I so considered stringing my son up by his toes yesterday. We all got up an hour earlier to get him to school early for a “club meeting”. I drive him up to the front of the school to drop him off and at that moment he says, “Oh? Yeah? My meeting is after school today.”
“What?” In my head I’m thinking…I have organized my whole morning around this and you just now remember? Why didn’t you think about this LAST NIGHT before we all set alarms etc.? Okay…deep breath…count to 10. And I respond… “I have to go pick up my friend and get the little ones off to their P.E. class then I can bring you back.” (I can’t leave him to sit there for an hour because the school is located in a sketchy neighborhood and although I’m not happy with my son at this point, I do want him to come home again.) He says, “But I’ll be late then.” I respond “You’re point? It was your mistake and this is what I have responsibilities to do.”
We manage to get him back in time and drop him off without my head exploding due to incessant apologies from him.
Fast forward… Time to pick him up from school. It’s late because he’s stayed after for his “club meeting”. I arrive and he gets in the van all excited about his day. He proceeds to tell me he has to be there early again the next day because he’s going to be on morning announcements and he has a special pass to get into the school early. (I’m just turning out of the parking lot when he realizes he doesn’t have the pass…he’s lost it on the way to the car. Mom exploded! I pull back around, park, get out of the car and start walking to the office when…the cloud above us decided right at that moment to dump on us. So…wet now from rain, we walk up to the office and it’s locked. A girl comes to open it for us and another lady proceeds to fuss at me because the office was closed and I should have walked around to the back of the school to enter. Never mind the fact that she’s still standing right there and it’s pouring down rain outside, and I’m just crossing through the building and out to the courtyard…I don’t think so! The poor child who opened the door for me was just standing there with her mouth open. I smiled at her and said, “Thank you for being so considerate and helping someone out of the rain.” Then proceeded to walk past the lady with the nasty attitude and out the door to the courtyard. DS apologized all the way home. I told DH the story and his response was…”What did you do to DS to make him want to tortue you so today.

Fall is my favorite time of year. Living in Florida, we miss some of the signs of the times and thus have to create our own. Andrea on one of my yahoo groups shared this earlier and I can’t wait to give it a try.
Pumpkin Spice Latte
makes enough for two generous servings

2 cups milk
2 Tbsp canned pumpkin
2 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp vanilla (yes, the recipe says tablespoons! )
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (OR 1/4 tsp cinnamon, 1/8 tsp cloves, 1/8 tsp nutmeg, and pinch of ginger)
1/2 cup brewed espresso (OR 3/4 cup strong brewed coffee)
whipped cream for garnish, if desired

Combine all ingredients and cook over low heat until flavors are combined. Pour into large coffee mugs, garnish with whipped cream (optional), and serve with ginger snaps. Think FALL!