Just your typical Monday...

I should have known this would happen! I went and jinxed myself! (and apparently, knocking on wood-laminate, no matter how vigorously, or with what amount of heartfelt wishing...does NOT ensure you good fortune. That's it, next time I'm going with salt-over-the-shoulder. Or is that to ward off evil spirits? Clearly I need to research my Old Wives' Tales before tempting the Patron Saint of Healthy Children in the future.) Now where was I? Oh, yes: lamenting the fact that while Derek rebounded swiftly from his skull-crushing headache on Friday (even scoring a nifty hat-trick of goals in his Saturday soccer game), Monday brought yet another phone call from the Healthroom Aide. This time it was Riley, who was complaining of a stomachache so painful he couldn't return to class. He vividly described the discomfort ("First it hurt on the right, then the center, now it's kind of all over!" Gee, thanks, sweetie, I've got the picture.) Although I suspected that the problem was...shall we say "digestive" in nature, I picked him up anyway. He left school almost TOO cheerfully, but became suddenly less enamored of his afternoon at home when I reminded him that being sick means lying on the couch, not running around outside or playing video games on your DS. He seemed strangely taken aback by this information ("Hey, pal, this isn't a Kiddie Vacation Day"...or am I lacking in Mommy Sympathy again?) And, sure enough, after a brief...ahem...bathroom break, he claimed to be good as new. Super.

After this absolutely exhausting stint of playing Nurse, I needed a nap. It turned out to be a good thing I recharged my Parental Batteries for when Derek arrived home. There we were, having our usual afternoon chat in the kitchen while the boys ate a snack. I had given them cucumbers (Bonus Points for sneaking in veggies while their guard was down due to post-school-energy-lull!); as they crunched, Derek got quiet and thoughtful (Danger! Danger!) and wondered aloud, "Why do they put cucumbers on your eyes at a Spa?" (Oh, here we go...) I went with the understated, "I think because it's soothing." He came back with, "I tried it once...but I got a seed in my eye." (Of course you did, honey.) He sagely continued, "They probably use those special seedless ones!" (Uh-huh. Are we done yet? Nope, no such luck...) "But why cucumbers, anyway?" I was spared having to impart an in-depth cosmetological explanation of the eye-de-puffing qualities of cucumbers when Riley weighed in with, "Well, Derek, you wouldn't want just any vegetable...like you wouldn't want zucchinis on your eyes, would you?" (This was naturally delivered in his very best DUH tone of voice.)

And on that note, I've changed my mind--I declare both of you 100% recovered, and cleared to go play...OUTSIDE! I'm off to the computer...Mom's got to get busy booking herself a Spa Getaway, pronto! (and don't spare the cucumbers!)