I crack myself up!

Really. I do.

Or, maybe I've just cracked...

Yesterday, I had to run an errand after I finished blogging, and I came up with a brilliant idea while driving back home. I laughed out loud at the thought of it. Which also reminded me of another time when I laughed at another brilliant idea... I feel a SIDE STORY coming on... Okay, time out... here's the SIDE STORY:

Quite some time ago, I was sitting at our kitchen table feeling so overwhelmed with all I had to do, and not knowing where to begin, or where to muster the energy to do it with. There was a pen and paper in front of me, I picked them up, and I started drawing. Pause...

(Okay, here's another SIDE STORY; try to keep up... I'm not sure when it was, second or third grade, my mom made me go see the school guidance counselor for some therapy. I was emotional and grouchy (sounds nothing like me, I know!) and I guess she didn't know what to do with me, so she made me go see the guidance counselor. You learn something new about me everyday, don't you? (thinking about this story yesterday, for the first time, I thought, "my mom really was a good mom, she didn't know how to help me, or how to fix a problem and she decided she was going to do all in her power to help me, and fix the problem, so she sent me to therapy." That's love.) I even remember my mom telling my doctor that I was her most emotional child. I would insert the word verbal instead of emotional, but to each their own. Anyway, so I had to go see the guidance counselor who was a funny looking lady who wore clothes from the 70's, (which I guess would be in style now, but not then), in her little office off of the stage. I remember playing with puppets, my mom being there sometimes, and that I didn't go for very long. I don't think anything really came of it, except a long standing joke between my mom and I. The guidance counselor was always like, "Draw me a picture to tell me how you feel." Even at that age I thought it was silly. So, this became a joke between my mom and I. Even as an adult, if I was sad or upset she would say to me, "Do you need to draw me a picture to tell me how you feel?" And, then we would both laugh.)

So that brings us back to the first SIDE STORY with me sitting at the kitchen table starting to draw. I was going to draw a picture of how I felt. I drew me, or a really ugly version of me, leaning over at the shoulders, with a frowny face, and I started making a list of words starting at my shoulders going up. Can you picture it? A pile of words starting at my shoulders, piled on top of each other, going on to TWO pieces of paper, just in words. While I drew, I laughed. Then I laughed some more when I decided what I was going to do with it. (Gosh, I sound crazy!) I was making a list of things that I felt I shoulder alone, responsibilities that seemed endless, too much to do, and that was making me lean over emotionally and physically. I then taped it up on our kitchen wall for John to see when he came in from working in the yard. I was working here in my workroom, and he came in, I heard him pause and then he said, "What is this?" And, I started laughing, really, really hard.

Fast forward to yesterday. Remember? I had a brilliant idea driving home, and it made me laugh?

I came home, immediately got some white paper and an orange highlighter and started counting my blessings, literally.

I kept counting. (I would take a picture of them, but I'm honestly too lazy.)

I envisioned me taping them up all over the walls to remind me, to help me focus on good, happy things. And, I laughed thinking about it. I laughed thinking about John coming home and seeing them. I kept laughing while writing my blessings. (Maybe I am losing my mind?) I started thinking, "it's already working." I don't care that life's not fair, I can deal with life, etc. Then, I went to put something in the mail, and it had already come and I received some unpleasant news that made me want to stop counting my blessings. I was not very happy...

I stood at the ironing board, (I was using it as my table to write my list) and stared up at the ceiling, I had no desire to count my blessings... I took a very deep breath and had to force the highlighter back in my hand. Ridiculous blessings started to cross my mind.

I'm grateful that we have a kitchen floor that all of those shoes can be scattered on.

I'm grateful we have a house that can hold all of this mess.

I'm grateful for the toilet that John needs to clean that we can use the bathroom.

I'm grateful I have a pen to write with.

Okay, so I got a little sidetracked, but I tried. But, at least for half the day I spent counting some real blessings, and laughing. It really did make me feel a little better.

Then, last night I watched the movie Seven Pounds with Will Smith. I totally cried (you would too). It helped me put things in perspective. Life could be so much worse. Yeah, it really is unfair, and the movie showed that, but it's really wonderful too. Talk about random acts of kindness!! Seeing the issues in that movie made me feel a titch ungrateful, and helped me see I really did need to count my blessings.

The orange highlighter awaits...

Is that bad?

I got tired of working and started watching some of my other favorite video clips...

A twist on a good night kiss

I just remembered this.

Two weeks ago when John and I were painting the "north wing" we let Trevan sleep in our bed, because we were painting his room and all the stuff from his room was on top of the bed in the guest room.

When John and I finished painting we crawled into our bed with Trevan in the middle of us. I was exhausted, cozied up under the covers making myself comfortable when I felt John behind me trying to reach over Trevan to give me a good night kiss, waiting for me to meet him halfway. Not feeling like making an effort, out of no where (seriously), I raised my hand and said, "Let's just high-five it." John was like, "What???" I COULD NOT stop laughing.

Let's just high-five it... It still makes me laugh.

Would you like a little cereal?

Okay, so I have watched this video before, but for the past few days I can't get enough of it, so I thought I would share...

My little funny man

This is the amount of toys I don't mind being in the living room.

This is the amount I cleaned out of the living room floor on Monday night plus what was in the first basket. (This laundry basket is still waiting to be sorted into the correct toy baskets in Trevan's room)



Motherhood definitely makes me feel a little insane at times, but it also makes me laugh more in a day than I think I would working in an office. (Unless it was working at THE Office)


I woke up yesterday morning and Trevan was in my bed. He had climbed into bed with us sometime in the night or early morning.
"Good Morning," I said
He responded with, "Guess what I don't do anymore?"
"What?"
"PICK MY NOSE!" he said in his high, squeaky voice.
"Wow, that's great!"

I also came back from Hawaii to him eating the crust on bread again.


At the breakfast table yesterday morning Trevan asked,

"Mom, what does mmmmm mean?"
"It means something you're eating tastes yummy."
"Mmmmm....mmm."

A few bites later,
"Mom, what does scrumptious mean?"
I laugh,
"It means something tastes really, really yummy, and has a really good flavor."
"Oh, this is scrumptious."

Before our friends graduation ceremony we were waiting by a little pool of water (I can't think of the word, but they are in malls and such where people throw money in?), and Becky's mom gives Trevan a penny and tells him he can make a wish and throw it in. Do you know what he wished for? A baby brother. She gave him another penny, and he wished for another baby sister. Someone told him he should wish for twins. I was like, "please, no more pennies."

The goal for today

I miss this.

My mom and I, Beach Trip, August 2003

Have you ever looked at a picture and really felt it? I love this picture! I can feel what I felt like when it was taken. I can feel my mom’s cool clammy hands on my arm. I can hear her laughter, and see her sparkly eyes in my mind.

I think what makes laughter so magical is that in that moment, however brief it may be, you are transported to another place where worries, sadness, and struggle do not exist. Seriously. Think of what people sound like after they stop laughing, it's like a sigh escapes from their throats involuntarily. Like, "okay, back to reality." My favorite thing to read in the Readers Digest other than the Quotable Quotes is Laughter the Best Medicine. (I know you think that is an old people’s magazine, but I have been reading it since I was a kid - and that must be why I'm so wise...) Laughter really is the best medicine!

I love laughter! I love laughing, I love hearing people laugh, I love watching people laugh, I love making people laugh! Who doesn't? I don't even mind people laughing at me I enjoy laughter so much. I think the majority of my good friends are funny, or funny looking. (Oh my goodness, was that sarcasm? On this blog? Shame on me.) My friends that aren’t funny, must think I am if we are friends, because I like to be around laughter!! (and, yes I think you are funny.)

I love listening to a chorus of laughter. I always loved hearing my mom and her brothers laughing because they all sound the same and it is a very distinct laugh. John and his brothers laughing is fun to witness as well. Even if you don't think what they are laughing at is funny, you'll end up laughing because watching them all throw back their heads in a harmonious chorus of laughter, and seeing all of their squinty eyes is hilarious. I also like to see John laughing with his friend Chris. I can't make John laugh like he does when he is with Chris... should I be worried? I love the feeling like you are going to pee your pants from laughing so hard, or you start to cry - it's like you have reached the highest level of laughter and that is your reward! The best reward is listening to my children laugh - it fills my soul with an undescribable kind of joy. Giggles, chuckles, belly laughs - I will take any of it.

Sometimes, I wish I could bottle people's laughter. Especially my Grandma's. It's almost like you want to be silent just so you can really take her laughter in. It is fun to see her when she is "tickled." I like to see my dad laugh hard too, and I feel like I have really scored if I can make my Uncle David laugh, because he doesn’t always think I’m funny. Shocking, I know.

My Grandma and Trevan, December 2002

If I am going to hang out with friends, I would rather sit around and talk (laugh) than to go to or watch a movie. Also, I do appreciate a good drama, or a serious movie every now and then, but I am surrounded by enough serious things in life, and I want to laugh! So, bring on the funny movies, and chick flicks that won't win any awards. That is why I look forward to Thursdays every week, not just because of my one and half hour spin class, but because I get to watch The Office! (What???? You don’t think The Office is funny? Then you need to check yourself into Laughing Rehab... it’s that serious.) I love being transported for that half an hour to a place of laughter! (Why is that show not one hour long???)

So, today I am going laugh a little more. When I want to get frustrated with my kids, I am going to try to find something to laugh about. (this may be hard while listening to Mallary scream) If I feel like crying, I'll pretend to laugh. If I start to whine or complain, I'll try to think about laughing.

TODAY'S GOAL: Make someone laugh, even if that someone is me (or you).

Please note: Bad picture quality means my scanner is still broken.