Family Update

Isaiah opened up his own restaurant on Saturday morning underneath the desk. The chess table was the cashier's register.


 His sign was inspired by all of the awards at Cafe Rio.

I love these creative, spontaneous days of childhood.

A conversation I overheard between Isaiah and Rachel:

Isaiah: "So, my most beloved sister, how much money are you making these days?"

Rachel: Pauses because she is puzzled, then answers honestly, "I don't know."

Isaiah: Rolls his eyes and turns to me to ask, "What should I tell her to say?"

Mandy: "I don't know if we should teach her what to say because it is actually considered really rude to ask someone how much money they make. But, did you know that in Japan there is a city that it isn't rude? That is actually how they greet each other. Instead of saying, 'Hi, how are you doing?' They say, 'How much money do you make?'"

Isaiah: "Ahhhh! Can we go to Japan?"

That boy loves money.

Mark's Birthday

Isaiah wanted to give something really good to his dad.  What he settled on was giving his dad all of his money so that they could go out to dinner together. It is so important to me to celebrate our birthdays in our family. Every year Mark tries to get out of it, but I tell him it isn't for him, it is for our family.  It is for our kids.  Give them a chance to express their love  and you have given them a gift. I want to creat a family culture where we celebrate and show love for each other.

Rachie Rach was crying to me that she needed to call her Grandma. She said, "My Grandma needs me! Her misses me!"

When we were leaving Granny Wilcox's house last week. Rachel turned to Isaiah and said, "Her is really nice. Granny is really nice."

For Rachel's bedtime story I told her about her upcoming birthday. She is going to have a tea party with her cousins. I told her about what we were going to do and who was going to come. But she soon started to ask if her imaginary friends sere going to go like Squirrel Nutkin and all her letters (from the Letter Factory). Then she asked if her grandparents were going to be able to come by saying excitedly, "And Grandma?! And Grandpa?! They are my best friends!" I don't know what it was that we did to have Isaiah and Rachel feel that there was no better friends than their grandparents and their cousins. Maybe we didn't do anything at all. Maybe it was just natural. However it happened, I am so grateful for it.

William is walking!!! He is 10 months old and has just learned to stand. Right after learning to stand he tried to take steps and hasn't stopped since. No coaxing from me, no two parents on the ground to try to walk between. He just did it on his own. He has fallen many times, but he is totally undeterred.