My Laura Ingalls

Yesterday, we began the final book in The Little House on the Prairie series.  It has been so much fun, reading one of my old favorites to my children...seeing them love it like I do.  I'm a tiny bit sad that we've almost come to the end...but of course, that means we can start over again!

It has been fun to see the kids, all three of them, relate things they discover in today's world back to the simpler times of Laura Ingalls.  They have wished we rode in covered wagons.  They have been amazed at the time involved in making real butter (using the mason jar and marbles method) and remarked how much time Ma must have spent making butter. :)

And then about six weeks or so ago, Hadleigh ran home from the fields behind our house, thrilled with a discovery she had made on "her journey."  (I love how they refer to their play outside as journeys and adventures!)

She told me, "I found Laura's wheel.  I'll show you tomorrow."  I didn't really know what she meant...but the next night, Brent and I laughed as we watched her pick up and begin to roll this across the field towards our house:

Of course.  A pair of wagon wheels.  (Likely abandoned by some electrical company preparing the fields for upcoming development.)  But what a treasure to this imaginative seven-year old.

(Can you believe she lifted it upright and rolled it home??? We used to joke about her needing a hamster wheel to exert all her energy!)

All that's missing above are braids and a calico dress!  But she definitely shares the same love of adventure!