It's Not Even Monday.

I can barely keep my eyes open. And yes ... I've had coffee. Two cups, actually. I'm pretty sure my better judgment is telling me to spare you from the details of our morning. I think you'll get the general idea if I say it included poop and me gagging. Thankfully, Ben was home and rescued the younger child and rinsed his body off in the shower. And I've since recovered from my severe gagging episode. Barely.

I registered Joshua for soccer lessons at 8am. He prefers that I refer to him as "Scorer Number 5" instead of Joshua. I told him to eat his dinner last night and he said, "Um. You mean Scorer Number 5 needs to eat his dinner, right?" Right. I told him I'd register him for soccer and he told me to call Miss Kel. Miss Kel would pick him up and take him. "Buddy. Miss Kel has her own kids. I'm pretty sure I can take you. But then again, Miss Kel did stand in line at 5:30am for our summer movie tickets last week ... so maybe she wouldn't mind popping by and taking you to soccer too!"

Eli asked to sit beside me the other night. And then he looked rather perplexed. "What's wrong, E?" "I can't sit dere. Your tummy is too big!" That was only moments after my firstborn told me he loved his "huge mommy." "You mean, you love your petite, beautiful, princess-like mommy, right?" "No. I love my huge mommy." Nice. And the secretary at How's preschool told me I had blossomed ... or was it that I sprouted? It's cool. I can take it.

So ... when we went to Trader Joe's, this morning, and I saw these:
For 99 cents a box ... I knew things were going to turn around. Life was about to get good! That is .. until I took the first box down and 8 others followed ... crashing to the floor. 8 other boxes and several containers of chocolate syrup. It's cool. I've always wanted 8 boxes of crushed peppermint Joe Joe's. But alas, a TJ's employee had sympathy upon my soul and handed me a recipe. Involving crushed Joe Joe's. And once again ... I had hope for the day.

Peppermint Joe Joe's Milkshake:
1/2 - 1 cup Whole Milk
1 cup of vanilla ice cream
3 big squirts of chocolate syrup
6 Candy Cane Joe Joes.

Put in a blender to combine and ENJOY!

And while we're at it ... that play dough recipe ...1 cup flour

1/4 cup salt
2 tablespoons cream of tartar
2-3 drops food coloring
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1. Measure flour, salt and cream of tartar into the pot and stir together with the spoon. Combine food coloring and oil with 1 cup water in the measuring cup and stir. (Start with 2 drops and see if you like the color ... or if you're Eli ... just squeeze in the whole thing while your mom isn't looking). Add it to the dry mixture. Put the pot on the cooktop and turn on the heat to medium. Cook over medium heat for 3-5 minutes. It will start globbing together and when it forms a ball in the middle of the pot, it's done.
2. Remove it from pot and set it on counter. It will be hot so let it cool for a few minutes and then begin kneading it ... store it in a resealable plastic bag or container and ENJOY!
3. Put water in the pan and let it sit. It makes the clean up process a bunch easier.