Prince & The Soundtrack of Our Lives & What I Know For Sure

I walked into the lobby of the Filmore in Detroit to pay the last installment for our venue (the very cool St. Andrews Hall) for my Listen To Your Mother show (which is just a little over a week away!). 

"Oh my god, the purple bandit is dead," said the woman behind the desk.  "Oh my god."

So sad. #purplerain #ripprince #prince

A photo posted by Angela Youngblood (@jumpingwithmyfingerscrossed) on Apr 21, 2016 at 12:48pm PDT

On the car ride over, I had read that Prince had died. I felt a bit of shock like this woman.

"I loved him," she said, her eyes wide with disappointment. She asked who we were there to see and then answered her cell phone which had a purple cover on it. "I know, I can't believe it, he's dead," she repeated.

She turned up the Prince song playing on her radio. She walked out from behind the desk and we started dancing to the song together, paying tribute to the "purple bandit." It was surreal and wacky and real and something I'll never forget.

Just like I'll never forget rocking out to Let's Go Crazy in my living room after school and roller skating to Raspberry Beret in my garage and sneaking downstairs to watch the dirty scenes in Purple Rain. Or blasting Baby I'm A Star over and over to get psyched for any big event, it was my go-to song for over a decade. Or wondering what partying in 1999 would be like and then dancing to that song on New Year's Eve 1998. 

A video posted by Kate Hudson (@katehudson) on Apr 21, 2016 at 12:31pm PDT

Prince was on my concert wish/dream list, I never made it to one. I was a fan, but not mega super fan, have-to-buy-all-of-his-music-fan. For me, Prince and his music were about moments in my life and memories. His death was too. Dancing with a stranger in a lobby in Detroit to a Prince song, I can't even remember which one, honoring music and pop culture and life and sadness and joy and connection--I'll never forget that. 

That whole soundtrack of our lives thing, it's true, music matters. I know that for sure.

Here's what else I know for sure:

• I love my kids. Duh right? But I really love when they all get along and look out for each other and root for each other. It is just one of the awesome parts of having a big family.

My kids can walk to the store by themselves now. The big ones watch the little ones. They love it and I love them.

• I want you to come see my show! Listen To Your Mother Detroit is about ONE WEEK away. If you live around Detroit you should totally come and see the show. It's going to be amazing. Click here to buy tickets- http://www.livenation.com/events/537246-may-1-2016-listen-to-your-motherAnd if you aren't sure what Listen To Your Mother is, watch this:

(click here to watch the video)

• I am Team Kelly. I have loved Kelly Ripa since her first day on All My Children and I don't want anyone not treating her with respect. 

What do YOU know for sure this week? Tell me!!!

Purple & Pinterest Poser Challenge

It's time again for the Pinterest Poser Challenge.  In an attempt at not being a Pinterest Poser,* every week I  detail a new Pinterest challenge whether it be a new recipe or a craft.   

**My definition of a Pinterest Poser is someone who is all pins and no substance.**

Life is chugging along right now.  I feel like saying that makes me sound old or like a woman who wears dresses with big pockets on the front and has a thick Wisconsin/Michigan accent.  But it is chugging along.  We have routines, we fight less about homework, the weather has been beautiful.  See? Chugging along indeed.  But that doesn't mean I feel calm, organized and accomplished.  

I've been spending a lot of time lately slowing down, trying to worry less, do less.  Mindfulness some people call it.  I do feel calmer.  I also feel fatter because I've gained weight from not working out as much.  I do worry less.  But then I worry that I should be worrying about something and the cycle continues.  I do do less.  I also have a messier house because the first thing I cross off that to-do list is to clean, duh.  So there are benefits to all this mindfulness and a few drawbacks.

Sometimes crafting, baking, Pinterest-ing provides that mindful focus that centers me, grounds me.  Sometimes all the crafting, baking, Pinterest-ing can be exhausting and overwhelming.  My ideas are bigger than my time.  My inspirations are loftier than my abilities.  It can become a source of dread and anxiety.

This my friends, is when I go to the old stand by...paint.  Paint something, anything and you will feel better, accomplished.  Don't paint a room.  Paint a lampshade or a chair.  This weekend I painted by headboard.  It cost $7 for the paint and only took me a few minutes.

In honor of mindfulness, I chose the color purple.  I read if you surround yourself with purple you will have peace of mind.  Yup.  Plus I like the color purple.  It makes me happy.  It makes me think of the book The Color Purple which I love.  I have this quote hanging on my wall of words:

It makes me think of things like Purple Rain which makes me think of Prince and then I think about all those songs.  I made up a dance routine to "Let's Go Crazy" in my living room a million years ago.  I also secretly watched the movie and would rewind certain scenes over and over again.  I was around 11 and it was the dirtiest movie I'd ever scene in my whole entire life.  

Sorry, back to my project.

I bought purple spray paint (RUS-OLEUM Painter's Touch 2X Ultra Cover Paint+Primer, gloss grape).  I painted my head board in my back yard.

Lucy was a great helper.

Once the paint dried, I brought my purple headboard back inside.  Easy. 

Before

After.
I think it looks ahhhhmazing.
 Click here to find out how I made the Subway Sign.

BAM. I feel creative and accomplished.  Sometimes all it takes is a can of spray paint.

Doesn't Tim's snore mask look great hanging on a purple bed? I think he loves it.  And probably loves that I'm posting a picture of his snore mask.

Just because we mentioned Prince and Purple Rain in this post, I thought I should share the vlog where I sing When Doves Cry.  Check it out, click here.

Have you made something from Pinterest lately?  Had any great successes? Or advice?  Or warning about a project that's a total waste of time? Do tell.

Please share whatever you're working on in the comments here or over on Facebook.  Come on over and follow my Pinterest boards.

Here are some of the projects I've already attempted, the good and the bad:
Birthday Shirt- click here
Gluten Free Pop Tarts- click here
Front Porch Kid Art Display- click here
Door turned into Table- click here

Summer Wish List Chalkboard-click here

Peanut Butter Nutella Cookie Sandwiches-click here

Painted Mason Jar Vases-click here

Cinco de Mayo Paper Flowers- click here

Earth Day Cupcakes- Click here

Nail Art-click here

Homemade Photo Booth Fun- click here

Fake Bangs- click here

DIY Subway Art- click here

Furniture Painting and Bench/Chest Makeover- click here

Thanksgiving-y Project/Gratitude/Holiday Countdown- click here
The Smoothie-click here

The Free Printable Turned Artwork in a Boring Hallway- click here

The chalk board-click here
Seven Layer Dip in Individual Cups (my favorite so far!)-click here
The pumpkin address-click here
The Kitchen Dancing Sign--click here

Come play with me on Instagram @jumpingwithmyfingerscrossed.

Oh yeah, and come follow me on Twitter @AngelaYBlood and subscribe to my MomPulse YouTube channel here.

Vlog Vows, My Purse & A Puppy (And Mama Kat)

When I started blogging, I vowed to keep it real.  Now that I'm vlogging, I also vow to keep it real.  I vow to always tell the truth no matter how embarrassing.  I vow to help those that feel alone in their unorganized, oversensitive corner of the world, by showing that I too am a complete, utter mess.  I vow to attempt to make people laugh with my honesty and candor. I vow to never make a video longer than 3:30 seconds. I vow to never tell a lie.  I vow to never sing, oops I already messed that vow up. But I vow to keep all the other vows. 

I take these vows seriously.  I will not dissappoint you by ever getting my act together.  To prove it, I got a puppy to add to the insanity that are my four children.  Yup, that's right.  Also, just to make you feel better, I'm emptying out my purse on my vlog this week.

Wednesdays are awesome because that's the day I link up with Mama Kat's vlogging prompts. The amazing Mama Kat is my vlogging idol (check her out, she is FUNNY).  Each week she has a list of vlog prompts and we all get to play along.

What's in my purse:

(If you get the blog via email subscription, here's the link for the video: http://youtu.be/Uxr0VUs-oGI Check it out!)

My puppy's first vlog:

(If you get the blog via email subscription, here's the link for the video: http://youtu.be/2NaRk99ZSns Check it out!)

My viral video, okay I mean my wannabe viral video (check it out and share if you like):
(If you get the blog via email subscription, here's the link for the video: http://youtu.be/Jk9ff3w_0Xc Check it out!)

To subscribe to my MomPulse YouTube channel, click here.