Good Neighbors

Well it finally snowed enough to shovel. I HATE snow removal, and 4 times out of 5, it's me and the kids out there doing it. I got the driveway done, leaving the walks to the kids, and went in to start on the hot cocoa. The walks usually don't look a whole lot different before than after, but it's the thought that counts right?

So I went in to make cocoa, assuming they'd be in before I got my boots off. 5 minutes later, big Mac was in, then Ellie, then NO ONE. After about 15 minutes I stuck my head out to see if they were laying in the snow, unconscious from hypothermia. Nope, there they were scooping the neighbors drive. I know, your thinking"What wonderful, helpful, generous children!" ahhh, but they have ulterior motives! They wanted the hot, homemade cookies. No, not from ME (don't you people know me better than that by now?), from the neighbor. Every time the kids do something "helpful", she bakes for them.

When they "borrowed" her leaves to make their leaf pile bigger, they got cookies. When they hijacked her pile of snow to make their snow fort, they got cookies. At least this time they were actually doing a nice thing!

Back to the hot cocoa. I was out. As in NONE, so I did a sneaky thing. I melted chocolate chips in milk. With a little sugar. ALL RIGHT! A lot of sugar. Now you've read here about my picky eaters, so you can understand my nervousness about serving my "hot cocoa". So when picky number 2 asked "Is this a new kind of cocoa?" I answered truthfully "Is it? Hmmm, I guess it might be." She responded "Can you write down what kind it is? It's yummy!"

PS-Hot, homemade banana bread by 4:00!