Small Town Park and Really Black French Fries

When my mom got her surgery I decided it would be fun to take an outing with the kids to got to the park and then make lunch for my mom. Why would I go to the park first you ask. Because I wanted my kids to get all their wiggles out so they wouldn't run into grandma or hang on her or cause any mishaps.

I haven'tbeen to this park to play in a few years. It is in my hometown and it has been renovated very nicely. It has a paved trail all around the park that was perfect for Brother's rollerblading attempts. I had him take baby around in the stroller so that he could stay on his roller blades a bit better.

He was having so much fun,but it was hard work so he gave up the stroller about 1/3 of the way through...

Sister was having a ball on all the playground equipment...

And in case you couldn't tell, we had the entire park all to ourselves.

There were horses in the fields next door that the kids LOVED. You would think we don't have a horse in our own back yard the way they act when they see horses.

Then to my mom's to make her lunch. I thought it would be  fun to make her hamburgers and french fries.

The hamburgers went off without a hitch.

However the fries were an entirely different story:

Me: Mom, what heat do you set the stove for the french fries?

Mom: High.

Me: All the way High, or Medium High?

Mom: Almost all the way high.

Me: OK. (And then I turn the stove on high, almost, put the pan of oil on to get heated and begin to cut the potatoes)

Me: Dad! Dad! Why is the pan smoking?

Dad: Oh, your mother made french toast in that this morning so it is probably just something in the pan.

Me: OK. (I continue to cut potatoes and then place them in)

Pan: Spissssshhhhhh!!! Crackle! Spissssh!

Me: Dad!

Mom: Is everything alright in there?

Me: Um Dad! It's smoking really bad!

Dad: I don't know.

Me: Uh, mom does it usually smoke like this!

Mom: How is it smoking?

Me: A lot!

Mom: No. Turn off the burner, I think it's too hot.

Dad: Uh, Rachael your fries are blacker than black in here.

Me: (running into a smoke filled kitchen) oh crap!!

(Side note: Notice the saying above the stove--all too true if you know my family at all--and was a perfect saying for this day)

I turn off the burner. Take out the fries and want to cry but, can't, I am laughing too hard. I have never seen fries so black in my entire life--I am sure you haven't either until now.

I had to go around opening the windows and doors in the house to let all the smoke out and here it my mom stuck in the middle of it sitting in her recliner trying to relax from her rotator cuff surgery and I am trying to fix her a fun lunch and .... oh well... we sure got a good laugh out of it so it was good to see mom laugh. The next batch of fries turned out delicious!

Oh the joy!