In college I studied linguistics and graduated with a degree in English as a Second Language.  After marriage, I was able to use my degree immediately teaching English to international students at a local elementary school.  I've pretty much always found the development of language acquisition fascinating. Having my first baby and staying at home with her was, at first, psychologically isolating and we spent many of our days just staring at each other.  Looking back, I probably should have Read More

Haley Jane:  Age 7 Haley Jane:  "Mom, where have the Kepley's been?" Me:  "Oh, they went on a trip." Haley Jane:  "To where?" Me:  "To Seattle." Long pause. Haley Jane:  "Who's Attle?" Read More

Tonight we had some silent prayer time where every child prayed in their hearts.  After I closed our time in prayer, I leaned down to give Gracie an Eskimo kiss. She looked up to me with all the honesty in the world and said, "I prayed that you wouldn't sin so much." Read More

Tonight Haley was working on her science project and asked if she could use my computer.  The project was to draw a picture of yourself being whatever kind of scientist you'd like to be and ADD detail to your picture.  When I checked on Haley later, she was just playing on my computer. Me:  "Haley, what happened? I thought you were looking up information for your science project." Haley:  "Well, I googled 'WHAT DO SCIENTISTS HAVE ON THEIR WALLS?' so I could add detail to my picture, and ALL I Read More

Darcy:  Mom, what did YOU do when it was 1999? Me:  "Um...What?!  Why are you asking this?" Darcy:  "Well, you know...Party like it's 1999! So...?" Read More

Gracie (age 3):  Mom, are you going on a date?" Me:  "No..." Gracie:  "Well then WHY did you GET A SHOWER?" Read More

Darcy (After going on the 1st grade field trip together):  "When I grow up, I want to be a chaperone." ** Gracie (age 2):  "My nose COMING OUT!!"  (Her nose was just running) ** Gracie (twirling around with a dress-up dress on). Me:  Gracie, we're going to have some reading time now." Gracie:  "Maybe after reading time, I could marry some-fing." ** Gracie (looking alarmed at the end of her birthday party, as we deflated the swimming pool): "Why did that pool die?" ** "Mom, I think I Read More

Haley Jane Age 8 Haley:  "Mom, does watching t.v. kill you?" Me:  "Uh, no...what are you getting at?" Haley:  "Well, you know...if it doesn't kill you, it makes you stronger! So....Can I go watch some t.v.?" Read More

February 2011 Haley Jane: Age 6 On a rainy President's Day afternoon, after getting home from seeing George Washington's tomb at Mount Vernon, the kids and I cuddled up on the couch with my new favorite Netflix show, Liberty Kids.  After one episode on The Intolerable Acts, I put my computer on my lap so I could research more about this subject on Wikipedia. When Haley saw my diversion, she quickly piped up, "Oh!  I have a question for you to put in your computer." I looked down at her, Read More

December 2010 Haley: Age 6 Setting:  The kids are sitting on the couch in the basement watching ME do a Jillian Michaels work-out video. (First thing that's UNFAIR). Haley:  Mom!!  Why do you have a BEARD under your arm pit? Me:  Oh, come ON, Haley... That's not fair.  It's not THAT BAD. Haley:  Yes it is.  THAT. IS. DISGUSTING. Me:  You just wait till YOU have three kids and it's winter time... Read More