Would you pay it forward?

I was talking to my parents last week when my mom told me she found $20 in the parking lot of a huge strip center. She felt really bad that someone lost it. The money was paper clipped to a shopping list. It had obviously fallen out of someone's pocket or purse. And now it was gone. There was no way to know who it belonged to, or where they might have been shopping.

Before I had the chance to ask her what she did with the money she said she "paid it forward." She didn't feel right about keeping it. She wanted to pay it forward.

Now it's not like she found a bagful of money, or even a $100. It was $20 dollars. Many of us spend $20 without even thinking twice about it. But something about this $20 and the note attached made this personal and my mom didn't feel right about keeping it. Maybe it was the handwriting, or the items on the list. Who knows.

My dad immediately chimmed in saying she didn't pay it forward to him. He wanted to add it to his Starbucks card, but my mom said no way. What if it was someone's last $20? She had to pay it forward to someone who really deserved it. Apparently my dad didn't fall into this category on this particular day. Poor guy.

She tucked it in per purse waiting for the right moment.

Having the $20 in her purse was a lot like having birthday cash to spend. She was anxious to pass it on. It didn't take long. They went out to dinner the next night and the server in the restaurant was fantastic. So my mom decided she was going to give it to her. When the server collected the check my mom told her how great she was and that she was giving her an extra $20 tip. She then explained how she was paying it forward.

The server smiled and thanked my mom and then surprised her by saying she was going to pay it forward to.

You don't know know my mom, but if she were a peacock she would have knocked that server over with her feathers. 

So it got me thinking, what would you have done?

Would you have:
1) tried to find the owner of the money
2) kept it
3) paid it forward

Performance Reviews at Home

I guess Elli heard me talking about my performance review at work, because she announced the other night she was going to review me. She had a list of pros and cons to share with me.

I'm not a huge fan of the performance review at work, so I really wasn't looking forward to this spontaneous review at home.

Of course Elli was grinning ear to ear. She couldn't wait to share her opinion of how I was doing.

She wanted to start with the Pros. I was quite relieved. Not that I think I'm a bad mom, but starting with the positives seemed like a good idea.






PROS
#1. I really like how you work as hard on projects at home, as you do at work. I know this is true because after one of your work events you complain about how tired you are. You do the same thing after my birthday parties, so I know you worked really hard.

#2. I like how you think of me when you're out shopping. You know I like those chocolate cookies (pointing to cookies on the counter) and you bought them for me without me asking. That makes me feel special.

#3. I like how you are your own person. You don't let others influence you.

#4. I like your sense of style and fashion. You have your own style and I think that's cool. I have fun talking about make-up and clothes with you.

#5. I like how I can talk to you about stuff.

CONS
#1. I don't like how you want the house neat all the time. No one else's house is neat. Our house looks just like everyone else's.

#2. You can be really strict. Like that time you punished me way more than the rest of my friends parents. (as my mom would say "too bad, so sad!")

#3. I don't like when you give me wedgies sometimes. (Ha ha ha!!!)

I think there might have been one more con, I don't remember. I was so blown away by how thoughtful her answers were.

I have to say, I have a pretty awesome kid. She's 12 and on the verge of entering the seriously sassy teenage years. But I think we'll be ok. She and I have a special bond - more than mother and daughter.

I am so proud to be her mom.

Appetizer: Nibbi's Pimento Cheese Toasts

I was in the BevMo! in Walnut Creek last week picking up some wine on the 5 cent sale, when I stopped by their amazing deli to see what was new. Dave Drew, the deli manager always has new cheeses and gourmet treats just waiting to tempt me.

I picked up a tub of Nibbi's Carolina Pimento Cheese Spread. I was sold when he told me it tasted great on slices of baguette which are lightly toasted so the bread gets a little crunchy and the cheese gets all melty and bubbly. You can also fill a baking sheet and pop it in a 425 degree oven for a few minutes.

Ok. Don will love that.

I can't eat it, because I'm still on my diet (only 7 more pounds to go.) No wheat products for me for a few more weeks, but that's ok. I know he's going to like it.

Turns out Elli was the one who loved it. She had several slices with her Caesar salad and wanted more!

You can spread it on slices of fresh baguette or smear it on a cracker. I'm going to try it on a piece of celery after I finish eating some cheese which I scooped out with a spoon! The sharp cheddar mixed with a bit of spicy red pepper is deeeeelish.

Or toast it.

It's delish either way.

Don't worry if you don't live near the BevMo! in Walnut Creek. You can make this yourself. It's super simple. Click here for a recipe: Southern Pimento Cheese

Lycra in blue jeans

Finding the perfect pair of jeans can be a humiliating experience for women.

One out of a dozen pairs may fit. Some are impossibly tight in the hips or the waist. Others are so slim in the thighs you can't pull them up much farther than your knees. And there's the pocket placement on your butt. Some are so low the pockets are on your thighs. Others have pockets so tiny they make your butt look twice as wide.

And then there's the final button. Do you have to suck in your gut to button it? I will admit I have put on a belt and undid the top button because my waist just couldn't take the pressure. It helped with the muffin top, too. There's nothing more uncomfortable, or unflattering than your gut poofing over your waistband. It's referred to as a muffin top which is an excellent descriptor. It also looks a bit like you have a pool noodle strapped on your waist.

This is where the magic of Lycra saves the day. This magical fiber gives good old cotton some stretch. You no longer feel like you are being strangled by your denim, which eventually does stretch and then sag with every bend. Lycra offers give and take. It stretches with you, and keeps it's shape. No more muffin top, saggy butt, and droopy knees.

I bring all this up because today I am wearing a pair of jeans without Lycra. They're an old pair I found in my closet. They were put away a few years ago, because I had temporarily outgrown them. But now that I've lost 15 pounds I thought, hey, I bet I can fit in those old jeans. And my other favorite pairs were dirty so I was a bit desperate.

They fit. Which is a miracle, but boy do they feel weird and stiff. No Lycra stretch. Just 100% cotton. I'll admit, I did the unbutton/wear a belt trick. No one can tell because my shirt flows over my waistband.

I feel pretty awesome for fitting in those jeans. But I do miss the comfort of Lycra. Time to do the laundry.