When J was born, I could tell that he wasn't going to be like Matt. He was more quiet, more subdued about things, just didn't have a care in the world. Boy did I under estimate him
He goes to daycare and I'm not one of those parents that freak every time my child gets a nick or a scrap. If it requires stitches, I still don't freak simple because Matt had 4 sets of stitches in his chin and a broken thumb that required surgery (pin placement) all before he was 6. Poor kid started kindergarten with a cast. But it was cool, trust me.
This week my kid has turned into the very Evel Knievel that walks the streets of my fair town. Tuesday I head to pick him up from school. His wonderful teacher Sandy, DeeDee as J calls her, tells me that she has an accident report for me to fill out. Eh, okay. They do that for everything. Before I head to the class to get him, I sign the report, she tells me he fell off the slide. I didn't think much of it because he has now realized that if you lift your feet, you go faster. So off to the class I go. I open the door and this is what greets me.
Little did I know that he decided HALF WAY DOWN that he was going to jump off the slide. Damn this child, he will be the death of me.
To top it all off, not that it matters, yesterday was picture day. Yep, my 2 y/o had to get pictures with mulch rash down his face. Thank Bob the photographer is actually a photographer and left me a note that she is going to PhotoShop his face.
Lovely.
I'm only posting a Mouthwatering Monday for the simple fact that my oldest says "Mom, this is the shit". Yes, he said that...last night as a matter of fact. While in the same breath going "I'm taking pictures of dinner." You are so shuddup and do it.
I'm extremely lazy when it comes to making dinner. Believe it or not, I love to cook but hate the clean up. My mom turned me on to this recipe and I love it! Both boys eat it so it makes it even better.
All starts with this:
Months ago I used to be so good about Sunday's being a family day. The kids and I would head some where cheap and by cheap I'm usually meaning free. Because of life, school, work, and anything else that got thrown at us, we got out of the habit of doing it. Today we started all over again.
This morning, all of us headed down to Ybor City. Usually Ybor is known for the night life, the clubs, the drunks. During the day it's an array of sidewalk cafes, culture, history and the best of all, cigar making. I love the smell of non-lit cigars. Sunday's in a hard day to capture that because most rollers are off but we could still window peek.
Matt got some great pictures. Poor kid, we get all the way down there and the memory card for his camera is in the computer from me uploading yesterdays pictures. Yeah, bad mom. So he shot with my camera all day.
Here's the full, unedited, set if you'd like to see them all.
Matt was doing his own little photo shoot with this Ferrari that was parked in one of the parking lots. I kept yelling at him to stop fearful the owner would come out. 
We have our own Coyote Ugly 
Miniature cigar rolling desk 
Cobwebs left over from Guavaween. Kind of like a Tampa style Mardi Gras. 
And I think I'm going to do it. What you say? The 365 days of me. Why? Because I have nothing else to do. Yeah right. 
After we got done doing all of that, we headed to the airport. Yeah, the airport. For an hour, free of charge, we can sit on top of the parking garage and it fills the needs of both my kids. J with the airplanes and Matt shooting photographing the planes. Head over to Matt's to see the pictures from the airport.
Oh yes it is.
Every Monday I watch Rachel post her mouthwatering, drooling recipes and every Monday I say I'm going to try that one. Usually that requires me getting off my ass, fixing it, wondering if the kids are going to eat it and then cleaning the kitchen. See, that's way too much work.
Today was different. I was tacking these. Dirty stuffed green peppers. I love stuffed peppers but usually do the "traditional" recipe. Is there one? Yes, there is...it's the ones I've been making for 15 years. I needed change. I needed something different. So I did it and let me say....O M G! They were delish!
They were so easy to make. Half hour or so and they were done. Much easier then my traditional recipe. So mine may not look as pretty as Rachel's but it all went down the hatch the same.
Next Monday I might be as inclined to do this again. Whatcha got for me next week Rachel?
Oh and by the way, she contributes to Blissfully Delish, so you may want to check her out over there too.
So my good friend Rachel posted this afternoon about "OMG, she's a mom". It was a great post about now you have kids, you are no longer the one being run around to practice, dance, etc. (Go visit and read but only after your done here) It all came full circle to me when I got home from work.
Matt, the oldest, went last week to get his senior pictures done. Something that I was not prepared for at all. After seeing him in the "half" tux, I did shed a tear (I'm not that heartless). My baby is all grown up. I will have to admit something first though. I swear to whomever, if I hear out of his mouth one more time that he's a senior and wants to do things this year....I'll kill him. I really will.
Back to full circles...when I got home, I checked the mail and the portraits are here. OMG, he's grown up to fast, too soon. I can't go through this again with another one. Was I crazy when I signed up for a second go round? Yes, probably.
So here I am staring at was used to be my baby
To my senior
This can't be happening...it's really not allowed to. I think I'll just crawl under a rock or find myself a beautiful, white jacket to use for the next 16 years.