Is Something Burning?????????

There are certain words and phrases that as a parent immediately cause your heart to start racing.... "Mommy, mommy, come quick.." is one that I am fairly accustomed to.

But today, it was a thought that kicked my body into fight or flight. I was in the guest bedroom paying some bills online when I caught a drift of something..."What's that smell? Is something burning?" The distant hum of the microwave was my second clue. I jumped to my feet, ran down the hall (while simultaneously screaming out "Chandler?" to confirm his safety) and as I rounded the corner I saw it: SMOKE, EVERYWHERE. The triple beep signaling the microwave was done helped me re-focus, temporarily distracted by the smoke.

Now, I have been inside a burning house before and seen true flames and smoke. And another time, at my parents' old house, I foolishly trusted the "popcorn" button on the microwave to accurately sense when the popping was actually finished. Today's microwave casualty produced a volume of smoke that fell somewhere between the two.

It's amazing how quickly smoke can penetrate 1175 sq ft. I found Chandler cowering, scared in the living room, terror transcribed across his precious face. I darted in the kitchen, assessed the microwave was not actively going up in flames and returned to the living room to embrace Chandler. "Hon-ney? Did you use the microwave?" I asked in my most gentle voice. His little head bobbed up and down. "What did you try to cook?" I inquired. "My muffin" he literally choked out.

Amidst a great deal of coughing and choking, I opened the front door, sliding glass door and all the windows, and flipped on all the ceiling fans while trying not to get smoke inhalation.

Ah, so the smoke was the bi-product of scorched sugar! (I thought the smoke had a little extra kick to it. Yuck) Chandler got a chocolate with chocolate chip Otis Sputmeyer Muffin yesterday and was saving it for a special treat. Usually I will melt it in the microwave for ten seconds, just enough to soften the chocolate chips. This makes the muffin taste like the molten lava cake from Chili's, which we both adore! We sometimes even add a scoop of vanilla ice cream. "Chandler, how long did you cook the muffin?" I asked. "For 5 minutes," he sheepishly replied. "Okay," I respond, "Can you please remember not to use the microwave without a grown-up?" "YEAH!" he categorically affirmed.

So, I am off to investigate why the smoke alarm never went off? and to swat a fly that has made his way in through the wide open front door.

And if you happen to visit us anytime in the near future and our home still wreaks of smoke, you know why. =)