LOST in My Tears
I can’t stand crying. I’m not a pretty crier. Remember in Ghost, when Demi Moore had perfect, silvery tears slipping down her porcelain cheeks. Yeah, that’s not me.
Somehow I’ve been in tears more times than I can count the last two days. If you think you are tired of the mush, imagine how I feel. With Gigi turning five and the LOST finale yesterday, in addition to Gigi’s preschool graduation today, I need a new tube of waterproof mascara and six years of my life back.
That’s right, Gigi is a preschool graduate.
We had the absolute joy of watching her perform at a graduation program. And perform she did.
Most of the kids stood up and moved their lips for fifteen minutes, with an indistinguishable jumble of lyrics coming out. Not Gigi.
At one point, she was shouting/singing with a degree of flair reserved for Broadway and overacting reserved for a Tom Cruise movie. I break into hives just watching the preview for Knight and Day. She wiggled her hips, threw up her hands and gave some facial expressions that had me (and most of the audience) shaking and crying from laughter.
The kid next to her is using his finger as a buffer to prevent his eardrum from shattering.
Just when I thought I couldn’t take anymore, Gigi was presented with a note from her teacher that had me setting a bad example for the class as I wiped my dripping nose with my sleeve.
“…I love your love of unicorns and princesses. I love that you are always ready to dance. I hope you never lose that.”
At least I had Lulu dumping an entire cup of lemonade on my open-toe sandaled feet to bring me back to reality.
“Stop crying, Mom, or I’ll give you something to cry about.”
Despite my headache from crying, I still needed to make dinner, so I cobbled together a stirfry with our party leftovers.
Thai Beefless Stirfry
- 1 pkg. Gardein Beefless Tips (could substitute tofu, tempeh or garbanzo beans)
- 1 1/2 c. pea pods
- 1 bell pepper, chopped
- 1 T. minced ginger
- 1 t. minced garlic
- 3 T. natural peanut butter
- 2 T. lime juice
- 2 T. soy sauce
- 1 t. agave or maple syrup
- 1/4 c. chopped cilantro
- 1 c. fresh pineapple, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 1/2 c. cooked brown rice
- peanuts for garnish
Cook “meat” choice according to package directions and set aside.
Coat a skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium high heat. Add pea pods, peppers, ginger and garlic and stir fry for several minutes.
Meanwhile, whisk together peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, agave or maple syrup and cilantro.
Add sauce and precooked “meat” choice to the skillet along with pineapple and cook until heated through.
Serve over brown rice and garnish with peanuts.
Just when I thought I was done crying, Lulu spotted the last birthday cupcake and decided to make short work of it.
“Whammt? Goofjfid cupcaifidfdke.”
Tears.
As for the LOST images, I just wanted to know how it feels to throw nonsensical rubbish around for no purpose whatsoever.
“But Mama Pea, that’s every post!” Watch it, you’ll make me cry.
Congrats to GIGI!
That stir fry looks yummy. I love peanut sauces over veggies and rice.
Those pictures of Gigi’s graduation are to die for. She is so funny and cute. Of course, LOVE Lulu’s cupcake face, too. Priceless!
That meal looks fabulous.
AWWWW Gigi is adorable! I sometimes think about J, my 20 moth old, and all of his upcoming events. Kindergarten, middle school, proms, graduations, moving out (!!!), and I literally start to tear up! =(
Bedtime reading at it’s best. Little dude plugging his ear had me laughing pretty loud. I’m sure my roommates think I’ve gone bananas.
Crap. Its. Not it’s. I hate that.
LOL, it look like Lulu stole the show today! Last photo is quite hilarious!! Gigi seriously looks older! Sooo cute..you must be SO proud
Nawh, Lulu is such a precious child. Don’t cry p-mummy, she’s still far from being a teenager you know?!
Do you have a video of Lulu’s on stage broadway performance? 
I would love to see it – if you don’t mind sharing of course. + that pnut stir fry looks absolutely nomlicious!
I love the stolen cupcake picture!
Congratulations to your little graduate! It looks like she was having a great time up there!
AH! Just tried to comment, I will try again…
Gigi looks absolutely adorable, what a performer she is!! Those pictures of her hysterical, love it!!
Also love Lulu’s cupcake picture… there are similar pictures of me floating around out there! 
Ha! It looked like the cupcake was trying to escape from Lulu’s mouth!!
Awww…those are all perfectly good reasons to shed some tears! Gigi looks so darn cute singing her little heart out…I wonder where she gets all that charisma from?
I have to admit that last picture of Lulu had me cracking up – definitely save that one for the future!!
Awww, congrats to Gigi. So cute, and seemingly talented!
I love Gardein meatless meats, they are so tasty! That stir fry looks delish.
Jenn
I love Gigi’s animated face. I hope the she never loses those things either.
Congrats to Gigi and to you. You are raising some beautiful, free-spirited young ladies. It is always fun to see what they are up to
Congrats to Gigi! I am also an ugly crier. It is bad.
AWww congrats to the graduate!
Oh my goodness, that teacher’s note makes ME want to cry! Even Lulu with her cup and her snippy “I’ll give you something to cry about” has got me all misty…thanks Mama Pea, now I’m going in to work all sniffly…LOL…and now I have to think of my 2-year-old being a preschool grad before I know it!
Tell Gigi congratulations and she did a spectacular job performing!
I can’t believe she’s 5… wow… Congrats to my mini doppelganger!!
Gosh, I know what you mean. My oldest is about to be a 7th grader and my youngest a 4 grader. Really, this time is going too fast! I teared up at the 6th grade band concert last week because I was so overwhelmed by emotion…and I had friends there with us! The best part about them getting older though, is the conversations I can now have with them! I love my boys and they are such little versions of us. We are all 4 best friends and as long as it stays that way…I am ok with them growing up! Congratulations to Gigi for graduation and to Lulu for getting that cupcake!
WAAAAAAAAALT!
Gigi is so frikkin’ adorable. Now that’s a special kid!
I’m sad that you didn’t like how Lost ended.
It’s growing on me, Sara. Sunday, I was disappointed. Yesterday, I wanted to watch it again. Today, I love it.
Oh my goodness! Gigi is precious. Congrats to her and stay strong Mama Pea! She is still your little girl. [:
Was LOST not amazing?! Wow. Perfect ending, no?
I’m so glad to hear a fellow Mum who cries at everything too. I’m an embarrassment to my poor 4 year old daughter.
She always turns to me and says “Mummy, are you crying yet?”
I’m hoping I toughen up to it soon!
Haha – either I lost the polar bear connection, or there wasn’t one. The bear is cute, but he ain’t got nothin on YOUUUU[r kids]! Stir fry looks great, and hopefully you won’t be offended if I make mine with real meat. Or you can pretend I never told you that.
Hold on to that note. I doubt she’ll need a reminder years down the road, but it will be so nice to have.
That picture with the kids finger in his ear made me lose it!! Too freakin funny. Thanks for making me smile already today
Congrats to Gigi!!!!!!
Congrats to GiGi! I am taking notes on your mommying skills for when I finally have some rug rats of my own! You are a great mom!!
She totally took over that stage
that’s hilarious, and congrats to her for graduating 
Gigi is so cute! I spent my day crying over LOST yesterday, at least you had happy, non-TV related reasons too.
That stirfry looks wonderful. It is crazy how “real” those gardein beefless tips look, I’m sure you could fool a meat eater with a dish like that.
What a cute little graduation event…I love the little kid plugging his ear. Congrats to little Gigi!
hahaha, your daughter has so much personality that I giggle at all her faces.
Your girls are so precious. Congrats to Gigi for graduating
Congrats Mama Pea and Gigi! I can’t wait to try out that marinade.
Awww, what LOVELY pics of your little rockstar! I like a lady who dances to the beat of her own drummer. Congrats to the pre-school graduate.
haha I was so confused at the random images, but that is definitely how I felt during LOST…well very lost. The little boy plugging his ear is too funny.
Gigi is a doll. I hope she never loses her spark…and that she goes on to perform on Broadway
That ear plugging boy will wish he gave her a bear hug instead!
Lovin’ that stir fry! FINALLY got my order of PB2 and look forward to experimenting with different kinds of pb sauces like yours.
Thanks for the laugh this morning
i hope i have a little girl like Gigi…she is TOO adorable! actually, i wish I could BE like Gigi
all i have to say is gigi is ma homegirl. end.
Hahaha… too funny. I love that your girls have so much personality! (I wonder where they get it from?)
awwww look at her!!! i would be crying too!!! i remember when Liv graduated- it was so bittersweet! she was just like Gigi too- the big arm movements, big voice, and enough personality to have a one woman broadway show.. lol
that stir fry does look delish.. yummmm
Aww congrats to Gigi!
She’s adorable!
I want to know what you think of the LOST finale! I want to dish about Lost so bad – the images were just a tease! Spill.
Okay, Monica, here’s what I think. Sunday night I was really upset watching it. I felt kind of cheated. I didn’t believe that the creators had planned this ending from Day 1 and that every story line was working towards this ending. I felt like they made it up as they went, they planted all these seeds for these huge overarching mysteries that would be solved, and then they took the easy way out. I thought it was lazy and disingenuous, and I wished that when they’d started shooting the series that they’d had a finish date so that they could just tell one big story. This was how I felt yesterday when I started this post.
But then all day yesterday, I thought about it some more. I loved that they gave us the ending that we wanted, not just for the series but for life: that all the pain, grief and confusion of life, the dark, the struggles, the unanswered questions, it all goes down the proverbial drain and we are in a place with all the people we love that have gone before us and that have yet to go. I have no words to describe the beauty of it. I want to watch those last fifteen minutes over and over again, and I want my friends and family who are grieving a loss to watch it. So I’ve had a change of heart. I don’t really care about the polar bears, the statues and Walt, just like I hope when it gets to be my time, I won’t care about when I got dumped in college, The Hills or the back surgeries (they are all mysteries to me). What I’ll care about is that I lived my life in a way that ensured that no matter what happened, I’d end up in that beautiful place. In other words, I think it was the perfect ending.
Congrats (on Gigi’s graduation not on crying!). I hope she keeps her love of unicorns forever!
Awwwwww, your kiddos never fail to dissapoint! They are so adorable!
I loved, loved, loved the ending to Lost. I’m one of those who would rather come up with my own theories…I loved the spiritual aspect of the ending, so touching!
I cried over this post … just like I cried over thinking about the fact that Lost is over last night as I lay in bed trying to sleep. I need some help, I think.
But seriously … your girls are cute. Even cuter than the baby polar bear before the Dharma experiments. Whatever they may be.
Haha, yeah the Lost finale kind of had me scratching my head. I was totally second-guessing my understanding of it until I read the article about it in the NYT yesterday which pretty much confirmed that yes, the finale was sweet and a tear-jerker, but no, it didn’t make no kind of sense.
My youngest graduates from preschool on Friday. I can’t believe I will have all three in school. It is bitter sweet.
Oh my gosh..I would have been crying my eyes out too. I love that note from Gigi’s teacher too. How adorable is that??
I haven’t watched this past season of Lost…I’m waiting for the reruns. But I can only imagine how crazy it’s going to drive me.
She is a performer! You got a ballet show every day
And I loved, loved, loved LOST! So the images were great
I feel like when I have kids there are going to be so many times when I”ll feel like crying, just from them growing up. It must all go by so quickly.
You can tell I don’t have kids because I’m all “Who’s the Babe Dad in the third picture down?”
(but I am married….*whistle*)
Adorable as always and no surprise that Gigi was the breakout star.
Chris felt the first half of what you felt about the LOST ending, and I felt your second half. I cried the hardest when Sawyer “found” Juliette. Ugly cry. I already had a headache so it just made it worse.
Nice work with the leftovers.
That’s Andrew’s dad. I’ll put in a good word for you.
Way to rise a firecracker – that much personality at five means you’re gonna have an awesomely good time the next few decades
And, for what it’s worth, a good friend just turned 25 and still gets excited by unicorns. And narwhales.
The cupcake photo easily made my week. Granted,it’s only Tuesday, but I’m thinking it won’t be beat.
I felt EXACTLY the same way about the LOST ending. I didn’t watch it until last night, and went to bed pissed. lol After thinking about it all day (What? Me, no life?), I am on the same page as you.
I don’t know what was my favorite…finger in ear boy, or muffin Lulu. Love it all!
Congratulations, Gigi!
Wow- did this bring back some memories of exactly a year ago. My daughter even wore the same dress to her preschool graduation. (After I made her take off her streetwalker dance costume and rainboots, that is.)
i was laughing out loud at your comment about the pic of that kid with his finger in his ear…i love it. it gives me hope that i may not be such a horrible mom.
I’ve seen that screaming picture before! is that the blog equivalent of wearing the same thing more than once?
your cupcakes look much better the first time around- thanks for the show-food lulu
Seems like yesterday my daughter was Gigi’s age, and now this year she is graduating from Hight School and will be going off to college halfway across the country. Sigh………..it goes so fast.
Your dinner looks so fantastic. I’ve been wondering how the gardein “beef” was. How did everyone like the taste?
It was very “beef-like.” Almost too much for my taste, but I think it would be great for those transitioning to a vegetarian/vegan diet. I could totally fool my meat-eating friends/family.
Awwww Mama Pea, now I’M in tears. How amazing. I hope she never loses that, too. Chances are she won’t!
Trust. Once a diva, always a diva.
I laughed out loud at the finger in the ear picture. Gigi is adorable! The cutest in her class, by far. And what a sweet note from her teacher.
Oh gosh, LOST… I am so sad that its over. I have so many unanswered questions. What really got me was when Jack and Kate “found” each other and she said, “I have missed you so much.” Oh gosh, getting teary thinking about it.
bahahah I love that last picture!
Congratz to Gigi for graduating from pre-school…what a big girl
She looks beautiful and so happy!
Hi Mama Pea!
I’ve been a fan of your blog for a couple of months now. Thanks for all those awesome vegan recipes (I’m a vegetarian myself). Funny, I used the same exact picture as your first picture in my post a few days ago.
By the way, your daughters are gorgeous and adorable! Props to you for being able to keep up with those two tykes everyday!
Gigi is adorable!! Love her pictures of her graduation…made us cry over here!!!
xoxo
Lost was a tear jerking, something that will always remain tender for us!
Congratulations on your preschool graduate, that’s a huge milestone! I know you’re happy, sad, excited, nervous- hate those events that create so many mixed emotions.
I’m even more sad about the Lost finale. I was worried it wouldn’t be satisfying at all, but I felt it was, at least in part, which is all you can ask. Best show ever.
First…I am with you on the “not such a pretty crier” My face becomes blotchy and red- there is no hiding it!
Star Performer for sure!
Slightly kidding- but seriously I need to be your kid- they get such awesome eats 
Love your blog and hilarious stories….
Second- GiGi is to die for…she is such a priss- I can’t even handle it! Love Love Love the 2nd pic while looking at you with such sass from the risers
Third- I need you to sponsor a giveaway that would award one of your readers to be adopted by you for a week