It has been a challenging week, with Daddy gone and research reports due on Friday. I am a bit tired. But I have some good stuff to share.

1. M's class had to write letters to authors as part of a Letters About Literature program a few months ago. We learned today that she has been recognized as a finalist. There is a ceremony in a few weeks, but she says she doesn't want to go because it conflicts with softball and ballet.

2. A's class had to draw pictures of ducks for a Duck Stamp Contest (the only federally legislated art contest) and she came in second for DC!

3. Some cute Nate-isms today:

– I called N "gorgeous" and he said, "I'm not gorgeous, I'm Nate."

– He told Nana he wouldn't give her a kiss because "I don't like doing things like that".

– N brought up the expression "pain in the butt" (which he must have learned from me because I say sometimes that he is a pain in the butt), and then said, "Baseball is a pain in the butt."

(Nats won tonight 1-0)

– He's been eating Peeps. He likes to eat the "feet" first, which of course are bunny ears, not feet.