So Sam has for a while been working on teaching himself to read. He started mainly by writing every word that came to his mind, asking me how its spelled and then copying the letters down on a piece of paper. He will literally spend an hour or more a day solely on this practice.

Today, I told him he must take a nap, aargh! But lightened considerably when I said I would read him a book. So I prepared to read him a book. Little did I know I was going to get a reading lesson from Sam. He wanted to "try" reading some of the book. I being in a fair and patient mood, agreed. He started reading and reading, slow but steady and CORRECTLY. I was just staring and smiling that my four, almost five year old is way ahead of the curve set by his brothers, whom did not read until their third month in Kindegarten. He read every other page, only because by the fourth page and fifteen minutes later, I decided we would never get a nap at that rate. He was so glad to be reading, something he has longed to do for a very long time. So three cheer for Sammy. He is officially a big kid. He's posing with Dixie and the book he completed Dr. Seuss's "Oh, the Thinks you can think." Cat and the hat here we come!

In other Fortner household news it looks as if Olivia might finally get off the floor and get a bed. Poor thing has been sleeping on her crib mattress for a month, because I was fearful her and the rowdy crew would break the crib, which was her daybed, before the new baby arrived. Fearful I took the bed frame down and with all intentions of going to get her a twin bed shortly thereafter. Well we all know how intentions are. Pushed back and pushed back, no bed yet. This weekend I have prepared my husband for the Sunday trip to Sams. He's probably a little excited to go and see what things he can buy in large quantities. Men and bulk buying go hand in hand. However they have little twin Sealy beds for a steal. Less than you'd pay for the all stupid Denver mattress crap pads my poor boys have to sleep on. Oh well. Olivia will have a bed to grow up in. I'm excited to be able to lay with her on her bed and read her her bedtime books and play up there. Luke's been begging for an OJ room sleepover. I said when she gets a big girl bed, he could. So he'll be thrilled.

Speaking of Luke he had and "incident" yesterday, that I want to share. I'm sure there's a lesson in it for us all. On Wednesday afternoon he was riding his bike around the neighborhood shortly before we all left for CCD. Our neighbor, the pastors wife, gave my son a Sobe energy drink, a 20 oz. with creatine(only know this is something JR used to ingest, that scared me) and all other sorts of strange additives. First of all what adult hands out crap like that to 8 year olds. I was dumbfounded at the idiocy. Second of all I had to break Luke's heart when he came in all excited and showing me. I yanked that crap out of his hands and stupidly put it in the fridge, instead of dumping it out. He was devastated and ticked at me, boy. The next morning, nothing unusual but Luke was up awfully early, he fixed himself a lunch and was "not hungry for breakfast" no matter how much I pushed. Well later yesterday evening, I'm not quite sure how it came about, but after we had all come in from playing soccer, I asked Luke, finally noticing the drink was no longer in the fridge, (eeek!) where the Sobe had gone. He broke out in tears, "I DRANK IT! (SOB SOB)" I just hung my head in disappointment at me at him. I couldn't really decide who to be more disappointed in. He is currently awaiting punishment. Mothers and Dads help. Grounding the kids to the house really only punishes me. I want something constructive. I thought picking up the dog poop for a month. That's a pretty gross, but productive chore. All thoughts welcome.