My love of nature began when I was a small child. My Aunt Cathy would take me outside in her garden where I’d collect rocks and sticks and worms and roly polys for my dolls to “play” with. In the summers she’d take me fishing and in the winters we’d drive to the state park and search for deer and birds and play in the snow. As I got older, I joined the Girl Scouts where I learned to identify various trees and plants, and appreciate the night sky. My parents would also take my brother and me camping often. If I wasn’t hanging out with the resident naturalist, I was scouring hiking trails collecting 3 eyed toads and forgotten turtle shells for her center. It was these precious years that led me to become a teacher. 

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     Children have such a joyous nature! It is a beautiful thing to watch a child experience simple moments such as playing in the rain or digging in the earth. These experiences are exactly what I wish to bring to Mount Vernon. I love to watch my daughter explore the world around her so what better a venture than to bring the natural world to an actual place kids in our community can literally jump in to? Mudpuppy Palace will be a combination of my passion for learning, teaching, and allowing kids to just be. Albert Einstein once said “Play is the greatest form of research.” We, at Mudpuppy Palace, just wish to provide a wonderful laboratory for that play!