I often bust out into whatever song I feel is appropriate, much to the embarrassment admiration of my friends and family. Even when I’m not singing out loud, there is almost always a song running in the back of my mind. When I pay attention to it, I find that the words usually relate to whatever I am experiencing at the time.
For example: a couple of months ago, smack in the middle of my personal winter, I spent several days with The Lion King’s The Circle of Life running through my head. I had no idea why, and frankly, I was beginning to get a little annoyed by it. However, when I took the time to pay attention, I realized that the predominate lyrics I was thinking on were: There’s more to see than can ever be seen/More to do than can ever be done,
Lightbulb: I was silently belting out my feelings of anxiety and stress. Realizing that did absolutely nothing to relieve my stress, but at least I understood the soundtrack.

On a happier note (Ha! See what I did there? Song? Note? … Hello?), I’m pleased to report that for the last three days in a row, I have awakened to this song in my head:

Go ahead and listen. You can’t help but love it.

Here are a few things that are making me smile today.

one
The flood water is receding.
Note: It took me three tries to type w-a-t-e-r. My fingers kept wanting to type w-a-l-t-e-r. Walt is not receding. Thinning a bit, yes, but definitely not receding.
Not only is the water level going down, but we have had honest to goodness sunshine in patches over the weekend.
Me, suddenly bursting into song: I’m walkin’ on sunshine, yeah, yeah and don’t it feel good?
This is the kind of thing that people who know me well have to put up with all the time.

two
The slug slime came up off my couch. All I had to do was wait for it to dry, then scrape it off and then seal off and fumigate the entire area with napalm.
Now it’s gone, gone, gone, whoa-oh-oh-oh-whoa…

three
Things are getting done. Hurray!
Our remodeling/repair job feels like it is taking for-ev-er, but progress is being made. For example, we once again have two (count ‘em: one, two!) functioning bathrooms. The hall bath has received a complete makeover, including new tile flooring, new cabinets and sink, granite counter top, and a brand new no overflow toilet.
Haaaallelujah, haaaaallelujah, hallalujah-hallalujah, hall-ayyyy-ay-lu-yah!
We’ve still got some finishing touches to do; I’ll share pictures soon.

three-and-a-half
Remember this?

We found that old window at a garage sale back in September and I had such big plans for it. On Saturday, I batted my eyelashes and sweet talked Walt into finally helping me bring those plans to fruition.
The following horror was our entry when we first moved into our house. If you have small children on your lap, you may wish to cover their eyes.

We have done a fair amount of work there: replacing the front and closet doors, tiling over the ugly vinyl (not pictured) with a pretty matte black granite, replacing and painting the wood trim, and utterly demolishing those terrible prison bars spindles. Still the area didn’t look finished. Without the spindles, we had a hole in the wall that looked to me like a walk up ice-cream counter.
Enter new-old window:

Please note the new curtains too. Love. Them.
Here is another peek at my window:

This afternoon Newt told me: “Mama-
I love that she calls me that…
“Mama, if we sit right here on the couch and look at the front window and the entryway our house looks done. Let’s just not turn around briiiight eyes.”
Agreed. I’m not going to turn around and see my plywood and 70′s vinyl flooring (now with more asbestos!).
…but the view I love the most is on my front porch lookin’ iiiin!

four
Our church has multiple congregations that meet in the same building. Every year we trade meeting times around. Last year, we went to church at 8:30. AM. Twice a month I had early morning meetings. At 7:00. AM. As in, in-the-morning.
Aye-yi-yi, that’s early.
This year, we meet at 12:30. Sunday mornings are slow and relaxed again. We stay in our pjs for awhile, walk the dog together, make breakfast… It’s heavenly.
That’s why I’m eeeasy, easy like Sunday mornin’…

four and three-quarters
Newt made breakfast for us yesterday. I found her a recipe for pumpkin muffins and she went to work. They’re whole-wheat with no refined sugar, using honey instead, and oh-my-yum. The only modification she made (she is my daughter, after all) was adding some pumpkin seeds and walnuts to the batter.
Want some? The recipe is right here.
Why are there so many songs about muffins, and what’s on the other side?
Oh yeah, I also make up my own lyrics. Why not? It’s my show life.

What’s making you happy today? Sing it, Baby.

Linking up with: Not Just a Housewife, Create and Share, Whatever Goes Wednesday, Blue Cricket’s Show and Tell

Get a tiny tree and put it on a table. I can just see it: Christmas morning we each pull up a chair and gather ’round the tiny tree.
Newt, take your elbows off the table while you open that gift!

Put your tree in a playpen. Remember, even contained in a playpen, your tree could still injure itself. It might try to climb out, fall, and break its limbs. Never leave a young tree unattended.

Forget the tree and just make a tree shaped outline on the wall with ribbon or lights. Great idea. While you’re at it, go ahead and make present shaped outlines on the floor and food shaped outlines on the table. All the fun of the real thing with no mess or hassle!

Hang your tree upside down from the ceiling. Wha-? How is that even possible?

Okay, so the internets didn’t have a great solution, but it did get me thinking. What I needed was a fence of some sort. I imagined putting a fence around my tree; what kind would I use?
Chicken wire? Too rural.
Chain link? Too urban.
Privacy fence? Too expensive. Too tall . Too, uh, private.
Picket fence? Hmmm… cute, inexpensive, easy to work with – I like it.
I bought a roll of wired picket fence in the garden center at Lowes for under $20. Walt and I circled it around the tree and zip tied the end pickets together.
Here is the result:

I think it looks pretty good. Far better than a giant evergreen stalactite.
So far it seems to be working. Pepper has sniffed at it, but has not attempted any sort of breach. The tree, ornaments and presents are all safe.
I might have to get another roll of picket fence for my shoes.

Be Discriminating
We have an informal rule in our home: You can have all the books you like, as long as they can all fit on the shelves. There is only so much room in any home, right?
I try to make sure that the majority of our books are ones that are worth reading more than once. Fun, fluffy reads are great, but they don’t deserve a permanent place on our shelves. We borrow those from the library. Sometimes, I have to be patient and wait for the hot new read to become available, but I can usually do it.

Recycle Your Books
Every six months or so, Newt and I spend a day or two thoroughly combing through our shelves for things that are no longer needed. These may include books that she has outgrown, like many of her picture books and early chapter books or books purchased to supplement studies that we have finished with. Once we are no longer using them on a regular basis, it’s sometimes worth it to free up space for current studies.
Once we have culled those items that are no longer needed, we take them in to used book stores to sell. Our local favorites are Powell’s Books in Portland and The Book Bin in Corvallis and Salem. Both places will buy your used books for either cash or a bit more in store credit. (I always take the option for store credit.) I generally go to Powell’s first, then take any that they do not want to the Book Bin. Any books that are leftover go to Goodwill. I make sure to get a receipt for the tax deduction.
Before taking your books in to sell, call ahead to check your local store’s policies. Some will be far more favorable to you than others. Avoid stores that offer you a store credit only redeemable if you also spend a certain amount of cash. You’d be surprised how many book stores have this policy. If that is your city’s only option, try to negotiate to something more favorable.

Buy Used
I keep a book wish list in my purse. When I stop into a thrift store or used book store, I check to see if they have any of the items on my list.
Thrift stores, used books stores, and library sales are also great places to find treasures you didn’t even know existed. I’ve found some wonderful old books that Newt and I have really enjoyed at the library book shop. They are usually only $1.00 each.

When shopping online, I check to see if there are used copies of the title I’m looking for. Amazon has quite a few books that are only a penny, plus $3.99 shipping. Depending on what it is, and the condition, $4.00 can be a good bargain.
Note: I know there are other sites out there for buying or trading used books, but I haven’t used many. If you can recommend any, please link to them in the comments.

Get Them for Free
This is by far my favorite tip, because if you’ve been reading me for very long, you know that I love free.
Why not plan a book swap with some friends? Everyone bring in what you no longer need and trade them for something new (to you). Being snacks and it’s a party.
Another way to get free books is to sign up for Swag Bucks and earn Amazon gift cards (or other prizes). Swag Bucks is a search engine that awards you points for using it. A $5 Amazon card can be redeemed for 450 points. Walt and I each earn a couple cards every month for doing something we’d do anyway: searching the internet. The more friends you refer, the more points you earn. I can’t tell you how nice it is to have credit on my account when I see a book I want.
You can sign up for Swag Bucks here.

Using these tips have helped us to build a great home library on the cheap. What have I missed? Do you have any tips to share?

Pour some, say 1/2 a cup or so, into one of those thin plastic storage cups.

Add a few drops of essential oils. I like lavender and tea-tree, both for the scent and for the skin healing properties (great for freshly shaven underarms).

Allow to cool and solidify.

Pop it out of the container.

Rub on skin.
Ooh and ahh.
Put the bar down and rub oil into your skin (and underarms). Allow to absorb for a few moments before getting dressed.
Note: Coconut oil is liquid above 76°.   Now, I know it’s summer. If you don’t have AC and your bar stays soft, you can either just scoop a small amount out to use, or keep your container in the fridge.

Now, who wants to stand next to me on the elevator?

Four lawn bags later, we headed home, choosing a new way for fun. When we came to a river with no bridge, I asked Newt to scout around for a fairy we could ask for help.

One came, but not the kind she was expecting.

Safely on the other side, we continued our journey pausing only to race a train down the road.

It won.
But we did too.
We arrived home satisfied in the knowledge that an ordinary Thursday had been transformed into an adventure.
Up next? The dishes!

This morning I broke my daughter’s heart, and I don’t even care.
That’s just the kind of woman I am.
Just what terrible thing, you may be asking, did I do to the poor child?
I instituted a new rule. “One in, one out.”
You see, our home is being fully overrun by stuffed animals. They have no natural predators and so have multiplied at an astonishing rate. Do you remember the old Disney film “White Wilderness”? The one where the lemming population grew to be too large so the lemmings hurled themselves off a cliff? (Sidenote: I have recently discovered the film to be a hoax. Here’s the scoop on that.)
Anyway, I have been waiting for a mass plush suicide attempt, but it appears as though it’s not going to happen.
Hence the “one in, one out” rule.
This morning, my daughter told me that she wants two more webk*nz so she can get some special online “feature item”. Whatever.
(Ok, I really must go off on a tangent here. The Ganz corporation is made up of evil geniuses. They have created a cute, fun, and wholesome website for kids. But it’s main purpose is not entertainment, education, or to develop creativity. It is marketing, plain and simple. The very concept is designed to make your little darlings dissatisfied with what they have and instead want, no need more, more, more! Tangent over.)
Anyway, this morning my child told me she wanted-needed more. First I (nicely) told her that I was not going to be buying any webkinz. Secondly, I (very sweetly) explained that she has reached the extreme limit on the amount of plush creatures this house will hold. For every new animal that comes in, be it a gift or with her own (ha) money, she will have to donate one of her old animals to charity.
Here is the rest of our conversation.

Her: That’s mean.
Me: That’s life.
Her: I don’t want to give away any of my animals.
Me: You don’t have to. You can keep them all. Just don’t get any new ones.
Her: (Tearing up) Can’t I just put some in the attic?
Me: Nope. Sorry, Honey. We have reached the limit.
Her: But-
Me: (Practicing diversionary tactics) Is that the bus I hear? Hurry and grab your coat.

So, what do you think? Was I unbearably cruel? What would you think if I told you I don’t even feel guilty?
Remember when you were a kid and you really wanted something? Like a doll, or a bike, or a snoopy Sno-Cone Machine? Do you remember dropping hints to grandma? Writing to Santa? Going to the store to look at it? Maybe even saving your allowance for it?
And then when you finally got it do remember how much you loved it?
It’s possible that I am being nostalgic for something that didn’t really exist and kids then really weren’t that different from kids now, but I don’t think so.
For example, my daughter does not know the joy of browsing the toy isle just to see what is there. I loved going to Bi-Mart with my mom and just getting to look at the toys. But when my girl sees something she wants and can’t have it right now, she’s sad. So she chooses to not even look unless she knows she’s getting something. I commend her for that, but I truly feel like she is missing out on something. That bittersweet feeling of wanting and waiting and dreaming.
My daughter has so much more than I did. I think it’s hard for anything to be truly special in the face of so much abundance. Her kid culture (friends, tv, webk*nz) tells her that she has to have more. One Littlest Pet Shop pet is no fun. You have to have the whole set. When does it end?
Ok, before you start blasting me with, “Well, where did she get all this stuff, huh?” or telling me how spoiled she is, please know that one-yes, I accept blame for bringing in all the stuff and two-she’s no more spoiled than her peers and less than many of them.
Even so, I am going to make a concentrated effort to reduce the amount of consumerism taking place in this house. To do more with what we have and not look for something new and shiny to make us happy.
Last week we took all of her broken crayons and melted them in muffin tins. The “new” big crayons were a huge hit. She thought I was sooo clever. (Stop. I am not. Ok, maybe a little…) It was simple and it was fun. More fun, I dare say, than a brand new box of crayolas. What we had on hand was more than good enough.
Maybe with the “one in, one out” rule I can bring that feeling into our Plush Wilderness.
If not, I’ll be looking for a film crew and a high cliff.

I know because my second grade teacher taught me a trick, a trick that I still use all these years later.
Ball your hands into fists.
Now look at them. Do you see how your knuckles make bumps and valleys?
If you assign each bump and valley a month of the year, in order, the bump-months will be the ones with 31 days, while the valleys will be the ones that only have 30 (except for February, which has 28-ish days).
Confused yet?
Maybe a visual will help.
I’ve asked the Girl Wonder to be my hand model:

I’ve always been amazed that this works so well.
And it’s not just that every other month has 31 days.
Oh, no.
If you look at July and August, they are both on bumps and they both have 31 days.

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1-Keep legs fully covered at all times.

Pro: Not only does it cover my ghostly white legs, I could conceivably quit shaving.
Con: I already have enough jeans, I wouldn’t get need to buy new spring clothes.

2-Spend some time in a tanning booth.

Pro: A natural looking, golden tan
Con: Um, cancer

3-Use sunless tanning lotion.

Pro: If done right, a natural looking golden tan
Con: It’s hard to do right

For some parts of the country you could add a fourth option: sunlight, but here in Oregon, that’s not much of an option. At least not in April.
I choose option three. And I have come up with a couple of tips to keep from looking like an Oompa-Loompa (1971, not 2005).
First exfoliate. I know they say it on the bottle, but it really does bear repeating. Use a loofa or those scrubby gloves in the shower.
After drying off thoroughly, apply self tanning lotion.
I like Nutrogena Gradual Build a Tan. They also make a different formula just for faces. However, there are many good brands out there. Look for one that says gradual or light tan, particularly if you are fair-skinned, like me.
Go easy on knees, elbows, ankles. Think about where a natural tan is darker and apply accordingly. For example inner arm should receive less lotion.
While lotion is still drying, apply cocoa-butter over it. (I like Palmer’s, found at Wal-Mart.) The cocoa-butter does not seem to dilute the tanning lotion, but it does help even it out. Because striped skin? Not cute.
Once you are finished applying coca-butter, wash your hands or you will end up with orange palms. However, unless you like the “white-gloved” look, you’ll need to re-apply the sunless tanning lotion to the backs of your hands. But how? If you use your fingers, you’ll set up a never ending cycle of washing and reapplying. So, don’t use your fingers. Instead apply with a cotton ball or a disposable make-up sponge.
I know sunless tanning can be intimidating, but isn’t it better than the alternatives? (See cons above.)
C’mon, do it for the kids.