eatthefrostingfirst

 Goodbye 2020. I feel pretty confident in saying no one will really miss you.  I know I wont. I lost my dog and my Mom in 2020. I lost my patience, sanity, ability to see 20 feet in front of me without glasses, freedom to hug my friends and my right to take 3 hours in Target if I want. Our kids lost out on senior years, freshman years, sports, theatre, band, lunch in cafeterias and the ability to walk around aimlessly during free periods.  And no one could get off the phone by saying "I gotta go" because where the hell were we going? Yes. I'm pretty confident no one will be longing for 2020 in years to come. OR WILL WE? Will we be missing out on the having all the time in the world to watch movies with our kids and catch up with people on the phone (or zoom)?  I mean, our basements, attics, playrooms and pantry closets have never looked cleaner. We have baked, cooked, crafted, knitted, walked, meditated and have made Peloton a household name.  We have had more wine, more

I typed my college applications on a typewriter. I used white out if I screwed up. I barely had any extra curricular activities and if I did, they were not application worthy. I was not athletic, artistic, musical or a great student. I did shitty on my SAT's. Yet; I got into colleges. Plural. None were my first choice but; I got in. I did know what I wanted to major in at the age of 17, however, I changed that a year into school. I survived all this and lived to blog about it. I have a sophomore and a junior in HS. Oldest is starting to explore schools and you know what I'm learning? We aren't in 1986 anymore. SAT vs ACT. Subject Tests. AP classes. Volunteering. Extra curricular activities (and not just one or two) Essays. And more essays. Excel. Excel. EXCEL. I hope you started your own non profit or invented something STEM like (another word we didn't use in the 80's.) (Or at least I didn't). (Although if I'm being honest, if it wasn't about talking on

Sat in the produce section for 5 minutes trying to open a plastic bag to put the broccoli in. Woman came up next to me, grabbed a plastic bag and just as I was about to crack a joke about how impossible it is to open these things- her apples are in the bag and she’s already moved on to onions. Embarrassed that I couldn’t open the bag, I figured it must be said bag; so I grabbed another. And guess what? It wasn’t said bag. It was my inability to open the bag. And this I blame on covid- obviously ! Because pre covid- I would lick my finger and put it on the bag to help open it. But I’m in a mask. And I’m not about to put my hands in my mouth before washing them (which when I think about it- it’s gross that I did this pre- covid but whatever. I survived ) So I take out my trusty spray hand sanitizer (thanks Trader Joe’s) and spray my hands and Voila! My hands are sticky enough to open the bag! Take that onion apple lady.

 Things I’m realizing.. I really want to lose weight but my desire to eat food overpowers this.  Sweet snacks are better frozen.  Especially nestles chocolate chips. Which may be the reason I can’t lose weight . 2020 has come full circle. I’m back to puzzles. And banana breads. And arranging the Tupperware drawer. (But not in one day because then I’d be out of things to do the following day. ) Has anyone tried the ketchup puzzle? Who knew coming up with a peloton name would be so stressful? My 65(plus) lb dog thinks she’s a lap dog.  I’m a bit over all this family bonding time.  I’m not feeling very auld lang syne like this year  But I’m all for taking the cup o’ kindness. Bring on 2022. Yea- that’s not a typo

 It’s a snow day. Not really. I mean, it’s snowing alright but my kids are in remote school. This has been a debate for 2020. Should schools have an actual snow day or a remote day so they can continue with school?  I have high schoolers so I vote for remote.  Not that they don’t deserve a morning to sleep in and have hot chocolate but they’re past the making snowmen and wanting to sled phase so a snow day to my highschoolers is just like a weekend day in 2020. Sleeping.  And doing nothing.  My town opted for a remote day.  I’m on board because ... anything that says “an earlier summer “ is ok in my book. So it’s 925AM and we already have 10 inches of snow.  Oldest knocked on my door to tell me he has a 2 hour break right now.  Let me tell you that school only goes until 1230 anyway. C block he has a free and B block his Chem teacher emailed and said he wouldn’t be online so he has a free.  Seriously?  Remote learning sucks. Where are you chem teacher?  I’ll give the guy a break.  Mayb

Dear Charlotte, Daniel, Rachel, Olivia, Josephine, Ana, Dylan, Dawn, Madeline, Catherine, Chase, Jesse, James, Grace, Anne Marie, Emilie, Jack, Noah, Caroline, Jessica, Avielle, Lauren, Mary, Victoria, Benjamin, and Allison, I picked up my children from elementary school on December 14, 2012. Parents were gathering around waiting for the bell to ring. There were tears in our eyes and fear in our hearts. We had all heard the news. Your town could’ve been our town. Your kids could’ve been our kids. We hugged. The bell rang. Our elementary aged children came pouring out of the building. Noise and laughter shortly filled the outside yard. Backpacks and artwork were being thrown into parents arms but all we wanted to do was scoop up our kids and envelope them into giant hugs. To nuzzle into their necks and to smell their hair. To feel their skin and wipe the juice box stains off of their mouths. Life was just another ordinary day to our kids. But it was not another ordinary day for us. W

 I'm thinking there are a few bright sides to this mask wearing. I cut down on makeup. Put on sunglasses and a hat and you can seriously become unrecognizable. You don't know if I have something stuck in my teeth. Hides any acne flare ups or dreaded chin hairs. I can mumble under my breath. You can cough into  your mask without needing to cover your mouth. The downside is no one can tell you're smiling at them. Which we all kind of need these days. Stay safe. Mask up. This isn't forever