Summertime, And the Livin’ is Easy (except for the babysitter!)

We are in the middle of a massive heat wave. It is so hot outside that if we’re not out and about then our spoiled little selves are basically either outside in the pool or inside in the air-conditioning. We’re not complaining about this – it is summer after all, and we wait all year long for this stuff – but we do recognize that we’re spoiled as all get-out by having: a) a pool, and b) central air. Yes, we know we’re lucky. So, this morning Ryan shows up to babysit with grocery bags in hand. She tells me that her grand plan is to make cupcakes with the kids today, and she’s got all the ingredients. I looked at her slightly cock-eyed and told her that I thought she was “adventurous” and that I personally would probably never attempt such a feat (let alone on a record-breaking-hot summer day), but that I couldn’t wait to hear how it all turned out. The kids were beside themselves with excitement over this whole impending culinary adventure. I left for work wishing I could be a fly on the wall and wondering what my kitchen was going to look like at the end of the day. Later, at work, I got this email~~~

from: Ryan
to: Heather
date: Thu, Jul 21, 2011 at 12:11 PM
subject: Pictures of the day

Hello Heather,

It has been a hectic day. We successfully made the cupcakes and Owen is using everything in him to not eat them before they have cooled. I have attached pictures of the finished results. Additionally, Owen helped Meera tatoo herself with her name, there is a picture of that as well. I will wipe her down before putting her down for her nap. 

Enjoy the day and pictures,

Ryan, Owen, Kyle and Meera

 

I knew that their plan was to frost and decorate the cupcakes after Meera woke up from her nap. I could only imagine how that was going to go.

I got home to some happy sugar-hyped kids running around like crazy maniacs, and Ryan with dust-buster in hand desperately trying to vacuum up sprinkles from the floor. Turns out that the marker Owen used to “tatoo” Meera was not washable, and she has her name stained into her skin in numerous places all over her body (I could plainly see this since she was running around happy as a clam and 100% naked upon my arrival home). She is thrilled about this. The cupcakes were over-the-top masterpieces of synthetic summer colors and the threesome could not have been prouder of their projects (both the cupcake creations and the tatoo artistry). Miraculously, even Ryan had a smile on her face and seemed – as usual – undaunted by the whole scene and unfazed by the insanity that defines the Never-A-Dull-Momentness of our existence. I’m still finding bits of frosting in the most random of places imaginable… and tiny cupcake decor in crevices and corners all over the place…  but I am able to just kind of laugh inside with each piece of hardened frosting or sugary decoration that I find. This is exactly how I want their summer to be.

from: Heather
to: Ryan
date: Thu, Jul 21, 2011 at 10:09 PM
subject: just have to share

Ryan,

OMG, I just have to tell you— we always say prayers every night before bed. Tonight this was Owen’s prayer (I kid you not) —   “Dear God, I really love my family. And thank you for frosting. Amen.”

I had all I could do to not bust out laughing. 😉

Goodnight,

Heather