Brody Markley

Introducing our newest addition, Brody Markley.  He's a lab/dalmatian mix with several faint black spots all over and, of course, his big black eye patch!  He gets a lot of Spuds McKenzie references.  His spots are more noticeable when he's wet.  When Lucas notices them, he says, "See, he was a fire dog!"  (Apparently, he thinks Brody's dalmatian heritage automatically means he used to live in a fire station.) 

 

Brody still has a LOT of puppy in him (even though he is already large).  But he is also sweet and a master cuddler.  He especially loves to get in the boys' beds, where he stretches out and takes as much space as he pleases.     

First Day of School 2012

The boys started school this week.  Josh is now a third-grader at Nash, where he's attended the last two years.  He was so excited for the start of school and has happy reports every day.  I think he was really looking forward to getting back and seeing his friends again. 

 

Lucas is now in Kindergarten (!), and he is attending a public charter school called East Fort Worth Montessori Academy.  We are hoping the Montessori model works well for him.  One of the items on the school supply list was a shovel, for their gardening work!  The school also has animals (goats, chickens, and bunnies) and the students help care for them during Outdoor Learning time.  He has already had one computer lab and is looking forward to his first trip to the library.  He wants to check out one of the Pigeon books (Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus, etc.).  

 

This picture is more blurry than I would like, but the new camera I ordered a week before school started, specifically so that I could take first-day photos (because our other camera broke during our vacation), arrived on Tuesday.  So my cell phone had to do.  This was taken just before we loaded up and drove off on the first day.  Here's to a great new school year!