For The Man's Birthday...

...I gave him a bomb.  An Semi-Atomic Tantrum Bomb.  It wasn't on purpose, and I'm confessing here that I should've known better.

After dropping Miss Monkey at gymnastics I happily flitted off to procure apples for The Man's birthday pie at the nearest local produce market.  Slightly disappointed with their lack of spices (namely cinnamon) I pushed the mental schedule back another 30 minutes and headed to the grocery closest to our house, thinking of course this would be quick because I'm familiar with this store, eazy-peazy.  But then I can't find my new cheapo mini-wallet, I look up & down & all around, feel all my pockets.  Look again.

When it doesn't appear I immediately start heading back northward to the produce market where I saw it last.  Calling The Man on my way, informing him that he needn't pick up Miss Monkey from TIGAR as I would be in the neighborhood, wallet outcome questionable, etc.  Visions of re-licensing and card canceling phone calls in my head.  Arriving at the little market, it's dark, and no answer of the phone number I keep calling.  I pull back into the parking spot, check the area, peep in the window to the counter where I was last.  After some consideration, sitting in my little truck with Toddleator, I decide I should knock on the back door, there is still a light in what I assume to be the office.  Mr. Heines opens up, we greet each other and I explain I think I've lost my wallet.

Of course, he says, come on in and we'll look for it.

Well, the baby's in the car, I say, as I frisk myself once more...

and pull from my rear right pocket...

my wallet.

Oh! Hey, look at that.  Blush, embarrassed.  I'm sorry to have bothered you!

Back in the car chuckling, realize that we're too hungry, and there's at least 1.5 hours left before the Firstborn is finished with her class.  Use magic phone to look-up closest GoodTimes, head out to get snack of fries...and once there I couldn't resist the Egg-Nog Milkshake!  I mean who could, right?  

At first I figure, well, I'll just sip the shake, and save some for The Man 'cause he loves Egg-Nog.  But I can't stop.  I'm hungrier than I thought, my fries vanish.  Well, no one wants half or a third of a shake so I'll share it with the baby, I know I won't drink the whole thing.  Fast forward, Miss Monkey's class ending, I saved her some fresh cut french fries and she gets about the last third of the milkshake on the way home.

Now, consider, on the way home, her mouth stuffed full of salty potato-ey goodness, sipping on delectable creamy goodness, she manages to talk through the mess to inform me that she definitely still wants to eat dinner.  Okay, I think, cool.  She's probably pretty hungry anyway, right?

At home finally, I throw together what I do have for the previously planned manificent birthday dinner, except the broccoli is nastily bitter, toss it.  Supplement mashed 'tatoes. No soft white bread for the pulled pork ("lost" wallet at the grocery, remember), supplement bed of fresh baby spinach (actually really a great idea and tasty, too).  Add bowls of yummy pumpkin soup and voila, dinner is served, albeit without a celebration pie to finish.

Then She won't eat, she's complaining, and overly tired and overly sugared, and whining.  She ends up eating her spinach leaf salad and then being sent to bed, lightly caterwauling.

I'm so sorry, lover, I will do better next year.  : )

Snow punkins

Workout Wagon

I'm hanging on by fingertips to the workout wagon, haven't completely fallen off, but it's been close.  Spotty yoga, and running now and then, some weight training when  possible.  Since I've lost my suit swimming has been out of question.  I'm back to where I began years ago with yoga and running solely.  Without a trailer or a bike trainer I'm SOL for riding my bike and can only use imagination for the spin bikes at the gym.  Eating hasn't been too crazy (other than The Fever week).  I've managed to avoid too much process sugar eating alot of quinoa salad and smoothies.  Being without butter for over a week makes one creative with breakfast.  I realized I don't like to eat toast without butter, and I certainly couldn't bake anything.  The holidays approach though, and I'm loathe to try to change the menu, there's just so much comfort in those holiday foods.  Chatting with an acquaintence recently regarding eating vegan-esque, gluten free, etc.  I would totally do it if I personally didn't have to expend the time and energy making the switch.  If I won a personal chef/grocery shopper for a year I would definitely change a lot of what we eat.  For now though I make small changes, like not drinking much milk, eating fatless greek yogurt, more and more veggies and salads, simply cutting back on the bread.  Now that our mega-box store membership is back on I'm enjoying buying organic items (yay!).  A related note, that mega-box store membership happens to represent a big component of abundance & opulence for me.  It's comforting for me to see that there is definitely enough.

A brief fall rhythm synopsis.

One Wednesday
-Breakfast
-Spanish for an hour or so
-Off to New Thought Mommies group, hanging around working on writing and letters with note cards for her friends (no other mommies today)
-Home for lunch and contributions to the household
-E fighting some illness, naps and down time
-To Yoga for Young Warriors
-Home again for dinner with The Man, and service work
-Final home again, yoga, studying, sleep

Awake again too early with someone coughing too much, then barely 40 minutes later someone else hollering.
I'm awake now for real, and not going back to sleep as I need coffee and eggs to bake something for potluck today. Grateful to be done with cold virus. Jog to the grocery for supplies and arrive just as The Man appears ready to begin shouting for me from the patio.

Just when I think we're into a rhythm something goes slightly awry and then there's flex time before settling back in.
Ah, the wisdom of uncertainty.

Early

It'a 6:30 AM and my hands smell like play-dough. Trick-or-Treating was a success. Up and down a couple blocks and R2D2 battery was wearing down. It was hard to stop--what other time of year do we dress up crazy, knock on doors, and get such good will? Miss Leia Monkey had a full pumpkin bucket, and we know that's more than enough.
Today is candy day, 1. Whatever is left over tomorrow will be donated, 2. Candy can be consumed after decent protein meal, 3. If candy travels with child it must be shared with others.
Sugar is like crack for children. Ever notice the noise level in childcare places goes way up the day or two after Halloween?  It's the Sugar DeTox.   Bless all care givers, tell them "Thank You".
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An amendment to this, as he came home that day, though most of the candy was gone anyway, Miss Monkey was lamenting that she couldn't eat it all before the donation day.  The Man decided it wasn't the best idea, promoting gluttony in a fashion.  So, we went with the original idea, that it's her candy and she can do with it what she wants, eating it as she sees fit.  Though I requested that she at least try to eat something with salt and protein before consuming too too much.  All turned out all right, no super crazy tantrums thank goodness.