A Sense of Balance

I was having a conversation with Older Son the other day while I was baking. I know, dumb idea, but I was preoccupied, I hadn’t thought it through.
 
Anyway, I was talking to him about the SAT/ACT prep class he has been taking over the summer. He needs to keep studying for those tests as he’ll be taking them again soon. He didn’t want me to harp on it and told me that he’s been going onto the ACT website daily and answering their “question of the day.” Well, honestly, I had a little more of a rigorous prep schedule in mind. But Older Son’s all about motivation so I asked him what he thinks he’d like to do after next year (no, this is NOT the first time I asked but I keep trying, hoping for a better answer). I should have known better.
 
I’ve probably mentioned this before, my kids are opposites. When they were little I used to say that if my older son’s foot fell off you wouldn’t know until you tripped over it. But if you brush up against the younger one you’re gonna have to take him to the nearest hospital. My older son cut his face open (see Quiche and Monkey Bribe . . .  I Mean Bread) and didn’t even cry. Well, Younger Son once came home from school because he slept wrong and had a crick in his neck. Literally, the Nurse’s office called before I had been able to drive the half mile home from dropping him off.
 
Older Son has a very abstract view of the world. It’s creative and interesting and unusual. Younger Son is totally concrete and literal. He’s extremely intelligent but he’s hampered by the literal aspect of his processing. I’ve had to teach him to read cues, facial expressions, even how to interpret my sarcastic sense of humor.
 
I’ve always said that if I could just put my kids in a blender (well, their traits anyway), what I’d end up with would be a very even balance. Not too much of this, not too much of that.

(Mint Chocolate Chip Shake and) Sugar Cookies

 

So back to my original story about asking Older Son what he wants to do after High School. He has given this some thought and decided that he wants to be the scientist who creates the Zombie Plague. 

“What will you do then, Mom?”  

Not many Moms have had to think about this, and poor you because at least I’m prepared.  

What will I do? “Easy, I’d go find your brother.” 

Because here’s the thing.  I’ve got one kid whose aspiration is to create the Zombie Plague, and another kid who’s one of the few people I know smart enough to cure it. Balance.
 

My Mom’s Sugar Cookies

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Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
½ cup oil                                           
1 stick butter                                      
1 cup sugar                                        
1 egg                                                 
2 ½ cups flour
½ tsp baking soda
2 TBSP milk
colored sugars
 
Directions:
*Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
*Cream oil, butter and sugar.  Add egg, then remaining ingredients (except the colored sugar)
to form a ball.
*Form into 1 inch balls and roll in colored sugars.
*Put onto ungreased cookie sheets, about 24 to a sheet.
*Press down gently with a fork.
*Bake for 12 minutes.  Cool one minute before removing from cookie sheet.