Monday, November 23, 2009

The Surprise Soup Party

“Remember to come to my Surprise Soup party!” Tommy reminded me as he left for school on Thursday.

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” I assured him.

I was a little worried though. Surprise Soup? What all was going to be in it? I pictured kids throwing in a bunch of random items and my stomach turned.

Maybe I’d just pass on the soup...

I had to take Natalie.

I put her in this:





When we first got to Tommy’s classroom, he wasn’t there yet. He was finishing up in the resource room where he gets one-on-one help with reading and math.

“Where’s Tommy? Where’s Tommy? TOMMY?” Natalie started to shriek as I led her to the child sized chairs that were set up. It actually smelled good in the room. Perhaps the soup was going to be good...and oh my God, were those BROWNIES? Thank goodness for junk food. I hate that schools are trying to go healthy and try to make it seem like carrots are a proper dessert. I’m here to say that they aren’t. Sorry.

“TOMMY!” Natalie kept calling.

The other kids in the class started to snicker.

Then Tommy walked in and Natalie practically fell out of her chair from excitement. She started pointing wildly in his direction.

“There’s Tommy. There he is. TOMMY!” Natalie rushed over and threw her arms around his waist.

Now, if this were a Hallmark movie Tommy probably would have hugged her back. But this is Real Life so Tommy just stood there with his hands pinned at his sides, looking rather embarrassed. It’s not that he doesn’t like his sister...he just feels that she’s too loud at times, which is ironic considering that Tommy also has a problem with volume.

“Hi Natalie,” he said in a bored done. He pulled free and set his reading material in his cubby.

A few other parents filtered in. Then the teacher announced that the guests were allowed to get their food first.

Awesome.

Standing in line with a two year old was not easy. Natalie wanted to wander off and explore and I’d remind her that we had to get some food.

“I no want food,” Natalie told me seriously.

This is not surprising. Natalie picks at her food and doesn’t seem at all thrilled with it. Did she really come from me? Who doesn’t get excited over brownies? I mean, did she not SEE the brownies?

I peeked in the giant bowl of soup and it appeared to be normal. Wait, what was that white thing? Oh, a potato. Okay.

Basically it was just vegetable soup.

Then we sat back down and the teacher said everyone else could get in line. I took a giant bite out of the brownie—mmmm—and then the teacher was all, “And we don’t eat until everyone is served.”

Wait.

What?

I stuffed the brownie chunk in the corner of my mouth and pretended that I hadn’t eaten a thing. I acted as though I were really interested in my napkin and surreptitiously swallowed the brownie down.

It seemed to take forever until everyone was served.

Finally, it seemed like we were able to eat.

I took another bite of brownie.

“Let’s not eat until we go around the room and say what we’re thankful for!” the teacher called out.

Sonofabitch!

I quickly chewed the brownie and swallowed it.

Most people said they were thankful for their family.

“Family.”

“Family.”

“My health.”

“Family.”

“Family.”

“I’m thankful that I get to see New Moon tonight!”

Seriously?

A few people chuckled and the woman beside me went, “OhmiGod, are you going to see that movie?” and I replied, “OhmiGod, not tonight!”

I may have insulted her. I didn’t mean to but there was no way I’d ever go see a movie like that on opening night. No way in heck.

I wanted to be silly and say that I was thankful for chocolate, but I didn’t want to appear to be coldhearted so I said, “My family.”

Tommy said, “My Mommy!”

(Aww!)

Natalie said, “Beans!” but only because she discovered a bean floating in the soup at that very moment.

Or maybe she is thankful for beans. Who knows with that child?

Then we were finally granted permission to eat.

The soup was actually good. Well, the few bites that I had. Natalie kept taking my spoon from me and I didn’t want to take it back, lest she did one of her famous screams. I didn’t want everyone staring at us. Then Tommy would have gotten humiliated and possibly could have had his own meltdown…

So I just let her have my spoon and ate the rest of the brownie.

Mmmmmm.

“I actually like this soup,” Tommy informed me. He’s a picky eater so this was surprising. Really? He liked the mystery soup but thinks that yams and pork chops taste “funky.” (His words, not mine.)

After we ate, that was it. The bell rang which signaled recess. Tommy threw his lunch away and put on his coat. He was about to run out—

“Um, excuse me? Would you like to say goodbye to the woman you said you were thankful for?” I called out before he darted from the room.

Tommy paused and sighed. “Oh Mommy,” he groaned, but gave me a hug anyway. He tried to run out again.

“BRUDDER, I WANT A HUG!” Natalie shouted.

Tommy rolled his eyes. “Here Natalie,” he said, and slung his arm loosely around her.

“Bye, Brudder!” Natalie said, waving.

So the Surprise Soup party was a success. I wasn’t poisoned by strange soup objects and Natalie didn’t throw a gigantic fit.

Always a plus, you see.

47 comments:

  1. Sounds like a great time except having to sneak the brownies when you weren't supposed to be eating and all. Were they Duncan Hines or Pillsbury?

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  2. Poor Tommy...it's such a burden to be loved like that...:)

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  3. Aww!I'm happy for you that everything went well in many ways!! lol I was cracking up by the 2nd time you weren't suppose to eat your brownie!! That was just pure torture right there! lol
    Have a "BLESSED" week!

    Natalie,

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  4. Sounds like a great outing! Surprise Soup would have me curious too. Glad they served brownies. My kids and their cousins hop around and squeal when they see each other. But I did notice at the last birthday party, they were a little embarrassed by James and his loud volume. *sigh* Love your description of the interaction. You captured it perfectly.

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  5. Who puts brownies out and doesn't let you eat them right away?!?!

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  6. Kids who don't like brownies boggle my mind. My nephew doesn't like chocolate and every time I see him, I can't help but wonder what happened in his childhood to make him not like chocolate. That's just unthinkable. Except, he does like brownies. Seriously, WTF?!

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  7. I literally LMAO at the point when you said "sonofabitch!" I would've thought the same thing! Haha

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  8. That made me laugh that you had taken a bite of brownie before they had all been served. I wold have done exactly the same thing!

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  9. Isn't it funny how recess (aka- exercise) will make a child throw away food. Adults are like, YEAH RIGHT!

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  10. You are lucky you are able to attend Tommy's school events. Do you find that most parents can do that? I'm already stressing about work/life balance any my daughter is only 8 months old!

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  11. Awww she loves her brudder!! so cute!

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  12. hahahaha I just love your posts!!! Always gives me a laugh and sometimes I'm choking on my diet wild cherry pepsi. hahahaha

    You just can't seem to get away from these Twilighters can you!?! When i read that she said that, that's when i choked on a laugh.

    Glad you had a memorable time, and glad the soup wasn't full of dirty socks and chewed crayons.

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  13. Sometimes events go as planned. It does happen just like a pig that grows wings and flies.

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  14. I thought for a minute the mystery soup was going to be stone soup. We read that book in fourth grade and then we made stone soup. Times were different back then . . . They didn't care about liabilities like chipped teeth . . . LoL! :)

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  15. Mystery soup day sounds awesome! Taking 2-year olds ANYWHERE, not so awesome...I'm glad everything worked out well in the end. I also fear the tantrum.

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  16. Mystery soup day sounds awesome! Taking 2-year olds ANYWHERE, not so awesome...I'm glad everything worked out well in the end. I also fear the tantrum.

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  17. They should have given the rules before putting the food out,LOL!

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  18. At first I thought it was going to be a surprise soup party in your own kitchen or worse, backyard. I've seen those concoctions and they are poison. I'm glad you went to school, where they can be sued. You're safe with the legal system at your back.

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  19. I remember stone soup from when i was in school. :) I'm impressed that kids ate veggie soup. Maybe that's the secret way to get kids to eat their veg. :)

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  20. We would make Surprise Soup in Girl Scouts. Every kid had to bring a can of soup (anything except cream) and then they would dump all the cans in one huge pot. It always ended up being pretty good. Strange, huh?

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  21. total baby steps in the right direction.. lol!!!

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  22. Good thing they had brownies for you since you lost your spoon to Natalie!

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  23. I'm thrilled to know schools are still having parties!!!

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  24. Natalie is such a cutey pie - looking at her in those two pictures one would never suspect she's quite the handful.

    I laughed outloud at the "sonofabitch". Thanks :)

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  25. Awwwww, she loves her brudder. Freaking adorable!

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  26. This cracked me up. The class party sounds like a complete success to me! No one hurt, no one crying, no one throwing up. Great job!

    And those pictures of Natalie are so stinkin' precious. She looks so cute and yummy I want to gobble her up! That little pumpkin shirt and the polka dot tights...I'm so jealous of the girl clothes!

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  27. Thank goodness the soup was decent! I was wondering what it would end up being!

    LOVE the outfit on Natalie. And I think I think I recognized those puppy eyes that Tom might be seeing.

    Brownies are always good. ALWAYS!

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  28. Any day you get to eat a brownie before your lunch is a good day. It's charming how embarrassed big brothers are by little sisters and how clueless the girls are. Super sweet

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  29. Oh my, that is just the best. You have me cracking up. I can so see her saying "Brudder, I want a hug" Yea for no fits:)

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  30. Love your story...everyone is perfectly in character. Little Sister is excited about Older Brother, who wants to be cool but is still young enough to acknowledge Mom and Sister anyway. And teacher trying to teach the kids manners, and at least one mom wanting to eat the brownies NOW, dammit.

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  31. You tell the best stories. Personally, I find it easier to be thankful after I've eaten, especially where brownies are concerned. And I had many "older brother is embarrassed by me" moments in my clueless childhood, let Natalie know that those grow into "fun things to do when I'm bored" as you get older. ;P

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  32. I have only been reading your blog for a couple of weeks, but I am so glad I found it! Your posts kept me giggeling way past the point of normalcy! I love how much more fun life is in our own minds though we are unable to share it in mixed company. You go to these things and everyone is so tight lipped! I am glad we get to read what goes on up there in that wildly hilarious mind of yours!

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  33. That is so sweet that she loves her big brother. Someday he will look back and laugh. You sound like an awesome mama. Also, thanks for stopping by and visiting my blog. I appreciate your comments.

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  34. I laughed so hard with the brownie incident! And little Natalie is just adorable - how could anyone not hug her??

    Of course he liked the soup - he helped make it.

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  35. Waita minute. They let you get your food first but then make you stare at it for an eternity? At a brownie? Oh, I guess it's a good thing, really. Next year, sneak a brownie when you pick up your food. That's what I do at parties anyway.

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  36. LOL you are SO FUNNY!! Love the "surprise soup" and Natalie looks so cute in her little pumpkin shirt! And I love the "sibling" love! :o)

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  37. I'd just skip to the brownie anyway!

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  38. Who needs soup when there are brownies?

    I love your stories; you have an awesome family.

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  39. Your post made me laugh since I would also be the one eating the brownie and who would not be thankful for Twilight:)
    Joyce

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  40. You need to mind your manners Miss Amber and wait till everyone is seated before eating! LOL! I thought you would get reprimanded for eating your brownie BEFORE the soup!

    Glad the kiddos behaved - it was cute that Tommy was embarrassed and that Natalie was so happy to see him.

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  41. So I thought the teacher was totally going to call you out for eating your brownine first. I'm kind of suprised the other moms didn't say something. You know how judgemental we can all be. Maybe they were just thinking it. Or secretly wishing they'd eaten their brownie first.

    Nat is too cute. My 18 yr old daughter still hugs her "brudders" and the 16 yr old one still acts embarrassed about it. Some things never change. Lol.

    ♥Spot

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  42. LMAO!! Oh that's so WRONG they made you wait for your brownie. I can't even wait when I have brownies at home and I've been telling the kids they're for DESSERT - it's just too hard not to sneak a bite here and there and try to "chew" with your tongue and the top of your mouth so no one notices!

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  43. I remember having these parties at school growing up...not sure if it was called Surprise Soup though...something like Stone Soup...I'm old, I can't remember.

    My little guy says everything tastes like dish water...haven't heard funky yet though.

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  44. ive always passed on the soup party thing, sounds much like vomit. but time and time again i hear its good.

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