• Rotunno Mini Update – April 2019

    For the first time ever, I took my son on a date. It was one of those mother-son date nights at church.

     

    He sat next to me in the front of the car, which he had never done before. He was thrilled. He talked to me about Minecraft. I could not understand what he was talking about, but I loved hearing all about it. It was so very sweet to see more of his personality. Without the other kids around, he was a talker, which I did not know.

    The date itself was a “camp-out” in someone’s backyard. We had smore’s, went on a nature hike, and made marshmallow shooters with all the other boys and their moms.

    On the way home, I took him to pick out something fun at Target, and he chose Pokemon cards. He tried to explain Pokemon to me. Then I said, “Would you like to get ice cream?” And he said, “Do you want ice cream? I only want to get ice cream if you want to, Mom. I’m happy with just my Pokemon cards.”

    Well, I gave up dessert for lent, so . . . I got French fries and he got ice cream. 

     

    Asparagus

    OK, a little bit about asparagus. During our Discipleship Training School, one of our speakers told us that she prays and asks God what she should order whenever she eats out. I thought this was such a cool idea. He knows what our bodies need, right? The first time I prayed and asked God what I should order, I skimmed the menu and my eyes landed cheerfully on “Beef With Asparagus.” We were at a sushi restaurant. I ordered that meal and it was absolutely delicious.

    A second time I prayed about what I should order, I landed on chicken with potatoes and asparagus. I elbowed Andy and said, “Hey, I got asparagus again!” We both ordered that meal. 

    Inexpensive, quick, easy, healthy. I know what you are thinking about the smell, but just don’t worry about that part. Just know that if it’s that strong of a smell, it’s definitely cleaning you out. 

    Andy and I love asparagus, and recently, I discovered that my kids love it too. I buy the narrow stalks at Grocery Outlet and cut them into bite-size pieces, heat up some olive oil in a skillet, and sauté the pieces for about 4 minutes until bright green and crisp-tender. Just add a little bit of pink Himalayan salt and lemon. (Or Tajin . . . have you tried that stuff?) My kids always ask for seconds, thirds, and fourths. I have to buy three bunches next time instead of two. Good thing it’s only $1.25 each.

     

    Coloring Pages for Little Girls

    I am making coloring pages for my little girls. Lots and lots of photocopies of my little pencil drawings. We are just stapling them together—they are not real coloring books, but my kids don’t seem to care. They are begging me to draw more and more pages for them to color. 

    It began with my memory of my own mother drawing things for me to color when I was small. It’s not a coincidence that these sweet memories came back to me during my time of healing from my childhood trauma (which my parents knew nothing about back then.) I remember what it felt like to color the pretty dresses that my mother designed, and to make the little girl’s lips pink or red and give them long eyelashes. 

    Somehow, this coloring was extremely therapeutic for me. It was a mixture of spending time with my mom, watching her enjoy creating the drawings, and meeting the new little girls who were just as happy as could be, just thin black lines on clean paper. Then it was my turn to make them even more beautiful, with lots of pink ruffles and big hair. 

    My four-year-old, Pearl, is at that same age and quite the same personality, being the baby of the family like I was. She insists I draw another, and another, the same way I encouraged my mom to draw more and more. Neither of us could ever keep up with our daughter’s requests for beautiful princesses to color. 

     

    Typing Lessons

    My friend told me about typingdotcom, free typing lessons online. His son is learning to type in kindergarten. I got my kids started with the program that day and they have been loving it. Now the only problem is that they all want to type at the same time, and that my keyboard is crustier than it’s ever been, even though I make them wash their hands before they type.

    Teaching Ballet and Tap 

    On Fridays, I teach a kids’ ballet/tap class to my own kids and a few others. You know, I never thought I was talented enough to be a dance teacher. But it just takes a little bit of preparation and a heart that’s ready to have fun. The weird thing is how quickly everyone is growing out of their dance shoes. So there is always someone dancing in their socks. Sometimes it’s me, because I have to let my oldest daughter wear my tap shoes now.

    My Orchid is Blooming Again

    I wrote about this orchid ages ago. It’s one of those plants that you buy when it’s in bloom and then all the flowers fall off and you have to decide if you still want to keep it or not. I kept mine. For years it was just leaves. I kept telling myself I should just get rid of it. 

    But guess what — it finally grew a new flower stem. I was so thrilled that I wrote a post about new life.

    Now, years later, here it comes again. I guess it’s a big deal to me. It’s a celebration every time I walk by the kitchen.

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    You have to find the beauty in the everyday things, right? Celebrate what matters to you. And don’t give up on what you love. 

    xo,

    Chelsea

    Thanks for joining me in my blog series, #40before40 posts before I turn 40 in May. This is post #12. Please make yourself at home.


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