1. You know that feeling when you see a spot on your basement carpet and you think, “HUH. What’s that?” And then you realize it’s your footprint? And you realize it’s your footprint because your carpet is FULL OF WATER? There was a bit of panic-filled moments (minutes…hours…a day or so…) waiting to find out the cause (a broken valve) and waiting to find out if insurance will cover anything (they will!). Now I’m a bit more relaxed about it but seriously? ENOUGH WITH THE CHAOS.

2. I’m actually surprised insurance is covering anything but I figure I’ve lived here 11 years and I’ve never filed a claim. Maybe they figured they’d just give me this one. Like that time I spilled butter on my iPhone (long story) and the Apple store replaced it without any fuss.

3. And in news that doesn’t involve my house being broken or my wallet being empty… yesterday my sister and brother-in-law had their ultrasound and it’s a…BOY. Looking forward to the arrival of my nephew this winter and learning how to be as awesome an aunt to him as I am to his sister. {That might sound conceited but I’m a really great aunt, y’all.}

4. I kind of enjoy having a kid who bakes but I don’t enjoy the part where I forget that her monkey bread cupcakes spilled melted butter all over the bottom of the oven and I remember when a rush of black smoke starts billowing out of the oven into the kitchen. No fire, just stink. Sigh. I’ll add it to my list of things to clean.

5. Second week of school almost and I do believe we’re falling into a groove here.

6. #I #Don’t #Understand #People #That #Use #Hashtags #For #NonHashTaggy #Things

7. Something I’ve been curious about lately is – as an adult, what do you wish you had learned when you were younger? Think about it – and if you feel like sharing with me, toss me a comment. I’ll marinate on this one as well… there’s a post in the works here.

8. I mean it. There’s a post in the works that’s NOT a Thursday post. You would think with alllll this free time. But… nope.

9. It’s all fun and games until shuffle plays “Endless Love” and you get it stuck in your head for two days.

10. What I’m reading now? Talking to Girls About Duran Duran: One Young Man’s Quest for True Love and a Cooler Haircut by Rob Sheffield. He’s a good writer and I love the music-inspired memoir. And, no. I was never a Duran Duran fan. Not even a little.

1. Dear Mother Nature: Last year at this time, things were blooming. It’s been another week and there is now snow in the forecast and all I can think of is that you hate everyone. And if it really does snow this weekend, I may really and truly cry. This week has been rainy and I’m choosing to look on the bright side – here’s hoping all that rain means that all of the lawns in the neighborhood quickly turn from brown to green. BUT YOU HAVE TO STOP SNOWING ON THEM FIRST.

2. We’re coming into the home stretch of competitive gymnastics season and I have to say, the end of this season has left me with a bitter taste in my mouth. From finding out that the gym has been padding meet registration fees (there could be a legit reason – and yes, I’ll be asking them) to being unable to pin down a meet time for an event nearly three hours away, I’m frustrated. I hate when people mess with my money or my time (OR BOTH).

3. Don’t mind me. Just googling crafts to make with empty wine bottles. And more crafts. And I hate making crafts.

4. Michigan made it to the finals and they KILLED my bracket (I’d picked Syracuse to win). It was a bummer to see my team make it that far – and then lose – but it was still pretty awesome that they got that far. And if a team had to kick my bracket in the teeth, I guess it’s okay if it’s MY team.

5. I have been reading the fluffliest books just to FINISH something lately. Don’t ask what.

6. The Avon Walk is in under two months and so while I’m in a rush to get outside and start getting real workouts in soon, I’m also in the frame of mind of “Work out, get in shape but for the love of god, woman, don’t hurt something!” Some days I wake up really feeling my age and I’m slightly more afraid of maiming myself just climbing out of bed than I used to be.

7. Pumpkin has had moments of expressing frustrating with our schedule and I do hope that she adjusts soon. I know the chaos of an ever changing schedule doesn’t do anyone any favors, but it’s been hardest for her and that’s tough for me.

8. Though I haven’t posted a “Kitchen Through The Lens” post in awhile, I haven’t forgotten the project. I’ve got one post pending (Okay, I took the pictures, I have to write it) and frankly, I just need to take the time to get back into my kitchen. I made all the stuff I really wanted to make already. Now it’s the leftovers. Makes it harder to keep moving forward.

9. Due to some spectacularly awful driving on behalf of a school bus driving hauling a bus full of kids (yeah. scary.), my vehicle and I very nearly became the squished up middle of a Lexus/Audi sandwich. Fortunately, we’re all better drivers than the person carrying a bunch of kids so… crisis averted.

10. I’m still thinking about a 40 before 40 list. I guess item number one should be “Finish writing this list.” And then items two through 39 will be things I’ve already done. Item 40 will be something new. Because that’s how I roll. Lazily. Slowly. Downhill.

1. Though I left Blissdom early last year because I thought my sister was going to go into labor ANY MINUTE (and then my niece waited TWO MORE WEEKS), it’s still kind of a bummer seeing my friends posting on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook about their travels to Dallas (and a whole ‘nother BioDome). *sniff* The downside to having a lovely group of blogging friends – is that most of us aren’t all in one place and don’t see each other much… so I’m a bit bummed to be missing it.

2. The kids and I had a family portrait done a few weeks ago – the photographer did a lovely job. It’s not her fault that I’m hyper critical of myself. I hate it. I’m trying to look past my perceived flaws and focus on the fact that I’m surrounded by my daughters – and you can see the love and the happy in the photos, despite the fact that I had shoes full of snow. I see all of these things and my eyes lock on them and I can’t unsee them and this is why I do better on the other side of the camera. Because I’m dumb.

3. But on a brighter note, Justin Timberlake’s album came out this week. I haven’t listened to all of it yet, but I love “Mirrors”  – far better than “Suit & Tie.” There’s an ad before this video, but that’s okay, it’s not too obnoxious.

4. Do you Bracket? Y’all know that I’m kind of a BIG FREAKING NERD about my NCAA March Madness Brackets. Don’t make me watch any basketball, but indulge me because I AM COMPETITIVE AS ALL GET OUT and yeah, my bracket is filled out. I, uh, actually have two apps for it on my phone too. (That’s really only because the ESPN Bracket Bound app is just a big old mess and it keeps changing my picks and I can’t have that. Nope. No way.) NERD.

5. Easter is fast approaching and the girls and I have had a chance to check out a few new books. Our favorites for Easter are Easter Bunny on the Loose!: A Seek and Solve Mystery! and Mia: The Easter Egg Chase. Both books are awesome for ages 4 – 8 (Pumpkin loves ’em) and are available on Amazon. Each is under ten bucks (Mia was under $5 – and comes with a fun page of stickers your kiddo can use to decorate the pages of the book.)

6. As the winter weather holds on even though spring is officially “here” – I’m grateful that I remembered about the Nike Training Club app. Tired of my treadmill, my workouts have been boring, lackluster, and frankly? Ineffective. There’s a wide enough variety in NTC workouts to (hopefully) keep me motivated and from getting bored. Goodness knows, I wanna be ready when the weather warms up.

7. So, because I’m a goofball, I’ve started a Flickr set of Other People’s Grocery Lists. You know how sometimes people leave ’em in the cart (lazy litterbugs)? Well, I’mma take pictures and add them to Flickr. And then I’m going to judge them (not really).

8. I haven’t made anything from the Kitchen Lens project for quite some time – but! I’m going to! I have all the ingredients. I’m just…too tired when I get home to try something different. But I will.

9. The other day I did the “math” with regards to just how much of the year I spend FREEZING here in Michigan. Damn near half the year it’s cold here. Ugh. Do not like (This is when it’d be awesome to have some weird SEO-friendly relationship with a brand that wanted to send me someplace warm so I could drink umbrella drinks and post pictures on Instagram of my toes in the sand while on some tropical beach. Anyone want to adopt a blogger?).

10. I’m passing on my HGTV fondness to The Princess who particularly gets emotionally involved with trying to guess the outcome of “Love It Or List It.” Man, I remember those days of having to sit through countless hours of Dora the Explorer. Watching HGTV and cupcake shows with my kid? Not bad.