First Day of 1st grade and potty training

To start the year off right, Katie - mother of 4 who reads as many articles on parenting and discipline as I do- gave me a great idea re Jackie. I actually specifically asked her for advice- she is in the thick of it as I am. The goal is to get her to be a leader and go to bed without fuss. I threw a homework/reading goal in there too because I want to set the stage for the rest of her school career, which I hope lasts many many years and ends w grad school. Jack and I went to Michael's so she could pick her own poms and small glass jar. She can earn 2/day- bedtime and reading/hw. She gets 6, she gets a small prize she picked herself. The key to it working well has been that she is the oldest and therefore is the only one with these specific responsibilities and a glass jar. It has worked AWESOME this week. Yay Katie! Yay Jack! 

Official first day of 1st grade pic. It's a bit haphazard as it was also Day 1 of potty training Benny. 

A chillaxing bun. 

My own little Queen Bey

She told me she was drawing "a family of monkeys."  Damn straight. 

Katrina came over and gave the girls her old jewelry and nail polish. O. M. G. 

This girl often decompressed at the Lego table. I love this. 

That night before bed the girls played jewelry store. We have no screen time after school so the kids def get creative. They speak in high society accents as they sell and purchase jewelry.  

miss Anne brought over her daughter who loved the bunny. And Jackie loved playing mommy to a little girl. 

This sweaty beast. 

Lisa babysat Ben and Hill while I ran errands and she sent me this pic. They look so old! 

I took the kids to their first funeral for Pop-pop's dad. They did really well and took it all in. 

aunt Donna and Hill. 

Hill was actually pretty much of a nightmare during the actual service- wanting stuff. Then I had Ben who is afraid to pee anywhere but a diaper, yet not wearing a diaper. So.... Yeah. 

But once pop-pop came to the scene, they turned things around. Hillary became an expert on cremation and burial and death. Pop-pop answered her questions and she felt very at peace with everything.  After asking loudly at he gravesite "is he really in those boxes???"

The park after school on Thursday.