RANDOM

1. While I miss Texas, I really do love the fall temperatures in Northern New Jersey. Today's high: 75. Outside right now: 63.

2. Emmy informed some of her classmates that she is "getting" two baby sisters from her mom & dad. Unless she's talking about American Girl Bitty Babies, I am afraid she is in for the letdown of a lifetime.

3. I thought I'd be able to get my act together after the kids were in school. Ha!

4. Joe & I had a fabulous dinner date last Saturday. Flemings in Edgewater gets two thumbs WAY UP from both of us!

5. Fall TV starts NEXT WEEK!! Woo-hoo! Can't wait to see Modern Family & The Good Wife. I went to ABC's website & got a sneak preview of Modern Family & was LOL-ing all the way through it!!!

6. Rex, the escape artist, is at it again. We got home last night & there was a note on the garage door from our neighbors. Apparently, he escaped & headed next door. Not sure how long he was there, but very thankful for nice neighbors who took him in for us!

7. Why were we gone last night? It is meet season!!! Chloe had her first one last night. She did great- a sign of things to come, I'm sure!

WHAT A DIFFERENCE!

Last year, the first day of school was... challenging. The kids had pasted-on smiles, more for my benefit than theirs. One member of the trio wore her disdain squarely on her sweet little face.

This year, everybody had on a genuine smile.

Even the littlest Widner was happy to be starting Kindergarten.

It helps that she doesn't think of herself as a Kindergartener.

In fact, she comes home every day telling me she's the "assistant".

Which is fine, if it produces the desired result: a smiley, happy, 5 year old.

And so far, so good. I'll take it!!