Tornado. I can now check that off my bucket list. Not that it was ever on it, but I can now say that I am a true Kansas girl. Just like Dorothy in The Wizard of OZ, I too, have experienced a twister. My family, and our little dogs too, rode it out in our basement. Instead of being transported to the magical and mystical Oz we seemed to have passed through the Bajoran Wormhole and propelled forward in time. I am looking at the date in disbelief, June 2. Really? How is it that an entire five weeks have passed since the event and I have accomplished so much and at the same time so little, and yet so much is still to be done and apparently I am missing a huge block of time. The whoas of time travel never cease to amaze me. FYI, I’m not sure that our insurance would cover damage from an ion storm during time travel, so we will continue to place the blame on the actual weather event than the whole Trekker wormhole theory.
There are so many things that must be done that at times it is, frankly, it’s a little overwhelming. I think I am doing pretty well at keeping my head together, but I am tired of shopping. We love to have fun and shopping is not on the top of our fun list. We enjoy being outdoors, creating, and doing new and interesting things together as a family. That has been a little derailed this first leg of summer. Not that we aren’t enjoying each other, because that can be done anywhere, but it is hard to make shopping for sheets fun. I said hard, not impossible.
Ways to make had-a-tornado-gotta-replace-most-of-your-furniture-and-clothing shopping fun in 10 easy steps:
1. Sing in the Car. Loud. You have dance also. This must be done to songs that most everyone knows the words to or at least a familiar tune that everyone can make up their own words.
2. You must laugh. If this means that, I, the wacky mom must talk to strangers to keep the mood light it has to be done. I suppose I should feel bad for that poor young department store employee that I almost ran into and than said, “oops, I’m sorry I won’t hit with my cart.” As I allowed him to pass in front of me, “or will I?” He looks over his shoulder half smiling and I smile back and speed up. “Better walk faster!” I call after him. We all got a laugh out of this one, well except that poor boy who may, or may not have called security. I certainly hope he knew I only joking. Or was I?
3. Never underestimate the power of an ABBA dance party in the middle of a parking lot. Try it. No regrets.
4. Take a break! There is nothing we enjoy more than kicking back on the patio furniture and relaxing. Since that was damaged and we haven’t had time to replace it, just have seat in the store. Enjoy it and relax. When the store associates ask you if you they can help you, order a pink umbrella drink and Tip BIG if they pull it off.
5. Eat fried chicken and Twinkies in the car. Absolutely, positively, breaking ALL the rules at once.
6. Go for bike ride! I don’t care if it has been 34 years since you have been on a bike (ahem…. ME!) You get that adorable lime-green bike with the big-booty mama-seat off the display rack and take it for a spin through the toy department. All I needed was Toto in the basket! Bam!
7. Try to get the young and inexperienced clerk to lick the debit card of the young men in line ahead of you. Yes, that happened. “I heard if you lick that magnetic strip it will work like a charm every time!” I smiled politely as they wondered if she would actually try it.
8. Create a bond with anyone and everyone. Everyone wants to feel like they are part of a whole, camaraderie makes us feel good. This can be achieved by pointing out a trait or obvious hobby and adding “_____ on, my friend” directly after. For instance, we saw a gentleman with a trailer full of kayaks and I pumped my fist out the window and yelled, “Kayak on, my friend!” He thought I was crazy and so did my kids. Other examples include, to a fisher-person “Fish on, my friend!” To a cook, “Cook on, my friend!” You get the picture, but the fist pump is important for the overall feeling of emotion.
9. Compliment and talk to your cashiers and servers! You will meet the neatest, and sometimes the oddest, people. I know that sounds funny coming from the queen of odd, the princess of peculiar, but it is so fun to take the time to get to know the people that you are around. We all come from such different places, but are all so much the same. Listening to another persons struggles and triumphs really puts our own into perspective and most people are so hungry for human interaction they will eagerly share themselves.
10. Don’t forget to dream. Yesterday alone we were in three different Wal-Mart stores and a Sam’s Club trying to buy sheets and mattress pads to fit our beds. There comes a point where you have to take a break from the “have-to’s” and focus for a bit on the “Wow, I would like to try THAT!” Check out the sporting goods and the electronics and DREAM. Can you imagine the ABBA dance party we could have with this speaker? Check out this giant paddle board! Where would you take it first? DREAM. Have conversations about where you would go and what you would do. I know that right now we are stuck in a department store buying new sheets, but next month we may be living out the dreams we build TODAY.
I’ve joined a group called the Smokin’ Hot Mama Club that encourages making a bucket list and setting goals, so I thought that I would share my bucket list here. I kept it pretty simple, because we are still living in some chaos here at the casa, and yes my printer is still tornado broken and I couldn’t print off the “official” bucket list (but I think mine is super awesome anyway!). Hopefully we won’t have any additional wormhole or significant weather events to derail our fun, but I know that if we do we will hold our heads high and laugh our way through it like we always do or be detained by security. Either way, good memories.
Average is Overrated 