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

    – pizza!  I haven't gotten to make pizza in a long time.  I had been craving some homemade, weird-crust pizza for quite awhile and the weather cooperated early in the week with some temps in the 70s and low humidity.  By the way, does anyone have a good pizza crust recipe?   – the prettiest…

  • Lazy, Hazy Day of Summer

    It's a little humid today and therefore, I … A) can't concentrate B) can't move.   Earlier today, when the dew point was below 75%, my bestie and I went for coffee over the ye olde High Bridge (you know, that bridge that connects the downtown St. Paul area from the bluffs and is quite…

  • I’m a liar and a thief

    I don't look like a criminal, do I? But here's the hole I said I wouldn't dig and the tomato plant I said I wouldn't plant.  I ate a popsicle before and after, so that makes up for the fib, right? These are the nail polish I stole.  I kid you not.  I stole them.  Shoplifted.  I want…

  • I just don’t know what to say.

    Or wait.  I do. I feel a little like Sally Field right now.   I really was going to post something with content, but got a little distracted by my blog stats. They're pretty good.  Thanks, everybody! As my awesome student jokingly said last night, "I love talking about myself!" So I'm going to join…

  • List of Last Week’s Labors of Love

    – four shirts and four pants pressed.   – a special wedding yo-yo.  Man, I hope that quilt makes it to Ojai. – after a long period of silence, the discovery of a new use for the kiddie pool.  Why, a reading nook, of course! – baby lemons!  They are all over Lola, the lemon…

  • It’s a Nice Day for a…

      Billy Idol – White Wedding   Super congrats to my bro-ski, who is getting married to a super-cool gal in about three hours. I'm dying since I'm not there and keep wondering how I can get someone to stream it online. Maybe there's someone there who could hook me up via Skype…  *crickets chirping*…

  • List of Last Week’s Labors of Love

    – a nap. – realization that Mae Cake is the best popsicle eating partner.  She slurps all the juice and I get all the ice.  It's perfect for my pregnant, ice-loving self. – an embarrassing number of popsicles consumed. – one quilt. – best lullaby ever.  (You're one step closer to being featured on the…

  • Things to Get Excited About

    I would suggest not overlapping the multimedia links I'll present here.  That might make you loopy. – I'm pretty sure I mention my excitement for the new Muppet movie every time I teach a group class.  So, ye of the Saturday noon class are well-aware of its existence.  You might also be aware of my…

  • List of Last Week’s Labors of Love

    – a new car seat for V.  It's narrow enough to fit three car seats across our back row. Because we'll need that soon.  Oy. – two new-to-us little girl bikes.  Never mind that they can't really reach the pedals or understand the circular motion of pedaling.  Fun!  (No, Mae Cake didn't fall on her…

  • The Blanket

    I went on a shopping spree.  In a crafty, nerdy way.   I got a lemon tree[bush]*.  It's name is Lola.  Lola smells like sunshine, lollipops, and rainbows.  (Thanks, Lesley Gore!)  She's got two little, tiny lemons in the works and bea-u-ti-ful flowers.  Lola is transient in my house right now.  I'm not sure if…