We're almost half-way through June (and ten other random facts)

Fact #1: My kids have been keeping me pretty busy this summer. But not in the manner of going out and doing all the summer things and having a grand old time. They are keeping me busy with things like 2 quarts of lemonade spilled on the kitchen floor and the constant demand for help with pushing up their Otter Pops (the last Otter Pop got eaten yesterday, and we are officially Otter Pop-free... for now).

Fact #2: When 2 quarts of lemonade end up on your kitchen floor, you get to mop 18 times in 24 hours. It's great. Just great. And even after the 18th time, you'll still find sticky spots.

Fact #3: My house is pretty messy right now. Yesterday I was babysitting my nephew, and he said, "Your house is really messy. You probably haven't vacuumed in seven years." I just laughed - because I have kids critique my housekeeping skills all the time, even ones who live in messier houses than mine. My nephew is an only child, though, and what he doesn't realize is that I have to vacuum three times a day (I'm not even joking) to keep my house clean, so if I miss one day of vacuuming, seven years' worth of crap piles up on the floor.

Fact #4: Part of the reason my house is messy is because I'm in "project mode." I've been doing some wood crafts - mostly July holiday decor. I have a stash of barn wood that I've been wanting to use, and I inherited a scroll saw, so I've been makin' junk. I've experienced a fair amount of trial and error, but I'm figuring things out.

{barn wood after I pressure washed it - oh my heart}

Fact #5: The reason I'm working on these wood projects is because it's something I've always wanted to do. It's not something I want to do for a living, per se, but I've always wanted to make a few things to sell - just for a brief season. I'm not looking to make a lot of money - just enough for my Moochies fund. I got a bee in my bonnet this summer, and I'm trying to push myself to do some of the things I've always wanted to do but have always found reasons not to do.

Fact #6: One of my favorite musical lines from The Greatest Showman is "Every night I lie in bed, the brightest colors fill my head, a million dreams are keeping me awake." The first time I heard that, I got chills because I'm a big dreamer, especially late at night. That's when I come up with all my big ideas, and I end up laying there in my bed making plans and daydreaming about seeing them to fruition. Then the next morning, I wake up all rational, and my dreams are crushed before breakfast. This summer, I'm trying to make more of my dreams and big ideas happen. Hence... wood crafts.

Fact #7: When I go into "project mode," I end up stashing my supplies in boxes or bins and leaving them accessible so I can get to them easily. Then when I'm "over" my projects, I put the boxes or bins in the basement. I realized, this time around, just how many random bins of project supplies I have laying around. It's fun in some ways because I can go from bin to bin and find all sorts of supplies. I have paint galore! But it also makes me realize how often I invest in supplies that I end up not using.

Fact #8: Since I've been in "project mode," I've intentionally chosen to saw, sand, and paint rather than clean, exercise, or enforce structure in my household. I intentionally chose this week to not prepare my singing time for Sunday until right before church (with the exception of choosing the songs. I try to have all the songs chosen a month in advance so our pianist knows what she will be playing). Sawdust over singing time. That was my motto for the week. So I went into primary with just a list of songs and winged it.

I got through by making up activities as we went, but it was very chaotic, and I was very clearly unprepared. For example, we were supposed to sing "Kindness Begins with Me," and it dawned on me in that moment that I don't really know that song. I had to say, "Um... does anyone know this song who can quickly tell me the words?" Preparation is important! I learned my lesson. But... will I apply it?

Fact #9: Another thing I'm doing this summer to fulfill my million dreams is I am teaching a dance class. This is one of those "things I've always wanted to do but have always found reasons not to do" (see fact #5). I have lots of reasons to not teach dance... namely the fact that I haven't danced in 17 years. But also... who do I teach dance to and where? It's not like I could ever get a job at a dance studio at this point in my life. But I love teaching dance, and I especially love to choreograph. That's what I miss more than anything from my dancing years - choreographing. Even though my dancing ability isn't really there anymore, I always have choreography running through my mind. Scotty often notices when I zone out in the car, and he'll say, "Are you dancing?" because he knows that in my mind, I'm choreographing to the song on the radio.

Fact #10: I decided to just go for it and put together a summer dance class. I have about 12 girls participating from ages 9-13. Our weekly class includes a character building lesson (this week will be on kindness), stretching, technique, and a small piece of choreography. I told the girls I haven't danced in 17 years, so they are going to see me try some stuff and possibly fail, but we are all doing it together. These girls are right within my level of ability. I can do everything I'm asking of them, so it's perfect place to start. Hopefully as the summer goes on, all of us will improve our skills.