I didn't sleep very well.. unfortunately that's what I get for going to bed early! I woke up about 3 and was wide awake till 5.. I got Luke off to school. He had snack for school today. He insisted on bringing chocolate chip cookies w/ M&M's... well I thought the teachers had requested healthy snacks w/ the exception of their birthdays or special parties, but he insisted that it was OK. Last year the teachers were very laid back about it and everyone brought junk. I don't mind the healthy rule, but it's hard when other parents don't stick to it. It's the "cool" thing to bring a great snack everyone will love you for! So I bought the cookies AND granola bars and let the teachers make their choice. Turns out, I was right... they accepted the cookies but said they don't want to make a habit of it. Now to convince my son of that!!

Abby looked so sweet in her monkey pj's this morning, I just had to snap a picture!

Yesterday during nap time. I allowed Luke to get up b/c he wasn't sleeping. I told him he had to do something quiet. He proudly carried out this paper and showed me all the words he had made!Did you figure out where the words were from? His DK Star Wars book he got for his birthday! Well whatever inspires them to write huh???? I was just glad that he's finally working on his lowercase "E's" some more. He was stuck writing the uppercase b/c that's what he learned since he was Abby's age. He's been writing a lot more recently b/c at school they have a "writing center" and if he writes some words for the day and turns them in, he gets a sticker on his chart and when his chart is full he gets to pick a prize from the treasure box. The teacher said the treasure box really motivates him. She whispered that later in the year they have to write... now it's only if they want to. Well I've got lots to do catching up with the house while Luke is at school... till later... (Abby coloring while I did housework!)

School went well. We ate lunch and hung out. It's nice to not have anywhere to go for once! Afternoon activities... board games and reading... Luke and Mommy played Battleground twice. He really likes that game, it's right up his ally!
Abby played Hi Ho Cheery-O.. the kids were fighting non-stop back and forth about if the game is called "Cherry" or "Cherry-O" I'm trying to teach Luke to be "Big" about it and back down when they get in this silly arguments.. b/c they seem to be happening allll the time now!My goofy boy... he decided the reading chart I made was too long so he made his own reading chart w/ less boxes to "cross off".... I told him nice try but it doesn't work that way! :) He's really been enjoying these dragon books I got recently. They are good boy books that keep his attention.

Rich worked late tonight.. got home about 9pm... these are hard days for me b/c I watch the kids myself and I feel VERY ready for a break...and I really want to get them to bed on time, but he also wants to see them, and they want to see him. JUST as I'm about to put them in bed he walks in the door...and they get all wound up! So I feel like I'm always sacrificing my well deserved peace and quiet for the family. It's hard some nights, but I try to tell myself that this is just a season of my life and I'm doing the right thing for my kids and hubby. (here they are all cleaned up after their baths.. eating popcorn w/ nutritional yeast on top. they LOVE it.. the more the better?!!
Tomorrow we're headed to Cleveland to say our goodbye's to Grandma. She's 98... and just running out of time. It's hard to say "good-bye" but it's time. I hope she hangs on till we can see her.