Day Off

Today we took a well-deserved break from pretty much everything. At first, there were thoughts about taking a little drive somewhere - but even that proved to be just a bit too much. We were tired, and never really left the house at all today, except to say hi to Ye-Ye and Nana next door on one occasion.

We did spend a lot of time cleaning up inside the house. With all the other work going on, sometimes the house gets neglected. Even this computer gets neglected, in fact, which is why Daddy used the in-between breaks to start moving a lot of old photos off the computer and on to CDs. You just never know if a computer will break down, and it would be a real shame to lose all the photos of Madison on this one. We haven't created a back-up for her photos since the last week of October, so you know we're really behind!

Madison spent the day playing with her toys, or occasionally wrestling with Daddy. He's ashamed to admit this, but his back is really bothering him this week and he might have to head to the chiropractor or something. It might have been from wrestling - I don't know.

Mommy prepared a marvelous feast for us today, one that we ate out on the back deck. Daddy grilled teriyaki sticks that Mommy created, and these were unbelievably good. We had some corn on the cob, potato salad and watermelon - the perfect ingredients for a great Fourth of July weekend. Madison enjoyed the corn, no doubt. She was on her third piece when Mommy had to throw out the stop sign!

MADISON'S BOOK CLUB

We read books again tonight, as has been our custom. One of Madison's favorites is a book called "I Know a Rhino," which shows a young girl getting to play with a bunch of animals you'd typically only see on safari, from a giraffe to a leopard to a hippo. Of course, you know it is really all in her imagination, and each animal is represented in a picture on the last page that shows a lot of stuffed animals in bed with her. Madison has liked this book for months, and so does Daddy, as it rhymes - and it also teaches all sorts of different sorts of creatures. And it's fun, just as the cover shows. I mean, who wouldn't want to have a rhino over for tea? Really?

We've been trying to read more, and encouraging her to use her Tag Junior system more. Today she pulled out those books again, starting with her Kai-Lan booklet that I recently downloaded. While Madison read, so did Mommy - the two were out there on the deck this morning reading together in the cooler morning air.

It was a restful day today for all of us. Madison was up early again. It's probably her fifth morning in a row getting up a little after 7:00. She's starting to go to bed earlier too, and falling asleep with no problems.

Tonight, we'll probably be doing that ourselves.