7 Quick Takes - Spring Cleaning

1.  I beginning to wonder if we have a gremlin living in the house (or maybe St. Patty's day leprechauns visiting us a month early)?  We have been misplacing or losing an enormous amount of things this week.  It started with Doug's jeans and new belt going missing on Tuesday and it's been downhill from there.  Honestly, we were up to 8 or 9 items over the past three days.  I would set something down and go back to pick it up an hour later and it would be GONE, never to be seen again.  It got so bad that I spent all day Thursday decluttering and looking for missing items.  We still haven't found those jeans...

Now reconsidering storing all those
vases in the tornado shelter!

2.  Part of Thursday's declutting project was cleaning out the closet under the stairs.  I usually do this annual ritual around this time because I have to pull everything out to put the Christmas tree away (what, it's only Jan. 31st...I know I can't be the only one doing this)!  In my defense, we've had the decorations down and in the crates for a few weeks but I'm just now finding time to get them put back into storage for next year.  Observe the "after" picture (no, I did not take a "before" picture, you can thank me later).




3.  One of the reasons I am cleaning under the stairs now is because that area also serves as our "safe room" during tornado warnings.  The joys of living in the midwest United States!  I would not consider buying a house without a basement for this reason alone.  I have lived in southern Illinois my entire life but have yet to see an actual tornado, for which I am very grateful.  I don't know what I'd do if I saw one in my backyard like Anabelle posted last year at Written By the Finger of God (she managed to snap a quick picture too).  Probably gather the kids in the safe room and pray, pray, pray.

4.  Speaking of spring weather, one of my best investments has been our handy dandy weather radio.

I remember we got this right after Game Boy was born.  It has been a life saver because I am one of those people who stay awake and watch the weather on TV in the middle of the night when it gets bad.  Now I don't have to do that because the radio will sound an alarm to let us know if a warning has been issued for our county.  My family all sleep very peacefully because they know I will call and wake them up if anything gets too serious and they need to take cover.  I remember mentioning to my mother-in-law a couple years ago that they needed to invest in one because they live in the country (too far away to hear sirens in the nearest town) and they don't have a TV.  She commented "why, that's what we have you for".  Sigh.

5.  Yes, you read that last take correctly, my in-laws do not own a TV or a computer!  Now, if the TV and internet went out at our house the kids would be going crazy.  However, my boys love every minute they spend at grandma and grandpa's house.  They do activities there that don't involve technology, like fish, swim, ride horses and in general do something called "playing outside".  Grandma now has an archery area set up so her house is quickly becoming the boys' vision of heaven.  Bonus points for grandma, she also takes them shopping at their absolute favorite store Buchheit (which has free popcorn and sells live baby chicks and turkeys in season).  Not to mention all the farm equipment, fishing and hunting stuff (did I mention they carry live rabbits too).

6.  I'm not going to give any spoilers here but can you believe that last episode of Downton Abbey?!  If you're not watching it, you should be (I'm just sayin).  The drama!  I can't seem to get Doug to watch this one with me.  I know other people's husbands watch this (at least, their wives are posting that they are watching).  We've watched shows similar to Downton Abbey together so I'm not sure about the hang up.  Maybe after football season is over he'll be more up for it.  He asked if it was like "The Tudors", I replied "kind of, but without all the nudity and raunchiness".

7.  Super Bowl Sunday is this weekend!!  We used to always go out to Super Bowl parties when we were young (in other words, before babies).  Now we have enough kids to have our own little party at home!  We love eating our traditional cheeseball, nachoes and chicken wings and rooting for our favorite team.  Then we always vote on our favorite commercial of the game.  In fact, I think the commercials and half time show are some of the best parts of the entire broadcast.  February and football go hand in hand at our house.

Enjoy Super Bowl Sunday weekend and click over for more Quick Takes at Conversion Diary