Mud Puddles, What I Know For Sure & #iPPP

"Time to get up," Tim said yesterday nudging me.  He was leaving for work and it was time for me to take over the parent role.  Per usual, I was having trouble getting out of bed.  I used to be an early riser, but now that I stay up so late I sleep in...until 7 a.m. which is late in our house of predawn wakers.  "The kids are fighting and it's raining, again," he added.

His pep talk didn't make me want to get out of bed.  I wanted to stay in bed until summertime, until the sun is shining and school is out, until we aren't always in such a hurry.  It has rained everyday this week.  The clouds coupled with my inability to get a real handle on organizing our life made for a pretty sh*tty week.  

Whether it was struggling to get out of bed to greet the grey skies above or not finding any matching shoes for Wade to wear out of the house to setbacks in puppy training to fights with my husband, it was just all kinds of bleh.

One afternoon, I took the puppy out in the rain and waited for her to pee.  There I was standing in the rain, getting soaked, silently begging for her to just f-ing pee already and hoping that neither of us would get struck by lightening.  Because that would suck.  The headline would read "Grumpy Mother of Four Dies While Cursing At Her Puppy."   

I laughed at the absurdity of my thinking.  I looked around at my somewhat flooded backyard.  In between and around the muddy puddles the grass was a little greener.  There was hope amongst the mud puddles.  

My week was full of muddy puddles/muddy moments, but in between and around them were a few pretty good ones.  Whether it was the uber thoughtful and fun present a friend gave me or the simple fun of making gluten free Rice Krispie treats (picture the cute black and white commercials, awww that was us only gluten free and in color and maybe not as cute as the people on the commercial) or the return of Mad Men or having jump rope competitions in the living room while it rained, it wasn't all bad.

When life gives you mud puddles, read an e.e. cummings quote and get inspired to see the good, that I know for sure (this week).



Here's What Else I Know For Sure (This Week):

• Being the first one to laugh and have a little fun with a mistake can ease embarrassment. Like that time, a few days ago, when I went for a run with my pants on inside out. Yup. Didn't realize it until Tim pointed out my tag.

• Dancing keeps you young.  I hope I'm like this "Dancing Nana" in the video below.  You seriously should watch & skip ahead to the last 20 seconds if you don't have time.  Funny and I love her.

• Good neighbors make everything better.  We have been so lucky--in our last house our next door neighbors became lifelong friends that are like family and in our new house we hit the jackpot again.

I don't know if my kids would be so happy with the new house without our neighbors Grace, Sam and Julia.

• Sometimes being a mother can feel like you are a one woman army.  And this song by Kate Earl is the best theme song for those moments.  It's beautiful.  Enjoy.

• I got a ukulele and it's awesome. Oh my gosh, remember that time, a few paragraphs ago, when I told you my good friend got me a gift? Well, it was a ukulele and I am beyond happy.  One of my New Year's resolutions was to learn to play one.  So be prepared, this may not be the last time you hear about my awesome pink ukulele.

• Life is like a roller coaster, it's going to have beautiful moments, but it is going to be real f*#@ed up too.  That's the kind of brilliant, beautiful advice Patti Smith gives in the video below.

                        

• Subscribing to my YouTube channel will make you feel really good.  Okay, I don't know that for sure. But I know it would make me feel good and that's worth something right?  I'm so close to my May 1 goal of 50 subscribers,  I just need two more.  So, if you have a minute, click here and subscribe.  And thank you!!!!!!

• Matching shoes aren't so great. At least that's what I told Wade when I couldn't find matching shoes and had to put two different ones on him.  

What do you know for sure (this week)? C'mon, we're friends, share what you know.  Leave a comment here or on the Facebook page.

  Come play with me on Instagram @jumpingwithmyfingerscrossed.

I'm linking up today with my good buddy Greta from  Gfunkified.com and Sarah at SundaySpill.com for the #iPPP link up.  They host a link up where they encourage people to share "your funny, your yummy, your heartfelt, your favorite photos of the week" from our phones.  Check them out.

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Oh yeah, and come follow me on Twitter @AngelaYBlood and subscribe to my MomPulse YouTube channel here.