I am soaking in the 75-degree heat.  Oh yeah…it’s so nice.  I just ate my Cheetos and cheese sticks and life is good.

It’s true.  I turned my heat up to 75 degrees in rebellion to the 34 degrees outside with all the sloppy snow/rain mix.  And then, I opened a bag of Cheetos.  I never eat Cheetos but it seemed so right… and because I was in a cheese mood, I moved on to the mozzarella cheese stick and I am debating what is next.  If Steve were home, these things wouldn’t happen, especially the 75 degree heat.

Today is the second post on How To Drown Out The Rain.

This morning, I got up at 5:30 am like a good wife, drove my husband to airport so he could catch his flight to Hawaii.  He was sporting a nice golf shirt and shorts; as he prepared for his business trip. I, on the other hand, was wearing my lovely flannel pajama pants, a t-shirt, tan sweatshirt, scarf and fluffy slippers.  I looked soooooo good!

We talked on the phone later in the day.  No matter how much he wants to play down the tropical Hawaiian experience, I know he is in a better place right now.  I am…happy for him (with a slight degree of jealousy).

The girls are great, they carried on.

So…because today is the second day of spring, and it snowed in the wee hours of the morning (which is incredibly unusual for the Northwest), I would like to present 10 practical or creative ways to drown out the rain.  Then please share your own ideas…both creative and practical!  Tomorrow there might be a quiz.

1)   Eat Cheetos.  The gold color and crunch seems to help.  Creative

2)   Exercise – this for real.  Exercise is key when you need a lift.  Practical

3)   Listen to Music – Personally I love listening to some good tunes.  Nothing depressing though.  Practical

4)   Look to the future.  Spring is around the corner and I love seeing all the new little buds in the yard. Plan out your summer garden, or if you are more like me, plan out your small flower box. – Creative  

5)   Turn up the heat, get a spray tan and sip on a tropical drink.  (Hey, I am open to all ideas.  I didn’t actually try this one, but it came to my mind today…just sayin).  Very practical…ok…ok…Creative   (Karaoke came to my mind too).

6)   Take your kids out for a date.  We went to see Wicked last weekend, but there are cheaper activities to do such as bowling, a movie, and swimming at the health club, or simply a trip to the cafe for some hot chocolate. A walk in the rain can be quite nice too.  Creative

7)   Recreate.  Steve took the girls skeet shooting the other day and nobody was shot (ok… he is very safe, but I just had to say that last part).  This is not my thing, but they had a lot of fun.  Practical  Everyone needs recreation.

8)   Take a class, read a book or learn something new.  It’s not good to be bored.  Creative!!

9)   Cook an amazing meal. Cheese sticks and Cheetos don’t exactly cut it…but we all cooked a great meal together as a family the other night.   We had fun eating it too. Creative for the amazing meal, practical because everyone needs to eat.

10)    Seek help if it’s bad.  Yes, if you are struggling, feel stuck and crazy; go see your pastor, your doctor, or see a counselor..  Sometimes you just need a little help.  Don’t be ashamed to ask for it. Practical!

In conclusion to my post, I would like to say that combating weather related mood issues takes both creativity and practical planning in order to live a life full of gratitude and joy!  Don’t get stuck in the rain...live each day to the fullest my friends!