Secret Vice

My favorite thing to do after I put the kids to bed is fix me a big bowl of vanilla ice cream with chocolate syrup. Yummy. I do use the Blue Bunny no sugar added vanilla so I don't feel so bad. But then I have to balance it out with a little Hersey's chocolate syrup. OK, a lot. I always get more than I intended to. It looks like I don't have enough - who can eat just plain vanilla - and I just keep slinging more on. And a little more. And one more drop just to make sure. Kind of defeats the purpose of the no sugar added, huh? Keep in mind, I don't do this every night.

What I hate is when I am trying to savor every sweet, chocolaty vanilla bite and my kids won't stay in the bed. This always seems to happen when I have made my delectable snack and I have just taken the first mouth watering bite. It's like they know that I am eating this behind their backs. So, they get out of bed and sneak to where ever I am with some excuse as to why they are not where they are supposed to be. I know, you are saying "Wait until those critters go to sleep! Haven't you learned your lesson?" I agree with you, you just don't understand, I can't wait. I have to have it now. It's so gooood.

So what do I do about this? Well, first I try to hide my bowl and keep my mouth closed so they don't smell chocolate on my breath. They are girls so if chocolate is involved, they know it! I do this as I am trying to shoo them out of my space and back towards their beds. This my friend, does not work. "What are you eating?" is always the first thing they say. Of course my answer is the same answer any smart mom would say "Nothing" as my voice goes up an octave. So I calmly escort them back to bed and tell them good night and all that good stuff over again then run back to my sweet treat. It never fails, someone gets up a second time. Not so nice mama anymore. This time I usually get a little agitated as I envision my frozen secret melting into a puddle of slimy vanilla and chocolate swirl. Most of the time I yell, "What are you doing? You are supposed to be in bed!" My chocolate is drowning in my vanilla! "Get back in bed." Then I take them back to bed and tuck them in tight - that outta hold 'em another minute or two. Usually, when my kids get out of bed after I have already put them to bed, I don't walk with them back to their rooms and put them back in bed. They go on their own. However, when there is the risk of melting ice cream involved, I have to make sure they are actually getting back in bed.

Usually by the time I actually get to eat my ice cream it has turned into a soupy, drippy bowl of slush. Yes, I still eat it and no it is not the same. All I ask is to be able to enjoy my secret vice and not be interrupted. In order for this to happen, I have to have restraint and patience. If I can restrain myself from jerking the freezer door open and diving in as soon as I bound out of their rooms, I may be able to accomplish just that. Patience. My Grandma always had this little picture frame that sat on her kitchen table and in it was something that she had cross stitched that said "Lord give me patience and I want it right now." That is so me right now!

So, here I am once more slurping soupy ice cream and writing a blog. Yum.