Weekend events

This weekend was a busy one, but fun.  We baked cookies, made lemon-aide, got locked out of the house by the little lady, participated in a fund raiser for a friend of mine that is raising money for breast cancer research, made pancakes and went out hunting for new patio furniture.  It seems like a frugal idea to look for furniture at the end of the season, however, there isn't any to be found.  Everyone has already bought all of the furniture.  Yes, I guess I could order some online, however I need to sit in it to know whether or not I like it.  Right?   We had furniture, but of course I didn't like it any longer. According to Mark, my philosophy is "new house, new things."  That isn't 100% true, but I do like nice things.  Hey, what girl doesn't?  Oh, and my son was tickled by some random tween at Costco.  Totally, weird and freaky.  I'll explain more later.  I'm a little behind here so I will have to combine a few stories in one post.  I'm sure you don't mind.

Let's see where to begin.  Oh yes....cookies!  Jack and I baked on Friday and I must say these are some of the finest chocolate chip cookies I have ever made.  I was quite impressed.  Although, honestly I think I must give credit to the four year old because history has shown that I am not a baker.  I have made bread that is heavy as a brick.  Seriously, it wasn't that heavy when I put it in the oven.  How did "heavy" bake into my bread?  However, I do make delicious pineapple zucchini bread.  Sounds like an odd combination, but seriously delicious.  Ok, so back to my story about cookies which really isn't about cookies at all.  Jack and I were baking and the doorbell rings.  Well, you know me, I don't answer the door.  I mean I don't know anyone out here yet so if the doorbell rings it is either UPS, FedEx, the postal carrier, a sales person or a weirdo.  None, of these require that I answer the door.  So, "ding dong, ding dong" and Jack goes running for the door (he loves packages and we were expecting one) and before I could get there he is opening the door.  He didn't ask who was there, he didn't wait for me to get there, he just opened the door.  As he opens the door I begin to go overboard, I'm sure, about how we don't answer the door.  We ask who is there before opening, always, regardless of who you think it might be.  Well, I must have gone on too long because the postal carrier is just looking at me me.  What I am thinking at the time is "look all you want Mister.  For all I know, you go lurking around in dark alleys looking for animal bones to make necklaces and trinkets for your imaginary friends."  He does appear to be a nice man, but Jack didn't know that.  It was troubling that he just opened up the door.  Yes, I was home and all of that, but for goodness sakes at least wait for your mother before you go opening the door.  Maybe I need to bust out the Stranger Danger video.  

chocolate chip with a little coconut for extra pizazz 

this is my lucky cookie, see four leaf clover shape?  No, it wasn't on purpose.  I told you I wasn't a baker, or a candlestick maker.  No, seriously apparently I don't understand spacing on a cookie sheet...

this is Jack getting caught sampling the lemon-aide without getting a glass.

So that was the first big "ahhh" moment of the weekend.  The second came later in the evening when we were all sitting outside on the patio.  Julia decided to go inside.  You know kids, they go in and out, in and out.  I find myself saying "in or out people," A LOT.  And to think I used to say, "I'm not going to say the things my parents said."  Funny.  Anyway, so she goes inside and locks the door.   For a split second Jack starts to panic because we are locked out.  I get up asking Jules to unlock the door, but she tells me she can't do it.  Well, I am about to get all worked up (that is what I do) when Mark calmly says, "everyone, calm down.  She can do this."  He proceeds to ask her a few questions, she responds and he asks her if she can go to the front door and unlock that one instead.    She is cool as a cucumber.  She meanders to the front and unlocks the door for her dad.  It really is nice to have a calm, clear thinker at times.  You see, I was about to grab a rock and bust a window (not really, but maybe).

And finally, the last crazy moment came on Sunday.  We had stopped at Costco to look around and both of the kids were in a basket.  We had been there all of about 2 minutes when this random kid, maybe 11 or 12, walks up to Jack, not Julia, and says, "hi."  Jack kind of smiles and we are all just looking at this person thinking, "hmmm, this is interesting."  All of a sudden he starts tickling Jack.  "Tickle, tickle," he says.  Mark and I are just standing there stunned.  "Tickle, tickle," he says again.  Jack isn't really laughing.  I think he was a little too shocked to laugh.  The kid keeps doing it.  He kept on until finally I said, "I really think that is a little too much."  For heavens sakes he picked the wrong kid.  I have personal space issues and that kid was all up in my business.  I'm thinking this is the strangest event ever.  Well, that and the time that Julia insisted on sitting in a strangers lap at Discount Tire.

And there you have it.  Our weekend summed up.

  Here is the little lady royally ticked off.  Why?  Wait for it....wait for it....because I wouldn't put more butter on her pancakes.  Oh the travesty!

On a more helpful note,  for those interested in donating to the fight against breast cancer, please see Kandice Ray's donation page here,  Susan G. Koman 3-Day for the Cure.

Love to all,

Amy