Riot and Frolic

a mostly ballroom dance, but also a bunch of other stuff, blog

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about

I own and rock people’s faces off teaching ballroom dancing at Dancers Studio in St. Paul, MN. My husband and I compete professionally in American style and wrangle eight children in our spare time. I’ve been teaching and competing in ballroom dancing for over 25 years and have lots of opinions on it. I am an expert by any means, but there are quite a few dancers who are better than me and I have a solid knowledge of basic technique, so suck it.

Category: Domesticality

  • List of Last Week’s Labors of Love

    Get ready for picture mania, my friends.  It was a big week around these parts. First of all, if you haven't taken the poll on what you like the bestest on the ye olde blog, you should.  If you have… – someone got a new lock screen on her iPhone.     It is sad…

  • List of Last Week’s Labors of Love

    – a bunch of dance practice.   Most of my rounds had felt pretty good lately and that's never a good sign.  Too comfortable.  A bit too easy.   I had reached a lovely plateau and it was so nice there.  These ornery coaches of ours want us to do MORE and, like, work, or…

  • List of Last Week’s Labors of Love

    – made chicken makhani and garlic naan for my bestie's "birthday" dinner.       Everything was pretty decent tasting, though I'll be messing around with the recipes a bit (could that naan BE any more dense?).  The makhani was surprisingly simple to make (like making marinara sauce) once I had all the ingredients.  But son-of-a-biscuit, if I…

  • A Random Comparison

    Lady Gaga vs. Ke$ha.   Go. Lady Gaga Makeup:   Part of the KISS army or Ziggy Stardust??   Ke$ha Makeup:   Johnny Weir [anybody?] or… Ziggy Stardust?   Lady Gaga Hometown: Very East Coast   NYC and 212   Ke$ha Hometown: Very West Coast   Palm trees and the 405   Lady Gaga Heritage:…

  • List of Last Week’s Labors of Love

    – discovery that I can't say "please" as one syllable into a microphone.  I'm like Jenna from 30 Rock saying "camer-ah". – French macarons from Sweets Bakeshop.  So pretty.  So delicious.     – a visit to "the only good thing in Wisconsin".  [Not my quote.  Don't send me hate mail…  But I agree.] Beer.…

  • Being Good Is The WORST

    If you'd like to listen to me complain, this is your day.  Your very special day. Most of you know I had another adorable little baby about six months ago. She's a total goon. And while I obviously love and cherish all my little hellions, they are also wreaking havoc on my body. Not to mention…

  • List of Last Week’s Labors of Love

    – an onion, garlic, and bacon smoothie.  For Turkey Bowl Sunday, people.  Not for breakfast.  I'll post the recipe tomorrow.  It makes for a pretty amazing turkey.   – testing of the party favors for my friend's baby shower.  I dare you not to pee your pants after seeing this picture. – making cake flour.…

  • List of Last Week’s Labors of Love

    – an entire week as a "single mom".  Oy.  I don't know how you ladies (or you single dads) do it.  The G was gone on a work trip and it was just me and the wee bairns 24/7.  Little kids?  Needy.  It's like they can't feed themselves or something.   On the plus side,…

  • Jesus and the Second Hand

    For two years, I've been listening to my weirdo children trying to grasp the English language.  Besides forever altering the way I say "oatmeal" (which is from now until eternity, "openmeal"), those kids say the darnedest things, right?   Their learning curve has made me remember a couple speed bumps I encountered on my road…

  • List of Last Week’s Labors of Love

    – the Zoo's first bites of actual food- sweet potatoes!  Go, baby!  But stay relatively immobile for awhile, eh? – my first week of a seven-week plan to run 4 times a week.  Yes, count 'em- FOUR.  Oy.   It didn't seem like a fun prospect (since I've been running 3x/week on a good week),…