this is for mom, because i know you are wondering:

*the husband's face is looking better. still kind of green and black around his eye but much better. doesn't look like he'll have any scars. he is the talk of the town and i've had at least 3 people offer to buy him a bike helmet. save your cash, he still won't wear one.

and now for a story you'll appreciate.

i hate the circus and everything about it. i hate thinking of animals living in boxes and performing for crowds of screaming children every night. we took the kids when they were little and i refused to go back. the husband took them the next year, but after that, i had the boys thoroughly brainwashed into being little animal rights activists with me.

so brainwashed, in fact, that i didn't even question that we would go to the circus this year. i threw their free school tickets away and forgot about it. 

then a friend asked me about taking the boys, and i told her we would not go. her eyes grew wide and i thought she might report me for child abuse. 

so i went home and asked little j if he wanted to go to the circus. he looked down and said, "no. that's ok. we don't have to go."

i told him just because i hate the circus doesn't mean he has to share my views. 

the husband looked over little j's head at me and smiled.

"yeah, i kind of want to go anyway. do you want to go?"

"well, only if you do, dad."

"we should go tomorrow night."

little j jumps up and runs to his backpack, all excited.

"ok, because mom threw my ticket away but i have another one in my backpack!!"

doh. i am glad i thought to ask, poor kid. i always forget he's only eight and likes things like circuses and easter egg hunts.

so dad and little j went off to the circus last night and had a great time. big j and i stuck by our guns and boycotted the whole thing. we went on a bike ride, ate popsicles and read our kindles on the deck.

it was a good night. and a good lesson.

the end.