simple. nice. easy.

If you are returning dishes to someone, write a little "thank-you" on a piece of paper & tape it to the dish.

To my mom:

Thanks for the pumpkin pie. 

...It was delicious!

Oh, wait now....what's this?  A container, and it needs to be returned.

Kindness -like cake- is sweetest when shared!

Have your cake and eat it too, I like to say. 

Get ready. Get set. Eat. ...It's in the work lounge.

***I sincerely apologize to anyone I offended by marking my e-mail announcing free cake as "low priority," clearly that was a misrepresentation of the true importance of such an e-mail***

Oh, and lastly, thank you Kolpy for thanking Publix and not me.  lol

Balance

For those who missed out on cookies yesterday...here is my attempt to balance things out!  Yes, a balanced diet of cookies for all!

wait a seconddddddddddd.  I missed someone.....cookie-consumer Arunima, you have become the star of this post:

Balancing checkbook....

Yummy in "my" Tummy

Not quite......more like yummy in their tummies! 

Why not make a few extra cookies & share it with someone who could use an extra helping of care.

I think I made 12 happy people today!  =)
See below for proof.

p.s. I think Jeff ("El Jefe") was the winner for the most in need of an extra helping of care today LOL.

Kids say the kindest things

After interrogating several teachers at Kay's school, I found my winner:

Abbey, noticing yogurt splattered on the floor with her eagle eyes, saved the day in what was sure to be a mess as teacher nearly laid the cot down upon the yogurt slop.

Very kind, Abbey, very kind.  ...but I have to ask, Abbey, who put the yogurt mess there to begin with??......yes, it'll be our lil secret...

There's a baby on my finger.

Sink Into Your Soul

First off, I believe I unintentionally accomplished this.  You know how sometimes you do something knowing it will make someone else happy, and you find yourself surprised at how much it affects you too..?  Here is my story.

Scenario:  I left dirty dishes in the sink at work even though there is clear signage NOT to do so.  Times were tough, okay?! lol. Though my intentions were to return Saturday morning, I neglected to leave an informative letter to that effect; again my fault.  Lynn, a kind co-worker, discovered my dirty dirty dishes and washed them.  The note she left, which I discovered Saturday morning, informed me of the good deed she had done, but had a sense of disappointment.  I felt bad.

How I made things better:  I went shopping....for Lynn, that is! 

I bought her a lovely token of my appreciation and apologies.  Of course I knew she would love the thoughtful gesture - who doesn't like getting gifts?  What I didn't realize was how it would also make me feel.  Honestly, I felt so proud and good about myself, like there was this extra sense of mutual respect and bonding.  It was weird.  It was great.  It was a pure, natural, unexpected moment that in my opnion reached my soul.

On a side note, I'm interpreting this task as a pamper yourself moment too.
...........Bubble bath and wine, here I come!

ENJOY Right here * Right now

Saturday morning...I am here, now, enjoying myself.

It is Sunday afternoon. I am enjoying my time with Kaylee right now.  I wanted to get ice cream with Kay but she said no thanks.  I didn't enjoy not getting ice cream.  But I got over it.
Next up we are going to enjoy dinner and movie time with the family!

Chuckle and Smile

Chuckle or smile at the things that usually irritate you...

If I laughed at you today, it's not necessarily because you are funny.  Sorry.

Sing Out Loud

...she's living life loud & clear!

So I have to freaking sing out loud?!  Okay Dom, Kolpy, and Reb...you guys could have warned me to practice a few ditties!!

========
Reb you are off the hook.
Thanks for having a birthday tomorrow....since I won't see you tomorrow, the only appropriate action is to celebrate your birthday today.  Shall we begin? 
ahem. 
Haaaaaaappy birthday, to you.  Haaaaappy Birthday, to you.  Haaaaaaappy birthday, dear Rebeccaaaaaaaaa. Happy birthday tooooooooooooooo YOU!

....and then I went there. yes. I sang Happy birthday in Spanish!

Cumpleaños feliz
Cumpleaños feliz
Te deseamos todos
¡Cumpleaños feliz!
========

Thanks for also applauding my chorus rendition of Shut up and let me go, by The Ting Tings. 

I ain't freakin' , I ain't Fakin' this
I ain't freakin’ , I ain't Fakin' this


***UPDATE***
I also led Kaylee's class in an emotionally charged rendition of The Wheels on the Bus.  It was touching.


CONFESSION: I chickened out and didn't post this song I sang, but I got brave yesterday....so here it is, DLG!

Growing Through Transitions

Challenges.

Growth. Knowledge. Power.

I ate my Wheaties today.

Certificate of Completion.

Gratitude

Gratitude opens your heart to happiness.

Thank you......
...Reb for looking up the name of the person I was meeting with today as I stared at the receptionist blankly.
...Carol for not hating me when I forgot her name.
...Dom for sending Boss' course materials to the co-instructor for me.
...Jeff for treating me to lunch today!  (it made up for you terrifying me on the drive to the meeting. LOL)
...Scott for saying "good morning"s to me.
...Krissy for liking my blog.
...Kelly for appreciating shoes as much as I do.
...Chrissy for looking out for me.
...Grace for not being upset when I 'forgot'.
...Kay's Daycare for taking such amazing care of my world.
...Pam, Barnacle Bills, IHOP, and 'the pastry shop' for all making yummy food, which I consumed today.
...Movie Theater girl for giving me a free drink which I later spilled on my lap (she couldn't have seen that one coming)!
...Kaylee for loving me unconditionally. xoxoxo baby girl!

Extra thanks to Jeff for participating in this picture! 

He reallyyy didn't want to, LOL, but he did it anyways.

My task today was foiled.........

GASP!!!
My calendar is at work, and I forgot to tear off today's page!

What do I doooo??!?! 
Hmmm, maybe I somehow accomplished the task without even knowing that I did it.

It could happen....

I'll update tomorrow with what it said for today!  Stay Tuned.

****UPDATE!****

"Ewe Go Girl" it said.

So Dom explained that I just had to throw puns out all day long. 
Well I went there girls (and boys)!
foiled task and my foil-y photo.....how much more perfectly punning could I have been?!

Yes, but I love you anyway.

"Acceptance is an act of kindness"

Yes, I discovered you went out last night and didn't invite me....but I love you anyway Pam and Kelly.  =)  You guys are like family to me......er, wait, you are family. 

Yes, you peed the bed overnight....but I love you anyway Kaylee.  You also individually bagged up everything you could find around the house while I was getting breakfast ready....but I love you anyway.

Watch Out World!

Today the calendar gave me a "daily pick-me-up note" to post on my mirror, in what I believe is an effort to inspire me to be amazing every day. "Watch Out World" it proclaims. OMG the world is watching me, I better look good!

As most may know, I like to share...so I KINDly posted it on the bathroom mirror at work for all to see.

Be Kind to All People

Wow. I am good!

There was a need....
   Coffee ran out.
   A room full of drowsy people waited to be trained.
There was a girl with coffee....
   Me.

Kindly, I donated my coffee for the benefit of ALL others in the room.  They were awake, they were happy, they were being trained well.  Life is good, and I have been kind to many with a single action.

A satisfied customer.

Photo credit: Reb

=====================================================

AND another happy customer of my kindness today

(see poem below)

Pam, oh Pam, your legs, they ache. 

Let me give you vitamins - to make -

You jump for joy in excitation,

B12 to reduce inflamation.

It'll make you strong and healthy,

It'll make you super stealthy.

Before:

After:

Releasing my inner creativity

Okay now....who wants to be creative alone? -not me!

So I convinced an art-lovin' group of co-workers to join me in my painting partyyyy (at work)! ..........is it just me or does Dom's expression shout "why am I doing this?" LOL

left to right: Dom, Angelique, Mel (not shown: Reb)

Photographer: Kolpy

Special thanks to my boss for not firing me today. =)

Older folks need TLC, too.

helping older people

...comforting Reb in her time of need

===================================================
DIFFERENT* story of me giving TLC to older people today:
Kay and I made a special visit to see our (great-) Grandma tonight =) We caught her right before bedtime. She was so happy to see us, it totally made my day!! Usually we see grandma every weekend, but she was in the hospital for a short overnight stay because of chest pains. Thank goodness her heart checked out great and she is doing well now! xoxo

*Please note that the above picture does not depict me with my grandma.

Points Scored!

"Points for just showing up"

Wow, this was a hard one. But somehow I managed to show up* today - Go me!! Perhaps someone can vouch for me that I did, in fact, show up to work...? Anyone??!

*Please note that the expected act of "showing up" did not specify any point of timeliness or productivity after showing up.

Got a Minute? -Yes.

"make time for someone who needs help"

I was getting nervous, it was already the afternoon and I hadn't even left my house BUT it was time to go shopping! Surely someone would need help finding a perfect apple, looking for the bread aisle, dropping something important...right? No. Not today. Not to worry, I can help someone take groceries to their car...........crap. Its Publix, they have that handled.

Well time to pick up Kay from her visit with dad. Oh, hi Kyle (my ex), why are you calling? Oh my, your car is broken down and you're stranded at IHOP...that sucks. Sure, I'll meet you there.
Ok.......Is this my opportunity??!?!? -Nope. I'm not a freaking mechanic you know LOL.

Then it happened. Kaylee's precious bucket of princesses fell off the backseat while I was driving. Princesses, apparel and accessories were strewn everywhere! Kay was distressed. I told her she could clean it up when we got home. I said I would help. THAT'S when Kaylee told me "No, I made the mess so I have to clean it"............I think I just found my chance!!!

"Well if you make a mess you're right, you should clean it up. But if someone offers to help, it's okay to let them. It's kindness for someone to offer help. Kaylee, I want to help you."

Well that made Kay SOOO happy, she said we would do teamwork and that's exactly what we did! =) Princesses et al. are all tucked away in their bucket safe and sound.

Beauty of Today

It’s, all in your head
You don’t share it
All in your beautiful mind.
Taking your beautiful time.
If, only your eyes could see
Just what she means
It seems.
The bluebirds can fly so free
Maybe it’s within me
Maybe they’re telling me
Girl you can fly away
Girl you can take this day
Make it beautiful
Make it all your own
Bloom in the daylight.
Where bluebirds fly.

Library Kindness

Today was a day of giving.

"Leave money with the librarian as a credit for the next person's late fees" it says.

Of course the campus library system doesn't work this way, great. OK, OK, OK...I need help. [Now enters Dom] Oh the irony and the luck!...You're not shitting me Dom, are you? Really, you have books you need to return?! Clearly, this was meant to be!

The revised Library Kindness plan: Slip a $ in a book for next person to find unexpectedly so they can pay any library fines they may have (or to more likely subsidize a cup of coffee!). Hey, it works.

I must say it was fun choosing the book. With books ranging from bold to boring to bizarre, I had plenty to choose from.
My choice...Going into darkness: fantastic coffins from Africa
No joke....I wonder about you sometimes Dom.....lol

Dom highly recommended the onion coffin section, so there lays my dollar, awaiting its recipient. In hopes that they will understand the background of the dollar and pay it forward, we advertised this blog's website on it. Who knows, maybe it will work.

***Special Note: Dom KINDly joined in on this one, and donated a $ in a book too! =) LOVE IT!

Love who you are

Oh yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah, today was my vanity day...I may have gone overboard on this whole self-complimenting thing though LOL.

Here's a select few...........
I am beautiful. I am brilliant. I am witty. I care. I am fun. I have compassion. I am loving. I have my moments and I endure. I am willing. I respect.

Most importantly: I am an amazing mom.

Teach Someone to Dream

How the hell do you teach someone to dream?! Okay, don't panic Melissa.
Ahh, sweet child of mine....can I ask you a question?

"Do you know what dreams are?" I ask Kay.
"Yes, they are when you sleep." she responds.

WRONG!

::yessssssss, here's my chance!::

"Dreams are things you imagine...a lot of dreams happen when you sleep. They can be silly and nonsensical, or stem from something that's on your mind. But sometimes dreams are like wishes that you want to come true or happen."

To dream you can hope and wish for things, AND you can relax and fall asleep to let images dance through your slumbering mind until morning.

Today, Right Now, Here, In This Mom

I'm in a state of love...do not disturb.