St Augustine Day

In July, we met up with my good childhood friend Jamie,  in St. Augustine. 

Jamie and I have been friends since we were in the 6th grade. Over the years we've drifted in and out of contact as life drifted us in various directions. Over the past year, we have been able to reconnect and introduce our children to one another. In a neat twist of events, her Liam and my Rye have become friends, too.

 So I guess you could say it was a double play date :) We rode the Ripley's Red Trains and the carousel in Davenport Park  (Say, do you know the difference between a carousel and a merry-go-round? We do.) And we rode out the rain in the nearby Dunkin Donuts. It was a really great day. 

If you ever have an occasion to tour St. Augustine, take it. Learn stuff. It is a fascinating old city. I plan to go again sometime and pay closer attention to the details. And to take pictures. Again. Because the entire roll of our day together was lost to a corrupt SD card. (I've tried multiple recovery programs to no avail) It makes me heart sick to think about. I really love pictures. ( I think this is in large part because of my horrible memory... pictures help.) And I really love my friend. Glad she can't be erased by corruption. ::winky face:: 

Oddly enough, the last time we got together at the beach, I was so busy enjoying our visit that I didn't think to take pictures. 

If I didn't know better, I'd think it was a cosmic conspiracy. Since I do know better, I know  it's just sucky luck. (Filthy language, I know... but I didn't know a more fitting word...sorry) 

Once Jamie & Liam got back on the road towards their location, my group made a pit stop at Gator Bob's and ended up waiting out more rain in their coin-op lobby. This five minutes was the only time I used my phone's camera. I had purposely used an actual camera for the day's visit so that I could take a lot of photos-(my phone had little space available at the time.) Figures, don't it?

Rainbow Sprinkles

 Rye's art & snack session was set up like this. 

Look closely at those pencil leads, it will be important later. 

Sugar is brainfood...it was a perfectly nutritious snack...stop judgin' me :)

 Sprinkles make ya sweet...

...and Sprinkles are inspiring! 

Yes...just a shirt & training pants... it's what works for us... 

~Sugar Lips~

Okay, time for the story. 

I bought a container of sprinkles in hopes of convincing Riley to broaden her culinary horizons. Currently, she and Buddy the Elf share a similar palate. 

Yes, sprinkles are made of sugar too, but if you shake them over, say, Mashed Potatoes or Chicken Nuggets then sugar becomes a lesser ingredient. Especially when compared with most of her current preferred favorites, like "Big Chocolate Cupcake Cookies" (a.k.a. Reese Cups) and Pink Ice Cream. 

 It isn't an exact science, but it has met with some success. 

So, Riley had a little bowl of sprinkles during her art and snack session and needless to say, when she was finished I had a living room full of rainbow colored sprinkles and some artwork to add to Riley's portfolio.

BUT... I didn't clean the mess up.. I had to run to a baseball game for Chandler.  I left the chaos to be dealt with upon our return. 

The thing is, by the time we returned- it was dark. Riley had fallen asleep in the car. I tucked her in and went quietly to the living room to clean up her 'creative explosion' from earlier. I left the lights off and vacuuming til morning, opting for the quieter method of sweeping sprinkles from the coffee table into my hand. 

Who can resist sprinkles, I ask you?

Not me, that's for sure. 

Absentmindedly, I licked a few clingy sprinkles from my fingers  as I walked the lot of them to the wastebasket.

"These taste like PLASTIC!' I thought to myself.

and 

"That's what I get for buying sprinkles from the Dollar Tree."

I had brushed the remaining sprinkles into the bin and returned for the pencils when it dawned on me:

"OH! I bet I just ate colored pencil leads..."

I opened the little container of sprinkles to taste-test my hypothesis: 

If they tasted like plastic, I knew my menu expansion plan would need to be adjusted- a more expensive brand of sprinkles sought and bought before we could proceed with sprinkling the scrambled eggs in the morning. 

However, if they were sweet, as sprinkles should be, I would know I had just tasted the rainbow... quite literally. 

Well...

If they had been sprinkles, I wouldn't be telling you this story.

 I'd simply say "Don't buy dollar store sprinkles"

As it were, I say "Learn from my folly" 

Colored pencil leads or  rainbow sprinkles? It doesn't matter- toss 'em out!

Whenever I Mop...

EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.

Sometimes it is kool aid, other times an entire gallon of milk. This time it was the whole pitcher of tea...which I was really looking forward to, but did not resort to lapping from the floor... even though it had just been mopped a few hours prior.