I discovered a new vice. Three words: Peanut. butter. cereal. mmmmm…

I know I don’t need another vice. The coffee and the chocolate and well, everything good and fatty is much more than enough but have you tried peanut butter cereal? My holy hell it is good.

The first purchase started as most of these things do. I bought it for the kids. We have a strict, no more than 11 grams of sugar, rule for cereal. Yes, 11 grams is random. I think it came about because I needed to limit the amount of sugar in their cereal and they were already eating Honey Nut Cheerios. (I may be wrong here – it’s been years.) The good part is when they ask for some horrific, sugary cereal with weird colors and licensed characters on it I can tell them to check the sugar. They do and usually it is over the 11 gram mark. Wegman’s Peanut Butter Corn Crunch was not. I believe it came in at 10. So we bought it.

I’ve been having to buy 2 boxes a week and we still run out. This past weekend I did not shop at Wegmans so I had to buy the cereal it was modeled after: Captain Crunch’s Peanut Butter Crunch (9 grams sugar).

They ate it but it was not the same. There was controversy over which was more peanut buttery and which was sweeter. So I  did what I had to do – I made a trip out to Wegmans and the kids and I had a blind taste test.

The contenders:

The unanimous results:

The Sweetest

The Most Peanut Buttery

The only controversy left was whether each participant preferred more sweetness or pb-ness.

The votes have not been counted on this. The children can’t decide. I however have:

Right sentiment – Wrong box

Although it is cold enough here that ski club was canceled last night, it’s not nearly as cold as predicted today. It’s a balmy -20 with wind chill and the kids are pissed because school wasn’t canceled. Even with all their preparations which consist of wearing their pajamas backwards and inside-out with one sock they still had school. I can never remember which foot the sock is suppose to go on so maybe there was an error there that caused school to be held. As far as I’m concerned -20 is still REALLY, REALLY cold. I would like it to be about 60 degrees but I’m guessing I have about 3 months before that happens. The only good news is the sun, it shines today. Of course it’s too cold to go out and soak it up but still, sun.

In more earth shattering news…

Since the children were scheduled for ski club last night and weren’t suppose to be home until 8:30 & 9, I made a hair appointment. My kind babysitter (and dear friend) was wonderful enough to let the littles spend an extra hour at her house so that I could still get my hair cut and Jeff could pick up the kids. Also someone, not sure who, gave Tyler a ride home from basketball. So I got my hair cut. And… I now have bangs. B.A.N.G.S. I can’t remember the last time I had bangs. Seriously, BANGS people. This is huge. I think I like them. And no, no picture for you so don’t even ask. My hair is also quite a bit shorter on top because I’m trying to grow out the red that I dyed it. I’ve re-dyed it “French Roast” but the red is still peeking through. It wouldn’t really matter except everyone who knew me when I was blond (my whole life until I had children) thinks I should go blond again instead of the increasingly dark shades I’ve been doing. If I lighten it now it will turn orange so I must wait. I am too old for orange hair. And no, I’m not gray at all. I dye because I bore easily.

Now I must really get to work.

(AKA Bullets Are My Friends)

• The reason for all the tiredness and exhaustion? My iron level which should reside at a minimum of 50 is at an all time low of 5. The doctor asked if I’d been feeling a little fuzzy in the brain. Ah, yeah. Well, that is why. When I stated that must be why I’ve been so freaking tired he said he was surprised I was still standing. All the other tests? Normal.
• My camera. My love. My huge investment that we could not afford and I was so guilt ridden about that it took me months to really USE the damn thing? GONE. I used it Saturday and now it is GONE. I swear I remember putting it in the car on our way home from a festival. It was between the seats of the van with my purse on top of it. We went to my s-i-l’s and then home. It was not there when we got home. My s-i-l searched her house and so did her husband even though I SWEAR I didn’t bring it in. I called the campus safety people and the library at the location of the festival in the pathetic hope that I remember incorrectly AND I left said camera on a park bench. This particular fantasy includes the finder of the Nikon D80 with 18-200 VR lens to actually turn it in and not keep it for themselves. So far, no such luck. This also means I have to file a police report.
• Did you know to file a police report for a stolen item you must be in the county of the theft and call 911? I did not. I thought 911 was for absolute, my house is on fire, emergencies. I was wrong. I do not live in the same county as my sil. I do however work in the same county as her. This means I must either find time in my Spring sport calendar (NONE. NONE I tell you) to go to her house and call OR I must have the police report to my JOB. It seems you must call 911 then they come to you and you file the report. I do not want the local sheriff’s at my place of business. I also do not want to wait much longer to file the report.
• I really keep hoping my brain is not working well and someone finds the damn camera. We just finished paying it off.
• I don’t think this particular fantasy is going to come true.
• I miss my camera.
• Stress + low iron = need nap now (or from now on: nnn)
• My 1^st performance review for my new job is this afternoon. And I’m blogging. I’m a bit worried.
• I hate 1^st reviews. You never know how they’re going to go.
• nnn

1. I called in sick yesterday. And I was sick. Just not the not able to get out of bed kind. That is actually the only kind of sick that has actually caused me to miss work before yesterday. Needless to say, the children did not understand this sick. They kept saying I wasn’t. I was kind of feeling like I wasn’t really sick. I mean I was up walking around. I even did a couple loads of laundry and helped the youngest complete his homework. I drove myself to the doctor’s. Clearly I couldn’t be that sick. But really, I was. I have serious muscle fatigue, regular old fatigue and my God I’m so frigging tired. But I did not take a nap. I actually ran out of time. Still, it was a leisurely kind of day where I did things but at a much slower pace than I’m use to.
2. The hypochondriac that I am went back to the doctor (as I mentioned above). My husband actually had to make the appointment because at the time it was determined (by him) that I really needed to follow up all those negative test results, I was too damn tired and overwhelmed to even make the phone call on Wednesday. It’s sad really. I’m completely pathetic. So I went and envisioned an appointment filled with rolled eyes and pats on the head. I should make it clear here that my fine physician has never treated me that way before. But honestly, I was starting to treat myself that way and I figured if I’m sick of me being sick but not really sick with all normal tests then certainly everyone else thinks I’m a fraud.
3. You see where this is going. He totally validated my feelings. He totally believed something is wrong. He ordered a gallon of blood to be drawn and yet more x-rays and… well, I really don’t want to actually think about the other thing he ordered *cough* colonoscopy *cough*. I spent my morning on a journey of needles and nakedness and no, none of it was fun in the way nakedness should be fun. The last thing on the list is not for a couple of weeks so all ended well.
4. The day got decidedly better after that. I got to have lunch with a friend (yes, I should have been napping) and her darling daughter. With cute! striped! purple! tights. Tights! I love tights! And none of the boys will agree to cute striped tights. Odd, I know.After paying bills, blech, I went with the 3 younger boys to their art class. It’s a new place right down the street and honestly? It makes me want to quit my job and just hang out there. It is a wonderfully warm and inviting space designed to unleash your creativity. The owner has tables and chairs set up in front of the big front window for parents to hang at and even free wifi (which would be great if I owned a laptop). As it was, I knit and listened to their chatter. Maybe I’m a horrible person to admit this but I love to listen to my kids’ trains of thought. They are so insightful and creative and wonderful. The bad part? I don’t feel the same way about other people’s kids. I know. Terrible. I’m really sorry. I’m sure YOUR kids are just as fabulous as mine, I just haven’t met them.
5. Another way one of my children has amazed me – seriously knocked my socks off amazed me – is by writing music. Let me give you a bit of background. I have been accused of being tone deaf. I enjoy music but it’s like this mysterious entity to me. I have no ear for languages either. In fact, I grew up in Massachusetts and no one can figure out why I don’t have an accent. It may be because I have no audio competency. Yes, it’s totally a real thing. No, I did not just make that up. Ok, maybe I did. Anyway, somehow, even with having me for a mother, my NINE year old is learning three instruments, can read music, and is WRITING HIS OWN. It’s the furthest thing from my comprehension. And it ROCKS!Am I the only who thinks this is amazing?

It’s a good thing I learned to spell hypochondriac because it’s official. I am one. Hypochondriac, hypochondriac, hypochondriac. Tests are all negative. Yes, I’m happy I can keep eating bagels and crackers and pizza. But now I can’t do anything about the anemia, B12 deficiency (will have to keep getting my shots every 2 weeks), lower abdominal pain and severe cramping. Frack!