An Ounce of Prevention...

Grace is a slave to routine. When the unexpected occurs, it's earth shattering, and she throws equally disturbing tantrums in response. So don't judge me too harshly for telling you that I nearly panicked when I got home from the grocery store to discover that I had only bought crunchy peanut butter. Not good. Creamy peanut butter and honey sandwiches are Grace's lunch staple. Everyday. I'm so healthy and creative, I know. So crunchy peanut butter was going to throw a pretty big wrench in our daily tradition, and the ensuing tantrum was going to make it impossible for me to fold laundry while she ate lunch. Do you have any idea how much laundry accumulates after three weeks of vacation? Well, thanks to my mother--child-care genius--I had a flash of inspiration. A la Betsy, I put my hand over my mouth, ready to burst with a big surprise. Grace knows this face. And she made it back.
I had her.

"Grace, guess what!" I said.

"What?"

"We have the most special kind of peanut butter today!!!"

[Surprised gasp]

"It has real peanuts in it!!!"

"It DOES?!"

"Yep, it sure does. You want to taste it?"

"Yummmm!!! REAL PEEEAANUTS!"

"Yep. We're so lucky, huh?"

"Yup. We are!"

I do what I have to do to stave off tantrum-induced insanity.