Cold S'mores

I just invented this dessert and it is amaaaaazing.

202 calories and you could easily break it in half and have a delicious 101 calorie dessert.

Makes 6 full or 12 halves...

12 graham crackers (365 organic)

1/2 cup ghiradelli 60% cacao chocolate chips

1 cups TruWhip. (Like cool whip but no crap in it)

Lay out 6 graham crackers on a cutting board

Melt chocolate chips in a glass bowl for 30 seconds and stir, repeat until melted (takes me 3 rounds)

Spoon melted chocolate onto graham crackers and spread evenly over the cracker

Dollop some truwhip on top of the chocolate

Press graham cracker over the truwhip and gently push down 

Freeze for 10 minutes

Enjoy!

M&MS in the couch cushion

We were in the thick of potty training our second when baby boy was born.

Nursing round the clock (and I did clock it on an app with him, it was 37 hours a week of nursing!) and trying to wipe a tushie and rush a 3 yr old to the potty all the time was incredibly frustrating.

What did I do?

I poured a bag of m&ms into a gladware container and shoved it into the couch cushion behind where I nursed the baby.

I offered my 3 yr old: one for making it to the potty, one for peeing on the potty, one for wiping, one for washing her hands, one for drying.  Mom award? Maybe not, but holy moly did it make my life easier those first couple of weeks!

Dads changing the status quo

Some dads seem to act like "sponsors" instead of partners.  

Earning income is a huge deal and of course it is essential--but if that IT, then that sounds more like a sponsor to me--whether it's dad or mom.  The tough part is the parent gig is 24/7...

Everyone is tired at the end of the day... everyone is tapped out by bedtime most days... that's when I really need my partner in the trenches with me.  These are things you're not supposed to say.  These are things you keep to yourself while other moms bash their husband as "another child" or how they don't know how to do anything.  If you're like me-- and your husband does do these things... it's tough to pipe up.  What makes people feel better is knowing that's just how it is for everyone-- men are dumb and useless... but that isn't fair to the men working hard to push against that stereotype and waking at night to rock the baby, or staying up late loading the dishwasher, or packing lunches, or reading to their kids, or throwing in laundry, or signing homework folders at 11pm.  These dads should be the norm... they shouldn't get praise for doing what moms do everyday-- why?  Because a family is a team.  So-- I hope as more men come into fatherhood this becomes the norm.

I hope my children will grow up to be partners with their mates.

Mean Girls

I took almost 8-year old Zelda* to Starbucks after school just to do something positive... honestly I've had a crappy couple of days and I was selfishly just trying to cheer myself up.

I talked to her about friends.

She got in trouble for licking a friend she was mad at, I mean... she was provoked, but DUDE-- don't lick someone. That's like a ticket to no friends.

anyway

I told her "if someone doesnt care about your feelings, they are not a good friend"

i said "who do you feel cares about your feelings in class"

Z- Tina and Fancy*

Me- Okay-- then only stick around them for awhile. I only have 2 really good friends, right? Who are my 2 good friends?

Z- Maxi and Rita*

Me- Right. I have other moms I like a lot and who make me laugh, but Maxi and Rita care about my feelings and would forgive me if I made a mistake. I'm not afraid to upset them or that they'll change their mind about being my friend. THAT is the kind of friend you want.

I fucking HATE that all kids are doomed to go thru the cycle of all this shit and no words of wisdom will really change that... but I guess we still have to try.

Daddy added this nugget for her to ponder: If someone isn't nice to everyone, they're not nice.

* names have been changed ;)