Last week, Grace and I went to the grocery store. As always, Grace drove a car attached to my cart, honking and checking out the products near the floor.
Just past the produce department, we ran into my calculus teacher from high school – a woman I adored then and continue to adore. I parked our car cart and proceeded to chat with my former teacher and colleague (who’s been retired now for a few years).
By the time we finished chatting, Grace had spied some gumdrops.
You know, the ones in the display where I parked the cart.
D’oh!
I agreed to buy one package of gumdrops. Grace chose the package that she wanted, and we went on about our business.
Fast forward a couple of days. 
On Grace’s first day at her new preschool, Joe packed a gumdrop in her lunch. She mentioned it to me after school, and I told her that Daddy packed a gumdrop in her lunch to remind her that he loves her.
She was really pleased with that answer, and I didn’t think about the gumdrops again for a whole week.
This past Monday, Grace was very sad when I picked her up from preschool.
Mommy! Daddy didn’t give me a gumdrop today!
“Oh, no! Maybe we were out of gumdrops?” I suggested.
No, we aren’t. I saw them on top of the refrigerator last night, she responded sadly.
“Oh, no. Maybe he forgot. Daddy forgets things sometimes because he’s very busy.”
I hope he doesn’t forget tomorrow.
But he did forget the next day. Grace brought it up to me again on Tuesday afternoon, just as sad as she’d been the day before.
Unfortunately, I forgot to mention it to Joe.
Again.
He forgot the gumdrop again today.
Instead of bringing it up with me, Grace went right to the lunch packer himself.
Dad, sit down. We have to have a little talk, she told him in her most stern grown up voice.
Joe sat, as directed. “What’s up, Gracie?”
Waving her hands, she demanded, What happened to the gumdrops, Dad?
Completely unaware, he responded, “What gumdrops?!”
My little chewy thingies, Dad! My gumdrops! What happened to them?
Fortunately, I heard the conversation and clued Joe in to the case of the missing gumdrops and how I’d told her they were a message from him.
“I wish you’d told me that sooner,” he said after apologizing to Grace.
Tomorrow’s lunch is all packed, and there’s a gumdrop in it. I think Joe will make sure we don’t run out of them any time soon.
Summer is never long enough for me.
There are never enough days in the sun. Never enough time spent pretending. Never enough giggles, enough games, enough picnics.
It’s kinda like childhood. It goes by too quickly. Before I knew it, Grace was wearing goggles and an inner tube instead of her inflatable floaties or a life jacket.
{sigh}
There just aren’t enough moments.
Farewell, summer. We’ll miss you.
Happily submitted to 5 minutes for Mom, Wordful …
Do you have an icing decorator at home? It’s a plastic tube with a handle and interchangeable tips that fit the end.
Of course, an icing decorator is primarily used for decorating cakes, cupcakes, and cookies. When you use one, a large cookie looks as if it’s come from a fancy store at the mall and a simple cake looks like it was made in a bakery.
As you might have guessed, cakes and cookies aren’t the only use for this versatile kitchen gadget!
10 Uses for an Icing Decorator
Deviled eggs. After …
All three coats of hot pink paint on Grace’s walls are dry (and they have been for more than a week). We put her beloved race car bed into storage and hauled out her crib to convert into a toddler day bed.
Never having used them as a baby, Grace thought the bumpers that came with her bedding were just so cool. She insisted they be tied onto the sides and back of her day bed.
In a moment of temporary brilliance, I tied the remaining bumper on to act as a …
I’m seeing zucchini recipes everywhere lately. I love seeing how other people use them during this time of year when they’re coming out our ears.
We’ve eaten enough zucchini this summer to make us green.
Zucchini eggs. Zucchini muffins. Zucchini cake. Cheese stuffed zucchini. Chicken and cheese stuffed zucchini. Zucchini with pasta and chicken. Pasta primavera. Zucchini bake. Veggie lasagna. Ratatouille. Batter-dipped zucchini. Pan fried zucchini. Grilled zucchini.
I’m sure we’ve eaten it other ways, too, but I can’t remember them all.
I made up this recipe to use some of our glut …
Here are some of my favorite posts from the last couple of weeks:
Homegrown: Parenting & Having Fun As A Family
Angelica at Modern Familia reminds us to hug our kids and get into their world
Eighteen 25 posted a printable love note to tuck into kids’ lunches (Frog Prince Paperie has a cute one, too!)
Kara at Simple Kids suggests ways that children (even little ones) can learn life skills through household tasks
Angie at Many Little Blessings explained how she threw a princess birthday party on a budget
The Infant Bibliophile explained how she …
When I came in to take pictures of Joe and Grace painting, I noticed that the (over priced) paint was low VOC, the safer kind of paint.
That made me feel safe enough to do some painting myself.
I’d never painted with a roller before, and it was not as easy as I expected. I painted a bit, enough to make a contribution, and then I retired to the living room.
Probably to blog or talk on Twitter.
I’m sure it was something …