Burnt Cookies

Yes, I did it again.

I have been baking since I was 10 years old and I think I am pretty good at it.  My one weakness is the last batch.  I burn it every time.  I don't know how it happens when I consciously say to myself, "This is the last batch.  You will not burn them."  I walk away confident and at some point I can smell the burn and come running.  My kids and my husband don't even bat an eye anymore.

Part of me likes that I burn them.  It reminds me that I still have something to perfect.  It also reminds me that everyone around me is human- just like me.  The other part of me hates that I burn them.  The looks I get from my family are getting old.

A few weeks ago David turned 16 and we celebrated with several parties and our traditional Mexican food dinner with our extended family The Phillips.  The waiters gather together and sing their rendition of Happy Birthday.  It reminds me of those burnt cookies.  There are a few sweet spots that are sung here and there but in the end, the song is still scorched.  As a choir teacher I just have to grin and appreciate the effort.

Traditional Casa Tapatia bday with the Phillips

A legal driver.

 David has matured a lot in the last 11 days and I think it is due to his new found freedom.  It's hard to hear him drive away and not know exactly what may happen on the road.  He doesn't remind me of a burnt cookie.  He reminds me of myself at 16 and all the hopes and dreams I had back then that have now come true.  It's exciting to have a driver and a bit bittersweet.

Evan felt like a burnt cookie for two days this last week.  He was extremely sick and I really couldn't help him since tummy aches are impossible to cure with anything but time.  I snapped this photo of his first attempt to eat something and thankfully it stayed down.  And even more thankfully I didn't catch his illness.  It would have laid me out!

I was extremely grateful for the Hoover steam cleaner my in-laws bought me years ago and that it worked one more time before dying.

Evan is young and he bounced back quickly and went on a mountain bike ride with his Dad by Saturday.  He was very excited to get out under that blue sky.  I ran on the trail that day for over an hour and David played paint ball with some buddies for 7 hours.  It felt good knowing we all spent some time outside and started shaking off the winter blues.

1st mountain bike ride of the season

This brings me to my last topic for this blog.  A still small voice has been whispering to me to carry this weapon, or something like it, while running on the trail.  I have been fighting the feeling because I live in Wenatchee and things are often very quiet here.  And then I think I am being naive.  And, I think my Dad would be mad at me for not listening to that voice!  

In addition to this weapon, I plan on taking some self-defense classes this summer to learn how to get away from any attacker and start enjoying my runs more.  I had to google this bad boy to find it and I am glad that I have a plan now.  I really don't want to crash and burn like one of my cookies.