Order

Just in case any of you thought Everett had given up on his love of stacking and organization, he built a train track and parked all his trains for you....

Self Control

It is easy to parent when you can ask your son if he thinks he needs to go to Timeout for being bad and he not only says yes, but he also walks away and puts himself in lockdown without you lifting a finger.... let's just say if I asked Amelia the same question, SHE would be the one lifting a finger...

Best

This morning while walking into school, Everett told Meggan she was "the best mommy ever".  Now, I'm not going to lie, I'm a tiny bit jealous. That said, tonight, he also said "this yogurt the best yogurt ever". So, he might just be going through a "best [insert anything] ever" phase.

Show

I thought I had a celebrity sighting at the store today....


Is that Elmo over there??

Then, I found out it was just Amelia performing an impromptu puppet show...

Jewelry

Amelia and Meggan handcrafted some jewelry tonight. I haven't verified the cut and clarity of the diamond we bought in the Wal Mart craft section, but I'm sure it is a pretty rare gem.  It's gorgeous and has immense sentimental value to me... but if you love it, I'd be willing to part with it for $20,000 (Meggan and Amelia not included).

As Expected

The transition could have gone much better. Amelia cried for about an hour before bedtime and then said the following prayer...

"Dear Jesus, since my mommy and daddy won't let me sleep in their bed, after we say our prayers, please let one of them drive me back to Grandma and Grandpa's house"

Needless to say, we declined her really enticing offer of letting us drive her 5 hours tonight.

The Return

Amelia stayed at her grandparents when we came home from the beach. So, we've had a quiet few days of having only one kid in the house. There were no fights for attention, no arguments over which show we were going to watch, and no complaining about the dinner menu. That said, the house was also missing the beautiful energy of a 5 year-old. It didn't have any of the wild conversations Amelia's mind takes us to. The sweetness of seeing siblings cuddle on the couch was also gone.  I know after a week of Amelia going to bed whenever she wants and sleeping in a bed with someone, tonight is going to be a battle for the ages. However, when she inevitably sneaks into my room and snuggles up to me at midnight, my home will feel complete once again.