It’s amazing how relaxed my brain feels when the house is clean. Today I finally gave each boy time to “connect” with me on Minecraft. They’ve been begging me for days. Ian already had my world set up with beds for everyone, chests to store or stuff, signs and some tools.

The boys read a bunch of words and short stories in some leveled phonics books. The older boys seemed to have a very easy time with the early first grade level words. Elijah is getting solid on letter sounds and putting them together into words. We also read the second half of a Geronimo Stilton book about medieval times and Camelot, and also read a couple of the boys favorite new books.

They also spent some time drawing, stamping and stenciling on some sticker paper. Now I have microscopic paper clippings lodged in the carpet. But vacuuming is still a fun novelty for the awesome dudes.

Elijah earned his schmoozer points by telling me I “can’t get anymore beauteeful,” because I’m “the beautifullest mom ever!” Then he saved me the last waffle and then told me, “When you kissed me, it made me so much morer fall in love with you that I almost fell over.”

He helped me make gluten free, egg free salmon patties for dinner, and the family gobbled them up. Here’s the recipe.

Now the guys are wrestling. I love Isaac’s “tough guy” character. He comes running in, shirtless, chanting, “Tough guy: he’s hard to beat. Tough guy!”