DADDY DOESN'T SHARE FOOD (Willingly)

I don't know why, but my kids have been dying to ride the campus bus. It doesn't really help that we live right next to it (it's a blessing really) and today we finally braved it. I didn't really have any idea when it came, where it took us, or anything like that. All I knew is that it was free and that it would take us in the general vicinity of the Wilkinson Center.

So today we had a few errands to run. I needed to return some library books for Kara, and also return some movie rentals to the Wilkinson center. But first I did something that I make fun of my mom for. I started out the day with "Alright kids we want to do some fun things today, but have to get a few things done first." I hated it when my mom said that. It usually meant that we had to deep clean the house before we could watch TV or anything. But I did it today, and Nikki finally has some summer chores. She has to clean her room and the family room, which may not sound like a lot, but that that is 1/3 of our apartment, so I figured its ok.

Anyway she got it done, and I also got my chores done (dishes, and showering, been neglecting that one for a day or so). As we headed out the children informed me that we just missed the bus and that it was all my fault (everything is my fault according to my children). And then like an Angel from heaven to completely confound the children, another bus arrived and I yell out "Nope, there it is, told you. That's why I came out right now." In reality it was just completely lucky timing.

We're on the bus and Lukas is looking around like he's on a ride at Disneyland. BTW, Nikki came along with a friend from the neighborhood, so they were in the back of the bus acting like they weren't associated with us. I guess I'm not cool anymore to my 6 year old. Mollie is sitting on my lap, and of course people are looking at her, because she's so cute, and probably because I dressed her and did her hair (I'm getting WAYYY better than I used to). Mollie on cue starts singing and acting out "The Wheels on the Bus." All of the verses. I don't even know all the verses (That's a lie, I've spent five years of my adult married life called to the nursery so I can probably sing more songs than you can even name).  People fall in love with her where ever she goes.

We stop at the Museum of Art and get out. We head to the library no problem, then to the bookstore, no problem, except for the thousands of EFY kids milling about, playing hackie sack, and flirting.  Just had to keep the kids close, but Nikki and her friend were walking around like they owned the place. I did not realize until this point that they had brought along our iPod touch and Nikki's mp3 player and were chatting on them like they were cell phones. Flash forward 12 years, and you will have the exact same scene. Scary.

Anyway, we hit the bookstore and return the items, no problem. Lunchtime. Even getting lunch was pretty easy. I picked up two little pizzas from Freschetta at the CougarEat along with some water cups. Nikki and her friend grab their water cups and head to fill them up, only to return with cups full of red Fanta. I then have to explain to Nikki that we didn't pay for that, that we can only get water.  They apologize and we open up the pizzas. Now I got a cheese pizza for the kids, and a Hawaiian pizza (my favorite) for me. Usually my kids don't want anything to do with my food. They think it's gross, but today, Nikki's friend reaches across the table and takes, not one, but TWO of my pieces of pizza.

DADDY DOESN'T SHARE FOOD!  Not really, I was just sad that I now had to satisfy my hunger with only two small pieces of pizza, and I almost didn't get that. After Nikki's friend inhaled her two pieces, she reached across for another, but, to her surprise, I was eating them both at the same time. I licked the one I wasn't actively eating so that she wouldn't take it. She then looked to Lukas and Mollie, who only had one piece. She asked Lukas for his piece, and Lukas, being a kind and gentle and very giving person responded "Sure!" But just before she could grab it, I stopped her and said "Lukas only has one piece of pizza and he needs to eat it." She then eyed Mollie's pizza. I didn't have to say a word because right on cue Mollie gives her a look that says "Touch my food and DIE!" Needless to say she backed off.

We eventually picked up some donuts and the kids were happy. Right now Lukas is sitting in his spiderman costume, watching mighty morphin power rangers, and chanting "The cougar bus is Awesome!"