Tracee's favorite hotel is the Gaylord National and she also likes hot tubs. For the H date we first made sure we had some excellent Sunday afternoon sitters - Thank You Lillys, and then headed across the Wilson Bridge to the Gaylord Hotel for a couples spa experience that included a hot tub.  I'd call that a double H date (the Double H - that kind of sounds like a cattle ranch).  This was only my second spa experence (Iceland Mud Spa ) and once again I'm just not comfortable walking around only a robe.  And of  course they have me the absolute smallest robe in the spa.  We enjoyed sitting over looking the Potomac waiting for our couple massage.  It was a great H date and we made it back to the house just in time for dinner. 

If you love to cook then you should have the America's Test Kitchen web site on your favorites tab.  Also you should be tuning in on your public television station for the show.  By far the show, website, and cooking magazine is the best resource I have ever seen for the cook. I first came across the show on PBS and then found that every recipe is also online with a video of the segment of the show for each recipe.  Yesterday I cooked the 4 pound Sirloin Roast on the Grill - incredible.

We have not done a Lowes Build and Grow in a while.  Today the Kids and I headed out to run around town and stopped at Lowes for today's build - a coin drop game show.  Once again the Pelt kids love the build and grows and Jillian can pretty much build it by herself.  Ellee still is not allowed to touch the hammer - lest we take a trip to the emergency room for Jackson's busted skull.

This is my Representative in the Virginia House of Delegates answering a question from a non-supporter.  In the video Speaker Howell obviously knows that he is dealing with a person with a political agenda but instead of handling that situation professionally and with tact he turns to insulting the young lady's intelligence.  This is how not to answer a question - because he decided to be cute he now has over 40k hits on YouTube and was on the front page of the FreeLance Star Web Page.  A simple answering of the question would have been fine but now it is story.  Can anyone say Macaca .
 
Update: Okay here is why Speaker Howell remains in office - When you make a mistake quickly apologize and move on.  But the apology can't be one of those "if I offended you then I apologize" statements.  It has to be "I should not have said that - I'm sorry" ( Ozzie Guillen , the Miami Marlins manager, knows how to apologize)  The day after the incident, Howell said he had called Anna Scholl and “offered my sincere and heartfelt apology for my comments.”  Howell said his comment to Scholl was “not consistent with my own standards of civility or reflective of the way I believe discussions over public policy disagreements should be conducted.”  Now this is not a story

On a whim during Spring Break the family took a trip to Washington, D.C. to visit the American History Museum and their new American Stories Exhibit.  The Smithonian put together about 4 dozen objects that represent American History and Culture.  Each object is accompanied with an interactive screen that tells about the object.  My favorite object was Kermit the Frog.  After our visit in the Museum we headed over to Crystal City and the DoubleTree Hotel and their SkyDome Lounge - Washington, D.C's open rooftop rotating restaurant.  We started looking at the Pentagon and finished with a view of National Airport - a very cool experience.

After cutting away all of the lower branches it was time to get a rope.  I decided to go with a natural fiber 1 1/2 thick rope - great for a rope swing and easy to climb as well.  I found just the thing at knotandrope.com and it came in just the right length - 20 feet.  After a few well placed throws with a lead rope I was able to get the main rope placed right where I wanted it on the high branch.  Eventually it will have a tire attached to the end of the rope.  Until then a placed a piece of board to sit on.  I can push the kids easily over 15 feet during the swing.  The swing has only been around for a few days and Bethanee and Jackson have already lost swing privileges due to swing fighting.  Jillian loves that she is the only swinger in the family - at least until Sunday.  And yes I can and did climb to the top of the rope on the dare of the children.  Oh yea - daddy knows how to climb a rope.  I'm going to install a cowbell at the top of the rope.  It is now the official Pelt Feats of Streagth for all future guests.

After church on Easter Sunday it was time for the Easter Egg Hunt in Grandma's backyard.  This year Ellee figured it out by going and get all of her own eggs.  The kids had a wonderful time looking for all of the eggs that Chris, Tracee, and I hid around the house.  Is there anything cuter that little Ellee in her Sunday Dress running around the yard looking for Easter Eggs?   



Just plain cuteness - Ellee and Belle enjoying a warm spring afternoon.

Finally it was time for Elle's first haircut.  Tracee took the girls to Ms. Liza's for the special day.  She did a great job in the chair and was very excited to put on the special smock.  As always the Ms. Liza did a great job and Ellee doesn't have an unruly mop on her head anymore.

Grandma with her six grandchildren outside of Cracker Barrel in Roanoke over Easter Weekend.  The Pelt and the Shelton children look so much alike.  Over the weekend they all got along very well and it was a great visit with the cousins.  How did Jackson get to be the only boy in this group?

We left the Hamilton Farm on Saturday Morning and made it to Roanoke by 11:00 am. We made quick work of a few projects around the house and then it was time for lunch/dinner at Cracker Barrel. I absolutely love coming to Roanoke to visit Grandma.

What a great visit with some great friends.  The Hamilton Family moved to Bedford County several years ago and we have been wanting to stop for a visit.  On our way to Roanoke for Easter we were invited to stay the night with the Hamiltons.  They are the most inviting people we know - we just love them.  After a great evening of catching up we settled down to a great night's sleep.  We awoke to beautiful views of the Peak of Otter and a fresh cooked breakfast.  We then took a tour of the property on four wheelers with Jackson and Jillian.  After we finished Jillian declared that she wanted a four wheeler for her birthday.  Thanks Hamiltons for a great evening.

To reward being published in the FreeLance Star he picked "going to work with dad for the day."  So he dressed up in his professional attire and headed to court with dad.  He was super cute - and I had a great day showing off Jackson to all of the judges, clerks, and other attorneys at the courthouse.  Yes, someday Jackson with be our newest partner.

Jackson was published in the FreeLance Star on Monday for his story about the Easter Bunny - What did he win?  Read the next blog.

Spring has arrived at the house this year and Tracee is busy planting outside.  She really got into exactly what plants and flowers to plant around the mailbox.  Finding the exact plants online, they arrived at our doorstep over the weekend.  If it all comes together the way she planned it is going to look great by the middle of July.  The flowering plants and bushes along the house that we planted last year are really coming together.

Our very good friend Jordan Flexman came over for dinner tonight - and he brought a couple of Marines from the TBS Barracks that were up for a home cooked meal.  I cooked a turkey (not one of the turkeys mentioned in the last post) and we destroyed the entire bird.  Man those Marines can eat a lot.  After dinner Jackson brought out his Lego Ninajo Spinner Set and gave instructions to the Marines on the art of hand to hand combat.  Soon the entire table was transformed into a dojo for the spinning ninjas.  It was very nice to have the Marines over to share a meal.  It has been over 12 years since I went through TBS - and well I kind of...... No don't say it..... I kind of miss it. 

If you are going to have chickens then why not turkeys, Right?  Well that was the idea a few months ago when I placed the order.  They finally arrived at our local post office on Thursday from McMurray Hatchery.  Four little guys didn't survive the trip and when we opened the box another four where in very bad shape.  Tracee went right to work on our babies in need and with 24 hours three of the four in question were back on track.  One little guy is really trying but it doesn't look good.  The kids have named this little guy Fally Foster.  He seems to have a bad leg so he can't get around the broader to the water and the food very well and normally just falls over on his back.  So it looks like we are going to have 13/14 turkeys for the next several weeks until I can sell most of them.  Tracee said I could keep two until Thanksgiving.  Each bird should get between 40-60 lbs - that is one big Thanksgiving meal.  Right now there are just babies but in 48 hours I can see growth.  They are going to get big fast.  So put your orders in for your very own Broadbreasted Bronze Turkey.  

Grace Prep School sponsored a trip to the Richmond Science Museum today.  Several family made the trip to just North of Downtown.  I had a full day at work so it was just the kids and Tracee for this adventure.  They all had a great time and some of the highlights I heard over dinner were 1) Rats that played basketball 2) the Scoop on Poop - Just what is that Stuff 3) Spacestation Richmond, and 4) Picnic lunch on the grounds.  Wow - sounds like a great day. 

The chickens are 4 weeks old and have tripled in size.  They are so big that I had to build a larger pen for them.  This new pen is eight feet by two feet with three side doors instead of one top door.  You can start to see the size difference between the males and females and they want to start flying.

Tonight the Pelt Family Hosted a Skating Party at the Caviler to raise funds for the Clifton Family's adoption expenses.  Here is the best part - everyone had a great time and we raised over $850.00 towards two future Cliftons.  Jillian is now a skater. She laced up her skates and started rolling around the rink.  Jackson entered the speed skating competition and came in second place.  Every time we come back from the Caviler I ask myself why we don't do this more often.

After completing her first Half Marathon Tracee asked me what her next goal should be.  I suggested the Marine Corps Marathon in October but she had other plans - and I must say she surprised me on this one.  Tracee just signed up for her first Sprint Triathlon - the Colonial Beach Sprint on July 14th.  Just to review that is 750 meters of open water swim in the Potomac River, 14 miles on her new Trek bike, and then finish with a 3.1 mile run.  I was very excited about her decision.  Now the training begins - the best part is I get to run the Sprint with her.  Tracee you Rock. Oh this is what we are going to look like at the start line (except we are, of course, much better looking than these people - don't believe us then come out to Colonial Beach and judge for yourself)

Forty Year ago - wow forty years. For this birthday I was able to have a wonderful dinner with my family and some friends at Tims River Shore in Woodbridge - an excellent place to enjoy an outside seafood dinner with friends.  The best present of all - well she is right next to me in this picture.  I absolutely love this woman.

Tracee really out did herself this year with her Pirate Ship Birthday Cake.  Yes those are Whoppers on the deck as cannonballs and Hershey's nuggets as a treasure chest.  To top it off she has round chocolate dipped cookies as cannon with the candles as the cannon fire.  Excellent cake design and it was easy to cut and serve.

It all started with Jackson getting a Pirates of the Caribbean hat that he got from our Disney trip.  That one purchase changed his birthday theme from Monster Truck to Pirate.  While thinking about our Pirate Party I decided to place a Craigslist Ad - Do you have what it takes to be a Pirate.  From that ad I found the Tall Pirate Capt Jack Sparrow.  Once I saw his web site I was sold and began looking forward to meeting Capt Jack myself.  Jackson invited several friends over to his party and suggested that they all dress like Pirates.  After some Pirate Pizza - Capt Jack Sparrow himself made his appearance.

He then took the young Pirates on a Pirate Adventure with some special Pirate training.  There was learning to walk the plank, sword skills, and a real treasure hunt.  The entire time Capt Jack Sparrow was an excellent Pirate Leader for our young Pirate Crew.





Capt Jack Sparrow was an excellent addition to our Pirate Party.  And of course Capt Jack was kind enough to pose with the Pelt Pirates for a memoriable picture.

The family did not run the Irish Sprint 10k - but we did work Water Point #2.  This was our first time working a water point and the kids had a great time.  We passed out over 1,500 cups of water to thristy runners around mile marker 4.