Banana Pancakes

I went to bed last night with the intention of making pancakes for breakfast this morning. Didn't quite happen that way.

Last night's 4th of July party was wonderful! Thank you Jennifer and family for hosting us! My children had such a wonderful time with the roasted marshmallows, other sweet food, sparklers, fireworks and friends, that Philip actually told me through big tears and reddened face that he was not leaving. My dearest friend Sahnuah, who refers to me every once in a while as a "wise woman," tells some of her friends a story I once told to her, about Philip having to leave a party. He was probably not 4 yet, and of course having a wonderful time. This kid is insistent when he decides he is having fun. He just refuses to move. He's having fun, leave him alone. But sometimes life doesn't work that way. Sometimes, right in the middle of the fun, you have to leave. So what I said to him, spur of the moment, not knowing it was going to become known as a "wise thing to say and know," was "You can cry and leave the party at the SAME time." It's true! And I think the reason it's thought of at least by one person as a wise thing to say, is because as adults, I think we need to remember that we also can cry and leave the party at the SAME time. What's gotta be done, has got to be done. My wise friend Sahnuah has another noteable wise saying: "We can do this the easy way, or the hard way. You choose." I so did not mean get philosophical, but I did. Everything is a choice. Everything you do from the time you wake up each morning (closer to noon if you're me!) 'till the time you go to sleep, is a choice. So make your choices, remember if you don't choose the easy way, then it's you that chose the hard way. :) Ok, back to your regularly scheduled program. Or you can read the rest of my day...

I got up this morning intending to make pancakes. Instead, I looked around at my disgustingly messy house. And I actually saw it. Usually I choose to just look past it and let it go. But I have this birthday party coming up for my little two year old who will be 3 in a few days. And I'm having it here at my house. And remember those panicky circles I ran around in when I thought I lost Evan in K-mart? Yeah, I started doing that while looking at my really really messy house! My Mom AND my Mother-in-law are coming. The last party we went to, the hostess told us she cleaned her home 'till three in the morning. Ack!!! But it was spotless. So I decided I would start getting ready today for Sunday. And I enlisted the kids' help. And a friend's help (thank-you!). And now it's almost done. Thanks also to http://www.freecycle.org/. We'll just have to keep it this nice 'till Sunday. Cross your fingers we can do it! And there's still more to go. But I know the feeling of having to stay up until 3 to get something done, and I know the panic that comes before a large gathering occurs, in your home, and I am not going through that this time!

The really amazing part is that the kids really chipped in. Granted, they were "coerced" by the promise of a pack of Pokemon booster cards, but boy did that work! They all grabbed a rag and were spraying windows, mirrors and tubs and sinks! We (mostly they) cleaned every window and mirror in the house and Tyler cleaned the tubs and Philip cleaned the sinks. Tyler got INSIDE the tubs with his socks on, cause he couldn't reach any other way. I tell ya, I am loving Pokemon right now. Evan sprayed and cleaned some windows and helped return items to their "little homes." :) I'm thinking of having a "earn your Pokemon booster pack" day every week or so!

So, the house got cleaned. And at around 2:30 this afternoon, we all got our pancakes. It wasn't breakfast, but it was the first meal of the day! Hehehaha. :)

Off to finish the playroom...

Love, Tracee