A Break

I unintentionally took quite a blogging break... Here's hoping I can get back into the swing of things.

One reason for my break has been our lazy, but insanely early, mornings. These three think if the sun has risen (and sometimes even if it hasn't) they should be up.

 The horrible lighting here lets you know this was a particularly early morning. Juju's hair and expression strangely mimic that of her mother's on those early mornings when I stumble to the coffee pot.

This summer, though, I have become adept at cold brewing my coffee (although I simply use my french press). I have had a hard time getting used to making the coffee the night before, but it is sure nice to have it ready first thing in the morning. It is also nice that cold brewed coffee has a higher caffeine content. I've sure needed it to keep up with these little ones, even if it hasn't helped me keep up on my blogging.

Coupon Kismet *

* That's close enough to alliteration, right?

Last night I took Banana to soccer practice. Since all three other girls were down for the count with fevers, headaches, sore throats, and congestion, I had to go alone. It was a welcome hour and a half to myself. I decided to head to Target to use my latte coupon. I ordered my pumpkin spice latte and I have to say it was delicious. Perhaps a little too sweet for my tastes, it was almost like drinking a pumpkin roll, but a wonderful treat last night (I still don't think I'd pay $4 for it though). I was thinking of my friend Jenny who got the Charmin coupon and counting my blessings at having such coupon luck.

I then picked up a few things for the girls. They had summer clothes on clearance for 75% off! Then I made my way back to the checkout. I put in the credit card into the machine that takes my money all too quickly sign and wait for my receipt. You'll never believe my luck-- I got another coupon for the pumpkin spice latte. I laughed out loud in the checkout. The poor cashier thought I was nuts.

I don't mean to brag. I do feel sorry for poor Jenny, but I must have some serious coupon kismet:) either that or heaven knows I needed a break this week with four (Banana is now feverish) sick girls at home.

Pumpkin Spice Lattes

A week or so ago, I took the girls to Mass in the morning and followed it up with a trip to Target for new socks and some snacks for a soccer game on Saturday morning (I could digress here and post about the stress of bringing team snacks to kids sporting events, but I won't-- now.) Target had this wonderful idea a few years ago to entice mothers like me into their store, rather than the three others within a block, they put in a Starbucks. I've been hooked since.

This particular morning, the Starbucks at the front was advertising the return of the Pumpkin Spice Latte. Doesn't that just sound amazing? The perfect drink on a crisp, autumn morning? I really wouldn't know. See, I am too cheap to buy one. I find it aluxury to buy a cup of coffee for an already ridiculous price, and I won't spend the outrageous $4 or more for the latte. I typically order a misto (half coffee half steamed milk) which is about half the price. I have issues, I know. I digress again, back to the socks.

We made our way through the sock aisle for the big girls, the sock aisle for the little girls, and picked up a few other household products and then made our way to the checkout. I am amazingly conspicuous with my four girls in tow during normal school hours. At the checkout counter, I put my credit card in the little machine (have you ever noticed how fast those little readers at Target are? They take your money in hundredths of a second), and wait for my receipt.

The girls typically clamor for the printed coupons that spit out after the receipt. I don't understand their fascination with such things, but the bickering that ensues for silly receipts is amazing to me. That day, however, the coupon was for $2 off a Pumpkin Spice Latte. I thought I had won the lottery. Despite having to wrangle the girls away, I carefully tucked that gem of a coupon in my wallet to save for a rainy day.

My excitement over a coupon was bad enough, but I was actually tacky enough to share that story with some other moms as we were chatting last Sunday. Really, as if anyone cares about my luck with the coupon machine at Target. (Am I making matters worse by blogging it?) Later, I thought about the conversation and was thankful these friends are so kind as to put up with my bantering. I am blessed to have such friends.

Not only did these friends listen politely to such silly stories (and it says a lot about your friendship if you are still reading this crazy post, especially since decorum does not prevent you from walking away, you can close the window and I will never know), one of them was really paying attention. She told me yesterday that she had to run some errands and had stopped by Target herself. At the checkout counter, she anxiously awaited the coupon that would spit out for her with visions of Pumpkin Spice Lattes dancing in her head. Alas, she said she did not have my coupon good fortune. Her coupon was for $1 off Charmin Toilet Paper.

Anyone Else Do This?

This morning I made myself a cup of coffee. Then I got busy with making breakfast for the crew, then a bottle for the baby, then I checked my email, you get the idea...

An hour later I start to wash the breakfast dishes in the sink and I find a beautiful cup of coffee I have only sipped twice. I take a big gulp, of course by now it is practically iced coffee (those who have visited know how cold I keep the house), so I decide to nuke it. No sense letting a pefectly good cup of coffee go to waste. Into the microwave it goes. While it is warming I have the girls get out their school books, I change another round of diapers, and I run to put in the ponytail I never got to this morning since I was in a hurry to get breakfast started.

I come downstairs and start school. I keep hearing the microwave beep every few minutes, but by now we are so engrossed in fractions and number sentences I don't give it a second thought. I'll get to it after Math.

I finally open that microwave. Mostly I just was getting annoyed with the beeping. There sits my perfectly good cup of coffee-- of course it's cold again. Know what I did? The logical thing of course, I shut the door and turned it on for another two minutes. Then I went to put the baby down for a nap.

I came downstairs to hear the *!#? microwave beeping again, I opened it to find that same cup of coffee-- COLD.

I give up.