Room Changes

This winter we painted all 3 of the kids' bedrooms.  Also moved Micah downstairs, and Jenna/Claire upstairs. I've been waiting to post pics until we're finished, but I may never totally finish, I guess. :)  I still have to do curtains for Micah's room.  I'll try to get pics of that up in June, once school is finished.

I painted Katie's room a very light purple and then she designed/painted the wall art to go with her bed.  Pretty cool, huh?

This is Jenna and Claire's room.  They sure are loving their bunkbeds and the private space they each have below their bed!  Thanks to Chad's parents for the bedspreads and beanbag chairs, and thanks to my parents for the beds!

Bee Winner!!

Claire won her class spelling bee yesterday!  We are so excited for her.  It turned out to be a long battle-- took them 1 1/2 hours to get a winner.  They went thru the whole word list the teacher had prepared.

Winning words--  Deuteronomy and Joshua

Aquarium

On Friday, we took the kids out of school and went to the National Aquarium in Baltimore.  Fun day with our family.  We saw a lot of fun, beautiful creatures!  My favorites were the jellyfish.  I know Micah and Chad really liked the sharks. :) 

West Virginia Spring

This is got to be one of the prettiest places to be in the springtime!

Academic Showcase

Claire's class did a presentation on the Old West.  One of the dads even built a covered wagon.  It's still in their room-- I don't think they know how to get it out the door now. :)

This was one of Jenna's projects-- she studied the differences in different brands of highlighters.  She also had to build a bridge of out cardboard, etc.  

One of the high school science classes build spud-shooters, so we went out to watch that at the end of the evening.

Concert

Chad and I went to a concert of the Five Browns.  Fantastic!  Pic isn't very good since we weren't allowed to take pics when they were up there.  You'll have to look them up on You Tube.  5 Steinway Grands up there-- lids removed so they can see each other.  Wonderful music.  We also had a terrific meal at a tiny little Chinese restaurant in Shepherdstown.  Good stuff.

I've Got the Worst Wart on Me

Claire's class recently memorized the poem "Sick" by Shel Silverstein.  Yesterday, Claire decided to write a similar poem.  Read it out loud! :)

I've Got the Worst Wart on Me  by Claire Wingert

I've got the worst
Wart on me,
Don't know if it's
On my thigh or my knee.

But look what it's caused,
It's only a little red,
It's so bad I'm
STILL in bed!

Now I've got
Various bruises,
Things here and
There that really oozes!

My hair limp.
I've seemed to shrink
Everytime I move
I seem to blink!

Can't laugh
Without coughing
My toe is
Really sofetning.

My eye's now blind
Surrounded by chick'npox.
There's perhaps 16,
Nah, 8, wait, nine approx.!

My spine's an S.
My face is green.
There's 99% chance
I'll break my spleen.

I'm losing my voice,
No I'm hoarse!
My little brother named
My disease-- Sick Source.

Now, ho-- uh now,
I'll just scream.
Wait uh, oh thank goodness
It's just a bad dream!

Our FIVE year old

I just can hardly believe Micah's 5 years old!  It seems like the time has flown.  Wasn't it just yesterday that I was humongously pregnant with him?? 

He sure did look forward to this birthday!  I guess he talked about it all year. Then it hit on  Monday, when I teach 15 lessons.  Yikes.  Good thing the rest of the family pitched in to make it special, cuz I didn't do much for him that day.  He had a great day! 

Early in the morning, Chad set up a string maze all over the house.  As soon as Micah got up, he followed the string around all over-- finding treats along the way.  

After Micah's nap, Chad took him to the park in Williamsport-- and took his car along.  They took a little drive down the walking path and then played in the park.  Below is the friend Micah made at the park.

While I taught the last few lessons, Katie and Jenna and Claire decorated the house and set the table nicely.  

Look at this cake!  Isn't it amazing??  Katie did it while Micah napped.  Mario and Luigi-- 2 of Micah's favorite characters recently.  We also got him a Luigi t-shirt and some little figurines.  

Micah had lots of fun opening gifts-- this round one was probably the most fun.  Katie had bought him a big ball ($2.50 at Walmart) and he LOVES it!  

Below is the license plate game he got from Uncle Jer and Aunt Dani.

Kind of goofy to have a birthday without any other family around.  Maybe when Gma gets back from CA, we'll have another little party. 

Crystal Grottoes/Washington Monument

Claire's finishing up her Washington County project for school.  In the next month, when her blog is finished, we'll tell you how to get to it.

On Saturday, we visited 3 of the 4 remaining places-- the Appalachian Trail, the Washington Monument, and Crystal Grottoes. The weather was gorgeous, so it made for a fun family day.

Claire in one of the AT shelters.  We walked on the AT to get to the Washington Monument (below).

We climbed the steps inside the monument.  Below is the view from the top.  Since it's on top of South Mountain, you can see PA and WV and Hagerstown, etc.  Claire just loved the view from up there!

These are the Crystal Grottoes.  Very interesting.  We had a tour with just another family of 3.  Not much more could fit in there at the same time, tho.  Passages are pretty narrow.  Micah found this place fascinating.  It was funny how "into" the guide's presentation he was. 

Easter Fun

We took Gpa bowling for his bday.  Fun!  We sure didn't do very well, but I guess that doesn't matter too much. :)  Actually, Micah got the highest score of any of us.  He and Claire bowled in a lane with gutter guards, and boy! does that help your score!!

Don't tell Anita.  This is what Don wore to church for Easter.  She wasn't around to stop him.

Easter Finery