Paint swatches and baked goods.

Yesterday I stopped by Sherwin Williams to pick up a few paint samples that I thought might look better than Bolero aka Fire Engine Red.  (Although in my defense, when you look at the tiny Bolero sample, it really looks like a nice brownish red. I even laid the sample on the patio because I just KNEW that it wasn't the same as the sample and of course, it was an exact match.)

Here's what I came home with:

Surely one of these will look better than what is currently on the patio.  When Dan got home from work he immediately poo-pooed all of these except five.  We took them out to the patio and laid them on top of the Bolero and I immediately poo-pooed all of them except one. 

However, I still need to think about this a little bit more before I made the purchase of two more gallons of epoxy and Dan invests several hours of his time on a Saturday. 

My Dad actually likes the Bolero aka Fire Engine Red and thinks we should keep it.  I think my Dad must be color blind! 

Sarah had a boatload of homework and swim practice yesterday as well.  She worked diligently until time for swim practice, came home and ate dinner and then worked diligently until well past her bedtime to get everything done.  However, I could tell she was getting frustrated.  Her math wasn't coming easily to her and took way more time than she anticipated which cut into her study time for some of the tests she has today.  But she persevered and I told her what moms throughout the ages have been telling their kids, "Just do your best."

Meanwhile, at 9:30 PM, I bolted up off the couch that I had just happily settled into and yelled, "Peter!  It's your group's time for baked goods tomorrow!!  I totally forgot!!!"

Peter's 8th grade class (as well as I think all of the 8th grades before his) have been doing a weekly bake sale to raise funds to help pay for their trip in the spring to Washington, DC.  The class is split into two groups and each group rotates every other week bringing in baked goods for the sale.

For the first several times, my mom made the baked goods for us since I was without a kitchen.  And she always had them completed and to us in the early afternoon of the day before they were due.

This apple, unfortunately, has fallen far far away from her tree. 

So I raced downstairs at 9:30 to make a batch of Ooey Gooey Butter Bars.  That's what mom has made previously and Peter said they sell out every time.  And what's not to love about them - they are full of butter, powder sugar, and cream cheese.

I do commend myself for actually having purchased the ingredients previously so at least I didn't have to send in items scavanged from the pantry.  Wonder if kids would pay 50 cents for a Little Debbie oatmeal cookie because y'all, that was going to be plan B.  Although, in hind site, I guess Plan B could have been making them this morning and then taking them to school right before lunch when the sell the baked goods.  

This whole school year I feel like I'm just barely getting things done in the knick of time.  And even then it all feels a bit half-assed.  I used to be so on top of things and so together. 

I think I just need to sit down with my calendar and my planner and make sure I get everything written down.  Because life is a lot like my grocery list....if it's not written down, it never makes it into the cart.


And as I read back over that last sentence, I had to laugh...I don't even have a planner! I keep meaning to get one but I never remember put it on my grocery list! 

Happy Wednesday, Y'all!