July Challenge Day One: Weekly Menu and a Fresh Start

So Day 1 of July challenge is over. Let me start with this week's menu:

MENU - July 1-7

Monday July 1 - Breakfast for Dinner! Waffles, Strawberries, and Sausage Links
Tuesday July 2 - Chicken Teriyaki, White Rice, and Green Beans
Wednesday July 3 - Pesto Tortellini and Spinach Salad
Thursday July 4 - BBQ at Mom's - (bringing Key Lime Pie and possibly Raspberry Cheesecake Brownies if I don't make/eat them before then)
Friday July 5 - Lasagna and Spinach Salad
Saturday July 6 - Democratic Pizza Night (where everyone gets their own toppings)
Sunday July 7 - Eye of the Round, Loaded Baked Potatoes, Green Beans

And now onto today.

The auspices did not look promising in the wee smas this morning.

Is it just me or does the dude with the hatchet look like he really likes his job?

Baby J has a cold. Baby J also doesn't like to sleep all night. So when he went down at 10 pm last night I expected my 1 am wake up. So I waited up..and waited..and waited..and the little bugger slept till 3:45 am. But then he was congested so we spent 20 minutes in the homemade steam room (read: hot shower, bathroom door shut) where he was happy as a clam.

But then he tried to eat...and his nose was stuffed up.

It was a vicious cycle.

I think I finally got to bed at 5:45 this morning. Luckily Lu Lu likes to sleep in and didn't wake up until 10:30. She popped in to tell me she was going to make herself breakfast, watch some Nick Jr if that was ok, and that I could keep sleeping. She is pretty much the best kid ever and having an almost seven year old rocks. So I got in an extra hour before Baby J was up for good. Woo hoo.

It's the small things in life

 But I rallied. Because after the menu fail of last week I was determined that I wouldn't crap out on the first day of the challenge. I made a plan. Knew the gym was out for today but I drafted the menu, made my grocery list, and had to make a pit stop at the pet shop before heading home and starting dinner. It was only 3 pm. It was looking good.

I am wondering if anyone is seeing the flaw in this plan?

See, pit stop implies a brief in and out affair. You get there, do your thing, and get out. Because that's likely...in a pet shop...with a 6 year girl.

Pretty sure this is part of what Lulu wants to be when she grows up...covered in puppies

Also:

Holy crap that is so ridiculously cute I need to go buy Baby J at least 4 puppies like right now.

Anyhow so we get there and its love at first sight....

He was like Air Bud and Shadow from Homeward Bound wrapped up in what Lulu dubbed 'the most best puppy ev-er'

And I made the mistake of letting her play with him. Oh big mistake. I was supplicated like few people have been supplicated before to bring the puppy home. He was the best puppy ever, he was so smart, Golden Retrievers are the best family pets and they're good with babies (thanks a bunch there for that Petland guy) and we should buy him for the low price of $1500 (or 43 meals out).

I finally convince her to say goodbye to the puppy and promise to let her see the chameleon one more time before we go. She seems good and distracted but then we go to leave. She just has to say goodbye to Captain Wonder Puppy one last time. But lo, he's not in the little kennel thing. She asks the guy where the Golden Retriever puppy is only to be told someone else is playing with him.

And when I'm 18 I'm getting 'unnamed and yet awesome puppy who I loved for 20 minutes' tattooed on my arm Mom!

Long story short we left the pet shop weeping and convinced someone else would buy him. Spent most of the time at the grocery store concerned if someone else would buy him with lots of consoling on my end...and then got home, Dad let her watch King Kong on TBS or whatever and poof! What dog?

Who can blame her really?

And we had waffles. And they were delicious. So - day 1...win.