Random LONG tangent to a funny SHORT story

I dont especially love to play games, but when I do play - I am always changing the rules and making up knew ones in hopes of winning . . . Just ask my dad, I dont think he is super fond of playing games with me. I lOVE to win (there is something great about a little competition) and my inventive rules usually get me there:)

So back in the day when me and my sisters lived in the same casa, we unsuccessfully started to run in the mornings. The worst thing about running in the morning isnt the actually running, but the initial task of dragging your butt out of bed and putting on those shoes. It was super easy to talk each other out of running as the snooze button was hit and we all rolled over and went back to sleep. I honestly dont really remember who came up with the successful method of getting us up - but its my blog and I like making rules, so I'm going to take the credit here . . . I came up with this rotation, and on your given day you were responsible for getting the other 2 out of bed. You did whatever it took (blanket stealing and cold water all fair game), and if for some reason you failed, and the 3 of us didnt run on your morning - you paid a fine to your "fine Jar!" At the end of a given number of weeks, the person with the least amount of money in their jar acquired the money in the other jars. The method worked like magic and we were successful early morning runners. Over time - our running fine jars have become our "break all our bad habits jar" and occasionally (you may have been a part of one of our "fine jar competitions" at one point or another) we start up month long competitions with all sorts of rules and regulations (it can get complicated. . . we have rules and exceptions for all sorts of situations. . . diets, eating out, running, sit ups, sweets consumed, cleaning the bathroom, etc) and pay fines for breaking our personal rules.

I swear this is about to tie together. . . .

So I am making dinner the other night . . . shocking I know, Bonnie cooking dinner? Yeah yeah, I am cooking partly because it is National Lasagna Day (but that's for another blog) and partly because it is one of my rules for our current competition-in a desperate measure to eat out less, my sisters have insisted I cook dinner twice a week (its all about the baby steps)- anyways, back to the cooking. . . this whole cooking thing is still new to my kids - we have only been doing the rules for a couple of weeks and if you take a look at my jar (above)- i have obviously paid a few fines. . . so I'm cooking and Cayden comes wandering in the kitchen, observing the dinner making process and makes a request that went something like this . . .

Hey mom, tomorrow (yeah right, I for sure dont cook 2 days in a row) can you make that stuff - you know, like they show on tv. . . when you get all the stuff out of the fridge and put it on the table and you get to pick what to eat, or mix it up - - - whats it called?? he is thinking. . . .

LEFTOVERS honey??

Yeah mom - LEFTOVERS!! (like its the coolest meal on the planet)

My kid is requesting leftovers? Shawna was in the kitchen with me and we both laugh! Little does Cayden know - his mom has to cook more than every 3 weeks to build up enough food in the fridge to give him his awesome leftover night! Kids are so funny! And that's the abrupt end to my long story :)