Brain Dump, Vaguely Allergy Style

In the process of sitting down to write this post, I received seven! phone calls. I don't know why I can't get anything done.

ANYWAY, bullet time:

• Go Dairy Free is having a Bob's Red Mill grains giveaway! Enter by Oct. 2.
• You can learn more about the quinoa you might win here.
• Stephanie O'Dea's newest Slow Cooker book is out. It's on my birthday list, hint hint.
• Yes, my birthday is tomorrow. It can be late.
• Isn't it weird to hit ages you remember your parents being? I still remember the '39 forever' cocktail napkins someone bought my dad as a joke. And here we are.
• Julie Bowen narrates a free children's allergy e-book you can find here. Don't tell me what happened on Modern Family; we're watching it tonight.
• Modern Family will help wash away the tears left from last night's NYPD Blue episode where Bobby died. Why did I watch it again? Whhhyyy?
• We recently had the chance to try Enjoy Life Food's Decadent Bars. While I enjoy making homemade granola bars, it is so nice to have a prepackaged snack option I trust that is nationally available. These are perfect to take to events where the snack may not be safe, and they are an easy item to tell people about if they want to provide a safe snack. The flavors are Chocolate SunButter (our favorite), S'mores (the kids' favorite), Cinnamon Bun, and Cherry Cobbler. I will definitely be buying them.
• We have a ton of apples in the house right now. Yay, fall! What are your favorite apple recipes? 
• And, there's the phone again....

First Day of School

As a child, I always wondered why parents were so perky about their children going to school when the children were sad. But when your child is burying their face in your midsection saying, "Mom, I'm really going to miss you when I'm at school," I can see that replying, "I'm going to miss you, too. Every summer ending is sadder than the one before because it means you're one year older and one year closer to leaving my house forever. And even though we have many more summers left together, this is the only one I got to spend with seven-year old you. I'll be wondering how you're doing every second. I love you." might be a little more than you need to lay on your kid. Can I sail through the changin' ocean tides? Can I handle the changes of my liiiife....?*

I can also see that having your youngest and eldest children celebrate birthdays the weekend before school begins is just poor planning. There is no escaping the fact that you now have a twelve-year old and that your baby is three and the crib is sitting forlornly in the basement. I'm getting older, tooo....

The Kindergartner returned home saying, "Mom, was it a long or short time at home while I was at school? Because it felt like a short time at school." I hope it was the same for her brother and sister. I will not tell them it was an eternity for me.

*I don't know who quotes Landslide more, Nicole or me. Also, in answer to your question, Nicole, Florida in June is oh so hot, but the rain does make it nice and extra humid.