A Texas Children's Tale

Around 9pm tonight, after watching my favorite show in the world, LOST,

my 13-year-old son informed me he had an English project due.

I won't repeat the torrent of words I blasted at him...

and, I even found out that this project was actually due YESTERDAY, 

but the student he was supposed to work with flaked out.

Putting aside aside his poor planning, he's a good student, 

but I am now making him finish the project.

Tonight.

As long as it takes.

They had to come up with a 15-page chldren's story on their own; write and illustrate it.

The story they came up with together, he and his partner, was some strange tale 

about a squirrel named Barry and smoking.

I know what you're thinking.

A children's story about smoking?!!

But at least the moral of the tale was to NOT smoke.

Anyway, now that Donny is doing this project on his own, he has ditched that story line 

and, with my help, come up with a new tale.

Meet the characters:

Archie the Armadillo

and

Larry the Longhorn.

He's actively working on the story right now,

but the snobby Longhorn who looks down on the armadillo

is going to learn an important lesson

about not judging others by their looks.

And a little feisty armadillo named Archie is going to help him out of a jam.

I let you know how the finished product turns out!!

(and let's hope we're both not up all night!!)

Singing for Starbucks

As you know, I'm visiting family in the Houston area. Well, when I woke up this morning, I needed a nice warm chai tea to start my day. So, while my sweet sister (who's a fabulous hostess) made banana pancakes for my kids and hers, I plugged in the address for the nearest Starbucks into my new GPS. (I am having too much fun playing with this thing!)

So, after finding it no problem, I procede through the drivethru. I ordered two chai teas, made the special way I like them. However, then the coversation took a different turn...

Hopped-up-on-caffeine Starbucks guy: If you sing your order, it'll be free.
Me (sleepy and confused): Um, no thanks. (is he nuts?)
Hopped-up: Your total is $8.64, are you sure you don't want to sing for it? It'll be free!
Me (waking up slowly. I did hear the word FREE): Ok, wait, if I sing my order, you're really going to give me the drinks for free?
Hopped-up: Yep.
Me: You promise?
Him: Yep.
Me: I don't have to sing well, do I?
Him: Nope, if you sang well, then you'd be rich, and it wouldn't matter if you got a free order. The worse the better.
Me: Ok. There are no recording devices involved, right?
Him: Nope.
Me: Ok, you know what, I need you to sing first.
Him (way too willing): Grande and venti soy, no-water chai's!! (he sang really well)
Me: Ok, I'll do it. It's really free?
Him: Yep.

And, yes, I sang. In a psuedo-opera voice. My Starbucks order. Humiliated but figuring this was good blog material.

And, my order was free.

As he handed me my drinks, he said that he couldn't talk most people into singing for their drinks. I was kind of surprised. I shouldn't be though, after all, my initial reaction was not to sing either. I'm a shy person, not outgoing, and I never, ever, ever sing in front of people. We as a people are suspicious of a good deal, aren't we? I figured there were strings attached. There may have been, ones I didn't know about.

Who's covering these free drinks? It is a promotional deal? A dare among employees? I love it.

So, that's how I sang for my supper, I mean, my Starbucks.