Tomorrow marks one week into the new school year.  I wish I could say we are back in our groove, but sadly we are not.  It's about to kill me.  It's 10:24 and I just left Parker's room -- she and Molly were sitting in the floor...  "Girls, it's not summer anymore.  What are you doing?"  Then I huffed and puffed and turned out lights and stomped back to my room.  Jamie is out of town this week, so I'm just sort of in a funk or something.  I don't know.  Going to bed is hard; waking up is harder.  I will never, never, never let myself get so far from a normal sleep pattern during my off-time again.  I'm too old to readjust in a timely manner.  

On the bright side, my classes are going really well.  I've got 95% of my students' names learned and so far they're all working really hard and behaving really well.  Today we took yearbook pictures during English and that's always a fun way to get to know my kids.  In general, sophomore boys don't want to smile.  They want to glare or look serious or something.  Our photographer does a good job of getting them to loosen up and take at least one smiling shot.  I'm pretty sure that my yearbook picture this year is going to mainly feature my hair.  It was big today.  My friend Jessica reminded that Fran (the Nanny) says, "Big hair makes your hips look smaller."  Well, my hips won't be showing up in that picture, but I'll just go with that one for today.  Hopefully the ole hips are getting a little bit smaller -- I'm down 1.5 pounds since last Thursday.  : )  Anna's wedding is in roughly 6 weeks and I'm the biggest I've ever been in my life.  I'm working hard this time to take it off. 

Lilah is turning 4 on Monday.  We'll be assembling a new swing set this weekend...  Send up a prayer or two if it crosses your mind.  Parker is every bit of 13.  Her "relationship" didn't make it past the first week of the new year, but it was a mutual decision.  (Such big girl talk.)  What I was not prepared for going into 8th grade was that Jamie and I would have to tell her she isn't allowed to "go out" with 10th graders.  Heaven. Help. Us. 

Molly is having a great time in 5th grade.  She has entered the world of texting, so I'm sharing my phone again.  Here's a quick funny story...  She has this little friend who calls every now and then, but that pace has picked up with back to school.  I know it's Alex because her mom's number is in my phone, but I just always answer the phone, "Hello."  She says, "Hello."  I say, "Hello."  She says, "Hello."  I say, "Hello."  She says, "Hello."  (In between her hellos, she just sits there, quietly.)  Well, I'm bound and determined that this child is going to speak up and learn a little phone etiquette.  How difficult is it to just spit out, "May I speak with Molly?"  or "Is Molly there?"  By the time we go through our "Hello ritual," everyone in my house knows who's calling.  Finally, she'll ask for Molly and I say, "Yes, here she is."  Silly.  It drives me crazier than it should.  So does parent drop-off -- I'll save my rants on that for another time. 

So, goodnight.  My head hurts from lack of Dr. Pepper and  I haven't had a good night's sleep all week.  Tylenol PM is calling my name!  Sweet dreams : )