French Fries and Free Laughs

We loves some eating here at the Short house [some of you are saying, "Well duh ~ we've seen you in public!"] so each week we try to find new things to have for dinner. Courtesy of one of my favorite friends in all the world, Angela, we get menus from ez-meals.com and then pick and choose what we want. Several years ago, in an effort to save money on groceries [is that really possible with 4 kids, one of which is a gigantic 12 year old boy?] we decided to start making menus and then buying only what we needed for that week. When ez meals came along it just streamlined the process because it tells me exactly what to buy and an estimated cost. It has jazzed up our menu a bit and given us some options. Tonight our dinner was actually a breakfast dish with a side of bacon [and Craig said, "Can I get an amen?!"] and some strawberries [which cancels out the bacon...doesn't it?]. The only problem was it was really sweet....

Fast forward to 10pm, when almost simultaneously Craig, Molly, and I say, "I really could use something salty to eat. Like fries." So yes....we did it.... we went to Wendy's. [Actually Craig did that waterboarding technique on me until I gave in. Well, he did twist my arm. OK - he handed me the money and I said, "What do you want?" Don't judge me.] Best fries ever. I even took a picture of the empty box. Emma asked, "You gonna put that on your blog?" but Sophie [my niece and the sweetest little five year old EVER] started giggling hysterically. Emma asked her what was so funny and she replied, "I thought you asked your mom if she was going to put that on her bra!!" [Yet, in some circles, this would not be uncommon.]

I guess you could say the whole "yeah, I'm training for a tri" thing isn't going well for me this summer. I hurt my back about a month ago and I cannot get better. A doctor visit and a round of steroids and muscle relaxers later and I'm still being forced to let Emma do the evil elbow treatment on my back before putting ice on it. [I do not want to go back to the doctor. I am to the "I refuse" phase at the moment but if I keep walking like Quasimodo then that might change.] So my awesome sister is on her 3rd tri this weekend and I can't even walk fast at the moment. Not to mention that my 20 year high school reunion [I am guessing] will be this year. I sure as heck don't want people saying, "Yeah, Missy put on a few pounds (times 10) since high school. She does have four kids you know." [And she eats fries at 10:30pm - I read it in her blog...not her bra.] BLAH!!!! Totally feeling like a BIG fat, almost 40, falling apart, fry eater tonight....

Yesterday Molly and I made a really cool lampshade for her NYC inspired room. We wanted to do something cool but not spend a lot of money [you know how the budget Nazi is about stuff like this.....] so we bought a sad looking lamp at Goodwill, spray painted it silver, and then made a decoupage lampshade with an old calender of NYC. Fabulous!! We had so much fun! Gabe came in during the process and this is how the conversation went:
Gabe: Whatcha putting on that picture Mowy? [He can't say the l's in her name.]
Molly: None~ya. [So glad that there is zero tolerance for sarcasm at this house.]
Gabe: Why are you putting none~ya on it?
Then he proceeded to wear the lampshade on his head. [At least he had his clothes on....there have been times....]

Speaking of NYC, Molly and several of her biffles [that is BFFLs or best friends for life for those of you that do not speak Mollyenese] are planning a girls trip there in the summer to celebrate turning 16. [Thinking back to my 16th I remember playing hide'n'seek in the back yard in Lincolnton....good times.] I am totally excited to be going because I've never been there before. We want to do all the "touristy" things like Ellis Island and Broadway....Times Square and Central Park...the Empire State Building and Ground Zero. It should be big [and expensive so if anyone feels compelled to donate to the Missy and Molly hit the Big Apple Fund I will be more than happy to oblige you] and well worth the wait.

Emma had her first "basketfull" of veggies from her little garden this week and she was super excited. [Incidentally, the basket was another find from Goodwill.] She loves that garden. The tomatoes are finally starting to turn [thanks to advice from Tammie about Epsom salt - worked like a charm] and we've had a few banana peppers, a bell pepper, and some zucchini. She has little buds on the cantelope and watermelon plants so we'll see what happens. Not too shabby for two very novice gardeners like us :) Next year will be better - we're already planning more stuff!!

And the countdown is on - only 6 more weeks until we go back to school. I am kind of looking forward to it [change is good - change is good - if I keep saying it then I will believe it] for a lot of reasons. I love being a teacher :) I think that I am doing exactly what God intended for me to do with my life. I think the kids I teach are pretty cool and I love the school where I teach. I am a dork so being a science teacher just makes it all better. Found out today that I've got some cool technology coming my way [life is short ~ embrace the dork in you] so I'm kind of ready for a new beginning this year. The Lord keeps giving me Colossians 3:23 as my foundation for the year: Whatever you do work at it with all your heart as if working for the Lord and not for men. That's all I need :)

As always, life as a Short, eating fries at midnight, is totally awesome!!!