I've ‘fessed up before, so this won't be anything new: I'm an emotional eater. I know, I know. Dr. Phil wouldn't approve, but after the day I had last week, if he’d have gotten within a ten-foot radius of me, I'd have chewed him up and spit him out too! I picked the girls up from school only to find out their day wasn't much better than mine, so that left us with no choice but to set the car on course for the village, towards the only place on earth that might be able to make us feel better.
Now, I hate to state the obvious (even though I seem to be prone to do just that from time to time), but I have never been to heaven so I can't tell you what it looks like. If I had to guess though, I'd bet when Peter opens the Pearly Gates and you see all of your long lost relatives and loved ones, they'll be standing in line at the Moo Cow ice cream shop with sample spoons in their hands and smiles on their faces.
I'm not making this up, y'all, but as you walk through the pastel painted doors (the real ones here on earth, that is) a feeling of euphoria flows over you . . . and your troubles, just like the “Over the Rainbow” lyrics say, "melt away like lemon drops," or, more appropriately, like Lemongrass. That is one of the many Moo Cow flavors that will make your taste buds take notice, your heart skip a beat, and your debit card jump out of your wallet before you can say "make that a double scoop, please. "
Forget Windows, TiVo, YouTube, and the cleaning power of OxyClean, Chocolate Pinot Noir ice cream might just be the greatest invention of our time. But there are so many other flavors that can’t be overlooked. Roasted Sweet Potato -- tastes like Thanksgiving in a cup. Salty Caramel. Is it sweet? Is it salty? Who cares . . . it's just that plain good. Candied Bacon – it’s quite possibly the only thing that might make a steadfast vegan turn carnivore.
After a total of two singles on sugar cones, a double scoop in a cup, and a pint of Candied Bacon to go, the world really is starting to feel alright again, especially when we get a call from our almost six year old friend, Ella, on our way home.
"Guess what, Aunt Laura?" she squeals through my Bluetooth. "Guess what happened today at school?"
"Don't tell me . . . You finally won the Pulitzer Prize for Literature?" I asked. "I told you your butterfly poem was just brilliant."
"Nooooooooo," she giggles. "Guess again!"
"You have no homework, beat the boys at dodge ball, and made a model of the
White House only using tooth picks, cotton balls, and powdered sugar?"
"Nooooo, silly! " she screams. "I lost my first tooth!"
"Ella bug, that’s AWESOME! Did it hurt? Did you cry? Are you on the tooth chart now? Did they seal it in a plastic baggie and put stickers with cartoon teeth all over it?"
"Aunt Laura, you always ask too many questions," she tells me. "I have to go now!"
"Promise me one thing," I rush to get it out before she hangs up. "Call me first thing and let me know if the tooth fairy came."
“I will, Aunt Laura . . . pinkie promise."
Now, it seems, all of a sudden, my day couldn't have gotten any better.
It's like a whispered sweet nothing, a satisfied sweet tooth, or the magic and wonder of a tooth fairy, can make life seem simply that much sweeter. I found out, as promised, that when Ella got up the next morning she found underneath her pillow a silver fairy charm, a coin, and a letter from her very own personal tooth fairy.
Dearest Ella,
Now, I hate to state the obvious (even though I seem to be prone to do just that from time to time), but I have never been to heaven so I can't tell you what it looks like. If I had to guess though, I'd bet when Peter opens the Pearly Gates and you see all of your long lost relatives and loved ones, they'll be standing in line at the Moo Cow ice cream shop with sample spoons in their hands and smiles on their faces.
I'm not making this up, y'all, but as you walk through the pastel painted doors (the real ones here on earth, that is) a feeling of euphoria flows over you . . . and your troubles, just like the “Over the Rainbow” lyrics say, "melt away like lemon drops," or, more appropriately, like Lemongrass. That is one of the many Moo Cow flavors that will make your taste buds take notice, your heart skip a beat, and your debit card jump out of your wallet before you can say "make that a double scoop, please. "
Forget Windows, TiVo, YouTube, and the cleaning power of OxyClean, Chocolate Pinot Noir ice cream might just be the greatest invention of our time. But there are so many other flavors that can’t be overlooked. Roasted Sweet Potato -- tastes like Thanksgiving in a cup. Salty Caramel. Is it sweet? Is it salty? Who cares . . . it's just that plain good. Candied Bacon – it’s quite possibly the only thing that might make a steadfast vegan turn carnivore.
After a total of two singles on sugar cones, a double scoop in a cup, and a pint of Candied Bacon to go, the world really is starting to feel alright again, especially when we get a call from our almost six year old friend, Ella, on our way home.
"Guess what, Aunt Laura?" she squeals through my Bluetooth. "Guess what happened today at school?"
"Don't tell me . . . You finally won the Pulitzer Prize for Literature?" I asked. "I told you your butterfly poem was just brilliant."
"Nooooooooo," she giggles. "Guess again!"
"You have no homework, beat the boys at dodge ball, and made a model of the
White House only using tooth picks, cotton balls, and powdered sugar?"
"Nooooo, silly! " she screams. "I lost my first tooth!"
"Ella bug, that’s AWESOME! Did it hurt? Did you cry? Are you on the tooth chart now? Did they seal it in a plastic baggie and put stickers with cartoon teeth all over it?"
"Aunt Laura, you always ask too many questions," she tells me. "I have to go now!"
"Promise me one thing," I rush to get it out before she hangs up. "Call me first thing and let me know if the tooth fairy came."
“I will, Aunt Laura . . . pinkie promise."
Now, it seems, all of a sudden, my day couldn't have gotten any better.
It's like a whispered sweet nothing, a satisfied sweet tooth, or the magic and wonder of a tooth fairy, can make life seem simply that much sweeter. I found out, as promised, that when Ella got up the next morning she found underneath her pillow a silver fairy charm, a coin, and a letter from her very own personal tooth fairy.
Dearest Ella,
Thank you for taking such great care of your teeth! We tooth fairies know how important that is, especially since we pick the best ones to help build the latest additions to our fairy kingdom. I know your first tooth is very special and it will serve as a place of honor in our first ever fairy fountain in the new Garden of Gladness breaking ground this May. This is very exciting news indeed, seeing as this will be the place where fairies from around the world will come to make their very own wishes. Make one tonight before bed, Sweet Ella, and I am sure it will come true. Keep taking great care of your teeth and I will visit you soon. It looks like there might be another tooth soon to be loose!
Lots of Love,
Your Tooth Fairy, Blue Belle*
My daughters have their own personal tooth fairies as well. My sweet, practical, conscientious Margot's fairy is named Periwinkle. Periwinkle is a no-nonsense kind of gal who lives in the base of an old oak and plants her own vegetables and flowers in a gardens out back. She makes teeth into angel ornaments at Christmas time for all the good, little boys and girls.
Livi, my equally sweet daydreamer and easygoing girl, has a tooth fairy named Magnolia. Magnolia lives in a fairy condo with full amenities, an outdoor spa and pool made entirely from conch shells and other “things” from her travels.
Like Moo Cow Ice Cream, I don’t know what I'd do without my girls' tooth fairies. They are always there to answer some of life's most complex questions, like: If you swallow your tooth, where does it go? If your sister chipped one accidentally on the tire swing, does it count? And, if you go on vacation, will your tooth fairy know where to find you?
Here is an example of a letter written by Liv's tooth fairy when she lost -- literally, lost -- her tooth.
Dearest Livi,
I felt you had lost a tooth but had no idea you were in such distress. You have nothing to worry about; even if your tooth is displaced we fairies know how to find it. Speaking of which, I found yours in your mother's closet inside one of her black Donald Pliner peep toe pumps. It's as good as new! Since it's in such great condition, I am going to use it in my new fairy fitness center where all of us fairies go to blow off a little steam! Thanks for taking such good care of your teeth and I promise I will see you real soon!
Your Humble Tooth Fairy,
Magnolia
The next morning Livi ran downstairs, waking me up by laying on top of me while screaming in my ear, "Guess what, Mom?"
"Moo Cow made some more chocolate-dipped potato chip ice cream?"I ask, struggling for a breath, but suddenly, surprisingly hungry.
"No, silly!"
"Alright then, you didn't mean to wake up so early, you’re still really, really tired and you want to go back to bed?" I am only human, after all.
"No! Magnolia came and found my tooth. Man, she's good AND she knows all about fashion."
It's like the large sign on the wall at the Moo Cow ice cream shop that reads "God Save the Cream." And if I might add, God save the tooth fairies, and all the other simple pleasures whenever and wherever you may find them, no matter how small and wonderful, they turn out to be.
