I went to Detroit for a night and came back today. The girls were very interested in my trip – who did I go with, who did I meet with, what do they look like? I told them that I was sad on my trip because I missed them. I also told them that I had traveled with my friend Lisa from work. [Hi Lisa! How’s your weekend going?] After I told them that, A said to me, "Well, Mommy, you probably were a little bit less sad because you were with Lisa."

Exciting news – I have been looking for months now for a copy of the book A Very Young Dancer, which is about a girl who auditions for – and gets – the part of Clara in the New York City Ballet’s production of The Nutcracker. It’s an old book – came out in 1976, all black-and-white photos, but it’s a great book. It takes the reader through the girl’s audition process, her ballet classes, the rehearsals, the costume fittings, etc. I finally found a copy on a used book site and it arrived today. The girls love it. It’s long, so we only read the first third before bedtime tonight, but then M wanted to look at all of the pictures in the rest of the book, so we did. I remember loving that book as a kid and I am so happy that the girls will experience it too.

Girls were in great moods tonight. Imogene told me that they rode their bikes all the way to the playground and back today.

Here are some photos of me playing Candy Land with the girls, and me and Daddy with the girls at bedtime. They are from last Tuesday night. Please ignore my unflattering and enormous gray sweatpants. I wear them in non-public because they are comfortable, but they are undeniably hideous. A confession: I bought them when I was pregnant and they are several sizes too big.