The Bradfords Blog

Paying Attention in Class

2008-08-27T11:31:00.003-04:00

Today I was in training most of the day for the new school year. Just thought I would share.

Jason

Summer Break is Over

2008-08-20T22:05:00.004-04:00

That's right, my Summer Break is officially over. Tomorrow will be my first day back to school. Of course the rest of this week and next will be spent getting my room ready for the new year. The kids do not return until the day after Labor Day. It has been a great summer from Bermuda to Texas, and every where in between. Well, it is already past my bedtime for a school night, so I better be going.

Jason

Camp Copass 2008

2008-07-19T12:39:00.003-04:00

This past week, Jennifer and I had an awesome time with great friends at a children's camp in Denton, TX, which is near Dallas. We went to spend some time on the road with the Tacketts and their ministry. The camp hosted around 700 3rd-6th graders at Camp Copass...It was crazy! Craig, Brittany, Tyler, Ben, Topher, Daniel, Will, and Thomas...We love you guys! Enjoy the photos.

Jason

Cones on an evergreen?

2008-07-05T22:37:00.010-04:00

Not quite...Lately, we noticed that one out of our seven Thuja Green Giant Arborvitaes was beginning to turn brown. We simply could not figure out why only one of the seven would be dying. The rest looked 100% healthy. However, after calling around to a few local nurseries, we discovered the reason. As most of you know evergreens or conifers typically have cones. I thought this was the case with the Thuja trees that we planted two years ago in my yard as well. However, I was extremely mistaken. Instead of my evergreen having cones, it has bagworms. That's right worms! The cone-like objects hanging in my tree for the past months were in fact a colony of plant destroying larva.

So what is a bagworm, and why does it look like that? The bagworm is a form of caterpillar that spins silk and combines it with the materials from mostly evergreen trees and shrubs, creating a cocoon. Because it uses large materials from the plant, it doesn't look like the traditional cocoons of most caterpillars. Instead, it resembles the shape and material of a cone. This of course benefits the worm, but makes it very difficult to for predators, including humans who do not want their trees to die, to find or see them. After feeding on the tree, and suffocating its branches from the tightly spun silk, the bagworms will eventually turn into a type of moth, as the tree dies. The entire life process takes one year.

So, how big are the bagworms or cocoons? They range from about 1/4th of an inch to 2" long, as you can see in the photos that I took above. And lastly, what are we going to do with them? I plucked them off my tree. That's right I stood around my tree for about three hours today, plucking and cutting at least two hundred cocoons. Jennifer did help me get started. Then I placed them in a bucket, and drowned them with water. Later this week, I will continue to destroy them by spraying any remaining larva, cocoons, or eggs on the tree with an insecticide.

Although I had to spend a portion of my Saturday afternoon removing many cocoons from my tree that may still die, I now have a cool adaptation that I can share with my science class next year.

Jason

Photos of Bermuda...

2008-06-28T19:45:00.003-04:00

Finally, I have uploaded photos from our cruise to Bermuda. Enjoy!

Pathological Fear of Thunderstorms

2008-06-22T22:49:00.004-04:00

"Do you know what a pathological fear is? No, sir. It is a fear that goes way beyond normal fears. It's a fear that you can't be talked out of, you can't be reasoned out of. And I think Winn-Dixie has a pathological fear of thunderstorms. We get an awful lot of thunderstorms in the summer. Well, I 'm gonna have to make sure he doesn't get out during a storm. Might run away."

I couldn't keep this scene from the book, "Because of Winn-Dixie", out of my head tonight as I wandered hopelessly through the pouring rain with only the glow of the lightning strikes helping me to see. As I yelled for Molly over and over the event became more and more surreal to me. As you all know, Jennifer and I love our dogs like children. Tonight, someone drove through the back of our fence, allowing Molly to get out. Unfortunately, it happened during a bad thunderstorm, and Molly truly does have a pathological fear of thunderstorms. Jennifer was at work, so I called my parents to help me search for her. As they drove around in the car, I paced and yelled at the back of our property in the pouring rain. After about an hour, my mom and dad found her about a 1/4 of a mile from the house.

I guess you are wondering where Sandi, our other dog, was during this entire event? She didn't leave the yard because she was too busy waiting for her dinner on the back porch. Too funny! As for the person who hit the fence, they didn't bother to stop. Anyway, everyone is safe here, dry, or at least drying, and ready for a good night's rest.

Jason

Back from Bermuda...

2008-06-19T15:58:00.001-04:00

We just returned with my family from our cruise to Bermuda. It was really nice, and we all had a great time. Once I get time, I will get the photos up online.

Jason

On the Road to Charleston

2008-06-13T23:46:00.004-04:00

Yep, that's my brother in the back seat of my car as we head to Charleston for our cruise. And no, the A/C was not broken.

I wish people would keep their blogs updated...

2008-05-15T21:17:00.003-04:00

Okay, so we have seriously neglected our blog. We know...sorry. So, if we still have any readers out there, here's an update...A boring list of what's been going on. Nothing too exciting.

Jason and I are coaching a 3rd and 4th grade Odyssey of the Mind team. Our team won at the regional, and state levels, and now we will move on to World Finals. We will travel with the team to the University of Maryland to compete May 31-June 3. So, if any of you had any doubts about how dorky we are, now it's confirmed.

Jason has been super busy at school this year. He was voted Teacher of the Year at Crystal Spring by his peers. For those of you that know Jason, this is probably not a surprise to you. He is a bit of an overachiever in all that he does.

We recently had some house guests, which was fun. First, Ben came to visit while he was working The EDGE in Roanoke. We had a great time helping with The EDGE as well. Then, Lauren and Christina came up from NC for the last Rhythm of the semester. Drew was also here for The EDGE and Rhythm. Fun times in Roanoke. Thanks to everyone for coming to visit.

Congrats to all our friends who are having babies! Tammy and Ryan are expecting a little boy soon. John and Tracie are also expecting, but they want the sex to be a surprise. So, within our circle of friends, that only leaves us without kids...hmm? Oh well, no pressure right? It's not like we're getting old or anything.

Our friend Emily is getting ready for another mission trip to Guatemala. My prayers go with her. Guatemala holds a special place in her heart, and I'm excited for her to be able to serve there again. We will also be keeping Phil in our thoughts as he plays Mr. Mom, while she's gone.

I can't wait for summer! We opened the pool Monday, and I can't wait till it's ready. We will be going on a cruise in June with Jason's family. We are also hoping to be able to visit our friend Michele in Texas this summer.

Useless information:
Dinner: Chinese
Watching: Grey's Anatomy
Listening: Hillsong's I Heart Revolution
Reading: unChristian(Still...it's a slow read!)
Spending too much time on: Facebook

Well, that's all I have. Hopefully Jason will be back to blogging soon, because he's much better at it than I am.

Jennifer

Some of this Summer's Work

2008-01-12T17:58:00.000-05:00

Here are some photos of the shed that I built in our backyard this past summer. There are also a few photos of the rock stairs that we had installed on the front side of the pool in November. Enjoy them!

Edge Conferences in Ridgecrest and Caswell, NC

2008-01-05T21:29:00.000-05:00

Jennifer and I just got back this week from the two Edge Conferences that are put on by our friends with Inlightened Ministries. They were awesome! We had a load of fun and met many wonderful people. Enjoy the photos.

Merry Christmas!

2007-12-22T21:38:00.000-05:00

I hope this entry finds you in good spirits with family and friends. If you feel rushed, stressed, and completely overwhelmed while getting ready for the big day, stop and take time to remember the meaning of Christmas. It's not about lights, trees, or the type of dip to take to the next party. Before stressing to find the "best gift" for your family and friends, make sure they have the only gift that matters...Jesus. Take care, and God bless!

Jason

A Little Christmas Cheer

2007-12-02T23:02:00.000-05:00

Jennifer and I had a little fun with some elves this past weekend. Click on the image above to see what it was all about.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2007-11-22T11:16:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, we had a student/faculty football game at school to raise money for the Rescue Mission. It was really a lot of fun. You can see me on the sidelines, blocking the sun from my eyes as I wait to play. Enjoy the article and photos on roanoke.com.

Happy Halloween!

2007-10-31T22:45:00.000-04:00

Enjoy the photos from tonight!

A Day with Nature...A Night with Pain

2007-10-28T20:41:00.000-04:00

Today, Nathan and I decided to go to Carvin's Cove for some mountain biking. We had a great time. The settings were amazing. It is truly hard to believe that we have such beautiful trails and wooded areas right here around us. Although our trip was great, we will be paying the price for the next few days. We rode over 12 miles. Doesn't sound too bad? Yeah, it's not if you're on pavement. Let's just say that we both have a different interpretation of "Over the River and Through the Woods". The last two photos below were taken at the last 1/2 mile marker on the return trip to the trailhead. They serve as a great interpretation of our 12-mile wooded journey. Enjoy!

2007-09-15T22:26:00.000-04:00

"God is so gangsta, that's what I love about him." This was a direct quote this season from Jameka of Big Brother 8. I laughed until it hurt, even though I had no idea what she meant. I don't think I would compare God to a gangsta, but I do think it was well intended.

Jason

The Smiling Computer Geek in Me

2007-09-07T19:40:00.000-04:00

This entry is pretty irrelevant for most of you, but some may find it interesting. I recently found out that if you do a Google search for "jason jennifer bradford", "jason bradford roanoke", or jennifer bradford roanoke" bradfordpair.com is listed as the number one search result! Makes the computer geek in me smile! Others like me will understand why.

Jason

Rhythm...Exciting New Ministry in Roanoke

2007-09-05T21:40:00.000-04:00

Jennifer and I are really excited about this new ministry. Rhythm is focused on college students and young adults. I know, we are pushing the age limit. But seriously, the Roanoke Valley desperately needs a ministry that is geared towards this age group. Last week we had a kick-off cookout that went well. Starting next Thursday the 13th, Rhythm will meet on a weekly basis at 8pm. Craig, Rhythm's leader, is truly an amazing speaker. If any of our "young" friends are interested, let us know. You can find out more at www.rhythmva.com.

Jason

Back-to-School

2007-09-03T22:30:00.000-04:00

Well, tomorrow is my big day back-to-school, which I am very excited about. I spent last week getting my room prepared, and I am now feeling both physically and mentally ready. Don't get me wrong, summer has been great. I have thoroughly enjoyed the time that I have been able to spend at home with Jennifer, and others in my family. Since it is my bedtime, I have to go for now. However, for anyone who is interested, here is a link to my classroom website, which is still a work-in-progress. This was one of my summer projects. Take care! www.mrbradfordsclass.com

Jason

Okay, so I have no excuses...

2007-07-27T16:18:00.000-04:00

It has been two months since my last entry, and no, I do not have an excuse. However, since my last entry a lot has been going on. The Odyssey of the Mind team that I had been working with placed fourth out of almost 50 teams at the world-level of competition in May. I was very proud of their hard work. Shortly before school was out, my grandfather passed away. He had been suffering for quite a while, but he is now in a much better place. School ended on the 15th of June, and I have been very busy around the house. Fortunately, Jennifer has been able to work her schedule so that she is only working one or two days each week during my summer break. However, the first week that I was out, she was diagnosed with pneumonia. What a bad way to start our summer! It really knocked her down for about a week, but she has now recovered. About two weeks ago, my dad and I began my shop/building in the backyard. It is now fully framed, and has the roofing board on it. Last week we went to Nags Head for vacation with my parents, brother, his girlfriend, and my grandma. We had a very relaxing time. Lastly, we bought a new vehicle this past week. Since selling my old Jeep, I have greatly missed it. So, we decided to get a new one. Below is a picture of our new Jeep. I absolutely love it.

I will post more photos of it and my building as soon as we get a new digital camera...Ours literally blew up the other day. Take care and God bless!

Jason

Yeah, I know it has been a while...

2007-05-18T22:12:00.000-04:00

We have been very busy. As for school, I have been wrapped up in end-of-the-year activities, SOL reviews, and Odyssey of the Mind. Last night, the other third grade teachers and I hosted "Are You Smarter Than a Third Grader". The children competed in a Jeopardy style game against their parents as an SOL review. It was very fun, and actually The Roanoke Times did a front page article on it this morning. If you are interested in reading the article you can find it here on roanoke.com. Next week, the students will begin their SOL testing. As for Odyssey of the Mind, the team that Jennifer and I have been working with at my school advanced to the World level of competition. It will be held next week in Michigan. Luckily, there were no conflicts with the SOL schedule, so we will be in East Lansing next Wednesday through Memorial weekend. We are both looking forward to it. Wish us luck...The kids have all worked very hard. Jennifer has started her church softball season, and we are continuing to work very hard in our backyard. My plan is to spend my entire summer working around the house, the backyard, and on my building/shop. Until next time...

Are you smarter than a fifth grader?

2007-03-01T16:59:00.000-05:00

I don't know if you have seen this show yet or not, but you should check it out. I think it is absolutely hilarious. Adults try to win a million dollars by answering only ten questions that range from 1st to 5th grade material. In addition, they basically get three freebies. They get a save, peek, and cheat. The first man on the show used his three freebies immediately, and lost directly afterwards. Either the show does a really good job of screening people, or something is terribly wrong. I assume they wouldn't allow an elementary teacher to play...Darn! Follow the link to check out Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader?

Happy Groundhog Day!

2007-02-02T21:25:00.000-05:00

No shadow...No more winter. At least that's what Punxsutawney Phil said this morning. Does the country actually take Phil seriously, year after year? Some do. In fact, he might even be more accurate than Roanoke's area meteorologists, especially after yesterday's double bobble. For Phil, it is fairly simple. He comes out of his stump atop Gobbler's Knob. If he sees his shadow, it will be winter for six more weeks. If he doesn't, we will get an early spring. Pretty simple. Not only does he predict the weather six weeks out (which is pretty impressive), his system is fairly inexpensive, and has an accuracy of about 40%. That's not too bad for a furry rodent that speaks Groundhogese. And who knows, maybe he has been more accurate than that. Perhaps his Inner Circle (men with the top hats) has messed the translation up a time or two. As for our local meteorologists, they use enhanced 3D doppler radar systems to predict our weather within a window of only a couple of days, and I am sure that it is much more expensive than Phil's. What about their accuracy? Yesterday it was 0%, which is pretty bad when you are predicting on an hour-by-hour basis. Phil doesn't look at it on an hourly basis. In fact, he doesn’t even predict on a daily basis. He goes for the long haul of six weeks. So with all this said, the next time you try to plan your outdoor activities, I would recommend looking back at February 2nd instead of turning on the local news.

Jason

Snow Day!

2007-02-01T12:42:00.000-05:00

I thought that I would share my love for surprise, unscheduled days off with the rest of you all. It is slightly strange to get up, have work canceled, and there be no snow or sign of snow on the ground. Anyway, it is a great day to relax and work around the house. Since I am talking about snow, I thought I would share our classroom door. Recently we had a school-wide door decorating contest. Our door won first place. Enjoy the photo!