coffee shop

• Jane, last month you had to start paying your cell phone bill.  You kind of forgot, and didn't have enough, so you came to me very humbly and asked if I could pay it for you and you'd pay me back with interest when you got your first pay cheque a couple days later.  I agreed, and I decided the interest would be a nice coffee drink.  Today you were planning on meeting your friend for coffee, so I decided to cash in my IOU.  My plan was to ask the barista what the most extravagant expensive drink was and get that, but I just don't like fancy coffee drinks.  They're too rich and sweet.  Darn it anyway.   I ended up getting my usual (grande Americano with room.)  
• Katie, your friend Rhema stayed the night last night and came along with us to the beach today.  It's so hot and sweaty, I had to be in the water.  George and Lila were delighted to have her along.  She's such a nice girl.
• Lila,  you were so squawky today.  I don't know exactly what's going on with you, but you've really turned it up a notch.  It's hard not to laugh...or maybe I just laugh instead of crying.  You certainly have a lot of opinions and you're not shy about sharing them.
• George and Katie, you played for a long time out on the big rock.  George, you were really trying to work up the nerve to jump off, but it's just too high still.  I'm sure in a couple years we won't be able to get you to stop.  
• Lila, you've started sneaking out of your bed as soon as daddy leaves for Gains and George is asleep.  You come to me and ask if I want to "hang out."  It's hard to turn down an offer like that!  Tonight you told me, "Good thing I get up to hang out with you.  It's way better to hang out with me instead of daddy because daddy is so boring and all he wants to do is watch tv and snuggle with you.  But I do so many cool things with you like color and make things and chat."  Tonight we had some lemon water out on the deck, enjoyed the cooler evening air, and talked about life.  
• Katie, thanks for taking photos of Lila and I.  I'm really trying to get into more photos and it's getting easier and easier because you're so good with a camera now!