Rileyfamily

Sorry for the repeat! Ben suggested I post this story on Rileyfamily too, so if you read HG, then this will be a skipper for you -but there will be another all new post tomorrow

I was recently reminded by Jenny, of Picky Palate fame, of my quest to make the perfect vegetable lasagne. She made a TDF-looking version that made my mouth water just looking at it! Hers was a red-sauce variety whilst I was striving for white -since I'm a cream sauce girl! Anyway, I started this quest a few years ago and gave it up. However, I recently decided to jump back on the old horse... and when I say 'recently', I mean about 5:45 last night, the very hour dinner probably should have been coming out of the oven. Oh well! These kind of spontaneous moments are what husbands w0rking late are for.

In my hasty excitment, I neglected to remember that I didn't have most of the vegetables or cheeses, let alone lasagne sheets. Dang, I wasn't going to escape my usual emergency trip to the store. You will probably learn more about me and how I roll from this post and what you are about to read than any other post I've ever written, starting with what I just wrote. So if you want to siddle on up and be my bff for 2 minutes, read on.

So I load up the kids and head to Castle Towers. I was in my sweats, which was embarrassing. Not even at 9 months pregnant, in my wheel-chair, throwing up all over the place, heart palpitations and all, did I ever leave the house in sweats. Yes, I am that vain. However, at this hour and with my excitement brewing at the thought of my creation, not to mention in an attempt to curb my vanity, there simply wasn't time for wardrobe attention.

I rushed through the store, loaded the car up, buckled the kids in, and was ready to set off for home. Then I realized I somehow didn't have the keys anymore. They weren't in my pocket, they are ALWAYS in my pocket. I have real trouble with loosing things, so I've developed the highly sophisticated pocket system, which up until now had never failed me. I thought and thought about it, and came to the conclusion that they musn't be far, because I unlocked the car in the first place to put everything and everyone in.

So I start with the bags, unloading and reloading each one. Check the cart, check the kids, check the ignition, check the nooks, check the crannies... It was around this point that I realized, that, in my haste and excitement, I had already turned on the oven. Fear sets in. Visions of fires and screaming and damnation. Yes, for sure, the house is on fire. I know it!

Still no keys. I do the whole routine again. Unbuckling the kids, re buckling the kids. I had probably had some divine intervention earlier in the store, because I did something I also NEVER do. I bought the kids toys, which praise the heavens, they were playing happily with. A little too happily with. Gabe got some power wheels and Laine got a 'flute' {recorder} and she kept playing and playing and PLAYING it saying "Mommy, I'll find the keys with my magic flute!" It was really sweet, and annoying... but now as I look back, more sweet.

By this time I have gone for a third round. And as I rifle through bag after bag, I know it is all in vain. The keys are not in the bags, you wouldn't have to look a third time to discover them, they are pretty big keys! By now I am saying hasty, on your death-bed, type prayers with all sorts of covenants and promises. I am near tears, stricken with fear about the house being on fire, exasperated, starving. I realize I have no phone. I forgot it, which was stupid because the gas light was on and I was running on fumes, but the nearest gas station is so terrible for traffic at that hour! I couldn't be bothered to grocery shop AND fill up!

Not only that, but I went to Bi-lo rather than the usual Coles because no one, and I mean NO ONE shops at Bi-lo, which was the point, because of my 'casual' attire. I had the sweats to thank for getting me stuck where we wouln't be found until morning, if even then.

I was seriously about to crack, when all of the sudden, on my 4th round around the every nook and cranny in the car, they magically appeared on the floor near Laine. Was it, could it be? The flute WAS magic! Not sure how they got there, but we were finally on our way to sweet, sweet lasagna. And boy was it! The kids gobbled it up, however, I think not feeding them lunch was really the key there. It's not rocket science people. You want your kids to eat a nice, solid meal of vegetables. Just starve them.

Enjoy!