She’s a tiny Buddha covered in pink.

School field day in the ATX.

The other morning the child and I were hanging out and taking it slow.

I lament her early rising (she’s up by 530a without fail) but the busier she gets the more Im enjoying the fact we *always* have time in the morning to BE.

By way of full disclosure– this was not one of my best mornings.

I was a little tired.  A lot distracted (by her stuff. camp stuff.  but that made no difference to her.).  And a slathering of sad.

As we sat on the floor playing Baltimore’opoly she stopped for a moment, jumped to her feet and grabbed the framed photo above.

Mama I miss this time. We need to take more pictures of you and me smiling.  We need more smiling times.  We should make smiling times.

It surprised even me my initial reaction was *not* to grow defensive & launch into a longass list of all the fun stuffs we’ve done recently.

I heard what she said.

I took what she said at face value and as merely information.  Neither good nor bad.

It didnt matter if every.single.second. of her past seven years had been smothered in smiles—-all that mattered was how she felt in that moment.

Another full disclosure?

Ive probably leaned on that poor child a tad too hard over the past five months.  It’s not so much Ive turned to her for support—Ive just been very very transparent and honest.

Ive told her how much I miss Austin and each time she patiently responds:

It’s ok.  Lets just pretend we are still in Texas.  Just think in your head youre still in Texas and you wont miss it.

Shes my tiny Buddha covered in pink.

And, in celebration of that, Im kidnapping her.

We’re heading off to re-find our smiling-time hopefully in a way which is lasting.

To my delight this trip—unlike the last—she has absolutely no idea we’re leaving town.

Ive packed her carry-on & have her favorite stuffed animal & blankey ready to go. sock monkey contortionist.

I kid. I kid.

Ive procured us a BAG FULL of skull beads for on-the-plane necklace making: bracelet & necklace HEAVEN.

The kitchen is stocked with frozen pizza healthy snacks to satiate the Husband till we return. ahhhh organic.

Im snagging her from school tomorrow & we are off to the airport.

To a place where appropriate attire is this (except the elder will don a shirt) and which rhymes with SCHMANAHEIM:

 She’s been this for years:

Thats right, Sister!

It’s time she finally sees her (finger-quote) homeland (unFQ)!

Have you been to the place which rhymes with Schmanaheim?  Any must do/must see tips for our less than 48 hour whirlwind tour?

Im not bringing the laptop but shall be unable to resist instagram’ing Im sure.  This trip has been seven years in the making and, while shortshort, I plan to photodocument the whole shebang.  

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Ive TOTALLY got it covered!!*

(Click the cover! Click the cover!)

OK, People. As Im sure youve heard a million times already Shape Magazine is having a VOTE FER YER FAVE FITNESS BLOGGER! competition.

Ive been fortunate enough to be picked and Im here, on bended CREAKY knee, to ask you to take a second and vote for me.

Im not a fan of the vote asking and yet SHAPE has such a special place in my heart.  Ive been reading them since they first published (1981 ya’ll I was a twelve year old misfit!) and the fact the winner gets to shoot a video series with SHAPE, which will be featured on SHAPE.com and possibly in an upcoming issue could pretty much make this woman do anything.

Even ask for your vote.

If I had the opportunity at 42 and a HALF to do a video series with them and MAYBE just MAYBE be in their pages representing us OLDER WOMEN WHO ROCK, well, as the Tornado says IT WOULD BLOW MY MIND OUT. 

So, if YOUR mind wouldnt mind, please to consider voting for me!

I heard there’s some kind of competition. I dont really know anything about it or care either way if I win.

You might wanna check it out.

Or not.

No biggie.

**And no. I have nothing covered, but if I did that title would be all kinds of pun’y.  Apparently I will never be nominated for Best Blog Post TITLE Writer of the Century.

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Tasting! Rold Gold Chocolate Covered Pretzels

This is diet food, people. Or shall I say – food for the healthy-living? So try not to backlash this nutritional diagnosis, because I’m a professional diagnoser. And I know stuff.

Rold Gold Chocolate Covered Classic Dipper Pretzels are the perfect treat for smashin’.

…as in, smashin’ a sweet craving to keep your waistline from birthing extra fat cells. The bag contains 42 miniature pretzels, total. If you pop just two or three – you’re good, and that bastard of a craving will be bottle-whipped and head-flipped so you can go about your business of healthy living.

This is what gives it nutritional integrity. A small dose is good ‘n satisfying. But don’t eat them right out the bag, because I refuse to be responsible for greedy jaws.

They’re NOT cheaply made. The pretzel isn’t stale and the chocolate is great quality. Rold Gold Choco’s are comparable to the sweet & salty goodness I get at that quaint little chocolate shop I visit sometimes…(oh wait, I wasn’t supposed to tell you that part).

Warning! Do NOT eat these with extra mouths hanging around. The pretzels will be gone real fast and then you will be pissed off.

CHOCOLATE COVERED NOTES

Price Paid: $2.99 for 7 ounce bagCalories: 140 for 6 pretzels (about 42 total pretzels in the bag)Fat Calories: 60Total Fat: 6gSat. Fat: 5gSodium: 160mgCarbs: 20gFiber: 1gSugars: 12gProtein: 1g

REACTIONS FROM THE TASTE TEST CREW

Health-hater Husband: Nice! These are like high end from a chocolate shop.

Greedy Kid #1: Really, really good! Like “for real” good. You gotta buy these again.

Greedy Kid #2: They taste like every other chocolate pretzel I’ve tasted.

Yum UP! to: Chocolate-covered diet food.

Yuck Down to: Extra mouths when there’s good food around.

View the complete Taste Test Directory and Fast Food Cheat Sheets.

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