Tag: Jaquline

Powerfully Thankful!

Have you ever been so overwhelmed with thankfulness that it makes you cry? #AwesomeBirthdayPresent #HealingMiracle #JesusTheGreatPhysician #Reflection

February 23, 2022

Powerfully Thankful!

Have you ever had a day that blew you away with the power of God and made you cry because you are thankful?

I’ve had quite a few since December 1st. God keeps doing amazing miracles and making me thankful – like December 10, 2021 when God saved Louis from being crushed in an accident on the interstate and December 11, 2021 when God saved my sister from dying in an accident.

Today, I’m just so thankful! A young man my family is very close to got sick on Monday – we all prayed for him. Last night (actually early morning today just after midnight), Louis led us praying that when the doctors went to do surgery, they’d find that he was healed. He asked God to touch his body and heal him completely as He is The Great Physician.

This morning, we were told he was waiting for final testing and would go into surgery. It made me so sad – I could only think of how my heart would be ripped apart if this was my Kimberly I was praying for. I love this young man and have seen God constantly work in his life. I know God can heal everything – he made the entire universe with words he spoke; He can touch a human body and repair it. In His will. That is the toughest part for me as a mom; my mind and heart fight over why God would think that my baby sister dying or a child being seriously injured or a young man slowly withering away because of a genetic disease is in God’s will.

Faith. Trust. Hope.

My faith reminds me that if I can trust God for salvation, if I can trust that the gravity and physics he set up will remain, then I need to trust His will in my life and, yes, my children’s lives and my friend’s children’s lives. Trust and pray in everything.

I have hope in that I know I will see my baby sister in heaven. I know I will see Gideon and my Daddy running and jumping and playing dodgeball and kickball in heaven. (Hey, those were favorite games so why not?) My hope is in Jesus.

When the report came back, this young man’s test came back with healthy! No surgery. Healthy on other tests for other organs! I was so happy! God, what an amazing, perfect birthday present!

I’m so thankful for healing, for life, for love, for family, for friends. So many things God has given us to enjoy – beautiful days (I bicycled to work Monday morning, we finally hung the Christmas gift swing yesterday), discovery (finding shoes Lucas hid because he prefers being barefoot), goofy games (trying to keep assorted Thea birthday balloons in the tiny square made by the couches and the wall by batting them with longer balloons), amazing gifts (homemade sugar-type m&m cookies are my favorite and I LOVE roses), traveling mercies (thankful Louis and Becca are alive), late night giggles (my favorite sounds even though I have to say, “girls, go to bed!”), healing (too many times to list!)… this list is endless.

Thank you, Jesus, for your amazing miracles!

Today, I’m so thankful, I cried.

Reflect on what amazing miracles God has done in your life and that will surely make you smile too!

Type at you later,

~Nancy Tart

Lucas’ Balls (Timewarp Story)

January 23, 2022

Lucas’ Balls

(Note: This is a timewarp story from May 25, 2017. ENJOY!)

Vegetables are a fun subject for writers.  Toss in toddlers and you have instant comedy.  For example:

Lucas loves to eat.  We tease that if it doesn’t eat him first, he’ll eat it! (Okay, maybe not that bad, but he will try to eat popcorn kernels, cantaloupe rinds, sweet potato skins, and even bones – yes, he tries to eat the bones!)

At the produce market, we’re loading up on yummy veggies to have sitting around for my amazing chef/babysitter/awesome sister to create dinner with.  Lucas loves to help.  He’s tossing perfect Sebago potatoes into the bag (he never misses), squishes a pepper (we’re buying this one) with “Yummy!  Green strings!” (If we chop peppers he eats them raw), and “yeah!  Sticks!” as we bag carrots (which he tries to eat before they are weighed).  Despite Mom continually repeating the accurate name of any vegetable or fruit in the world, Lucas appears to prefer his own made-up nicknames for everything.  (Onions are “ouch,” pumpkins are “pies,” and broccoli are “trees” or “flowers”)

At the counter, Jaquline helps lay out our items while telling the manager what each vegetable is.  Manager stops setting Brussels Sprouts in pint baskets to ring our items; he is chomping on fresh cherries.  Lucas points at the basket, he’s super excited (Brussels Sprouts, roasted or raw, are his favorite).  “Mommy, PLEASE BALLS!”

“Lucas, we already have your balls in the bag,” Jaquline informs instantly, while showing him a bag of said vegetable (using the nickname I have tried to eradicate).  Mr. Manager’s face is crimson.  He pops another cherry in his mouth (maybe he hopes everyone will think the red came from the cherry).  A couple at the back of the store chuckle.

“Yes, we are getting Brussels Sprouts, Lucas,” I say calmly, trying to decide if I want to become microscopic or be proud that he loves his veggies aka balls.  I’m sure my face matches the cherries too.  (I’m beginning to think this is why my teenagers remain outside the store.)

As we pay, Mr. Manager neatly boxes everything up, scoops up a handful of cherries, slides them in a baggie and deposits them in Lucas’ reach with: “here’s some snacks for my favorite customer who loves balls” and winks at him.

Teenagers! Boys! I don’t know which is worse. “Daddy!” as we get home, Lucas shrieks, “look what we got, balls!” “Yummy balls,” he grins. I amend my thoughts to include, men!

But, yes, this is hilariously funny and I’m sure we will laugh about Lucas’ weird names for everything one day… if I can live through it!

Thanks for reading!

Type at you next time,

~Nancy Tart

A Visit to the Campus

Imagination & enjoyment at any place.

January 19, 2022

A Visit to the Campus

(Note: This post was written November 30, 2021 when whomever had decided my computer’s operating system can’t load wordpress anymore – or any other website haha!)

We found ourselves ending the month with a visit to the Palatka campus of St John’s River State College.  Becky and Kimberly were doing college stuff.  The littles and not-so-littles-anymore found themselves doing schoolwork at a stone table in the warm sunshine on a frosty morning.  By 11am, though, it had warmed enough to allow for shedding of jackets.  (This is Florida anyway, locals know autumn calls for bundle with layers in the morning, regular clothes by noon, swimsuit at 2pm, all clothing back on by 6pm, and windbreakers at 8.)

Lucas took a little stuffed animal and started playing hike (his version of one-boy football).

Thea yells, “look, scissors jumps!” *does a few scissors jumps, “tuck jumps!” *does a few tuck jumps (I’m impressed, she’s landing on both feet simultaneously) and other gymnastics steps as she stays in “the warmness” (aka sunshine). 

Jillian finishes with bases and exponents after too many, “Mom!  X equals what am I doing?” because when she’s in a hurry, she forgets to read the directions.  She promptly joins in the grassland fun (now Lucas and Jillian start a wrestling match). 

Jaquline lags a bit behind as “poetry has too many grammar errors!”  (Her assignment is to edit the grammar errors and rewrite.) 

We meet people we know!  (Okay, people whose children I know.)  Lucas lands in a prickly bush and waddles up with “prickles in my butt like Pooh” (Pooh Bear landing in a gorse bush, anyone?) which I have to pick off without laughing. 

Jillian wants to do pull ups on the big tree limbs but can’t reach them.  Even with her biggest high jump, she is still too short.  Jaquline’s attempt to help her up is hilarious. 

Thea plays with squinkies at the stone table.  Jillian says “both college schools have stone tables.” (They had given nicknames to places we did school at the Saint Augustine campus before Christina was a driver.)  Lucas “made friends” with the ants – not something I would suggest. 

Throwback pictures to The Tortuga aka the gazebo over the center of the water at the Saint Augustine Campus of St Johns River State College.

  • School at The Tortuga
  • Finding turtles at The Tortuga
  • “Picture me, mommy!”

I love how my children can find entertainment in any situation.  From grass, trees, imagination, or teeny tiny toys they bring along with them everywhere; there is always something to do even if we are at a brand new college campus on a lazy late autumn day! 

Thank you for reading,

Type at you later!

~Nancy Tart

Christmas with the Chosen: The Messengers – Movie Review

A Movie Review: Christmas with the Chosen, the Messengers.

Christmas With the Chosen: The Messengers – Movie Review

January 17, 2022

(Note: This was written December 7, 2021 when whomever decided my computer’s operating system can’t access wordpress anymore)

First thing you have to know – I love Christmas! 

Second thing… I’m usually the one who talks everyone else out of going to the movies.  I’d rather sit at home and wait until it’s free. 

I have gone to the local theater for movies like “WarRoom” and “Overcomer.”  We decided to go to the theater for the “Christmas with the Chosen: The Messengers” movie last Saturday evening. 

Wow!

I have only seen part of one episode of the Chosen.  I do not like watching screens alone and when I’m home, we tend to be doing something outside, playing board games, or Louis is watching a sports game.  After this, I really want to watch them all.  Hopefully, it won’t be like the Bones series.  Grandma Joanne introduced Christina and Becky seven years ago.  We watched them after the littles went to bed and I was dispatching late at night (cab company era) usually one or two episodes each week or two.  I got to season three, we had to start borrowing from the library and the girls got impatient!  They would breeze through them!  Christina and Becky saw them all, then rewatch it and Kimberly saw them all, now Jaquline is even farther in the series than I am! 

At least with The Chosen, we can watch them with everyone. 

At the theater, my Mom and one of Christina’s friends joined us.  “Tart, party of twelve!” – our nine, one sister-cousin, one friend, and one Grandma… we took up half of a row!  

In retrospect, I have to laugh at all the wiggling feet and trying to be considerate but busting with worship sing-along voices!  Becky said if Christina’s parents’ guide website had been better informed, they would have mentioned it was best to observe this film from the back rows if your party has the proclivity to get roused into song and dance by concert-style worship songs – Becky called it “Passion camp on film.”  My only dancer who got to her feet was Thea, but she is little so everyone behind us could still see over her.  I wanted to dance!  I would have blocked too many peoples’ views though… I literally had to stop myself a few times.

I still think The Nativity Story is the most realistic culturally accurate story highlighting Mary and Joseph’s journey.  However, this film was incredible!  It had a short portion that showed, in what I’m gathering is the style of the series The Chosen, the journey of Mary and Joseph with a bit of a twist (no spoiler, I promise). 

If you enjoy music or historical reenactments, this is a must-see movie event.  

Thank you for reading,

Type at you next time!

~Nancy Tart

11 Days of Challenge

The Eleven Days of Challenge

11 Days of Challenge

December 30, 2021

It’s been a long time since I’ve written here!

My phone doesn’t like wordpress anymore and wordpress decided my computer is too old to work. I’m having to borrow access to this website through another computer, but that’s a whole other story!

Our beginning challenge of trying to find a rental for our family and facing the facts that my phone is too old to work with the app correctly and my computer is so old the app glitched out. I ended up having to spend over a week off and on the phone with the rental company’s tech support and using my work’s computer off time to get it to work where my application went through (during this time, the house in the “perfect” location was rented and we had to settle on the next in line, which is obviously where we are supposed to be for now).

Move in day was supposed to be December 13th. Yippee!

The eleven days of challnge started with December 10th when my husband’s car was rear-ended on the interstate. (He walked away, thank you, Jesus!)

December 11th, my sister was in an accident. Christina offered to be a taxi to replace two cars…

December 12th, I took Becky to her nanny job.

December 16th, I got Becky back from her nanny job.

On December 21, we took our van in and it was irreparable. The engine had corrosion on the inside that was coming out in the spark plug wells. (Appears it was in an accident two months prior to our purchasing it and this was the result of years of corrosion: in retrospect, if your husband asks you “do you like the new (used) car?” ask “was it ever in a wreck?”) Hindsight is always 20/20.

We did move between December 13th and 19th, though, thanks very much to my husband’s boss allowing us to use his van. Okay, honestly, this was the first move where I didn’t actually move anything! I packed a couple boxes before the 13th, sorted some stuff for packing, and unloaded and sorted at the destination, but did not move anything. I think I drove one load.

Christina was doing finals at Embry.

Becky was nannying.

I was working and dragging Thea, Lucas, and whatever gymnast had practice along.

That meant Louis, Kimberly, and Jaquline did most of the moving. They so impressed me. Even with our bumps, I came in to see that the girls had decorated and set up for Christmas, we enjoyed our crazy December ride.

The eleven day roller coaster was one I barely believe. God worked everything out nicely as He always does. We now have bigger hurdles to face in the year of 2022. But I’m already looking forward to the fun we will have during these challenges!

Christina moves into her second semester at Embry-Riddle, Becky returns to her nanny job, Kimberly started a job in September and will compete Xcel Gold and start college classes, Jaquline is navigating pre-teenhood and taller than most of her sisters, Jillian will compete Xcel Bronze, Lucas has discovered reading, and Thea thinks she’s Jillian’s equal in independence. We will enjoy every step and make new memories!

One of the girls called the day from losing the Prius to losing the van “eleven crazy days” – maybe so, but it was an amazing example of how God works all things out just the way he wants it.

I’m thankful for life, love, and joy!

What are you looking forward to in this new year?

Type at you later! (and there will be a slew of backdated posts once I can get my files to upload here!)

~Nancy Tart

New Season of Beginnings

Life moves on! Our new seasons and stages

August 31, 2021

New Season of Beginnings

As I drove to work, I noticed the goldenrods in bloom. My mother always told us that meant six weeks to cooler weather. Everywhere I have lived, that bit of seasonal information has held true. From Virginia to South Carolina and, yes, even in steamy Florida.

The thought of seasonal change made me smile and reflect on the seasons of life our family is shifting into this year:

Christina started her first day at an “away” college. She’s a junior at Embry-Riddle. Her literal first day of classes was today. A season of independence for her – her eighteenth birthday is looming closer than I want to believe. Secretly, I already consider her an adult. I’m so excited for her and pray for wisdom in her new ventures!!

Christina took her sisters shopping!
Coach Christina spots a bridge

Rebeccah got her first request that wasn’t family for her art. Her birdies are almost old enough to sell. Her hobbies are blooming the imaginative artist within her! She has been raking up driving hours with us… Sixteen is too close.

Kimberly has taken on teaching roles at home, at gym and at church. She loves teaching. She loves tutoring. She is growing patience and understanding. She is facing tough decisions between CAP and Xcel Team gymnastics. Her goals, respectively, were officer rank and team. Made one! The new restrictions and the lack of social interaction at CAP versus the unlimited freedoms, friendly faces, and encouraging camraderie at her gym. She asked me to make her decision… I have to let her decide and I will support her decision.

Kimberly and Jaquline

Jaquline is maturing into a young lady. Mom may not be ready for that! She loves gymnastics and thrives in her books – she, just like her older sisters, is a bookworm. Jaquline is beginning to enter her realm of personal responsibility and leadership.

Jillian is learning to manage friendships and learning to discern when to follow and when to lead.

Lucas entered school “officially,” as he’s first grade. He is enjoying his new challenges!

Big sisters like to take pictures and selfies…

Thea started Gym-N-Learn at WGV Gymnastics. Mom isn’t ready for some of the skills she tries, but her ability to learn from others and take direction? Yes, that is so awesome!

Each season is a new discovery of challenges. Of fun and fabulous adventures… Of making new friends, finding new loves, achieving new goals…

Life constantly moves forward. You can never go backwards in life. If you missed something, start over. Renew. Rejoin. Always move forward. Someone said to me, “you’re such a dreamer, you’ll never have your own (house).” But I believe in God’s timing and plan for the future while living in the present! I embrace this new season nd pray for wisdom to guide my younglings (and not so young younglings) through their new seasons of life.

I hope as this season starts for you, you remember the awesome past, look to the future, and build memories in the present!

Type at you later!

~Nancy Tart

2021 Annual Show!

WGV Gymnastics Annual Show for 2021 #WGVGymnastics #Smiles #Hugs #HighFives #OlympicTheme #Family #Fun #Gymnastics

May 24, 2021

2021 Annual Show!

At our gym (WGV Gymnastics in Florida), we have an annual showcase for our gymnasts in May each year. Last year being what it was, this is the first year we’ve gotten to use our awesome new gymnastics facility for our show! It was amazing!

My gymnasts get super excited at this chance to show off their skills in a mock meet type show complete with awards ceremony and fun! This is our happy place! We had an Olympic theme this year (surprising, right?) and our gym dressed up for the occasion.

  • Balloons in the Olympic Flag Colors bordering the Pro Shop
  • Preschool Show Area
  • Entry to the events!
  • Lucas’ medal had a boy gymnast, Jillian’s had a girl gymnast – Lucas was ecstatic!

From the banner over the entryway to the Preschool Area and everything in between, there were Olympic rings, flaming torches, international flags, and medals.

Jaquline and Jillian showed off with the Preteam Group this year. Lucas sported his “sparkly leo” (he grew out of the begged-for black unitard a few months ago and found a black unitard with a sequined peace sign in his size – this is his “sparkly leo”) because, according to my almost 6-year-old, “boys in the Olympics all wear sparkly leotards.” Kimberly got to volunteer for the Sunday shows! Becky did her routines on Sunday with the intermediate/advanced group.

  • Covering his Leo so “it doesn’t get blue” – the rest of him was covered in raspberry cotton candy!
  • Christina coaching
  • Medals and high fives!

Lucas was super excited that he got to be with his “best friend from preschool program” in the show (he is at the age where everyone is his best friend). The gymnasts got to fill out an “about me” sheet and Lucas thinks the fact that he does gymnastics makes him awesome. (Mom thinks he’s awesome just because.)

  • “Helping” set up – aka eating gummies
  • “Helping” at the front desk – aka napping

Thea thinks the entire gym is hers. She “helped out” setting up the pro shop, the day of she spilt time between the front desk and the concession room – gummy snacks and lots of food probably kept her busier than actually helping though.

  • Becky’s group with their medals, “about me” paper, and gifts! I love the smiles!

Thousands of combined hours prepared for the six two-hour sessions over the weekend where our amazing gymnasts got to show off their skills and family members got to watch. Each session was marked with countless proud smiles, lots of clapping, determination, laughter, hugs, and friendship! (Several showed me their cotton candy faces!) I usually had a clear view of the parallel bars – I loved seeing my gymnasts do their most challenging skills! So many proud coach moments even though I was just watching them in the background! (Yes, I mean those I coach and those I know – I’m super surprised at how many of our gymnasts I actually do know!) I’m pretty sure I recognized every gymnast.

Lucas got up this morning, ready for Gym-N-Learn class, all packed and dressed. In the van he said, “is there another show today?” (He was wearing his medal, which he gently wrapped when we got to gym and had me “carefully put” in my purse.)

“No, next year.”

“Aww… That was so much fun.”

“It was. What was your favorite part?”

*Deep thought and silence from the middle seat for a few long seconds* “All of it. I can’t wait to do it again!”

(And that, friends, was the goal of those putting on the WGV Gymnastics Annual Show – that our participating gymnasts enjoyed every single bit of it!)

Type at you next time!

~Nancy Tart

Our Happy Place

#Thanlful for a #DreamJob and the #Blessings my family has because of it!

May 11, 2021

Our Happy Place

Lucas gets super creative with his “castle” and “armies!” (In afterschool)
Kimmy loves WGV Gymnastics and her confidence has improved!
Anastasia and the Easter Bunny!!
Jaquline helps out with Preschool Class sometimes… And for the Easter party!

August makes three years I have been working for WGV Gymnastics! I am super amazed at how much I absolutely love this family and how my family has grown because of it!

First off, a backstory of how I ended up working here:

Our cab company was faltering due to the changing market dynamics. I could read the writing on the wall and wanted a job where I wouldn’t have to give up being around my children. (Homeschooling, flexibility, etc). I answered a facebook ad that I thought was a desk job. I was excited because I’d done a charity event there a year or so before and loved the owner.

I get to the interview (after several interviews at other management positions where they’d liked me but I’d been turned down because I was pregnant) and she says “I was hoping it was you,” great way to start. Then she says “gymnastics coach” and I’m like, “whoa, no experience here…” She says she can teach me to coach gymnastics. (Oh my goodness!! A dream – I’ve always wanted to do gymnastics! Now I coach it!!) I got the job.

My kiddos got to do classes.

One discovered a fitness in air conditioning that she loves!

One made team and went to State!

Two of them love it and my crazy 7-now-9-year-old is learning to listen and take direction (her coaches are saints), Lucas will “graduate” from WGV Gymnastics’ Preschool Gym-N-Learn in June, and Thea thinks she owns the gym.

Thea helping me do morning paperwork
Thea helped clean and organize… Now a snack!
Coach Kristi gave her 3 bows, this one matched her dress!

I’m so amazed by how God has blessed me and my family by giving me an amazing job and joining us with the WGV Gymnastics family!

So many friendships have been discovered and memories made. I’m so glad I get to do something I love with amazing people to work alongside. From our preschool open gym on Fridays at noon and fun filled rec gymnastics classes to afterschool pickup and summer camps, we have fun all the time! Come visit us!

Always remember to bloom where you are. You never know how long you’ll be there & you are there for a reason! Enjoy it!

Thanks for reading!

Type at you later,

~Nancy Tart

Thea and Her Love

February 22, 2021

Thea and Her Love

  • Thea’s Bow & Gym Water Cup
  • Patient Big Brother
  • Jillian loves being Thea’s model

Thea is by far our youngest lover of all things fashion. Her sisters got her bows for Christmas. She had to put them on everyone. Lucas patiently lets Thea do anything to his hair – he did let Christina and Becky color it green (supposed to be blue dye, but his brown hair turned more of a turquoise). Jillian and Jaquline often end up being Thea’s models now that she wants to do their hair too!

  • Cheese!
  • My Mr. Pickles!

The big girls have “always wanted” (they shared Mary’s giant stuffies for a bit as littles) an oversized stuffed animal. They got one for Thea for Christmas. They called him “Mister Pickles” and the name has stuck. (I have no clue why a giant koala is named after a cucumber treat, but it is.) Thea loves him. This girl loves all things tiny but took to the giant stuffy like a pro. He sleeps in her bed (she sleeps on him)! Grandma got her started on “squinkies” because she loved the tiny squishy quarter-puppies at gym & she has always loved legos.

  • Lucas said “you are my love, Baby Thea!”

Lucas has been leading Thea everywhere since day one, literally (the picture on the bottom right is when she was not quite an hour old). They are snuggle buddies. One of her first full sentences was “Lucas come play legos with me!” They explore things together. What Lucas does, Thea has to try – even splits and carpentry!

Our little baby is two years old now! Time races by. Life is about enjoying the time we have with each other. Life is about making happy memories even in times when life is tough. Life is about friendships that you continually water even through spells of distance. Life is love. Thea reminds me of that with every smile.

Even this morning, when her 17-year-old sister is driving us to work and playing music to which Thea’s feet are dancing; I saw her huge smile and remembered how pure love is as little ones show it. Genuine smiles are a tiny glimpse of heaven’s love! Thank you Jesus for the time I’ve had with each of my children, each of my siblings, my parents, and my friends! Thank you for new opportunities to build memories and laughter as each day speeds along! Thank you for love!

Type at you later!

~Nancy Tart

Building Buddies

December 28, 2020

Building Buddies

When we think of toddler, stuffing every unknown object into their mouth is standard, right?

I had two where the answer was shockingly “NO!”

They both loved all things small – squinkies, legos, and polly pockets.

The thing I like about small items is that they are easily portable! A small pencil box could hold an army of squinkies, a city of legos, or a family of polly pockets.

You can’t exactly take giant mega blocks everywhere! Well, maybe one or two blocks, but really… tiny is better for portable applications. I love tiny toys to keep littles entertained when on the go. For most of the kids though, tiny toys were not an option until the everything-in-the-mouth stage was finished. I love starting off with tiny toys!

We have been building large mega block forts with the same blocks for over 16 years! From Christina under 1 to Thea now at almost 2… I shake my head at that – yikes! That’s too many years of building forts and garages and houses with mega blocks! (Maybe that’s because mom doesn’t want to admit to that many years of kid toys!)

The building buddies right now are Lucas and Thea. Lucas gets very creative with the big blocks and super detailed with the tiny legos. He’s made Becky even get interested in coming back in because he occasionally gets a sorting bug and sorts their collection! When sorting happens, Becky is like, “yippee!” or comes to show Lucas how to best sort them. She had taught him well.

Thea is not so big on sorting small things into smaller groups – but one type of toy always must go in its correct bin. Grandma gave her a collection of squinkies for Christmas. Those stay in one bin along with their little eggs. Her gravity propelled horses that walk down tracks are in another bin, teething toys (sadly, very few of those left) in one bin, socks take up one of the toy bins (Thea’s idea, not Mom’s), and other small collections in the small bins. Thea keeps a baggie of legos and a few assorted squinkies in her back-pack. (This was another gift from Grandma this year and she carries it literally everywhere now.)

What I love to see is the building buddies when two or more of them are sitting in the little ones’ room surrounded by legos and building their respective creations on boards or the tops of the containers, in a “giant land” as Lucas calls it. (I guess city isn’t big enough.) Becky, Lucas, and Thea, or Kimberly, Jillian, and Thea, or Jaquline, Jillian, and Lucas… all with their own bits in their tiny toy world.

And, yes, Mom ends up in there often too, building some castle-hidden-in-rocks or house-hidden-in-trees on request. I load mine with secret tunnels or passageways, treasure, tiny details, and stories! I love building models of some story land my characters are in and acting scenes out with Lucas and Thea. They always come up with neat ideas that I’m forgetting.

Building buddies are the best! Taking time to encourage the creativity and imagination of little ones is a wonderful thing to be a part of.

This Christmas as I was building some huge lego tree with robin hood and castle pieces (who can remember those cool sets?) with Thea and Lucas, I remembered being about three and building the gray castle in the basement/garage in Cherry Hill with my Daddy. The black castle followed when I was four along with Robin Hood’s hideout (Daddy called it that, not sure what the name is that goes along with the set, but I know the number!) – classic sets I can actually print out instructions for from the lego website now! He took the time to build with me (and boost my ego… I was very proud of building a set that had an age on it higher than my current age.) and full circle, I’m taking time to build with mine.

Maybe I haven’t ben fishing with my kids as often as my brothers and I went fishing, but I’ve been building with them! So maybe we are “Building Buddies” instead of “Fishing Buddies” – and in my crazy brain I see five Golden Retriever pups building forts with mega blocks!

Type at you later!

~Nancy Tart

(P.S.: for those wondering… my computer has been down since just before Thanksgiving so I’m a little behind on by release of Devonians #6, but thanks to an awesome gift from a friend – old laptop too old for games but perfect for writing! – it is now just waiting on a cover!)

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