Funny Farm

Ten Things to Do on Spring Break

#1 -- Eat Krispy Kreme doughnuts (while wearing sunglasses)

 

 

#2 -- Go to the beach

 

 

#3 -- Visit the pier

 

 

#4 -- Eat seafood

 

 

#5 -- Swim in the pool

 

 

#6 -- Stick your head in a shark's mouth

 

 

#7 -- Play basketball at The Track (and beat the high score)

 

 

#8 -- Build a sandcastle

 

 

#9 -- Wonder at the vastness of the horizon

 

 

#10 -- Go fishing

 

Soakin' in the Sun

After going to the "Help" Museum yesterday, we visited the park. It was a gorgeous afternoon.

The 'Help' Museum

While legions of parents hurried their kids into the children's museum yesterday morning, I took mine to the museum next door, The Health Museum, or The "Help Museum," as William affectionately called it. Because everyone in Houston was next door, we basically had the entire place to ourselves. We saw bugs, looked at skeletons, played brain teaser games, touched a foam liver, saw gigantic teeth and watched a 4-D movie, which included special effects, like getting sneezed on by an organism. It was a great morning. Would have been perfect if Chip could have joined us!

Lurking in the Shadows

Each Wednesday night we have AWANA, and I am very excited that William is now old enough to go, too!

[I discovered this quite by accident. Three weeks ago the parents were invited to stay and watch the night's program, and because Chip was working, I had William and Maddie with me. William wanted to sit with Abby on the front row, and when the music started, William ran up on the stage and started dancing and doing the hand movements that go along with the songs. It was hysterical. By the end of the night, the leaders said William would be welcome to come back. He's gone for two weeks now, and he is loving it.]

On to the point of this story...

The church where AWANA is held only has about 15 parking spots. As you can imagine, they fill up quickly, leaving others to find parking on the street. This past Wednesday I found myself in that predicament, and I found a spot on a side street. Unfortunately this street isn't well lit. OK, that's being nice. It's a dark street.

I ran to the church, found the kids, and walked them out, hand-in-hand.

As we approached the car, I told the kids, "Hurry up and get in. Someone could grab us out here."

"Ah! That sounds like a nightmare," Abby squealed.

I hurried them in and shut the door. As I rounded the back of the car and headed toward my door, a figure appeared and said, "Hello!"

I kid you not. I jumped about a foot backward and put my hand on my chest. Thankfully, the woman was someone I had met before. She apologized profusely and said that she said 'hello' with the hopes she wouldn't startle me.

Yeah. That didn't work too well.

Follow the Leader

Each day Abby's teacher sends an email to the parents with a question of the day (QOD) and the corresponding answer. The point of the QOD is to reiterate one particular thing the students learned that day and to start a conversation about it at home.

Here is the email we received yesterday:

Q: How do you know if someone is a good leader or a bad leader?

 

A: You have to watch and see if what they do is good or bad. (Abigail’s words)

 

Needless to say, I am one proud mama.

 

'Simply' Homemade

I'm tired. In fact, most days I'm tired. The thought of putting a homemade dinner on the table each night -- while an absolutely idyllic motherhood fantasy of mine -- seems daunting. So whenever I stumble across cookbooks labeled "Fast, Family-Friendly Recipes," I bite.

Consider my most recent purchase, a book promising comfort food that is sure to tickle even the most fickle taste buds. I was sold, especially since there were pictures accompanying each recipe.

I digress a bit, but I'm not quite sure why I choose to cook a new meal (versus an old standby like corn dogs) on nights with scheduled activities. Last night was one of those nights; Ab needed to be at gymnastics by 6:30. So I started prepping for dinner at 4:00.

On the menu was chicken-pecan enchiladas, Mexican veggies and frosted banana bars. Seemed doable. Everything should be done in an hour.

But let's be honest here. We all know these "quick suppers" are probably concocted in a super-sterile environment with no kids in sight. In other words, it will probably take us real housewives of club motherhood 30 minutes to prep the food, rather than the book's allotted 10 minutes.

I came to this realization as I was chopping onions, making frosting and measuring salsa while referee-ing a fight and consoling a snotty baby who was climbing on my leg.

Dinner was served, and like most nights, I felt pretty good about having cooked a meal and doing it with plenty of time to spare. But I knew what was coming.

"Mmm, mom this is so good," Abby said. Typical, first-bite response from her. All the while William was watching her, trying to gauge whether he would like it or not.

After about three bites, Abby said (as always), "Mom, I don't think I like it anymore. Can I have some yogurt?" By this point, William has decided he doesn't like it either.

Maybe one day the kids will appreciate my culinary efforts.

In the meantime, I will continue my unrealistic pursuits of pleasing my kids' palates with recipes geared toward overachievers like me.