Today was Arianna’s very first gymnastics class, and I had Gia with me, who is not in the class but sat on a bench like a good little girl the entire time, although she was itching to jump in the germ infested pit of colored plastic balls that the toddlers were in hog heaven rolling around in.

Pretty sure there is some contagious disease lurking on the yellow ball but I just smile and cringe as my daughter partakes in the funky (or some kind of funk) pit of fun.

Speaking of smiling, I have this sort of fake smile for 45 minutes straight as I stand around with moms I don’t know and who are clapping and smiling just like me (Wonder what’s really going on in their minds… “Ugh, I am so tired, what am I making for dinner? I really do not like that woman, Do I really have to sing this good bye song, I hope Jim does not want it tonight, there is noo way, I am bloated, drained, and exhausted).

At the end of class, we were gathering our coats and saying our goodbyes, and Gia asked if we could go to Dunkin Donuts, hard for a child to resist when we did park right in front of one and she is kind of used to going there.

Funny thing is when I was pregnant with Gia, I could not even go into a Dunkin Donuts without gagging from the smell. Perhaps I should get pregnant again to help me break this donut store addiction of ours. Future child would hold an important role in our lives- the baby that stopped munchkin madness!

Of course we were going, I already had that in mind when we parked our car near one and Gia was amazingly well behaved during the class, despite having to sit next to a boy, a major sacrifice for her. She is passionate about her disdain for members of the opposite sex!

Before I could even say anything, this woman next to me piped up and said, “Awww, I know right, such guilt, I mean I gave my daughter a rice krispie treat for breakfast, it’s something at least.”

Again, there’s that fake smile again, with a forced laugh I said, “Yea, I know what you mean.”

But, what I wanted to say was “LADY- Did I ask you for your opinion? Do I care what your daughter ate for breakfast, Do I look guilty or perplexed about the choice to take my kid to get a donut- do you have any idea that I write a @#$%ing blog and the main driving force behind it is our love of the donut shop?”

But I didn’t. I put on the fake mom smile – oh wait, it was still frozen on my face like some happy muppet, and said “Well, she did do such a good job of sitting here and my kids already had eggs for breakfast so I’m sure its fine.”

Of course it’s fine, their my kids, it’s my choice, and I have no guilt whatsoever and the part about the eggs, I made that up!

But I’m pretty sure if I told her what I really thought, I would have major guilt, not glazed with a side of blueberry muffin guilt.

So we go to our second home and Gia didn’t even want one- she wanted a bagel and cream cheese. Take that Ms. Rice Krispie.

Today was Make it Mondays

A while back, I discoved these Edible Color Markers by Wilton Brand at Michaels and thought that it could be fun to decorate marshmallows. Since it’s winter here, we created a snowy scene. We used a large piece of cardboard from a box, glue, and cotton balls. We made a couple of trees as well. This was our landscape to place the snowmen on.

Must use imagination- this is supposed to be snow!

Then the fun part- decorating the marshmallows.

This was our result- I think it kind of looks like a scene from a Halloween special, but hey, the kids had fun.

Scary looking marshmallow people

This was a simple idea that I thought of and it didn’t really come out that great BUT as soon as we started this project, G, said “Mom, this is so much fun!” and “I love this craft!”

This was then followed by a, “You’re the best Mom ever!”

Awww, she does happen to say this a lot lately and it probably is a phase but hey, I’ll take it.

A few thoughts during this craft- it really was a mess, especially with the two year old, and I tend to feel like a two faced momma when it comes to crafts…I read about them or think of something creative, get the materials, start the project and then start to feel my patience waning…thinking to myself, “Ok- I have to start dinner soon, this floor is a mess, the kids are a mess, darn it, there’s glue and marshmallows on my clothes, and I can’t take this anymore!”

Today, I tried to just go with it – they were happy and having fun and I felt a lot less guilty with this activity than dragging them to the mall.

I remembered back to this one day when I was on the check out line to purchase a dress at the Ann Taylor Loft and me, being the chat it up with anyone kind of woman, started talking to a very put together woman who was wearing an adorable white summer dress. She also had two year old twins in her double stroller. I said to her, “Wow, your brave wearing that white dress.”

She just laughed and said without any frown or hesitation, “Oh, everything is washable.”

This woman appeared so carefree and probably was the type who wouldn’t even get too upset, even if the twins did decide to create a masterpiece with spaghetti on her dress.

I cannot remember this woman’s face but obviously her attitude stuck with me. When you really think about it, messes, stains, and sticky faces are not too high a price to pay when your kids are happy, engaged, and having fun.

Here’s to relaxing, making messes, and knowing that crafts, projects, and crumbs can all be cleaned up (you may lose out on your putting your feet up and reading the latest gossip magazine time ) but I think it’s worth it. I surely feel fulfilled today and I have no idea Who wore it best!