All the kids standing at the beach entrance. And, Yes, we took all 8 of them to dinner and they were soooo well behaved. I think everyone in the restaurant was amazed.

My niece and my daughter who not only make the same facial expressions, but loved playing in the sand.

Middle G. still playing in the sand.

Little G. not afraid of the ocean at all, which terrified me. We had a wonderful time and I'm so glad we decided to go. It was worth it and I would definitely do it again.

Dear Toothfairy,

Thank you remembering to come to my house last night and take away middle daughter's tooth.

Lately we have had a tumultuous relationship and I attribute this to the fact that you are outrageously absent-minded.

Granted, I do not know what is going on in your personal life and perhaps you feel spread thin like butter, but forgetting to pick up a tooth on more than one occasion should have resulted in your immediate termination.

No, that is not a death threat. I'm just saying that in the "real world" forgetting to do one's job would, indeed, result in the loss of said job.

That being said, I'm glad to see that you have resumed your duties with the utmost of care.

That you are arriving promptly and not at 5:30 in the morning after being startled awake at the thought of your forgetfulness.

In short, today's tribute is all about you! Keep up the good work and remember if you forget again I'm putting your job opening on Monster.

Sincerely,

an absentminded parent

Seeing as I've been credited with inspiring this game over at Life with Little One and More, I figured Jenners would hunt me down like good chocolate if I didn't play along.

That being said it sounded like a hoot.

When I learned that I was going to have an opportunity to speak tonight, I thought long and hard about what advice I would give all of you. Then I remembered what Eleanor Roosevelt once said, "Do what you feel in your heart to be right- for you'll be criticized anyway."

Some people will judge you and find fault in the decisions you make following high school, they will find fault in what school you choose or don't choose, they may find fault in what major you choose. But it is important to heed Roosevelt's advice and do what you feel in your heart to be right.

Do not make life changing decisions based on what college your boyfriend is attending. Do not pick your career path solely on how much money you think you will make. And most importantly, do not let the criticism of others be the loudest voice in your head.

This is likely the last time all of you will gather in the same room in the same place in your lives. And while the memories of high school will remain, you will all go on now and forge separate memories without each other, creating your life.

As Dr. Seuss once said, "Sometimes the questions are complicated, and the answers are simple."

Remember to be you in all that you do.

My second alternative would, of course, be this.

• ear pain should not be ignored. Seriously if you are reading this and your ear hurts, stop reading and go to the doctors.


• The last day of school is still exciting. Even when you are the mama, the last day of school is still an event to remember.


• Being sick sucks. My son and I have been passing a virus between us for awhile now and he is quite miserable.


• If Little G doesn't sleep, no one sleeps. In relation to the above, my son is not sleeping and because of that, no one is sleeping.


• Planning a birthday party causes me stress. Deep breath, the cake is made. Isn't it cute? The party is tomorrow. The good news: forecast is looking promising. Pray for healthy kids all around!

• 
  
  Girls can be mean.  I know this is hard to believe right now, but some of your friends may turn out to be your enemies.  Mean girls often turn into mean women and the circle continues.
• 
  
  Always be yourself.  Don't let anyone convince you that you shouldn't be the way you are.  You are perfect.
• 
  
  Be nice to your siblings.  Some day they may live far away from you and you will long to be near them.
• 
  
  Continue to smile like you are in the picture above.  It will make people wonder what you are up to.
• 
  
  Try to remember, when you are 15, that you used to love to hold my hand.

• Speeches Like I said, it's a sickness. However, I love to hear the graduates talk. Talk about the promises of the future. Talk about the difficulties of saying goodbye. Talk about the struggles they have already overcome.
• Hope Many of these kids aren't much older than my children. As cliche as it might sound they are the future and this, usually, gives me a lot of hope. Hope that they can turn things around. Hope that one of them may be the answer to the woes of cancer. Hope that they will truly change the world.
• Excitement As students walk up to gather their diploma into their hands for the first time, many families shout with joy. There are hoots and hollers and sometimes the occasional bull horn. It is impossible not too smile.
• Flashes of the future As silly as it might sound I can picture my own children's graduation quite vividly as I sit there. Substituting faces and speeches with kids I know. Trying to wonder who will be the val or the sal and what they will look like as young adults.
• Songs A lot of pomp and circumstance (pun intended) goes into these events and song selection is, indeed, one of them. My favorite choice "For Good" from the Broadway musical Wicked

• I really thought you would have published a book by now. You were so passionate about it. What happened?
• What have you done to your hair? You always hated short hair?
• I'm surprised, but kind of happy, that you decided to stay at home to raise your kids.
• You really don't talk to anyone from high school? Just occasionally on Facebook? What's Facebook?
• You made a good choice in husbands.

Five things I would tell my high school self.

• All of those kids that picked on you for being tiny, short and small-breasted are now fat and miserable and desperate to be your friend.
• Smoking never made you look cool, just uneducated.
• Dark eyeliner does not bring out the green in your eyes, but it does, on the other hand, make you look strikingly like Ozzy Osbourne.
• Staying at home with your kids is a more fulfilling career than any 8-5 job.
• Hang out with your sister more, you are going to miss seeing her when you are both adults.

What conversations would you have with your former self?