Afternoon Delight

I've been really scrambling to achieve some sort of balance this week--project A shuffled to one side while project B gets tackled, then project C is there, in the wings, breathing down on me like some fire-nosed dragon. And project D? I really, really, want to tackle it but I've elbowed it aside--for now, at least. The great, life-saving thing about work-related projects is that they're just that: work-related projects. No one's feelings get hurt if you slam the laptop shut, or accidentally-on-purpose leave your papers at work instead of bringing them home. My kids, though, are altogether a different matter and T. has been feeling a tad neglected these days--though why, we're not sure; sometimes it's hard to be a sibling around here. But she's been naughty at school, and naughty at home, and those imaginary friends? They've been hanging around an awful lot these days. So instead of Scott taking both kids off to an appointment for L. while I stayed at work and tackled projects A, B, C, and D, I came home early and spent the afternoon with T.

We had some hammock time.

We had a tea party in her room.

We colored a Care Bear or two.

We bathed the dog.

We brushed the dog.

We painted our toes.

We made watermelon-mango smoothies and some delectable no-bake chocolate, fudge-like cookies which we ate out on the front porch--and all of this was infinitely better than anything Projects A, B, C, or D could have offered me.

Afternoon Delights

1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup milk (I used vanilla soy milk)
1/2 stick margarine
3 cups oats
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup peanut butter OR sunflower butter (if you are making these for kids with peanut allergies)
1 teaspoon vanilla
optional: shredded coconut or chopped nuts

Mix all ingredients and bring to a boil for about 1 minute. Remove from stove. Mix in peanut or sunflower butter, honey, and add the oats. Stir to coat. Pop original saucepan in the fridge for 15-20 minutes until thick. Shape batter into balls and drop on wax paper. If you like, roll into more oats, or coconut, or chopped nuts. Cool and eat!