Thursday, December 14, 2006

Singin' in the Rain!!!

Besides this being one of my favorite musicals of all time, I love the concept! Since we live in the beautiful state of Oregon, where it rains 9 months of the year, if you don't make a pact with the rain, to at least get along, you won't survive :)




image is from http://63.210.199.180/design/StarBird/wave44/cd031606tg.jpg.fpx?qlt=80&wid=200&cvt=jpeg

Today is one of those Liquid Sunshine days, and as I look out my window, I realize I can respond one of 2 ways: I can moan & groan, and say, "When will the sun come out again? Am I starting to mildew?" or I can say, "What opportunities does the rain give me?" As for me, I'm choosing the second! So here are some rainy day activities to keep you singin' in the rain:

Puddle Jumping: I borrowed this one from a great book called, "Creative Dating", by Doug Fields & Todd Temple. It's described in the Cheap Dates section, and goes like this:
"Rather than let a rainstorm drown your fun.....(go) for a walk through the streets, seeking puddles of water to play in. You can do many things with a water puddle. Have a splash war, splash for distance and height, or try to splash out all the water. Stand on a street corner and wait for cars and buses to douse you as they dash through the flooded intersection. For more fun, let the driver think you were caught unaware; fall down and send the culprit away with a great laugh. If there's a playground nearby, take advantage of the slide, which, in addition to being very slippery, is bound to have a juicy puddle at the bottom to cushion your landings. For more adventurous thrill seekers, get a flexible, plastic toboggan and try your luck on a wet, grassy hill. When you return from your puddle-jumping excursion, recuperate in front of the fireplace with some hot liquid refreshment."



image is from: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/6/61/Puddle.jpg/180px-Puddle.jpg

Library Exploration: For some people, the idea of a library brings up memories of school & homework, and always being told "SHHHHH", but if you open your mind to the possibilities, you'll be pleasantly surprised. Your local library, in addition to having a multitude of different books to check out, all for the low, low price of FREE! with a library card, also has DVDs, music CDs, as well as many community events like Children's Story times, and Book & Poetry Discussion Groups. The Main Branch of the Multnomah County Library, located on 10th street in Downtown Portland, also has special events from time to time, like local theater groups presenting free sneak previews of upcoming plays, and even an Art Gallery located on the third floor!


image is from: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/44/SanDiegoCityCollegeLearingRecourceCity-bookshelf.jpg/

Did someone say Cookies?: Kids love to help out in the kitchen, and you will find the messes they make are nothing compared to the memories you will make together. I can still remember making Christmas cookies with my sister & my mom when I was younger~~I think we ate more cookie dough than actually got baked, but isn't that half the fun! And if you're not one to collect cookbooks, the Internet has thousands of helpful websites, right at your fingertips. Some of my favorite sites are Epicurious, Top Secret Recipes (where you'll find all the "secret" recipes from your favorite restaurants) and Caprial & John's Kitchen.


image is from: http://z.about.com/d/southernfood/1/0/M/1/cookieplate.jpg

Cleaning/Organizing/Decluttering: Although this would not be my first choice for a rainy- day activity, we do have to do this occasionally!--Or if you're like my friend, Jenni, done a lot!--Love you, friend! :) Anyway, besides being Biblical~~Ecclesiastes 10:18 If a man is lazy, the rafters sag; if his hands are idle, the house leaks~~it's just necessary. Luckily, there is a website for people like me. It's called FlyLady and it's amazing! It gives daily tips on how to gain control of your house and home, while avoiding the overwhelming factor. She is also very down-to-earth, and has helped thousands overcome their CHAOS (Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome). So, check her out, and you'll be amazed at how much you can accomplish.

Blogging: Enough said. And since I've managed to burn most of an rainy afternoon doing just this, I think I'll stop for now.

Blessings, K~

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

WHAT??? It's totally a disease! I can't help it!

Anonymous said...

Okay... maybe I can... but don't tell anyone.