The Thursday Night Gong Show

Every family has 'those' nights where you feel like you're running around like a chicken with its head cut-off, while screaming: "Is it bed-time yet?!?!"

Today was one of those nights.

It started with me having a major brain fart.  Shannon was going to her friend's dance class because it was "Bring a Friend to Dance Class" night, and her friend picked Shannon.  She was BEYOND excited.  She was all set to go in her dance leotard, leg warmers (yes, I said leg warmers), and had her hair in a bun.  I started making dinner, while we waited for 5:30 to roll around (which was the time the dance class started).  At 5:06 I heard my phone beep, only to discover a text from my friend. It read: "Is Shannon still coming to dance?"

Oh.  CRAP!!! Dance class started at 5:00 not 5:30!!!

Well thank goodness for those leg-warmers, because I threw Shannon in the car in her coat and boots and off we went.  I'm not going to say how fast I drove for fear of incriminating myself, but let's just say that I got her there by 5:10.

Oye.

Next on the docket was making cupcakes for Aidan's class to celebrate his birthday.  I saw this cool marshmallow icing trick on Pinterest (biggest time-suck EVER) and thought I'd try it.  It entailed putting a marshmallow on top of the cupcake with 5 minutes left to bake.  Simple right?

Simple if you are a mere mortal.  If you are a talented klutz like myself.... not so much.

Chris had gone to a meeting, so the kids were all crowded around me as I placed the marshmallows on the cupcakes in the oven.  Being uber-coordinated, I knocked the tray and one of the marshmallows fell off..... right onto the burner. 

Anyone who's been around a campfire knows what happens next:  POOF!  A marshmallow inferno.

Oh.  CRAP!!!!  (I'm sensing a theme here)

Time literally stood still as I stared at the blazing marshmallow.  Do I close the oven door and let it burn out? No.  That might ruin the element.  Do I throw water on it? No. That would ruin the cupcakes.  As I'm pondering what to do, another marshmallow fell and quickly ignited.

DOUBLE CRAP!

While yelling for the kids to stay back, I grabbed a pair of tongs, pulled the marshmallows off the element, blew them out and threw them in the sink.  Aidan quickly pounced into action and turned the water on, while yelling: "NO ONE TOUCH THE MARSHMALLOWS!!"  (thank God the almost 9 year old has some sense!)

After so much excitement, you'd think I'd ditch the marshmallow icing idea.  Nope - I'm stupid stubborn that way.  They emerged five minutes later looking - meh.  I put an Oreo cookie on top (hellooooooo.... it's supposed to be a hockey puck!) and voila!  Marshmallow topped cupcakes.

Those kids better appreciate those damn cupcakes!

After I cleaned the charred marshmallow remains from the sink, I turned around to find Marin putting on a tattoo (you know, the ones where you put the tattoo on, put a wet cloth on top and count to thirty?) She had the washcloth on her arm and was saying: "firty eight, firty nine.... what comes after firty nine Mummy?"

Trying not to laugh at the sheer cuteness of it, I said: "Forty."

"Oh" She said very seriously.  "Forty.  Forty firty one, forty firty two, forty firty free...."  Oh.  my... gosh.  If we could bottle that sweetness up I'd make a fortune!!!

Next it was time to straighten Shannon's hair.  WHAT?!?!? You ask.  I know - how could I DARE straighten her fabulous curls.  Well...... she's seen me straighten my hair and has asked me to do hers.  I've always said 'no' mostly because I know how freakin' long it would take to straighten her hair and I'm lazy.  But, tomorrow is rock star day at school so I told Shannon I'd straighten her hair, and then spray it blue. (Bite your tongue mom!)

So I popped in a movie and off we went.  Half an hour later, my girl's beautiful curls were gone. (the blue spray will be applied tomorrow)  Quinn took one look at her and said: "Wow! Shannon, you look like Rapunzel."  The child hasn't stopped smiling.

Well of course Marin wanted her hair straightened too.  You can imagined how thrilled I was to attempt to straighten an almost three year old's hair.  You know what?  That little monkey sat so still it was no problem.

She may be smiling in this picture, but she was quite angry that her hair wasn't as long as Shannon's.  She kept saying: "Mummy, you didn't straighten my hair!!"

And finally, it was bedtime.  And time for a glass of red for me.