Monthly Archives: March 2011

Spring Cleaning, Still…

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On Sunday, Frit came home with the best-story-ever from Primary (children’s class at Church)  …

So each month a new theme, based on a scripture, is introduced to the class. They usually have one of the children come up to read the scripture to the whole group cadence style, i.e. the child reads one line, the group repeats. Well, if the child can’t read, then one of the teachers whispers a line in the child’s ear, the child repeats, and then the group repeats until the whole scripture is read.

This month’s scripture reads, “What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself. And though the heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled. whether by mine own voice, or the voice of my servants, it is the same.” And it was one of the 3-year-olds’ turn to read. So the teacher whispered in his ear: What I the Lord have spoken. He repeats: What I the Lord have smokin’! The children repeat: What I the Lord have smokin’! The teacher goes on: I have spoken. He repeats: I am smokin’. The group repeats: I am smokin’.

Frit said she looked around the room and the teachers were dying trying to hold in their laughter. Shoulders were bouncing and tears were streaming. So. If your child came home from our Primary class having learned the Lord was “smokin’,” now you know why. :) We’ve been giggling about it for two days now.

And speaking of smoking … yesterday I thought it would be a good idea to burn all the info-sensitive documents we’ve gathered from our spring cleaning efforts. It seemed like it’d be a lot faster than shredding them all–it was a BIG pile. So I pulled the fire pit out of the shed and lit them. Things were going fine till I needed to add another batch of pages so I lifted the cover to toss them in. Stupid me forgot that the handle is metal and is often covered in flames depending on how high the fire is burning. Thus, it’s VERY hot. And I burned my thumb, index, and middle fingers. Badly. Like blisters-formed-within-seconds-can’t-see-my-fingerprints-felt-like-my-whole-hand-was-on-fire-for-6-hours badly. =Not good.

Do you KNOW how much you use those three fingers?

Executive decision: We’re shredding the rest of the papers.

Though I was useless for the rest of the day, we did get a lot more done on the house this weekend. Here’s a checklist if you’re cleaning with us (and a link to the KITCHEN Checklist if you missed it) …

SPRING CLEANING: LIVING ROOMS (We have a formal and a family so this checklist is combined)

1. Wash walls (don’t forget the baseboards and light switch plates) and window blinds.

2. Wash insides of windows.

3. Take down curtains and wash, dry, iron, and rehang.

4. Clean vents (use Q-tips if necessary … and it is).

5. Empty bookshelves and dust. Donate books you don’t need/read.

6. Replace books. Group by topic and alphabetize.

7. Dust any picture frames, plants, or other do-dads on shelves.

8. Dust TV, end tables, coffee tables, armoires, lamps, and lamp shades.

9. Go through DVD collection. Donate any you don’t watch. Alphabetize the rest. (We also decided to just chuck all our VHS’s.)

10. Wash, dry, fold any blankets and pillows.

11. Spot treat and vacuum upholstery.

12. Dust piano.

13. Go through music. Toss what you don’t use/need. Group by type. Alphabetize.

14. Dust banister.

15. Beat entryway rug.

16. Scrub entryway floor.

17. Move furniture. Vacuum.

We also finished the HALL CLOSET and TOY ROOM this weekend …

1. Go through coats. Donate what you don’t need/use.

2. Organize hats, scarves, gloves. (We got plastic drawers to put ours in. Tip: scarves are stored easiest when rolled.)

3. Toss old phone books.

4. Organize board games. (Check to make sure you have all the pieces for each game. Toss games with missing pieces.)

5. Go through decks of cards. Toss any decks with missing cards. (We organized by suit/ascending order. We also might have color-coded the Phase10 cards. We also might have problems.)

6. Sweep out closet floor and wash walls before replacing items.

7. Go through toy/dress up bins. Toss anything that’s broken or torn. Donate what you don’t need/use.

8. Group like items together. We also picked up new/matching plastic and fabric bins for the shelves.

Our toy bins are in the closet under the stairs (we call it the Harry Potter room). It had become a catch all of sorts so we also moved the food storage to the garage, organized the wrapping paper and stored it in a plastic bin and added battery powered wall lights so it’s not as dark for the children.

Twas a busy weekend! How’s your Spring cleaning coming?

The Baby Sister

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She just left my house with her fella. Headed back to Provo. With a ring on her finger and a smile on her face.

They got engaged tonight. These two crazy kids I adore. And I love that they came by my house to tell me the news.

He loves my sister so much. And that makes me love him to the moon and back.

And her? Well I don’t possess words enough to explain how I feel about her.

Congratulations my dears. You make me happy.

xo,

Your big sister

Spring Cleaning: Kitchen Checklist

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Frit’s home this week from work. And we’re Spring cleaning. Cuz…the first day of Spring was this week! Yay for changing seasons! You wouldn’t know it though ’round these parts. We’re still freezing and getting rain/snow. But the cleaning feels good.

I’ve been on a kick lately. A toss-this-crap-I-don’t-need-all-this-stuff-simplify-my-life/surroundings-purge-till-my heart-has-room-again-to-breathe kick. I just want to get rid of things. Physically, emotionally, symbolically. The hair was perhaps the first step.

We live in a world that encourages “acquisition.” And I think we sometimes accumulate to cushion fears or insecurities rather than because we “need.” Mentally we do the same. We harbour thoughts, ideas, hopes–both to our success and detriment.

But the stuff we don’t “need” needs to go. The stuff we don’t use has to be eliminated. The things that clutter our homes and minds and hearts will push in on us and suffocate until we push back and give ourselves the space we need–to grow.

So.

We started with the kitchen. It’s now the end of the day and we’re plum tuckered with two oh-my-achin’-backs but we’ve got three big boxes to take to the Good Will and a sparkling, shiney, organized kitchen to show for it. And oh does it feel so good. Here’s the list of things we accomplished today, in case you’d like to tackle your home too.

SPRING CLEANING: KITCHEN CHECKLIST

1. Wipe down window blinds with warm soapy water.

2. Take down any window treatments/curtains and wash, dry, iron.

3. Wash the insides of windows. (We used Windex, but vinegar and water works fantastic too.)

4. Wash walls with warm soapy water.

5. Wipe down any doors and door frames.

6. Pull refrigerator away from wall and wipe down all sides, the floor, walls, and coils (if applicable).

7. Pull oven away from wall and wipe down top, sides, front, floor, and wall.

8. Clean inside of oven.

9. Empty all cabinets and wipe down shelves.

10. Empty all drawers and wipe out.

11. Go through all the items from cabinets and drawers. Donate anything you haven’t used in the last couple years.

12. Wipe out any containers or utensil holders.

13. Replace cabinet/drawer items. Make sure all items are facing the same way.

14. Wipe down cabinetry and drawer fronts with warm soapy water.

15. Wipe down vent covers.

16. Wipe down all appliances.

17. Disinfect countertops.

18. Remove light fixture covers and clean out. Wipe with warm wash cloth.

19. Clean out microwave. Inside and out.

20. Empty trash and wipe down can with disinfectant.

21. Beat/vacuum rugs.

22. Sweep floor.

23. Srub floor.

Happy cleaning!

Dear Darling [11]

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Dear Darling,

We were window shopping and people watching. Music from the street performers mixed with the hum of people headed this way and that, wrapped up in the dry summer heat made it the kind of night I could float away in. We stopped at the splash pad and laughed as the kids ran and jumped in the fountain-the shock of random water spurts sending them into fits of giggles. I couldn’t stop smiling. After a few minutes I looked up and said, “You wanna? … Let’s run across it. I’ll race you.” But no amount of coercion, coyness, or eyelash batting would get him to budge.

And I knew. He wasn’t you.

Because with you? I’ll splash in fountains (even when I’m fully dressed), run through rain, dive into oceans, climb up mountains, jump off cliffs, dance on street corners, sleep under the stars, and wander wherever our fancies take us.

You and me.

Missing you,

me

p.s. I’m only like 7.2% serious about the cliff jumping.

Wearing 32

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Me. Wearing 32.

My thirty-second birthday was two weeks ago. Truth be told it was a pretty crappy day. Which is sad for someone who loves their birthday as much as I do. I was in Florida that day. Cleaning out my grandmother’s apartment. She had died unexpectedly two days prior and the funeral was the next day. My mom even forgot that it was my birthday. Which is crazy. Because the only person who loves my birthday more than me is her. But how could I hold it against her? She had just lost her mother.

There was no celebration. No balloons. Although there was a small cake from the grocery store that I took a fork to by myself that night in the hotel room around midnight. And that was ok.

When I got back to Utah I rescheduled my previously canceled annual-birthday-haircut. My appointment was yesterday. “April,” I said to my hairdresser. “Do what you want.” (She was shocked. I never say that.) And I like what she did.

This morning I was looking at a picture of me that was taken about a year ago. My hair is probably a good 12 inches shorter than it was then. It felt symbolic.

So much of my own personal growth this last year has been learning to let go. To let go of expectations. Of pain. Of disappointment. Of safety. Of plans. Of control. And yes. Even of hair.

So. 32. It came without fanfare and mostly just feels like a warm downy blanket that you settle into at the end of a long day. And I’m ok with that.

(Does that mean I’m getting older?)

p.s. don’t get me wrong–33 is going to be a bash. oh, and presents and well wishes are always welcome. I’m still a “birthmonth” celebrator after all. :)

Just write.

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Dear Friends,

It’s been a while, I know. I’ve just not known what to say.

But I’ve also been realizing that I’ve been too worried about “saying the right thing” here. Too worried about the “business” of this place. Too worried about the analytics and comments and search engine rankings and how I compare to other blogs and blahdy blahdy blahdy. I’d forgotten why I started all this in the first place. Which was … to write. To share. My words and my life. With whomever cared to read.

I’ve been so stressed about making this life I’ve chosen to pursue “work” that I’ve forgotten what I love about what I do. I’ve been so blank. So very very blank. And too scared to take a step, for fear it might be the wrong one.

When I was in Arizona last month meeting baby Laela, I had a rental car with a GPS navigator. One morning, I typed in my destination, but the GPS was unable to calculate the route. It couldn’t find the satellite signal and in turn, was lost. I didn’t know what to do–nothing was working. And I didn’t know how to get where I needed to get to. But I couldn’t stay in the parking lot all day. And so I just started driving.

Within minutes, the GPS found the satellite, transmitted my information, and calculated my route.

Now, I hadn’t necessarily taken the correct turn out of the parking lot, but it was that forward motion–just putting the foot on the accelerator and making a choice to go one way or the other–that allowed the GPS to find its course. Had I done nothing, I would’ve never gotten anywhere.

Albert Einstein once said, “Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving.”

This is me. Moving.

I may not write the right things. You may not want to comment. I might lose ranking points. But that’s ok. I’m just going to write. And not worry.

Just write.