Jacklyn: Hello! Money is tight at our house, so everyone's been pitching in. Michael's enlisted in the army, and he's already recieved several promotions. Jacob and Alyssa each have after school jobs to go to, and not only do I have my home buisness, I've also gotten a job as a Mailroom Technician.

Jacklyn: Of course tents could never be a long-term solution, so after work Michael has been working on building us a house. It's a slow process with the construction crew still on strike, but Michael assures me that when he's finished it will be twice as lovely as our old house.

Jacklyn: All the kids are doing great at their new school- each of them have an A+ in all their classes.

Jacklyn: Their grades were so good I decided to try and get them accepted into the private school here. The house still wasn't anything to brag about, but I figured I could schmooze their way in. Headmaster BJ wasn't impressed with the house, as I predicted, but he was impressed with Derrick! After a chat with him about school, study habits, and Derrick's favorite subject, science, the headmaster extended an invitation to his school. He said that Derrick was such an intelligent child that he wouldn't be fufilling his full potential at public school. Of course Jacob and Alyssa got in, too.

Jacklyn: Everything was seemed to be going pefectly until Alyssa was fired from her job because of a mistake involving the discipline of some play ground bullies.

Jacklyn: It worked out well in the end, though, because it gave her time to play with Derrick, who had been feeling a little neglected with everyone at work all the time. The pair of them could be found playing chess all hours of the day.

Jacklyn: Jacob, however, spent much of his free time hanging out with his new best friend, Rebecca Johnson. Alyssa teased him unrelentlessly about his crush on her until he finally got the courage to ask her on a date.

Jacklyn: She said yes, of course- what girl wouldn't want to date my handsome son?
Jacob: Mom! A little privacy?
Jacklyn: Oh, of course! Sorry, sweetie.
Jacob: *grumbles*

Jacklyn: Well I'll have to leave you now. I have a customer.