Spring Cleaning 2014

I have been cleaning like a crazy person the last few weeks. I can sure you that I not pregnant but it feels like when I was expecting the girls and the whole nesting situation. It’s crazy and liberating. And in addition to my occasional (and by that I mean continual) OCD I have things designated and organized into various piles: Rummage sale, consignment store, clothing consignment store, online rummage sales, Donate and trash. Now I am sure you are wondering how on God’s green earth I might have enough treasures to classify into these various groups. And I will tell you why… number one I am a hoarder (a highly functioning and organized collector but a hoarder just the same) number two so is my mother. SO when she decides to go on a purging kick I have to do the manual labor of it (which is never easy mind you) but in turn she gives me all her treasures to sort and retain whatever monetary compensation I can muster up. SO it’s super sweet and that’s why I have so many designations. The main reason for the great purge of 2014??? Rummage season is at hand and it is forecasted to be amazing. By me. Lol. My favorite organization project so far has been to go through my records. Yes you heard me correctly. Records.  The black vinyl with the cracks and pops that give the old music such personality. I love to just hang out and listed to music but I haven’t been able to in such h a long time. With the girls a little bit older now though it seems that there is potential on the horizon. For now it’s only a little bit but I get my boogie on while I fold the laundry and I am happy. Speaking of happy, I have also decided this spring that I needn’t try to conceal my crazy quite so much. Everybody knows I am a weirdo and honestly they still love me in spite of it. Some even more because of it. So I have been going through the boxes I had in storage with all my weird tchotchkes and such. Talk about liberating. Lettin my freak flag fly baby and boy it feels amazing.

Adventures in Reading

We are trying to do more activities together as a family this year. I have always wanted to take the girls to the library to explore and try a story time but its just so hard by myself with these incredibly spirited ladies. However Tim has agreed to go with me now as he has his mornings off of work so we are giving it a go. The girlies had a great time looking at the various sections of the library and the kids area was amazing. They actually both got to try out using a computer for the first time (that I know of) and it was hard to get them to quit (sorta like their Daddy lol). I took each girl separately on a little tour and we explored both floors of the building. We even stopped in to see the librarians in the history section and Katie got to chat about maps and the old school card catalog. Which I know was way over her head but it didn’t matter because she was totally into it. I had forgotten how much I enjoy the library. The smell of books, the way they feel… it’s all very cathartic for me. It very well may be my safe place. Which is hilarious because I literally hate to read. That is unless I find a real doosy and then I can knock that sucker out in a few days.  But let’s be honest… school wrecked me and I have no interest in reading… but maybe that will change. Speaking of change. March has been a real eye opener month for me. I am not sure whether it’s because I turned 32 on the first or what the deal is but I am experiencing some crazy feelings of revitalization and change (I shall keep you posted on that).  I guess I just want to be happy, my girls to be happy, my husband, friends and other family members to be happy as well. It just totally sank in that we only get one life. That’s it. And there are no do-overs (although I have mixed feelings on this) so we need to live the one we have been given to the fullest. So in honor of March’s theme: optimism in the face of darkness shall be my new mantra. I know its deep but out of the darkest depths can come the greatest beauty (I hope).

Crazy Critter

I am going to try not to vent as I explain this little diddy… but I can already tell you that I shall fail miserable… but here I go anyway.  Stay positive Trina… stay positive you can do this lol. Kyra is thirteen y’all which is crazy to think about. My little buddy is a teenager already! And in September she will be a high schooler!!! Where did the time go??? I have really started to notice the change in her in the past few years. I will admit there has been friction between us and its most definitely not all her fault. I am coming to terms with the fact that I am a full on control freak (and Timmy would use the term bully but I think that’s hurtful so I won’t use that to describe myself… maybe a little shifty or manipulative sure but I try not to be hurtful). Yes there is a fine line between giving her the support she needs as a teenager/child and a teenager/adult… it’s a very confusing time for both of us lol. But I figure as long as I love her with my whole heart and do what I think is positive and supportive that’s all I can really do.  Case in point: Kyra is going on a trip to New York City and Washington DC this summer to the tune of 900 smackers (1800 in total, the 900 is our half) and when we agreed to pay it was understood that she would be doing some fundraising to earn a portion of the trip cost back. Yah, we have yet to see that. Her trip is paid for though and so now I need to get creative in how she can pay us back. I am trying to inspire her to create things and sell them and not get all bent outta shape over the nickel and dime candy bars… but she just can’t see the big picture yet. I think she is starting to though because the money is adding up in a way she can identify that it’s worth the work.  At the hospital when a nurse removes the cap from a medicine they throw it away. Makes sense. I have been having them save them though and we got creative. Hot glue and a little glitter nail polish and you have yourself a cute nametag that costs a 2.00 donation and the two of us just a little time. They sold like hot cakes!!! Even Tim’s mom and aunt took a few to their hospitals and sold them for her. After supplies she made like 150.00. woot woot!!! I still have probably 50 or so left and I am going to put them into the rummage sale this spring I think. Otherwise my goal is to get us signed up for a craft sale or two where we could sell all our handmade treasures. Although that would require production instead of just the planning stage where it appears I exist constantly. Hmmmm--- gotta work on that one. 

 

I was informed the other day that miss Kyra wants to change her room. Which made my head almost explode because I put some serious time, money and effort into remodeling her bedroom only a few years ago. But I guess that’s how teenagers think (in the here and now). Woosaaa stay positive. SO I am excited to hear about what she wants to do (not really but I am trying) and honestly if she can find things at a good price (like next to nothing because in a few weeks she probably won’t like it anymore anyway) then I am all good with it! Yeah! (see how I did that wink wink). In the spirit of change we dyed her hair. It’s a pretty kind of cinnamon color that honestly looks amazing on her. I am proud of the woman she is becoming and look forward to helping  her  identify and utilize all her opportunities . Just the other day I went to a meeting at her school with her mom where they showed us the classes she signed up for in the fall. Quite the ambitious girl we have here…  robotics and Chinese to list a few--- should be interesting folks.

Spectacles Wallet and Watch

The nice thing about my parents being retired is that we get to tag along on their various errands through the week. Which means free lunch. .. But it also means that a task that used to take them an hour or so can turn into an all-day event.  As was the case with my father picking out his new glasses.  On my days off I like to get things accomplished (makes sense) but when I have nothing that needs to be returned or purchased I sometimes feel a little lost. So when my parents asked if I wanted to pick out some eye glasses for my dad I was all about it and so were the girls. Timmy works afternoons and evenings so he was not a participant in this adventure (which who could blame him) but boy did he hear the story: which goes like this. The first location was eyemart where we thought it would take like 15 minutes but did not realize that you have to get in line to then get inline… so we put his name down and in the meantime tried on a few spectacles.  After going through and finding some that he liked (40 minutes later by the way) we talked to the girl working who informed us that my father’s insurance would not cover them and the two pairs of glasses would run him like 300 bucks. Boooooo. SO it was at this point that we decided to try lens crafters. Similar situation at this location because they make you pick everything out and give you the bajillion options available and then hit you with a total… seven hundred and fifty smackers… no thanks. Last stop was at Shopko (a local store) and we got in line. And waited. And waited. And waited. (We are three hours into this folks).  Same thing 7 big ones. Barf. SO after mulling it over with my mother for a while they decide to go with the original store (which for any other person would be a no brainer but my incredibly through father always likes to weigh his options). Lucky for the girls and I they did that decision making at home because to listen to the two of them banter back and forth (entertained at times to say the least) has become a bit of a chore. So no thanks to that… but the rest of it… A-Ok in my book.