I have a lot of things going on in my head these days. I also am going on very little sleep and like Zoolander I think I am getting the black lung. I've been up coughing most nights for 3 weeks. I am also running a million different scenarios through my head, as to how best to incorporate Jen Hatmaker's book "7" and David Platt's book "Radical" and Francis Chan's book "Crazy Love" into our lives. Out of a world of 7 billion people, there are billions living on less than $4 a day. We on the other hand, drop more than that on one meal. Bill and I have been prayerfully considering what this type of responsibility means for our family. As we figure out what God is calling us to do, I will update you all, but I am giving you this backstory so you can understand the reason behind my lack of a brain today.

I have also been feeling like a fat butt lately. That could be because I may or may not have made convenient frozen balls of cookie dough and then may or may not have managed to consume them, some didn't even make it to the oven. darn ball of delectable goodness--salmonella, you don't scare me! (I take that back--please don't come for me, salmonella). I love to bake, but I need to reign in my love for it, because otherwise I will end up with an even bigger behind. However, I had some bananas that were well past the point that anyone in this house would dare touch. I am trying not to waste food, but also avoid a big behind. Enter Joy the Baker's Low Fat Oatmeal Banana Bread.

Liam's best best best friends, twins, James and Andrew, came over to play today. The boys all play really well together, so I thought that even in my sleep deprived, swirly brain state, I would be able to make a loaf of banana bread whilst keeping an eye on four boys. Brendan even came to help me whip the egg whites. I mixed up the bread and put it in the oven. I decided to make it even healthier by substituting the white flour for white whole wheat flour. I was feeling granola-y. I cut myself a slice and took a bite while it was still warm. Hmmmm....I guess my palate isn't really trained for something this, well, wheat-y. I figured that it was because I subbed the flour. I quickly ran through the ingredients in my brain--I have an excellent memory when I don't need it. SUGAR! crap! I completely omitted the sugar! Who does that? My pretty healthy banana bread just became ridiculously healthy--all I am missing are some flax seeds and perhaps some spelt flour and a little quinoa for crunch. I jest.

My mom suggested that I use it for french toast. I actually think that is a pretty awesome idea. Thanks for saving me from a baking failure--and since I love baking--baking failures usually end with me curled in the fetal position crying "why did I not set the kitchen timer?" or "I KNEW I should't have used butter flavored Crisco." or now "How could I forget the sugar?" It is really sad. So thank you mom, for sparing the children that tragic sight.

Kindergarten Registration

Today, Kindergarten registration started at 9:00 AM. I needed to register Liam so I figured instead of taking the kids to school at 8:40, getting back home by 8:45 and turning around and going right back, I would ask if I could hang out at the school until registration. I hoped they would just let me fill out my forms since I had Brendan with me, and by the time I was done it would be time for registration and they could take my proof of residency documents.

I told the office lady that I had dropped Liam off at his Early Childhood class and needed to register him for Kindergarten. I asked if it would be alright if I waited instead of taking Brendan home and coming right back. The office lady said I could wait and sit at the table. She did NOT offer me to get started on the forms, which were already sitting on the table staring at me. So, for 20 minutes we waited. I stared at the forms and had an internal battle in my head that went something like this:

Bad Me: Just grab the forms and start filling them out

Good Me: But what if I get in trouble

Bad Me: Brendan is going to get restless--they are just on a power trip by making you wait

Good Me: Well, it said registration is at 9--what if there is someone special coming to give instruction?

Alas, Good Me won. I obediently waited. At 9:00 AM the exact same lady that I talked to came out of the office--took the proof of Residency forms from the couple that had just shown up and handed them forms to fill out. Then the lady turns to me and says, "Did you say your son was in the Early Childhood program?" I nod. "Well then you don't need to register him--he's already in the system." End Scene.