As if there weren't enough snacks already in the house

 this one is totally on me. we had fresh cheerios and i'd snagged a big bag of M&M's for multiple recipes (which have yet to materialize, but hush) and since peanut butter is an everyday staple in our house, i made a batch of happy trails mix. 

what is happy trails mix, you ask?

it was discovered by one lisa and one val at camp lambec one rather chilly summer night around a campfire when friends were frying fresh caught fish from lake erie. they offered us some, but as we'd smuggled these ingredients to camp and had pilfered a big metal bowl from the dining hall, we declined. however, there is no chance of pouring m&m's into a metal bowl quietly and we soon had everyone's attention even though the firelight was the only light around. it was delicious out there in the cool of the evening and it's just as good inside.

here is the recipe, which runs much more like old-timey recipes with absolutely no unit measurements that make me nuts than the precision kind i prefer.

step one: dump your m&m's in a biggish bowl (you will need room to stir)

step two: pour in enough cheerios to cover M&M's and then a little more

step three: spoon a fist sized glob of peanut butter in there

step four: get messy. mix with a utensil or your hands

step five: enjoy and refrigerate any leftovers covered. it's also good chilled! it might even hold together better that way.

this is one of my favorite snacks and i'd love to mail it (some assembly required) to loved ones, but to ship peanut butter would be expensive so it's easier to buy and make your own. maybe when there's not christmas cookies hogging every surface, cookie dough in the fridge, ice cream in the freezer, and candy canes everywhere you turn. 

like in march, say. 

A Liam in his native environment

 

Product placement notwithstanding, this is an everyday moment for this kid. And I do indeed mean every day. It's a good thing peanut butter exists because without it this child would not!

He was so pleased with his new vibrant hat, which just so happens to match a brand new hoodie and the sneakers he already owns. When I told him there's a glow in the dark mini golf course at the mall, he knew exactly what he will be wearing if we ever go.

Kahlua is a breakfast drink, right?

Mornings around here are... what do the British say? A wee bit of Pandelerium, something I'm pretty sure Jeff Foxworthy coined. I may have mentioned it before. Envision a three ring circus featuring Care Bear in one ring, Liam in the other, and Damon in the third while I, whipless, try to maintain order and magically keep all school supplies and requirements straight for each child. Some moms probably can do this effortlessly as they have organized selves and organized children, or at least one or the other.

We've got nothin'.

Care Bear has a tendency to, shall we say, "spread" in that her things literally will be scattered between Hither and Yon. Her binder will be on the kitchen table, her laptop and earbuds will be on the big chair, the bag she's supposed to be presenting from will be not full of the required items and will be found hanging on the back of the kitchen chair. Her lunch will be spread across the kitchen counter. Her water bottle might be in the freezer, might be in the fridge, might be on the counter, might still be in her backpack from yesterday. Her backpack will actually be hanging on the doorknob where it belongs, or closeby on the floor. Someone really should yell, "ROUNDUP" and see how long it takes her to get everything she needs. That would be an interesting experiment, actually...

"I want to kiss you on your butt." I'll come back to that.

And then there's Liam. Third grade parents had homework due today. "In a million words or less, tell me about your third grader." If I posted what I wrote, I'd certainly have to change names to protect the guilty, but suffice it to say that there were vivid descriptions of a certain third grader brandishing a peanut buttery knife through the kitchen when he was supposed to be making his lunch. Kind of like what is happening right now. He is lamenting his torn hot dog bun in a voice that sounds exactly like Woody from Toy Story when he thinks all hope is gone. And now half of the hot dog bun is on the floor. And he hasn't brushed his teeth yet.

Guess what time his alarm is set for? Seven. Guess what time he was up today? 6:35. Before his sister has left for the junior high bus. There is no way I am going to be able to get these guys all ready and out the door with my sanity intact if they all get up together. I am a very firm believer in divide and conquer.

Oh yes, butt kissing. Not that kind. The earlier quote was from the Damonater, to Dada, who was trying to get out the door to work unmolested. Epic fail. Carrie was already gone, but Liam had a hold of his retractable ID (his "zippy", as it's known around here) and Damon was clinging to the other side of him. Dada is standing in one spot, boys on the front and back of him, holding a smoothie in one hand up high, his work backpack dangling off one shoulder. "I've got your zippy, HA ha!" "I want to kiss you in the butt!" "Bye Dada!" "Bye Dada!" "Bye Dada!" "Bye Dada!" "I've got your zippy!" "I want to kiss you!"

He escaped.

I'm still here.

Liam's on take two of his sandwich. He just now had me open the jelly.

I've had 1/3 of my cup of coffee, that I made at about 6:30. It's now 7:59. Liam's getting excess peanut butter off of the knife. Fortunately, he's already dressed. So is Damon, as we've all been walking to the elementary school bus stop together.

Which means I should go. First, I'll splash some lots of Kahlua into my coffee cup. There's room for it now.