you get in,” Mary Caroline instructed. “First, you jump onto the rope and swing to the other side.” Mary Caroline demonstrated on the rope that was attached to the underside of the tree house. Ava Anne followed suit and so did Savannah Lynn, with little difficulty. Hunter Thomas, however, was just too small to complete this first task. He tried, but fell off the rope each time, becoming more frustrated with each attempt. Ava Anne eventually helped him onto the rope slowly and pushed him just a little, then helped him off again.


Mary Caroline was a little impatient with Hunter Thomas. “Come on,” she said. “Now, we climb the ladder to the very highest spot.”


Savannah Lynn followed after Mary Caroline. Ava Anne lifted Hunter Thomas onto the second rung of the ladder and followed behind him.


“Welcome to the Mulberry House!” Mary Caroline exclaimed. “Now, we eat our feast!”


The kids all sat down on the small platform of the Mulberry House. They could reach ripe, juicy mulberries from the branches that hung just inches over their heads. Within a few minutes, their fingers and shirts were stained purple and red.


“What should we do next?” Savannah Lynn asked.


“Whatever we want,” Mary Caroline answered, “but I have some ideas. We could feast up here all day, or go to the neighbors’ house and jump on the trampoline, or play in my room, or, well, there’s one last adventure I was thinking of.” Mary Caroline’s eyes were sparkling and a mischievous grin was growing on her mulberry stained face.


“Well,” Ava Anne said impatiently, “what is it?”


To be continued…

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Camping: We're Going Sep-a-wet


Once upon a time, just the other day, there lived a family of five just down the street. Some days Momma stayed home, and some days Daddy stayed home. Every day Ava Anne, Savannah Lynn, and Hunter Thomas stayed home. Nothing extravagant ever seemed to happen. In fact, every day seemed almost the same as the day before. When Ava Anne, Savannah Lynn and Hunter Thomas awoke, they would tip-toe out of their bedrooms, down the hall, and to the kitchen. Momma or Daddy would be there or on the nearby couch, reading or eating or doing something uninteresting like sorting mail.


On this particular day, the family of five who lived just down the street were camping, and it was bedtime. They had their very own camper trailer with beds and a kitchen. Momma and Daddy had tucked Ava Anne, Savannah Lynn and Hunter Thomas in bed, and they were now in their own bed. Soon, however, Hunter Thomas crawled out of his bed and onto Ava Anne’s bed. He was almost in tears as he sat there, holding Ducky.


“Hunter, what’s wrong?” Ava Anne asked. Three year-old Hunter Thomas started to cry as he pulled Ducky away from his chest and looked at him.


“Ducky and I a-wah going sep-a-wet,” Hunter finally said. And with that, he got up, walked to the kitchen area and placed Ducky in a small cupboard.


“What?” Ava Anne asked, very confused. “You’re going separate? What do you mean?”


Hunter Thomas crawled back into bed with his big sissy and cried quietly with his hands held over his face.


“Hunter, let’s get Ducky out of the cupboard. He probably doesn’t like it in there.”


“No,” Hunter Thomas said forcefully. “We a-wah going sep-a-wet.”


“Why?” Ava Anne asked. Hunter Thomas and Ducky had been inseparable for as long as anyone could remember. Now Hunter Thomas was crying more. Ava Anne decided she had better get Momma to deal with this.


Momma got out of her bed and picked up her big boy. She talked to him quietly so Ava Anne could not hear what she and Hunter Thomas were saying. Finally, Momma and Hunter Thomas pulled Ducky out of the little cupboard, and Momma tucked her big boy and his Ducky back into bed.


“What did you say? What did he say?” Ava Anne asked Momma.


Momma looked down at her big girl and sighed.


“He said his friends were making fun of him for carrying a stuffed animal in his shirt,” Momma said.


“They’re so mean!” Ava Anne exclaimed. “Hunter and Ducky are friends. They need to leave him alone. He’s only three.”


“Well,” Momma continued, “Hunter Thomas decided to keep Ducky for now. But you need to stick up for your brother if you ever hear anyone making fun of him. Ok?”


“Ok,” Ava Anne said. “I’m glad Hunter and Ducky are back together. I don’t want Ducky to leave our family.”

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Homeschooling


Once upon a time, just the other day, there lived a family of five just down the street. Some days Momma stayed home, and some days Daddy stayed home. Every day Ava Anne, Savannah Lynn, and Hunter Thomas stayed home. Nothing extravagant ever seemed to happen. In fact, every day seemed almost the same as the day before. When Ava Anne, Savannah Lynn and Hunter Thomas awoke, they would tip-toe out of their bedrooms, down the hall, and to the kitchen. Momma or Daddy would be there or on the nearby couch, reading or eating or doing something uninteresting like sorting mail.


On this particular day, Ava Anne awoke with her little sister, Savannah Lynn, looking right at her. Ava Anne jumped a little.


“Vannah!” Ava Anne said with a start. “What are you doing?”


Savannah Lynn giggled. She had been awake for a while now, but she didn’t want to leave the room without her “sissy.”


“Good morning!” Savannah Lynn said with a grin.


“Ugh.” Ava Anne grumbled. “Your breath stinks!” It was true, Savannah Lynn’s morning breath was not pleasant. Then again, neither was Ava Anne’s.


“Let’s go play!” Savannah Lynn suggested. This is what she had been waiting for. It was no fun waking up first if no one else was awake to play with.


“Oh, fine.” Ava Anne said. She rubbed her sleepy eyes.


Ava Anne and Savannah Lynn crawled out of their big bed, tip-toed down the hall and toward the kitchen. Momma was making toast and scrambled eggs.


“Oh, good. You finally woke up. I was just about to come get you,” Momma said.


“Why?” Ava Anne asked. “It’s not that late.” She looked at the clock on the microwave. It said 8:03.


“No, but you need to get dressed and get going on your school-work, Ava,” Momma said.


“Right now?” Ava Anne asked.


“No, not right now. You can eat breakfast first. Then I want you to get dressed and come back out here.”


“But Vannah and I want to play.” Ava Anne argued.


“I’m glad you want to play together,” Momma said, “ but this morning I need you to work on your school work. Ok?”


Ava Anne sighed. She did not always like having Momma as her teacher, but that’s what happens when you home school. Ava Anne had never attended a regular school, ridden a school bus, or packed a lunch. Instead, Ava Anne did most of her school-work at the computer desk in the dining room or at the kitchen table.


Today, when Ava Anne finished with her breakfast and when she finished getting dressed, she sat down at the computer desk. Momma had already turned on the computer and had stacked Ava Anne’s books at the end of the desk.


“Today I want you to write a story, Ava Anne,” Momma instructed. “It can be about anything you want, but I want you to make it up. This is called fiction.”


“Write a story?” Ava Anne asked. “That’s too hard for me.”


“No, it is not,” Momma said. “You make up stories all the time when you play with your dolls. It doesn’t have to be very long, maybe a page or two. If you need more help you can look at lesson 25 in your literature book. Ok?”


Ava Anne nodded. What would she ever write about? How was she supposed to make up a whole story and write it down? What could I write about. Ava Anne thought. Dolls? No. Horses? No. Well, maybe. An adventure? Maybe. But what kind of adventure? Ava Anne thought and thought. Finally, as she was imagining an adventure in her own backyard, she got it. I know! I’m going to write about a girl who…


Ava Anne began typing. “Once upon a time, there lived a girl,” she wrote. She kept typing, with little pauses here and there to think of the next word. Finally, Ava Anne was finished. She had written two whole pages! Momma was going to be so proud.


“I’m done!” Ava Anne yelled to Momma who was helping Savannah Lynn with her homework in the other room. Momma came in to see what Ava had done. She smiled when she saw two pages.


“Let me sit down so I can read it,” Momma said. Ava Anne got up from the office chair. Momma started reading. Every now and then she would smile as she muttered a few words under her breath. Ava Anne was nervous. She was not sure Momma would like it. After a while, Momma finally smiled a big, toothy smile.


“That’s great, Ava Anne. See? I told you you could do it. I think you might be a writer some day.”

Ava Anne grinned, but said, “I can’t be a writer. I’m not that good. But you like my story?”


Momma frowned. “Ava, don’t ever say you can’t do something. You can do just about anything. And you, my dear, wrote a very good story.”


“Alright,” Ava Anne said with a sigh. “Maybe I’ll be a writer some day. Or maybe I won’t. Ok?”


“Ok,” Momma said with a grin. “Now, how about that math homework?”

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Max, Ducky and the Dinosaws


Once upon a time, just the other day, there lived a family of five just down the street. Some days Momma stayed home, and some days Daddy stayed home. Every day Ava Anne, Savannah Lynn, and Hunter Thomas stayed home. Nothing extravagant ever seemed to happen. In fact, every day seemed almost the same as the day before. When Ava Anne, Savannah Lynn and Hunter Thomas awoke, they would tip-toe out of their bedrooms, down the hall, and to the kitchen. Momma or Daddy would be there or on the nearby couch, reading or eating or doing something uninteresting like sorting mail.


On this particular day, Hunter Thomas awoke first. It was very early. The sun was just waking up, too. Hunter Thomas crawled out of his new Big Boy Bed, tip-toed down the hall and toward the kitchen. Only one light was on, and the curtains were still closed. Not even Momma was awake yet. That’s ok, Hunter Thomas thought, I’ll just play with Ducky and Max.


Hunter Thomas stopped in front of the microwave and waited.


“Max?” Hunter Thomas finally said. There was no reply. Guess he’s still sleeping, Hunter Thomas thought. I’ll just play with Ducky. Hunter Thomas walked out of the kitchen, tip-toed down the hall and toward his bedroom. He pulled Ducky out of his shirt. Ever since Hunter Thomas could remember, Ducky had lived in his shirt with just his yellow head and orange bill sticking out. Hunter Thomas liked having a friend with him all the time.


“Let’s play dinosaws, Ducky,” Hunter Thomas said. They pulled out a T-Rex, a dinosaur named Spike, and a couple of blue long-necks. After a while, though, Hunter Thomas wondered if Max was ready to play. Hunter Thomas stuffed Ducky back in his shirt and tip-toed down the hall and toward the kitchen. Once again, he stopped in front of the microwave. This time, Momma was in the kitchen making coffee. She turned around just in time to see Hunter Thomas stop in front of the microwave.


“Good morning, Hunter Thomas,” Momma said. “Are you hungry?” Hunter Thomas shook his head.


“Well can I help you with something?” Momma asked, puzzled. After a long pause, Hunter Thomas finally turned around.


“I’m waiting fo-wah Max to wake up.”


“Who is Max?” Momma asked.


“My fwend.” Hunter Thomas said.


Momma was still puzzled. She did not know who Max was. She did not know when he was going to wake up. And she certainly did not know why Hunter Thomas was waiting for him at the microwave.


“Hunter, why are you staring at the microwave?” Momma asked.


“’Cuz Max is sleeping.


“Where is Max sleeping?” Momma asked.


Hunter Thomas sighed. “Behind the mic-wo-wave.”


“Ooooh,” Momma said, “I see.” Hunter Thomas had an imaginary friend.


“Should we knock?” Momma asked.


“What?” Hunter Thomas asked, confused.


“Should we knock on the door and see if he wakes up?”


Hunter Thomas grinned. Momma was smart! Momma knocked and looked down at Hunter Thomas. They waited a few seconds. Then suddenly, Hunter Thomas grinned.


“Oh, hi, Max!” He said, “Let’s play dinosaws.”


Momma grinned as Hunter, Ducky and Max left the kitchen, whispering about dinosaws.

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Savannah Lynn's Frog

Once upon a time, just the other day, there lived a family of five just down the street. Some days Momma stayed home, and some days Daddy stayed home. Every day, Ava Anne, Savannah Lynn, and Hunter Thomas stayed home. Nothing extravagant ever seemed to happen. In fact, every day seemed almost the same as the day before. When Ava Anne, Savannah Lynn and Hunter Thomas awoke, they would tip-toe from their bedrooms, down the hall, and to the kitchen. Momma or Daddy would be there or on the nearby couch, reading or eating or doing something uninteresting like sorting mail.


On this particular day Savannah Lynn awoke first. Something was not right. She swallowed. And swallowed again. Ouch! She thought. When she went to bed the night before her throat was scratchy. Now it was downright miserable!


Savannah Lynn slowly sat up, crawled out of bed, and tip-toed down the hall, away from her bedroom, toward the kitchen. Something smelled yummy. In the kitchen she found Daddy. He was scrambling eggs, frying bacon, and stirring a pot of salt-and-butter grits.


“Oh! Good morning, Be-u-ti-ful,” Daddy almost sang. Savannah Lynn could only sigh.


“Uh! What’s the matter with my sweet girl?” Daddy asked. “Is she still sleepy?”

Savannah Lynn did not answer. She only walked over to Daddy. He picked up his silent girl and touched her too-warm neck and forehead with the back of his hand.


“Oh my goodness!” He said. “You have a fever.” Ava Anne and Hunter Thomas were sick just a few days ago. Savannah Lynn must have caught the same Bug. She hated these kinds of Bugs. They were far worse than creepy crawly bugs.


“Well, are you hungry for some breakfast?” Daddy asked. Savannah Lynn opened her mouth and tried to say no, but instead she heard a frog. She shook her head. Daddy hugged her close and walked to the couch. He lay her down, tucked her under a blanket, and turned on the cartoon channel.


“You just rest here,” he said. “I’ll be in the kitchen.”


Not too much later Ava Anne tip-toed down the hall, away from her bedroom, and toward the kitchen. She saw Savannah Lynn on the couch. Ava Anne knew Savannah Lynn didn’t look quite right.


“What’s the matter?” Ava Anne asked. Savannah Lynn opened her mouth and tried to say something. Instead of words, Ava Anne heard a frog.


“Whaaat?” Ava Anne asked. Savannah Lynn swallowed hard, opened her mouth and said, in a very frog-like way, “I-I lost my-my-my mouth noise.” Ava Anne giggled.


“Your ‘mouth noise?’” Ava Anne repeated. Savannah Lynn nodded her head.


“You mean your voice?” Ava Anne asked with another giggle. Savannah Lynn nodded. From the kitchen, Daddy heard their conversation.


He yelled, “She has a Bug! And there’s a BIG frog after it.” Ava Anne giggled, and Savannah Lynn smiled. Daddy always knew how to make his girls laugh.

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Ava Anne's Surprise

Once upon a time, just the other day, there lived a family of five just down the street. Some days Momma stayed home, and some days Daddy stayed home. Every day Ava Anne, Savannah Lynn, and Hunter Thomas stayed home. Nothing extravagant ever seemed to happen. In fact, every day seemed almost the same as the day before. When Ava Anne, Savannah Lynn and Hunter Thomas awoke, they would tip-toe out of their bedrooms, down the hall, and to the kitchen. Momma or Daddy would be there or on the nearby couch, reading or eating or doing something uninteresting like sorting mail.


On this particular day, Ava Anne awoke first—or so she thought. She tip-toed down the hall, away from her bedroom, and toward the kitchen. She passed Momma on the couch. Momma said, “Good morning.” Ava Anne just moaned. Her words had not yet found their way to her mouth.


Ava Anne continued on to the kitchen where she reached as high as she could for the box of “Daddy-cereal.” She had called this cereal “Daddy-cereal” for as long as she could remember. It was Daddy’s favorite cereal, and she did not like the real name. Her blue plastic cereal bowl was already on the counter. She poured the cereal in the bowl, then began searching the full refrigerator for the carton of milk. She was happy to find an almost empty carton that was easy to lift and pour.

Finally, Ava Anne carefully carried her cereal back to the couch where Momma sat, waiting.


“How’s my sweet girl this morning,” Momma asked. Ava Anne just shrugged. Her mind had not yet turned on, and her eyes were still blurry.


“Guess what I found this morning,” Momma said. Ava Anne thought it was probably a magazine in the mail or clothes left on the floor. She did not guess.


“Well, I found a cute little puppy,” Momma said. Ava Anne stopped chewing. A puppy! She thought. Momma saw the grin spreading across Ava Anne’s face.


“That’s right,” Momma continued, “look at this sweet little thing.” Ava Anna was so sleepy she had not even noticed the rather large lump under the blanket on Momma’s lap. When Momma pulled back the blanket, Ava Anne saw what “sweet little thing” Momma was talking about. It got up on all four limbs and started walking toward her. Ava Anne began to giggle.


“That’s not a puppy!” She said. “That’s Hunter Thomas.” Indeed, it was Hunter Thomas, her three-year-old brother. He had been curled up on Momma’s lap, under the warmth of a blanket. But when he came out, he crawled like a puppy, barked like a puppy, and even licked Ava Anne’s hand like a puppy.


“Ew!” Ava Anne squealed. “That puppy just licked me!” Momma chuckled.


“Well, he is a puppy,” she said.