Or should I say the joy in Tyler going back to school. Tyler is so lovable and so hard to parent all at the same time. He is a wonderful boy. The same old question of "why" that he has always asked has been joined by "how, how many, how tall, where, what if, can I try that." The general answers are never enough. In fact for many of them I think I need to have an advanced degree in Zoology. Oh, boy. Daddy is a pharmacist and thus we refer to him as "the scientist" and when the questions become too difficult I just say, go ask Daddy. Oh, boy. My least favorite questions, as of late, have to do with our boy dog. All 3 of our children ask it, as do all of the neighbor kids: "What is that pink thing?" Which always leads to reproductive questions. EEeeek! I have become really good at the dodge though. I give them the simplest answer possible, and then ask if they will help me look for ripe tomatoes. Then we look for the grasshoppers that crawl all over our plants which we feed to our neighbors chickens. Subject changed. Awkwardness with a 6 and under crowd averted. I am prepared to deal with the "where do babies come from question" just not with every kid in the neighborhood and not with a 6 year old, 4 year old, and 2 year old. It just ain't happenin.
Anyway, it has been great(!) to have T. in school full-time. Last years 2 hours a day kindergarten was just not enough for that kid. All summer we have been on grasshopper expeditions and trying to figure just the right amount of water for the garden, and finding the perfect fruits of our labors in the garden. It has been a great summer for him.
"Parents aren't interested in justice, they're interested in peace and quiet." 
