The Mozzarella Stick Tradition

Sometimes the little things have a big impact. I forget that WAY too often. I am the queen of wanting to be organized and on top of everything, but ultimately watching Game of Thrones or Walking Dead on Sunday night instead of getting everything ready for the Monday morning school and work rush.

Enter mozzarella sticks.

Lately, our household has been a little too focused on mozzarella sticks from the local Sheetz convenience store. They make an awesome snack after a long day of school and/or work, but they wouldn't pass for healthy, that's for sure, and they are ultimately gas station food. Nevertheless, we three (minus Daddy who has his own fast food gas station escapades) spent the month of May in a fog of mozzarella sticks. The Sheetz is two blocks from school. How could we possible resist?

May is the month of SOL testing, of course. Talk about stress. I don't think we adults know precisely how stressful a day of SOL testing is for certain students. It's all computer-based now, even the reading component of English classes. It's overwhelming for a teenage girl who struggles consistently with academics and attention. The dreaded SOL is never far from her mind or her teacher's mind or her classmates' minds, etc. Sitting in front of a computer screen for two or three hours to test is a nightmare for her.

Thus, the mozz sticks, or MZs. Not all parents are wise enough or energetic enough to put together a bike ride or jog after work and school when a kid needs something extra to get his or her mind off the saddening scores of a failing SOL. Some of us are more tired, perhaps slightly pudgier, and we will take the Sheetz drive-through a few times that month and decompress with our kids over orange juice and mozz sticks.

Not the healthiest choice, we know, but in the end the kids will remember not just the MZs but also what mom said (again and again) about moderation, healthy habits, and decompressing together after stressful stuff. They'll remember it's okay to treat yourself every once in a while during a really stressful sitch.

They'll also remember what it looks like when I dance to Luke Bryan in the front seat of our minivan while waving an mozzarella stick. And that's it funny when we get home and the cat can't figure out why our hands smell like cheese.