Thanks so much for the helpful writing tips.  I did try asking Carmen what she liked about her beach day and offered to write what she said.  Some days she's just too stubborn to comply with anything.  But there's always another day.  And today she sat and did page after page of math (because she wanted to and who am I to stop her), followed by page after page of thinking skills.  As good as gold.  I count my blessings as they occur.

So, anyway, I posted about my "creepy" day yesterday on my blogspot blog therefore I won't repeat that here.  I also posted there the other day about how happy I was that I got our taxes mailed out by the end of February - my yearly goal.  I was so happy about that until I realized that I forgot to include a couple of items.  ARRGH!  Fortunately, "TurboTax" is a super program and walked me through an amended tax return.  I am also thankful I haven't yet sent in my state taxes - no amendment needed there.  Needless to say, husband was not amused.  Oh, and I can't even finish my state taxes until I receive some vital information from our fine government.  Hello, Oregon - I'm waiting!!  On the upside, my amendment will garner us a bit more tax refund.  I say, it's all good!

Today was not a creepy day.  Alec needed new sandals (do their feet EVER stop growing?!!) so we went to Payless Shoes with a coupon I got off the web and saved a bit of $.  Cool!  We got milk at Rite Aid next door and they had a milk sale going - saved a bunch of $$ there!  I would never think of buying milk at a pharmacy but they sell Alpenrose milk and I've posted here before about how their cows are treated to clean grassy fields with no chemicals, given a bath twice a day (or something like that) and are never fed anything they shouldn't be.  I might have mentioned that their barns have piped-in classical music but that may have just been my idea. 

Yesterday (on my other blog), I wrote about a sea gull we watched out our kitchen window.  Today it was a brazen racoon with a stump of a tale, limping across the street in broad daylight.  This is the same racoon (I believe) that has climbed a ladder that leans against the wall just outside the window to the left of this computer.  The rascal loves to do this on the nights my husband isn't home and there is no wind  to blame the noise of the thumping ladder on.  I'll bet this creature is responsible for a lot of the noises I hear, both night and early morning, when my husband is at work.  Perhaps I should set a trap.  Don't they like shiny things?

Well, I like shiny things.  Just thought I'd throw that in.  You know, by this time of night, I don't want to hear another word from anyone.  ANYONE!  My days are so full of "Mom ..." it's unbelieveable.  My kids come to me at every turn, seriously.  I'll be walking through the house and Chad will walk up and start talking.  Before he's done, I'll turn the corner and Carmen will approach with her question/declaration/whatever.  Two steps later, Alec will want me to come see something.  I do a fair job of keeping everything straight, sometimes all you need to do is exclaim with delight or interest or just smile.  I've got it down to a science, really.  Diplomacy is a wonderful art - you should teach it to your kids.  Everyone wants to be heard, to feel a bit important at least for a few minutes.  It's worth it.

And who listens to me?  My mom, of course.  Even though she's sitting in her living room in California with the TV blaring, playing gin rummy with her friend, the oh-so-deaf Jerry.  Through all this, I know she's listening to me.  She laughs at my jokes (always has).  Usually makes all the right exclaimations of delight or interest.  I love her!  Who do you think taught ME diplomacy?