(Sometimes I write entire posts and then for no good reason forget to publish them. This was written at the end of August as we were getting ready for the school year to start.)

Our three girls have been sharing two rooms divided up as a “sleeping room” and a “playing room.” It was a great summer arrangement. They read books to each other at bedtime and woke each other up early to play. It was like a perpetual slumber party and there was no way it was going to work when Ivy went back to school.

And so, with school looming, we have executed another big room rearrange to help insure that kids who need to go to bed can fall asleep and kids who don’t need to wake up extra early stay asleep. Of course, this means Ivy has her own room for the time being and she is very proud of it. Many times I have been called upstairs to see her new improvements.

Then I was called up to look at her door.

On the door was a sign informing me that it would now cost a dollar to enter her room. I chuckled, decided to wait and watch how that worked out for her and went to Clara and Jane’s room instead.

Ivy followed me in while gleefully informing me that I’d have to pay her a dollar if I wanted to tuck her in that night. I seriously replied that while I love tucking her in she’d have to settle for me blowing a kiss from the door if the charge was a dollar.

Ivy left.

Moments later she was back, “Now come see mom!”

If you wod like to come in my room you will have’t to giv me a doller Quarter

I laughed and went downstairs.

That afternoon John overheard the girls talking, looked at me in incredulity and said, “Is Ivy shaking her sisters down for quarters?!?” I explained the sign on the door and slowly followed as he went up to investigate. As I lurked upstairs I overheard him explaining mortgages, sublets and requesting cuts of the profit.

I giggled and went downstairs.

Soon I was called to look at Ivy’s door yet again:

Please Knock

At which time I happily knocked and was welcomed into the new room for the first time all day.