1. After one week of school, Beth is still enjoying herself and eager to go each day. Her favorite parts? Recess and music class. Can't argue with that.

2. Oh, the things my children say to me. The other day, one of them whined, "Mom! I just had a really pukey burp." Ummm...how does one respond to a statement like that? OK? Good for you? What is it exactly you think I can do about that situation?

3. Sign that my daughter is getting way too smart: Leafing through her AYSO magazine, she spots an advertisement for soccer-themed accessories, with their prices boldly displayed in the corner of each picture. One of them is a glittery rhinestone-encrusted soccer ball necklace. "Oh, Mom, please can I get this beautiful necklace?" Beth asks. "Oh, probably not," I said. And then, perhaps anticipating my pat answer to most any request for an unnecessary item (That would be: "It's too expensive.") she added sweetly, "And for only twelve dollars!" I looked. She was right.

Great. She's figured out how to read price tags. Now I'm going to have to come up with a new reason for why she couldn't get the Barney videos at the garage sale. (My excuse being: It's too expensive. The real reason being: I hate Barney.)

4. Really yummy recipe you should try: focaccia from Heather at Muddy Creek Creations. I've made this several times this summer, both as focaccia bread and also as pizza crust (I've got some rising on the counter right now for pizza tonight). I just mix up the ingredients, knead it a little (probably 5 minutes max) by hand, let it rise for an hour or so, shape it and let it rise a little more if I have time, or just put it straight in the oven if I don't. The last time I made this, my husband called it "Frickin' amazing." So if you want some frickin' amazing focaccia, give it a try.

5. The first day we dropped Beth off at school, my tender-hearted little Lucy kept her face buried in Daddy's shoulder all the way home. Then we got home, and Daddy went to work, and Evie went down for a nap. "What do you want to do?" I asked her. "It's just you and me. We can do whatever YOU want to do."

She looked around her bedroom. At the Polly Pockets. And the princess Barbies. And the My Little Ponies. And the toy kitchen. All things she and Beth both love and both usually want to play with. "I want to play with my toys all by myself." she said.

And that's what she did--played happily alone in her room for at least an hour, no sharing required.

6. Evie didn't seem to notice Beth was gone. Or so I thought. When we went to pick Beth up, as soon as we rounded the corner and started crossing the school grounds, Evie perked up. She started pointing and shrieking. "Beh!" she screamed, pointing at the big brown building that had swallowed up her sister this morning. "Beh! Beh! Beh!" she yelled. And she didn't stop yelling Beth's name until she appeared in the classroom doorway. She screams Beth's name on the way to her pick her up every single day now. It was cute the first time.

7. I don't have a seventh thing today. Insert your own witty thoughts here: (__________________________________)


Or, read more quick takes here.