Hi there.

John and I have the quiet house to ourselves. I should be sweeping and finishing the lunch dishes, but instead I've got my feet up and I've been wandering around Facebook and reading my e-mail. The dishes and the dirty floor will still be there in a few minutes, right?

Yesterday we shopped all day looking for white pants and red shorts and white tennies for a play that grace is in. It is the school version of Grease. Suffice it to say that in our sleepy little town--and I do mean the whole little town--there is not a pair of white pants to be found. We found white tennies, but not in Grace's size. Keep in mind, these have to be the simple canvas white tennies like they wore in the '50s.

So, although we bore not much shopping fruit, I did really enjoy my kids. We had a good time walking around together. Ethan had some money burning a hole in his Spiderman wallett, and it took him no time at all to hone in on a new PS2 joystick. He felt certain it wasn't a ripoff because it says on the box that if this item doesn't work, we'll replace it or repair it for free. Well, there you go. I'm convinced.

I scraped the bottom of my billfold to find $1.25 for two cookies at the cookie shop. Ethan picked a sugar cookie with sprinkles and Grace got chocolate peanut butter or something. I was so happy sitting there watching them eat up their cookies and talking about this and that. Some simple family moments bring the most joy, don't they?

I didn't have enough money for a drink, but Ethan and Grace pooled some change and shared a pop. Just like the old days. I loved it.

And we've been watching the old family videos again. I am so glad John made all those little movies. Gertie just loves watching her brother and sister float around on the big screen when they were just her size. And so do I.

This week holds some work for me, but not too much. Grace says she needs her eyes checked yet again, so that is on the books as well. And I need to start those taxes. But maybe not this week.

So, the days are good, but the house is messy. I must remedy this.