Give a Box. Make Great Friendships That Last a Lifetime

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #GiveABox #CollectiveBias

You know the sixth-sense-feeling you get when something isn’t quite right with one of your friends? All of a sudden she is on your mind, and you have this urge to pick up the phone to check in – and to calm your worries. Well, that happened to me recently.

My dear friend had her second baby a few months ago. She was still in her “4th trimester” mode, but out of the initial state of chaos that only a new baby brings.

It was a Wednesday morning, I woke up and thought of her. Now, the fact that I was thinking of her wasn’t the weird part. We have been friends for many years, shared life’s ups and downs, helped each other through hard times and happy ones. Unfortunately, we don’t see each other as often as we would like because she has been pregnant and has a busy toddler… and we have four boys – so our schedules rarely mesh.

We still manage to have our phone conversations, texting sessions and sharing inside jokes on Facebook. She is a strong mom, never complains and always goes with the flow. I knew motherhood of two would come natural and easy for her. She is that kind of woman – born to be a mom.

That Wednesday morning, I rushed to get the kids loaded in the car. Beside from the nagging feeling I had about my friend, it was an ordinary day in motherhood: school drop-offs, grocery shopping, laundry, cleaning – followed by school pick ups. I decided to call her “early,” because we all know, what is considered “early” for the rest of the world, is “mid-morning” for most mothers.

She picked up the phone on the first ring as if she had been expecting my call. She probably felt my worry from across town. She was inconsolable on the phone. She managed to say a meek “hello,” but then burst into a sobbing mess as soon as she heard my voice.

My heart sank, my blood turned to ice and my worry escalated beyond measure. I immediately thought the worst possible scenarios, and I have a vivid imagination… so you can imagine the possibilities crossing my mind.

I calmly said her name, over and over, as one does with a toddler who has fallen and scraped his knee. I felt helpless but tried to muster up calmness in my voice. I am not sure how successful I was, but eventually, she was able to speak…

As it turned out, motherhood had gotten the best of her. Her husband was traveling on business, for the first time since they had the baby. She was alone with two kids for a week and I happened to call her on day four.

She was drowning in poop-stained laundry, the kitchen sink was stacked high with dishes from attempts at a normal dinner routine and failed breakfasts. Both she and the baby ran out of clean outfits and the toddler hadn’t made it to preschool in two days, because… well, I think the reason is clear.

[bctt tweet=”#GiveABox – Make #friendships that last a lifetime. #Motherhood at its finest! #ad” username=”MamaintheNow”]

Our two school-age kids were dropped off at their respective schools. I pulled into our driveway as she was finishing her vivid description of her home. I ran inside to fill my diaper bag for the day. I was staying with her until their home was brought back to some sense of normalcy.

As I was getting ready to close the kitchen door, I remembered the fresh batch of cookies I baked the night before, my grandma’s “mystery cookies.” (Don’t miss the recipe at the end of the post!)

There is something magical and healing about homemade cookies, especially those from a recipe passed down through generations. My grandma was 95 years old when she recently passed away. One of the most treasured legacies she left was a complete library of her best cookie recipes. My dad told me, she wasn’t much of a cook, but what she lacked in the dinner department, she made up for in desserts.

Grandma’s mystery cookies were one of my go-to recipes. The best part was the “mystery,”: any dry cereal you have on hand. My favorite is Honey Nut Cheerios™, not only because of the taste but also for the tradition and comfort synonymous with Cheerios™.

The funny thing about the family-sized box of Honey Nut Cheerios™ was that I redeemed their “Buy a Box. Give a Free Box” offer the night before. The person I chose as the recipient of a free box was my friend. At the time, I thought a big box of Cheerios™ would bring her family a wonderful breakfast tradition. I knew she would appreciate the sentimental gesture.

As I was headed out the door, cookies in hand, I knew that the family-sized box of Cheerios™ from Walmart would truly save the day.

She needed comfort, food in the house and a good reminder that when life throws you curveballs, there is always Cheerios™ to nourish your mind and body.

The combined magic of Grandma’s Mystery cookies, the box of Honey Nut Cheerios™ and my hands-on help around the house not only turned her chaos into calm but also gave her a chance to spend quality time with her babies.

I went over to see her every morning until her husband came home. Our toddlers fully embraced our mid-morning play dates over a bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios™. Together we got through the week – sharing stories from our childhood and making memories to last a lifetime.

Next time you are at Walmart look for the specially marked boxes with the “Buy a Box. Give a Free Box” campaign.

• Enter the code found inside the box online.
• Fill out an E-card for a friend to open and receive a coupon for a free box of Cheerios™ at their Walmart.
• All you need is the code and your friend’s email!
• Go to this link to get started once you have purchased the specially marked Cheerios™ at Walmart.

To whom would you give a family sized box of Cheerios™ and why?

You don’t want to miss Grandma’s mystery cookie recipe. They are quick and easy to make – and OH SO delicious!

Grandma’s Mystery Cookies

Ingredients:

1 stick margarine or butter
1/2 cups brown sugar, packed
1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
2 cups of Honey Nut Cheerios™. Honey Nut Cheerios™ give the cookies a delicious flavor.

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Beat until light: margarine/ butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, egg, vanilla extract
• Sift and add: flour, baking soda, salt
• Stir in: Honey Nut Cheerios™, or whichever sweetened dry cereal you are using.
• Drop by rounded teaspoon full onto greased cookie sheet, 2 1/2” apart
• Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes, or until lightly browned
• Cool slightly before removing from sheet to finish cooling