I Think I Need A Pair of Daisy Duke Shorts

Dear Gary,

I couldn't fall asleep last night until after midnight (the axe murderers were really noisy) so I was really hoping that Carson would sleep past 2am and guess what!  He slept in until 5:45!  He came down with Emily and Jared and kept them company while they waited for their ride to church.  I went back to bed because I am the best of mothers.  I heard him walk them to the door, tell them goodbye and then it sounded like he locked the door behind them.  Then he got really quiet.  A few minutes later I got up to check on him because I remembered that sometimes he likes to go out on the front porch and wait for people (and give his mom a heart attack).  I found him sitting in the bathroom completely naked but with his school clothes ready to put on.  Such a responsible kid!!  He was pretty thrilled that I let him wear what he had picked out.  At one point he asked "Where's Daddy?"  I said "In Houston."  He said "Oh!"  That was that.  I think he might be starting to get it.  He was very good about putting his dishes in the sink and rinsing out his cup.

We walked out the door to get him on the bus and decided it was cold enough that he needed a jacket so I ran back inside to get one.  Jared and Emily got home in time to see him off and Emily came running down the street with her arms out wide and blow kisses for Carson.  Jared came walking up with a blanket over his head and stood by the bus to see him off.  I was standing there in my pajamas waving and blowing kisses.  That kid couldn't have gotten a better bon voyage if he had been a soldier going off to war or a missionary going away for a few years!  We must have been quite the sight!  Luckily, it was still kind of dark outside but he was all smiles when the bus drove off.

Emily and Jared came in and Emily asked if she could have a piece of her birthday cake.  Jared told her "no" because her birthday was over and the rest of the cake was for his birthday.  Then they had a fairly long discussion about birthday days/months.  I think they finally decided that it is considered your birthday until the next person's birthday comes up which kind of stinks for you, Chris, and Emily since the three of you have others coming up on the heels of your special day.  After all that though, I think she was able to eat a piece of cake so all was well.

Emily got ready for school really quick and with my keys in hand headed out the door to wait in the car.  I didn't know that is what she had done until I started looking for her so she could empty the dishwasher.  I heard this really loud music outside and thought the neighbors were being kind of inconsiderate but turns out it was our family that was the inconsiderate neighbors because she was out in the car with the radio blaring at full volume.  I'm sure the neighborhood is happy that she shared her music with everyone. 

Do we have a rule about who sits in the front seat?  Jared swears that we have a rule that the oldest one home gets the front seat but Emily says we have never had that rule so it's whoever gets there first.  Last week, Jared got ready really early and was the one out in the car waiting (I felt like I was in the Twilight Zone) so that he could sit in the front but today Emily was ready early and claimed the coveted spot.  I can't remember if we have ever had a rule but Jared always just accepted that Kinsey got the front seat.  I thought it was kind of interesting though that when I dropped Emily off at school and Jared stayed in the car to go to the orthodontist that he didn't want to sit in the front.  Apparently, it is only important for him to sit in the front if it bothers Emily.  Hmmmm.......

It was a seat warmer and heater kind of morning and Emily had both turned on for me when I got in the car.  On the way to school we had this conversation:
Me:  Brrrr......
Jared:  What is the temperature?
Emily:  59 degrees.
Jared:  That is perfect!!
Me:  If you are a polar bear!
They then felt compelled to give me a lesson on the proper temperature that a polar bear is comfortable with.

As I drove over the big overpass to get on Mopac to take Jared to the orthodontist, I couldn't help but think about what it would be like to drive through the side rails and sail off to the road below.  Don't worry...I'm not suicidal...I think I just must have watched too much Dukes of Hazards in my childhood.  Do you ever think that way when you drive over it or is it just me? 

The birds have moved back into the bathroom vents.  They are contributing to my paranoia.  I think my heart may have stopped beating several times today.  It is really quiet in this house when I am the only one home....except when the intruders start making noise and they sound exactly like what I imagine an axe murderer sounds like.  I'm lucky to still be alive to write this.

Carson did not refuse to get off the bus even though you weren't there to greet him.  He was pretty disappointed though that there was no scouts today.  Everyone seemed to have a good day at school. 

Well...I think that's all.  I made a fancy dinner of store-bought pizza for tonight.  I know....you are sad that you are going to miss it, aren't you?  Too bad you have to go out for dinner tonight. :(

Love,

Shanon