The amount of chocolate I consume in any given time period is always in direct correlation with my stress level at that time. The more I eat, the more anxious I must be feeling. (I think most of y'all know what I'm talking about. You didn't know I was just suddenly transported to Texas though eh... and there's Canada)

Today, during a one hour time frame, I consumed:
* a brownie
* hot chocolate
* a pudding cup
* does the chocolate part of a harvest flavored candy corn count? Cause I ate three of those.
* a mini size 100 grand bar whose destiny was supposed to be in the plastic pumpkin of a lucky young Power Ranger or Harry Potter, but what's a desperate girl to do?

I needed some caffeine-rich, endorphin-releasing high calorie cocoa... stat.
I'm not ashamed.

Daniel's homework was to cut coupons from the Sunday paper to practice using scissors. Knowing this would be a popular activity, I set up a spot for Katie too.
They were nice and quiet for about ten minutes. Then the yelling began. Despite the abundance of coupons, they each of course wanted the same one and I found myself pitifully trying to solve the issue before someone's eye was poked out with blunt child-safe scissors.
When I finally released the potential weapons from the tiny scrunched fists, I made a very poor attempt at humor.
I lightly bonked my son's head with the back of the freed scissors and said "You can't both have the same coupon, there's a whole pile here to pick from, numnuts." ( I gave up mother-of-the-year a long time ago)
Unfortunately he did not see my face and witness the smile I was wearing because he thought I was seriously mad and went tearing upstairs to his room with me calling pitifully after him "I'm not angry! I was only messing around! You are not a numnut!" (I don't even know what that is, it just slipped out.)

And then I had some chocolate.
(Daniel quickly recovered and of course we had a nice talk about all the appropriate things you need to cover in this scenario; sharing, the dangers of sharp objects, and the stupidity of parents)

Then Maureen came by and brought more chocolate.

She's always had a sixth sense about these things.

Bless her.

And her delicious chocolate baked goods.

She helped me begin to figure out this sewing machine so generously given to me by my sister-in-law, Nicole.

I'm not a seamstress by ANY stretch of the word and so if I want to learn how to make fabulous Halloween costumes or angel wings or bunny ears or even patches on Daniel's worn pants, I need to start learning.

Unfortunately I don't possess the gene that makes it a desirable activity for me. I was perfectly happy to watch Maureen demonstrate how it works by sewing on Shannon's Brownie patches for me. Convenient right? I think I'll need a few more lessons before I'm comfortable on my own.

It's going to take some serious chocolate to motivate me too.