this and that

While working in the schoolroom, Ashley and I usually tune everything out. The boys in our house have quite active and developed imaginations. They both walk around playing with action figures and toys - usually independent of one another - while Ashley and I work together in the afternoons. It mostly only registers as background noise, but Jon said something so completely boyish the other day:

"Airship to castle! Airship to castle! Mayday, Mayday!"

We both looked up from what we were doing and chuckled at the total boyishness of what he said, but also at our shared amusement. It was one of those rare mother/daughter moments when we looked up at each other from across the table at the same time - like a mirror image of each other - and knew our thoughts were exactly the same, too. I hope we have a lot more moments like that over the years. I know she's only 8, but she's a good friend already.

She wrote a funny journal entry this week. The assignment was to write about a time she had solved a problem. She wrote:

"Once I couldn't think of anything to write. First I went to go see my dad. I didn't understand him, so I asked mom when she got home. Then I finally understood. Mom said I could write about the problem of not knowing what to write. Now I'm finished and my problem is solved!"

But honestly, some of these writing prompts really do leave even an adult thinking, "Huh. . .?"

The countdown to the TAKS is on, and Brandon and I are doing one practice test per day until next Tuesday (math) and Wednesday (reading). I'm not looking forward to waiting around for the results - it'll be about a month. . . .Inhale. . . Exhale. . . Inhale. . . Exhale. . . .for like the next thirty days!