The "Cookie Lady"

She's not me, if that is what you were thinking. But she IS a funny story...
So the Cookie Lady came about this fall during football season/practice... She was a single mom who had a kid on our team and a very nice boyfriend. Along about the middle of our season, she started bringing the kids cookies that she had baked. It was a very nice thing for her to do, and the kids loved them. I didn't try them at this point, but my three B's seemed to enjoy them.
Not long after, she brought cookies a second time, and I have to admit my hackles were raised just a bit. First of all, isn't there a rule against bringing home-baked food to organized kids' events? Second of all, I really didn't need my kids eating a bunch of sugar right before dinner AND bedtime. And third, she brought a bag of cookies over to me to send home for Brady and as she handed me the bag she said "These are special for Brady - he'll kill me if I don't give him some of my cookies."
Really? Okay... Little Mama just happened to be right next to me during this exchange, and her hackles were raised a bit, too. This made me feel better, because it validated how I was feeling. Which was a little suspicious... It was after this remark about her cookies and Brady followed by her detailed explanation of what a fabulous baker she was that we dubbed her Cookie Lady.
Along goes time, and it soon became apparent to us that she had a bit of a crush on Brady. Granted, EVERYONE loves Brady, because really, what's not to love? He is certainly the most likable man I'VE ever met. And he is oblivious when it comes to flirty women and makes friends with every person he meets.
One night I didn't make it to practice, but Little Mama was there, and she found herself feeling a little jealous of Cookie Lady. It seems Cookie Lady dominated Brady for the entire practice! Of course Little Mama relayed this information to me, and we started watching Cookie Lady like a hawk, and sure enough, every time she had an opportunity, she was on Brady like flies on horse poo.
It soon became a big joke between the three of us (Big Daddy, Big Mama and Little Mama). But it did turn a bit serious one night when Cookie Lady AGAIN brought her stupid cookies for everyone. And Brady actually had the nerve to compliment her gesture TO ME, and that is when I became somewhat irritated... You see, I had tried one of her famous cookies, just to see if they WERE in fact tasty, and frankly, they were disgusting! They were harder than a rock and completely tasteless. After my sample, all the cookies from Cookie Lady went into straight into the garbage. They were GROSS!
Now here's an important piece of the puzzle for you to know - while I don't like cooking, I am one hell of a baker, and I make the best cookies you will EVER eat. Period. Exclamation point! And so when Brady had the bad taste (pun intended!) to compliment Cookie Lady on her cookies, knowing how Little Mama and I felt about her, my dander was raised. It just so happens Brady and I discussed this over dinner, after practice, and I shared with Brady that my cookies were twenty TIMES better than Cookie Lady's and if she wanted to have a bake-off, I would WIN, hands down! 
I am making this sound quite serious, but truthfully, Brady and I were bantering back and forth all in good fun. He was teasing me, and I was teasing him, but there WAS a tiny element of seriousness to it. And all of a sudden, my little B's jumped to my defense and said, "Dad, it's true! Mom can make WAY better cookies than that lady can." "Mom really does make better cookies, Dad." And "Mom WOULD win if they had a contest, Dad, SHE WOULD!" Needless to say, Brady and I had a big laugh over my little B's defending me, and it added fuel to the Cookie Lady fire for the rest of the season.
If you wonder why I brought this story up, it's because I was just reminded of it yesterday. Our wonderful neighbor lady brought us some Christmas goodies. She's a terrific baker, and after lunch, I let both of my B's have some dessert. Britt chose one of her cookies, and after having just one bite, he said, "Mmmmmmmmmmmmm, these are GOOD!" Then he looked at me and said, "Well, not as good as YOURS are, Mom, but they are good. But yours are WAY better!"
Tell me, is there anything more precious than having your children defend you? Besides my cookies, that is...