Overkill

Candy-Filled Chocolate Wheels

It's just been a week of excess.

Pictured above is this week's Cookie Co-Op offering.  And they're great.  How could they not be, when they're basically Life Savers rolled in sugared-dough and wrapped in chocolate-sugared-dough?  Here's the problem:


I needed half a cup of crushed candy to make my recipe.  I had absolutely no idea how many rolls of Life Savers that would take, but I knew it would be a lot.  So I went to my local buy-in-bulk store and found this 20-pack o' Life Savers for $10.  Which I knew would be too much, but, once I started figuring that the grocery store probably charged nearly a dollar a roll, I decided it was actually saving me money to buy this many.  Plus I could save the few leftover rolls I'd have for another cookie recipe I'm dying to try out . . . at Christmas.  Or for S.B.'s birthday party . . . next March.  So I bought the 20 pack.

Guess how many rolls it takes to make 1/2 a cup?

Three.

Now I have 17 rolls of Life Savers hiding in the back of my cupboard, begging to come out and sugar me up and leave me panting for a carrot.

In other excessive-ness news, we were gone over the weekend, leaving the pissed-off chickens locked up in their run with nothing to do but knock over their water and lay eggs.  Upon returning home, we found 9 eggs!  And they laid two more eggs that afternoon.  We now have at least three out of the five girls laying eggs.  Which is definitely good, since I've got me some cookies to bake.

Mr. C being . . . a toddler

Finally, in the excessive department, my father-in-law flew home this afternoon.

It wasn't all bad, really.  The man is very generous and kind.  But here's the thing: when you're staying with your kids for a week, asking them to be hospitable and give their time to you, it would help if you're not constantly negative.  For instance:

• As your daughter-in-law is peacefully reading on the couch, don't feel the need to begin a conversation with, "Did I ever tell you about how Bee's mother screwed me over?"

• After your grandson has emerged from the hot tub of the house you (so kindly) helped rent for the weekend and is tearing around in his birthday suit singing "Naked naked naked!" (again), please restrain yourself from voicing your opinion that he really spends too much time nude.

• Don't bother asking repeatedly if your grandson will be going to preschool this year, or Montessori school, or any sort of group-learning environment; and definitely don't oh-so-casually inquire, "Have you thought about a speech therapist?"  And definitely don't proclaim that the three-year-old has no boundaries.  How many three-year-olds have you been around lately, buddy?

• It is, indeed, very nice of you to call your son, once your flight landed you safely home, and thank him and his family for hosting you for the week.  Seven days.  And seven nights.  280 hours.  16,800 minutes.  However, please don't feel the need to end your conversation with, "Mr. C will need a lot of work!"

Basically, just don't say anything negative about your hosts' children, particularly when you've been out of the parenting loop for so long. 

Anywho, I'm looking forward to this next week being a little more dialed-down.  All I have planned is a few extra playdates, Mr. C's first dental appointment, crammed-time in the workshop preparing for Bee's double shows, and trying to finish reading a book on parenting by "America's Worst Mom". 

That should make me feel better.