The Kelseys

Just wanted to share this tale before too much time has gone by.  While we were at Campmeeting at the beginning of the month, the three older kids were staying with me in a small dorm room.  We had two keys between us.  We shared them as needed.It was Caleb’s turn to hold the key between some meetings.  He had it in his shirt pocket and was jumping around through the grass when it bounced out.  He couldn’t find it and he came and told me as much.  We retraced his steps, but found nothing.  I even found out that the science teacher who lived across the street had a metal detector.  We went and borrowed it and went searching for “treasure hidden in a field.”  As people passed they would ask what we were looking for.  One friend, Winston, asked if we had prayed to find it yet.  I said we hadn’t and that I would wait until all my children could be there to pray.  So when we were all there, we did have a little prayer to find the lost key.Then we went back to searching and found nothing until it was dinner time.  For the last few days of meetings we just got used to the routine with one key.  On the last day, when we were cleaning up our room - no you didn’t guess it, it wasn’t that easy.  I lost the other key!!!The kids just told me to pay the fines and move on.  I was just too embarrassed to do that.  I had them leave the room so I could tear it from one side to the other.  I found it in one of my pants pockets.  So I put the room back together and then headed over to the registration area to turn in my one key.When I got there and I told them what room I had, they turned to me and said.  “Oh, one of the featured musical guests at campmeeting found your key on the way to dinner last night and just turned in your key.”  He was still standing nearby so I thanked him and told him that my son would feel much better knowing that he hadn’t caused his dad to be charged for the key.When we all got in the van to go home, I told Caleb and the others what had happened.His eyes got real wide and he said, “So God DID answer our prayer!”  Now that’s a faith builder!

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If you’ve been keeping up with us - last summer I mowed our lawn with a push rotary mower.  It was quite a work out, but Laura wasn’t real pleased with the results.  So this summer (May 8th in fact… how do I know that?  Read on) Laura went and got a Craftsman lawn mower from our local Sears Appliance & Hardware store on N. Lindbergh.

It’s been gray and dreary all day.  There have been sprinkles off and on.  Of course a day like today is just perfect for Hannah to pack up and take off with her Pathfinder club for a weekend of camping at Spring Camporee.  Well, she won’t be alone.  There will probably be a couple hundred kids trying to put up tents to ward off the dampness for the weekend.I would much prefer that over the 2nd degree burns she had across her eye brows and cheeks last year just from forgetting to bring sunscreen (and being so fair skinned that she’s almost translucent - some genes we’ve provided her, huh?).So this weekend it’s just mama and the boys.Just over a week ago Laura returned from her journey to Maine.  She surprised her folks and got to spend some time talking with her brother.  Not to mention the opportunity to drive through New York City on her way up.  I mean, does it get any better than that?  If we can get organized around here, maybe we’ll do some interviews about our experiences and pull them together into a podcast episode for you.Caleb had a cyst removed from his palm last weekend and it’s healing really well so far.  We also recently discovered that he’s going to need glasses.  Caleb has all the interesting things happen to him.  He leads a life of adventure.Joshua still clings to his guitar and I have the phone numbers of some teachers.  We just have to get to calling around and get him going with some lessons.Nathan is talking more and more.  When I come home from work, he’s the one who greets me.  He wants to have something to say so bad that usually it’s just some jumbled thoughts or maybe a question.  When he gets real tongue tied he falls back to the old faithful, “I nub you dad.”  You can’t go wrong with “I love you.“And for me, things are crazy at work trying to figure out how thing work around there and getting acclimated.  My accountant called and said they noticed that my income for the 1st quarter of 2009 has been “erratic.”  Uh, that’s because I didn’t have any invoices in December and all but the last week of January.  That’ll make your business a little unstable.  So hopefully my current assignment will stay steady through 2009, regardless of how shaky it feels.I’m also trying to work on some software on the side - a class assignment planner for homeschoolers that they could access over the Internet.  It’s coming along, but not as fast as I’d like.  Does that sound like something you’d be interested in?  Let me know, it’ll spur me on to get it done.  We really want to develop an online homeschooling community, called Barnabas Way (check out our blog at http://barnabasway.com/blog ).  I’m looking for two homeschooling families that would like to be beta testers and help jump start our community.  Again - speak up if you or someone you know is interested.That just about covers life with the Kelsey’s at the end of April of 2009.  Thanks for stopping in to see what’s up.

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After the attention that the tea parties around the nation, the FairTax is starting to rise in the consciousness of many as well.  In fact, last week the Missouri house actually brought the state version of the FairTax out to the floor of the House and passed it!  It have support from Democrats and Republicans.  This week it is being considered in the state Senate where it’s passage will be more difficult, but nobody thought it would ever get this far - so stay tuned…

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It seems like this is the way things have always been.  Monday nights are always hectic.  After work it’s the rush home (love that commute), just in time to participate in burrito night - that’s Monday night at our house.

Well, it’s finally arrived.  The first inklings of a sign of the end of an era.  Last night, with evidently no prodding on any family member’s part.  Nathan decided to take a stab at pooping on the potty.

(Yes, I know March is supposed to be in like a lion and out like a lamb - artistic license…)

It took a while, but it’s finally happened.  Caleb has both of his big teeth.  When he was three or so (ok, it’s 4 am, I’m not capable of doing year math - that’s why it’s not exact), we were in Atlanta for our first Peacemaker conference and Caleb smashed his face on a stone step at the hotel.  His lips and gums were swollen and black.

The last week or two around the house have been interesting.  One of my least favorite sounds is that of “munch, munch, munch” on the frame inside the walls or up in the attic.  This sound is followed closely on my no-no list with the sound of little clawed feet scurrying about in those same spaces.We have been hearing these things recently.  A couple of weeks ago we had actual combat taking place.  I am sure it was on the roof as it went across the whole house, even our bedroom which has a vaulted ceiling - so there is no attic space above us.  We heard the battle right over head.  Some foe was vanquished - we heard their pitiful cries for mercy.  None was given.  We got to hear some poor creature meet it’s untimely end right above our heads that morning.It wasn’t long after that when we started seeing a little gray flash out of the corner of our collective eyes.  I thought I saw something in the basement, but decided it was just a shadow of a little car hanging from the light string…Then Laura said she thought she saw something while Facebooking one night.  Then a few nights later the kids saw it - the mouse!  It scurried behind the couch.  There was much screaming and running about.We decided something draconian must be done.  So at the beginning of the month I did a bunch of Googly research and bought some Victory traps, some glue paper, and some smelly concoction from a web site (that hasn’t arrived yet in the mail).  We set the traps and waited - nothing.Late last week Laura saw it again.  Only this time the creature was so bold to stop and give her a stare back before scrambling away.  We decided that these traps were not actually self baiting as they claimed.  So late Saturday night, I added a dab of peanut butter to one trap.About 30 minutes later… and it was over.  I looked and saw a wiggly tale and a shaky arm.  Looking a little close I could see that a spine had been broken.  It was about as quick, painless, and efficient as such things could possibly be.I woke Laura up to inform her, secretly hoping she would get up and help with the aftermath.  But I guess grossness only pertains the the kids’ issues.  She just said, “That’s great dear” and rolled over.So I went down and wrapped my hand in a plastic bag and grabbed the corner of the trap.  I was afraid that it’s friends would come out to defend their compatriot against me.  But Reepacheep was evidently occupied elsewhere.  I picked up the corner of the trap with the limp body dangling off the other side.  I managed to take it out and put it on the garage floor.I then got a freezer bag and placed the trap and all inside.  I also stuffed in the grocery bag that I used as a glove.  So all the biohazard material was contained.  I left it in the garage to show the family that the deed was indeed done.  I also replaced the trap with a new one with peanut butter - nothing has happened since.  Did we actually have just a solo act?When everyone got up the kids were facinated.  Hannah couldn’t bear to look, but she was willing to have Joshua take a picture for her on her camera so she could gross out her friends.  We do have pictures, but I haven’t posted them because we do want this to be a family friendly web site.What do you think?  Should pictures of vaquished vermin be placed on The Kelsey’s family blog?  Or is that just T.M.I. (too much information).  Share your feedback with us by commenting on this post.

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This is a great little video that was referred to me in an e-mail.  It is a great little piece for homeschool students and any adults that are unsure about how all the different political systems compare to each other.  I like the fact that it shows that “left” and “right” are not adequate labels to describe the governmental options.  Check it out.