The family was on one of our tedious trips up I55 to St. Louis for a weekend and had the following coversation:

 

Jim:  Brooke - how is school?

Brooke:  Fine.

Jim: Who are your friends?

Brooke:  I don't have any.

Jim:  Do you ask them to play?

Brooke: Yes

Jim:  And what do they say?

Brooke (highly exasperated):  Dad - you don't know my life.

 

We cracked up - couldn't help it at all!!!  She's a 6yo pre-tween and already into the drama.  She does seem to be having some problems making friends this year and I'm not sure how to help her other than just reassuring her that a) it's ok to play by yourself and b) kids like the smartest kid in the class so keep working.

 

Andrew has about 12 best friends and is much less discriminating on his friend qualifiers.  His grades are still in the A/B range and he gets a few notes home from the teacher about being a chatterbox (ahem, "social") but overall, he's doing quite well.

 

Work is nuttier than usual.  We're in the process of buying out our main competitor nationwide and there are too many details to attend to regarding real estate, personnel, accounts, parking, equipment, inventory, etc.  Add to that the fact that I'm travelling 3 days a week for the next 3 weeks for work and want to fit in a few Mizzou games this month including Homecoming and whew...travel fatigue. 

 

Jim is back for another year of assisting the special ed department at the high school.  He's so perfect (and way overqualified) for that job because he is incredibly patient.  He could get his teaching certificate but teachers have assigned responsibilities outside of the school day (working football games, clubs, coaching, etc) and it's still important to us that the kids have a parent around before and after school.  He told me the other day that some of his students have part time jobs that pay more than his job.  I respond that they have to have good jobs because they aren't married to a beautiful, charming, ambitious spouses...Jim responds that he can relate...

 

New photos from our trip to Eckert's a few weeks ago.