Anna found a one of The English Roses chapter books written by Madonna at the neighbor's basement library... she is enjoying it! Ashley checked out a Wizard of Oz picture book and Adam checked out The Snail and the Whale picture book. We will be returning tomorrow to bring them back and get new ones! The kids are preferring to do this right now rather than go to the public library... which I am fine with, because they are all high quality children's books, mostly from Scholastic... and we can just walk over! We spent the early morning doing school, as usual, then left in the late morning, when Wes got home from work, to go run baby errands. I wanted Wes to come with to try out the strollers so he could understand why I was going be spending some dollars on another stroller. Then the kids had a chance to spend the money they have been saving... Anna and Ashley each bought a new Webkinz dog (matching) and Adam bought a new small monster truck (one with dirt on the wheels). We went out to lunch for the first time in a long time... and Allison had her first restaurant meal off the kids menu, not out of the diaper bag... chicken fingers and applesauce. When we got home, Adam decided he really wanted a monster truck ramp that he saw at the store for $13. He asked how he was going to be able to buy it... so I told him he could do chores. He made 25 cents and 50 cents here and there and by the time he went to bed he had $9.50! He worked for 2 straight hours after dinner doing chores around the house... no complaining and inquiring what to do next once the job was done. I finally told him at 8:00 that he needed to go to bed, and would finish in the morning... only $3.50 to go! I actually ran out of things to have him do... the house looked amazing! It was funny when he took out the trash and recycling to the garage... which is dark so he hates going out there alone. Tonight he was very brave and went into the garage, alone, and didn't even turn the light on. When he came back in, he announced, "Phew! That was scary! Especially when I'm 100% scared! Well, not 100%, but 97% scared because I am 3% unscared. But 97% is still very scared, and being 3% unscared is pretty good for a kid my age. But boy am I glad I'm done with that!" Too cute! Wes was at a meeting in the evening, then went to the airport to pick up his mom... she got here after the kids were all sleeping so they will get to see her tomorrow!
