Tales of Me and the Husband

Spreading cheer in the middle school cafeteria like the Rockstar Mom (that I am not).


Okay, so there was a time when I volunteered at Lindsey’s school. I was pregnant with Parker, and I volunteered an hour at a time (a couple times, people!!) to make copies for the teachers. That’s sort of PTA-ish Mom of me, right? Oh! And I was a cross country coach at Nathaniel and Jordan’s school (we’re going way back now) for a season. So it’s not like I’m the antithesis of a PTA-Mom, but I just feel like I’m out of my element in that world. Like the other bonfide PTA-Moms can smell me out: “Oh she doesn’t belong here. She’s not even wearing a cardigan! Where is her minivan!?” (For the record, I do drive a minivan and own more than one cardigan.) Maybe it’s my age? That I was always quite a bit younger than the other Moms so I just felt out of place? I’m really getting off track here. This is about spreading cheer and not a walk down memory lane.

Anyway, the reason I started down that road is because I’m so not the Mom who sends snacks in with her daughter to school all, “Give some out to your friends!” That’s what the PTA-Moms do. I’m the Mom who gives almonds accidentally as a snack in a nut-free zone (true story, but I learned and did not make the same mistake twice!). So when I told Lindsey we were making sugar cookies and she could bring them to give them out at her lunch table her face nearly fell off. Whatever Lindsey! I make a mean pot o’ chili!

So here we are, making them. Parker has flour all over his face and clothes, little pieces are getting smooshed into the rug below such that you’ll need an actual scraper of some sort to get it out, Anders ninja-grabs a chunk of raw dough (pretty sure that picture above catches the moment, but oh my word are his hands cute up there) and throws it in his mouth with surprising accuracy for a baby, and I’m reminded why cooking with children is a challenge. But we press on! Parker is getting more interested in helping in the kitchen all the time, and I daresay his entire persona is different when he’s given adult responsibilities. So, if you’re just carefully wading in the realm of kids in the kitchen, this made it pretty simple. An egg and butter was all I needed to add. (This same night, we ordered pizza for dinner. I was really living up to the simplicity theme that day.)

Lindsey’s pretty thrilled to be the bearer of sugar cookies (with icing! And crushed candy cane! Only the best cookie ever. Back in the day I used to eat sugar cookies with cream cheese icing on top. SO GOOD.) at the lunch table. And who doesn’t need some cheer more than a lunch table full of 13-year old girls? (What? You don’t understand? Do you know even one 13-year old girl?) Parker got to eat one too, don’t feel too badly for him. So try your own (maybe those Christmas tree pops at the bottom; they are cute.) Now go and spread some of your own cheer! (How about for your postman? I think they could definitely use some this season. He’s next on my list.)

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Comments

    • ain't nothing wrong w/ cream cheese icing! (back in the day probably because i just don't eat as many sweets as i used to which is super boring of me.)

      Reply

  8. Haha, got a kick out of this story….and the 'stereotypical' PTA mom. 🙂 I'm pretty lucky, where I'm at we are just a group of busy moms who all work, drink wine,…and don't drive minivans. 😉

    Reply

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