Buns are beautiful?

Yesterday, chaos won.

It was one of those days when you keep thinking to yourself, "Is it time for bed, yet?"

Perhaps I set myself up for this the night before.  I was dreading the morning.  It was to be day 3 of school and the first day with both girls taking their lunches.  I imagined battles over which jelly to use and who would get the last pieces of turkey - grapes vs. apples, too little Goldfish, "but I don't LIKE that."  You get the idea. 

But it wasn't at all like that.  The girls were polite to each other - even helpful.  And they both walked out the door happy and smiling...

And that was the last smile I had of the day...

It began when I ran an errand to use the rewards card I received from a certain office supply store.  All I needed was paper.  That's all I ever need.  However, upon presenting my rewards card, I was told the balance was $0.00 - because the card had expired 9 days before (feel free to insert "stinkin'" between each of those words).  All through this exchange, Wren was totally and utterly tempted by the candy bars and chips and gum they display right at her eye level.  And so yes, I snapped at her with that old mom phrase, "If I have to tell you one more time..."  (which never seems to have a conclusion.  Just those words fix the behavior.  But the threat... ohhhh.)

Now, ticked that I had to spend $20 when I thought I had $35 in free money, we sped home.  Sullen and silent in the back seat, Wren said in a tiny voice, "Can I have grapes when we get home?"

"Of course."  And by now, I was feeling guilty for the empty threat.

Bursting through the door to the house, she kicked off her shoes, ripped open the fridge door, grabbed the bowl of grapes, and didn't    quite    make   it    to    the   counter.

CRASH!!!!  Broken bowl, squashed grapes, and a sobbing 3 yr old.  (sigh)

No matter how much I told her I knew it was an accident and I wasn't mad, she kept on crying.

After the crying, and lunch, and a play date with a friend, things seemed to be looking up.  Until the "potty dance" started.

"Mommy, I have to go!" 

Run into the bathroom.

"Then go. You know how."

Run out of the bathroom.

"Really, I have to go now."

Run into the bathroom.

"Then GO, Wren."

Run out of the bathroom and do a little dance.

"Mommy, I need to go."

Run into the bathroom.

"WREN - get on the potty!"

Silence.

"Mommy, I didn't make it to the potty."  But she made it next to the potty... onto the floor... and onto the tights around her ankles... and the skirt around her ankles... (sigh)

And the last straw - the frozen buns.  I bet you were wondering what that was a picture of.  Those are the buns I forgot to take out of the freezer for dinner - until 5 minutes before dinner was done.  (sigh)

So we feasted on sloppy joe sandwiches in hot dog buns.  Which, quite frankly, seemed to work a whole lot better for the kids.

Maybe that is the beautiful part of my day yesterday...