My friend Kari just really has it going on, in every way. I’m utterly grateful that she has fallen into my life. She cares for me, supports me and does it all while making me laugh–a lot! She is an amazing SAHM of two adorable boys and creates a beautiful home and family life which she blogs all about at Once Upon Our House. Check it out! Thanks so much for posting today, Kari 🙂
So, so honored that Meredith asked me to be a “guest blogger!” Honored to call her my friend and to have the privilege to be entertained by her humorous look at motherhood (and no, she didnʼt pay me to say that!). Good to know weʼre all in this motherhood thing together (well those of us who are mothers, anyway), and that none of us has it all together just yet (if you do, please let us in on your secret; or not, and just leave us in our ignorant imperfection and have a good laugh at our expense!).
Muffin Mayhem
Ever been invited to a playdate? You know those playdates where our husbands jealously envision us kicking back and relaxing with friends while sipping gourmet coffee and catching up on the latest gossip (all while our husbands are slaving away in the office)? Yeah right, those playdates! I, like you, have had to enlighten my husband that playdates actually involve children, thus voiding any notion of “kicking back” for the mommies. Iʼm still an eager participant of playdates though (they might not be relaxing per se, but they can still be sanity savers in the midst of the chaos!).
 |
| Initial Cause of Mayhem |
Recently I was invited to a friendʼs for such a playdate. Upon receiving the kind invite, I asked, “What can I bring?” If this friend was willing to have multiple children and mommies invade her house at the potential risk of physical and/or household damage, I felt the least I could do was offer to bring something. It was a simple offer, really. Muffins. Just some simple muffins. At the time, I was almost positive I had a box of muffin mix in the pantry, and was sure that if I didnʼt, Iʼd most certainly be making a trip to the grocery store by then….
Now Iʼll fast forward to the morning of the playdate:
1. I discover a full pantry, devoid of any sign of muffin mix (and no, that trip to the
grocery store hadnʼt happened either).
2. I then quickly search for a delicious muffin recipe and find inspiration from my “How to Get Your Children to Eat Their Veggies by Sneaking Them into Their Favorite Foods Cookbook.” Not only would my made-from-scratch muffins be delicious, they would be highly nutritious too! Go me!
3. In the middle of making these “amazing” muffins, I realize I donʼt quite have all the necessary ingredients I thought I had for the “Blueberry Lemon Muffins.” “Oops!” With no time to start another recipe, I frantically start making deletions/substitutions/additions at will:
– “Why is my bottle of lemon extract EMPTY?! Thatʼs not that essential, is it?”
– “Ugh! Who left just 16 blueberries in that bag in the freezer? Blueberries,
shmooberries. Who needs blueberries? But here are some blackberries…. Yeah,
theyʼre almost the same thing….”
– “Lemon yogurt? Yeah, no lemon yogurt. Letʼs just throw in some blueberry yogurt
instead. No one will know the difference. The lemon zest will make up for it….”
– “Yellow squash? Are you serious? Hmm, how about some applesauce…?”
4. As I mix all the ingredients together, my muffin “batter” is more the consistency of biscuit dough. So I throw in some more applesauce. Seems to make complete sense at the time…
5. When I finally slide the tin full of muffin goo into the oven, Iʼm reminded that cooking is usually a lot more forgiving with “modifications,” while baking is known to be more of an exact science. My revised muffin recipe is far from an “exact science;” actually itʼs much closer to a science experiment.
6. The clock is ticking. There are still kids (and myself) to get dressed, one to get to the bus stop, and the other one to get off to the playdate with me. While the muffins bake, I round up the troops and silently pray my muffin experiment will be a success.
7. I pull the muffins out of the oven just minutes before itʼs time to leave. And decide I better try one before serving them up to my friends. I quickly bite into one and think, “Not too bad”. And then I chew. And chew. And chew. And that one bite seems to be mysteriously expanding in my mouth with each and every chew. My jaw begins to hurt, and I finally do my best to swallow the doughy lump. So whatʼs a girl to do? I, of course, throw the muffins into a tupperware and head out the door with them, banking that the depth of my friendships will override this muffin disaster.
8. On the way to my friendʼs house, I notice a strange taste in my mouth that just wonʼt go away. Ugh, muffin aftertaste! “How far can one test the strength of friendship?,” I wonder to myself.
9. When I get to the playdate, Iʼve regained my confidence. I walk in, muffins in hand and my head held high, confident that the love and acceptance of these friends run far deeper than the taste of a muffin. And you know what? My friends and their kiddos actually gobble up my playdate snack!
And if youʼre wondering how that worked out, let me just show you what those muffins sort of ended up looking like once they made it to the playdate:
And although these arenʼt muffins, I figured they couldnʼt hurt either:
So can I just take this opportunity to say (in a non-paid-spokeswoman sort of way), “Thank you Dunkin Donuts. Thank you for saving me and many a harried playdate mom who has gone before me. Youʼre right there when we need you, right there on every stinkinʼ corner, calling to us with your high-fat, high-who-knows-what playdate treats when we need you. And this made-from-scratch, nutrition-conscious mom
salutes you!” My homemade muffins? Yeah, they stayed in the car. I decided to spare my friends
and save those muffins for my enemies….
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