Dancing in the Rain and Bowling like Superman

Dancing in the Rain and Bowling like Superman

March 20, 2011

It is amazing how much crap junk one home can accumulate in one year!

Before I worked, I always spent spring break cleaning and organizing the whole house. The past couple of year that I have worked, I have saved the spring cleaning for summer and actually relaxed over my spring break (usually doing a puzzle). Not sure what happened to me this year. Somehow my brain and OCD kicked in to hyper drive and there was no turning back.

I went through almost every inch of this home and cleaned and scrubbed and organized. I also threw out quite a bit of stuff and we cleared the whole right side of the shed for garage sale items (which is growing by leaps and bounds). Again, the idea is to simplify.

Every room is done except the storage room (which I was bummed about not being able to finish). But everything else looks really nice. Now I need to find a good way to enforce it to stay this way! The kids helped quite a bit. I think they liked having some input on where things go and how we would fix things up. They actually got pretty excited about it.

I don’t have a “decorator’s” bone in my whole body.

Anyone who knows me knows I can organize like nobody’s business. However, interior decorating is, um…a huge weakness of mine. This year I decided I would try anyway. I’m always up for a challenge right? I figure with my brain and Kayla’s amazing gift with decorating, we might just be able to do it.

(New decorative floral silk pillows)

So, my brain (which never seems to sleep) went to work on tons of ideas to redecorate and update our home. Kayla and I had so much fun doing this together and I couldn’t be more pleased with the results. I will show some pics.

(New kitchen table decor)

(New flat screen monitor to replace huge old monitor)

I love vinyl lettering!!! This (and candles) have become my new love. We arranged this (see pic) and put up the lettering yesterday. Our other lettering should be here Monday. It says, “Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass…it’s a about learning to dance in the rain”. I love that and it seems so fitting with our family and the current thunderstorm outside.

I also put up a new inspirational poster in the exercise room that says “Persistence: Challenges are what make life interesting; overcoming them is what makes life meaningful."- Mark Twain

Tyler can bowl like Superman

Every Spring Break we try to do something fun as a family. This year we chose bowling. We had so much fun! Our 2^nd game, we did a crazy game where we did all sorts of things like : bowled left-handed, granny style, backwards granny, zigzag off the bumpers, using the smallest ball we could find, using the heaviest, etc. One time, when we were doing the smallest ball, Tyler took his steps, made a huge swing backwards, and literally went flying down the lane with his one arm forward and still attached to the ball. He looked like Superman and he was completely face down by the time he finished. We couldn’t stop laughing. THAT’S when I should have taken the picture, right??

(Bob Bowling)

(Tyler Bowling)

(Alayna Bowling)

(He actually asked me if he had “bling” and a “grill” if he would look cool)

We also went to Pancheros- one of our favorite places to eat.

(With burritos as big as your face)

(Chips and Salsa Girl!)

Raspberry white chocolate cinnamon rolls sound like a bite of heaven

Every once in a while, I feel domestic. It doesn’t happen often, so when I get that urge I have to jump on it. I have been gearing myself up for trying to make homemade raspberry white chocolate cinnamon rolls. I was 1^st introduced to these when some sweet ladies brought them to my brothers as a taste test to sell at the new movie theater/café. Man was I glad I was there to help “test” them out. I will let you know how mine turnout- wish me luck!

I’m getting old…

I used to be able to run like the energizer bunny with no problems at all. This week, I strained a muscle in my shoulder, yanked a tendon in my arm, and pulled a muscle in my back (all while trying to move heavy stuff). For a few days, I looked like a hunched over, one-armed lady with a crazed look in her eyes.

Hey- where did everything go?

We realized today that Spring Break is over! Where did it go?? I also completely missed St. Patrick’s’ Day- where did that go? We are heading into another busy month. The girls start HS tennis tomorrow (if the rain lets up) and Marisa starts in the pit orchestra for the musical “Oklahoma” this year. Tyler has several show choir performances as well as the elementary tour this week. I am COUNTING DOWN the days until summer and praying I will get a new job for next year. Only time I will tell. Until then, I just plan to dance in the rain….

(It was FINALLY warm enough to go outside!)

(Tyler and Alayna made for me)