Karal Has a New Squeaky Toy (Her 1st Birthday Celebration) and It's Been Honking Monkeys All day - We Got this

I've been delayed in celebrating Karal's 1st birthday, but I found a mini-break at lunch and went to the store to restore her alligator, who she decimated. Now she has a monkey and it is full-squeak ahead. Meanwhile, we are plot-writing with the middle and high school students and they're novels are full force:

Emily didn’t know her role, but she knew she was supposed to be with Colin. They were in the pool, both dropped from a strange portal that hovered over the island. The voice said, “They are coming. A red head, a man, and a rubber chicken.” Emily speculated it was Crandall, as she figured this was his nonsense. She was trimming her toenails when the portal arrived in her home. Crandall always had a way of interrupting her free time….when she was tending to her feet, flossing her teeth, or watching LOVE ISLAND on CBS (she was enamored with the buff men on the show). “Colin,” she suddenly said swimming toward him in the pool. “Good to see you again. What do you think Crandall wants this time?”

The squeaking in my house is immeasurable, as Karal is entertaining the universe were her new plush toy. The monkey, pictured to the right, makes more noise than is humanly possible. I am thinking of every toy I ever bought my sisters for their kids. The vengeance has come full circle.  It is impossible to hear one's thinking. 

We are heading into another week of the teacher institute and not being online is a blessing, as I can't imagine a day with all the honking. With the kids it was mildly precious, but with the teachers, I imagine they'd be, "Seriously, Crandall. You can't control your dog." 

It's informative, argumentative writing-week and I love the teacher demonstrations on deck. I am now wondering, however, about an Op-Ed about entertaining dogs and all the noise they're capable of making. Such a MONSTROUS BARK for such a little creature. Phew. And it's only Tuesday.