Nap Time

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. Hunter Thomas scrambled out of his big boy bed, flung open the bedroom door, and ran down the hall toward the kitchen.

His favorite cousin, Joey, was coming over this morning. Joey was three years old just like Hunter Thomas. Hunter Thomas knew they would play outside, play with trucks and trains, and have fun all day.

“Momma! Momma! Is Joey hee-ah yet?” Hunter Thomas yelled as he ran.

Momma chuckled. She was sitting on the couch sorting mail.

“No. Aunt Lori should be here to drop him off in about an hour,” Momma replied.

Hunter Thomas thought that sounded like a terribly long time. He stood still and sighed.

“By the time you get dressed and eat breakfast and we make your bed, it will almost be time. Let’s get some breakfast first,” Momma suggested.

Momma was right. Hunter Thomas had just finished helping Momma make his big boy bed when the doorbell rang. Hunter Thomas gasped and his eyes grew wide. Then he ran for the door. He saw Aunt Lori through the window. Hunter Thomas opened the big front door.

“Good morning, Hunter Thomas,” Aunt Lori said as she gave him a hug.

“Hi! Joey, let’s go play!”

Joey kicked off his shoes and chased down the hall after Hunter Thomas. They played all the way until lunch time when Momma called them to the kitchen for grilled cheese and apple sauce. Joey and Hunter Thomas were both eating quickly so they could play again, and Momma knew what they were up to.

“Don’t eat so quickly,” Momma said. “After lunch you both can take your nap in Hunter Thomas’s big boy bed. And--”

“But we want to pway!” Hunter Thomas interrupted.

“You will have lots of time to play after your nap. But I’m afraid you’ll both be very grumpy if you don’t go to sleep,” Momma finished.

After lunch she tucked them both into Hunter Thomas’s big boy bed. They each had their heads at different ends of the bed.

“The faster you go to sleep, the faster you can get back to playing,” Momma reminded the boys.

The both shut their eyes tight to show her they were trying hard to fall asleep.

“Ok. Sweet dreams,” Momma said.

Momma left the door open just a crack so she could hear any mischief Hunter Thomas and Joey might get into. All was quiet for a few minutes. Then Momma heard talking.

As Momma slowly opened the door she saw Hunter Thomas sitting next to Joey.

“What’s wong?” Hunter Thomas asked.

Joey held both hands over his face and mumbled something.

“Joey, what’s the matter?” Momma asked as she walked over to the big boy bed.

Joey muttered, “Thomas.”

Momma looked confused for a moment. She glanced at Hunter Thomas as if he might know

why Joey was talking about Thomas.

“Thomas!” Hunter Thomas whispered suddenly and jumped out of bed.

He ran to the bin on the shelf that held all his cars and trucks and trains. He dumped them all out on the floor and began searching through them.

“Hunter Thomas,” Momma said, “you need to get back in bed. It is not play time.”

Just then Hunter Thomas grabbed one train and ran back to bed. He climbed into the big boy bed and crawled over to Joey.

“Hee-ah, Joey, I found Thomas,” Hunter said as he offered the train to Joey.

Joey rubbed the tears from his eyes and took the train from his cousin’s hand. Then he rolled over and closed his eyes for sleep.

“Thank you, Hunter Thomas,” Momma said, “That was very sweet.”

“He wikes to sweep with Thomas the twain,” Hunter Thomas replied.

“Yes,” Momma said, “I think you’re right. Sweet dreams, Hunter. Sweet dreams, Joey.”

Valentine's Day

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, Daddy awakened his two sweet girls with a kiss on each of their foreheads.

“Good morning!” He sang.

Ava Anne peeked out of one eye. She saw Daddy grinning at her.

“Happy Valentine’s Day, Ava Anne,” Daddy said.

Ava Anne closed her eye and grinned. She mumbled “Happy Valentines Day” in her sleepiest voice. Daddy chuckled.

“It’s time to get up. I have breakfast made and waiting in the kitchen. I’ll be out there when you’re ready, ok?”

Ava Anne nodded with her eyes still closed. Savannah Lynn still appeared to be soundly sleeping. Ava Anne sat up on her elbows and glanced at Savannah Lynn.

“Vannah,” she whispered.

Savannah Lynn did not move. Ava Anne tickled Savannah Lynn’s neck.

“Savannah Lynn, wake up. It’s Valentine’s Day,” Ava Anne reminded her. She was not sure Savannah Lynn had heard Daddy.

Savannah Lynn barely opened her eyes and grinned.

“C’mon. Let’s go see what Daddy made for breakfast. I bet he made a Valentine’s Day feast!” Ava Anne said.

Savannah Lynn and Ava Anne stumbled out of bed. They each put on their thick, fleece bathrobes to keep them warm in the cool house. They pattered down the hall and toward the kitchen. They smelled sausage and coffee all the way.

When they entered the kitchen, they saw Momma sitting at the table, sipping her steaming coffee. Daddy was sitting there, too, reading the newspaper. Ava Anne and Savannah Lynn scooted out their chairs. On each chair was a small teddy bear holding a little pink flower. Momma and Daddy grinned as Ava Anne and Savannah Lynn sniffed their flowers and hugged their new teddy bears.

“Thank you!” They said in unison.

“Are you ready to eat?” Daddy asked.

Both girls nodded. Daddy got up and pulled a plate out of the oven. It was piled high with heart-shaped pancakes. Savannah Lynn giggled.

“I like ‘em!” she said.

“And str-aaaw-berry syrup,” Daddy said in a very animated voice as he spooned red strawberry syrup on each of their heart-shaped pancakes.

“Mmmm, this is yummy,” Ava Anne mumbled with a bite of pancake in her mouth.

“Glad you like it,” Daddy said.

“Happy Valentine’s Day,” Momma said.

“Happy Valentine’s Day,” Ava Anne and Savannah Lynn chimed.

Chicky

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 had been awake for several hours. Savannah Lynn and Ava Anne had already finished their school work for the day, and Hunter Thomas was just finishing his lunch.

“Let’s go out to the barn, Vannah!” Ava Anne said to Savannah Lynn.

They had already put their lunch plates in the sink and were ready to play outside. They quickly slid on their shoes and ran out the back door.

“I know, let’s look for wild berries,” Savannah Lynn suggested.

They never knew exactly where they might find wild berries, but at this time of year, they were sure to find a bush somewhere. Ava Anne and Savannah Lynn ran around the barn until they reached the old apple tree. Sometimes berries were hiding around the overgrown tree and weeds.

“Nothing,” Ava Anne concluded after a quick search of the weeds. “Let’s go to the other side of the barn.”

As they ran along the back side of the barn through Daddy’s old garden they heard a chicken clucking. They ran faster to see if the chickens had found their berries.

Ava Anne gasped. “Oh, no! She’s stuck!”

“Let’s go get Momma,” Savannah Lynn said.

They ran back to the house as fast as they could.

“Momma!” Ava Anne and Savannah Lynn shouted together.

“There’s a chicken stuck in a live-trap! You need to come get her out,” Ava Anne reported.

“She’s hurt!” added Savannah Lynn.

“Where?” Momma asked.

“By the barn,” Savannah Lynn and Ava Anne said in unison.

Momma had little difficulty releasing the chicken. But, when she picked her up they all realized she was missing two of her toes. Momma carried her back to the house and handed her to Savannah Lynn.

“Hold her while I get some gauze and ointment to clean her foot with,” Momma instructed.

Savannah Lynn rubbed her cheek gently on the chicken’s head and neck as she held it. Ava Anne looked worried. She was not so sure this chicken was going to be ok.

“Chicky, it’s going to be ok,” Savannah Lynn said. “I’ll take care of you. You can stay in my room.”

“Chicky?” asked Ava Anne.

“Yep, that’s her name now,” Savannah Lynn said.

Just then Momma returned with a bandage and ointment. She gently cleaned Chicky’s toeless foot, rubbed ointment on it, and wrapped it in gauze.

“I think she’ll be ok,” Momma said. “But, we’ll need to watch her extra carefully for a while.”

“Can she stay in my room?” Savannah Lynn asked. “I named her Chicky.”

“No,” Momma said with a smile, “Chicky will be ok in the chicken coop. Let’s give her some food and water before we take her back out there.”

Chicky was very thirsty. She finished all the water Momma gave her, and she took a few bites of food.

“This chicken will be just fine,” Momma said. “She is happy to eat and drink. I don’t think we have anything to worry about.”

“Chicky,” Savannah Lynn reminded Momma.

“That’s right,” Momma said, “Chicky.”

The Mulberry House, continued

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

Mary Caroline’s grin was growing and her eyes seemed to hold a secret. She waited for a dramatic pause, encouraging her cousins to stare at her impatiently.

“The adventure I want to take you on is very dangerous. We will travel through the deep, dark, forest,” Mary Caroline said.

“Why are we going through the deep, dark forest?” Savannah Lynn asked. Her eyebrows were furrowed and she swallowed one loud gulp.

Mary Caroline sighed. “Because we are going on an adventure,” she said. “How else will we find a rare new animal that lives in a deep, dirty cave?”

Hunter Thomas raised his eyebrows and smiled. “A new animal? Like, a snake! O-ah a wizard?”

Mary Caroline looked confused. “A wizard? Wizards are not animals, Hunter.”

“He means a lizard,” Ava Anne corrected her cousin’s error.

“Whatever. Are we going on an adventure or not?” Mary Caroline was growing impatient.

Ava Anne looked out of the corner of her eye at Savannah Lynn.

“Let’s do it!”

Mary Caroline led the way down the ladder, on the rope, and across the yard to the deep, dark forest.

“First, everyone needs a stick,” Mary Caroline instructed.

Hunter Thomas was already carrying one very large stick. He was swinging it and hitting trees and bushes with it.

“Ok, now remember, there are lots of animals and maybe a few monsters in here, so watch out,” Mary Caroline warned as she stepped into the deep, dark forest.”

The four cousins walked cautiously, slowly taking each step. Hunter Thomas was very occupied with searching the ground for a “deep, dirty cave” with a “rare new animal.” Savannah Lynn’s eyes scanned the whole forest again, and again, hoping the “rare new animal” would be small and on the ground.

Suddenly, when everyone was looking different directions, Mary Caroline stopped dead in her tracks. She held her arms out to signal everyone else to stop. Savannah Lynn’s eyes grew with suspense.

“A wizard?!” Hunter Thomas exclaimed in a half whisper.

Mary Caroline motioned with her eyes and her head. In the leaves and weeds near her feet was a snake. It was as still as the cousins were, waiting for them to pass by. Slowly, slowly, Hunter Thomas crept past Mary Caroline and out of the snake’s vision. From behind, he crept ever closer until he was finally within reach of the back of the snake’s neck. Hunter Thomas was a great snake catcher.

“Gotcha!” Hunter Thomas exclaimed as he leaped forward, one hand holding a stick and one hand holding a snake.

“YAY!” The girls cheered.

“We captured the rare new animal!” Savannah Lynn said.

“Let’s take him back to the Mulberry House,” Ava Anne suggested.

The successful troop nearly marched back through the deep, dark forest. They emerged from the trees to the sound of Momma’s voice calling for lunch-time.

“Macaroni and cheese for lunch,” Momma called.

“A rare new animal for a pet!” Mary Caroline called back.

The cousins could hardly wait for their after lunch adventures to come.

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…

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.”

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?”