Melissa (heart heart heart)

tops my gratitude list.

Thanks a bunches Wendy!!!!!! 
This was my sweet co-worker's way of appreciating me 
=) 
Love it!

Look for the beauty

in everyday things.

So far I am successfully maintaining my daily gardening duties.  My flowers are blooming, even my herb garden is thriving!  It's a miracle.   a total freaking miracle.

Now, let me share a story with you.  It is a dramatic story of loss; yet, within this moment of loss you will see how the beauty of others can emerge...

"Kaylee if you bring him in the store you might lose him" I distinctly recall saying to my sweet daughter.
...Moments after arriving home from our shopping excursion, I soon discovered that my daughter lost her Shamu.  I began calling the 3 stores we had visited to try to locate him.  One place we visited was a thrift store.  Great. Good luck on that one, right?!  yes, yes, a long shot, I know...but I called anyways.  A man answered, I detailed my dilemma.  He understood surprisingly well how important a lost toy was to a child, he told me, describing his horrific ordeal trying to comfort a distraught son who too had lost his treasured toy. 

The kind worker searched high and low, securing all workers on the hunt, even calling employees who had been working...Devastation could be heard in his voice as he informed me that they could not find the whale. 

At moments I thought to explain to this kind man the truth.  The truth being that I was not doing this to relieve my daughter, I was doing this because that whale was expensive!  I had just bought him days before at Seaworld, and you can only imagine how much that toy cost!!!  I felt ashamed to tell him the truth, that really Kaylee was not losing any sleep, nor her appetite, over all this.  I will keep that my little secret.

You, yourself

deserve your love and affection.
-Buddha

done.

Listen

...with a willingness to be altered.

Today I had planned to take Kaylee out to a baseball game.  When I picked her up from school I went on and on about how much fun the baseball game would be.  I was so hyped up about it myself I almost forgot to ask if she was excited about it too.  So then I asked.  To my surprise she told me she didn't want to go to the game, she wanted to watch a movie.  I started talking her out of the movie idea and hyping up the baseball game some more.  That's when I realized I wasn't really listening to her.  When I listened to her, I found out that she really wanted to watch a movie, eat PB&Js and have a slumber party with all her stuffed friends (and me!).

Sometimes it's good to be altered.

Cheer for yourself...

...then pass this on to someone else.

Hip hip hooray!  Go me, I rock.  High 5 to self!

Ok, Vickie, new owner of a pasta maker...your turn!  You are the unsuspecting victim recipient of a self-cheering note.  Cheer yourelf on as you slave over making noodles all day.  Then pass that note on to another lucky soul!!

Above all else, I love you.

it's good to review your priorities.

So what is most important to me....let's review this thought for a second.
Family-yes...well my sweet lil Kaylee is tippy-top on my list!  Followed by all other members of my amazing family  :)
Friends-I realized I want to keep better connected to my friends.  Dinner out with my cousin and some closer friends from high school reminded me of this tonight. 
Smarts-I don't want to be stupid, so I'll try to be smart.  It occurs to me that as much as my classes drive me crazy each semester, I like being challenged...and I always like a good chance to flex that lovely gray- and white-matter I call my "brain".
Love-I think I'll defer this one for another day.  You know you can't rush love, alright?!??

*~Being Kind~*

Board Game Night!

Pull out a borad game and engage your child (and your inner child)!

Kaylee and I battled it out in Scrabble Junior.  She won. 
I don't want to talk about it.

Wish

They really do come true!

Make a wish into the well

That's all you have to do

And if you hear it echoing

Your wish will soon come true

I'm wishing, I'm wishing....for.....

Just keep your eyes peeled

For it will come true.

Appreciation Day

...it's an everyday holiday!

I do feel like I was especially appreciative this weekend.  I appreciated the kind men and women who attended my work's event this weekend.  I appreciated the delicious meals I was allowed to partake on.  I appreciated company from good people as I did such things as shopped, watched a ridiculous movie and reorganized my hallway nook.  I expressed my appreciation to my dad and brother for working hard on my house this weekend, again.  I told Kaylee how much I adore and appreciate all her smiles, giggles and cuddles.  That made her laugh.  I said thanks.  I also appreciate my boss donating a basil plant to me to nuture and grow...I hope I can nourish it like I do with my living friendships.

Friendship is a living thing

that lasts only as long as it is nourished with kindness, empathy and understanding.

This was just weird.  Friendship is a living thing?  I think its more like "friends are living things"...  I'm so confuseeeeddddd. lol.  Hmmmmmm...well....I do feel like a lot of my friendships are alive and nourished, indeed.

Anyways, I decided to just not be mean to my friends LOL.  I was a very kind friend today, if I must say so myself.  Go me.

My friends and I....nourishing our friendship.

Take a hiatus from the to-do's!

I tried this at work.  Unfortunately this happens to be an extremely busy week!  I did take a bathroom break though.  And I took a walk/coffee break.  So I think that was a well deserved temporary hiatus from work, all while successfully avoiding the risk of being fired.  My to-do's definitely got done! LOL

feather your nest with friends

I'm so glad the calendar explained this one more! LOL

tape photos of friends to random things in your home - the sillier, the better!

Are you my friend? You might be taped somewhere.  If you want to know where, feel free to ask  ;-P

Dom, you are officially my coffee greeter.

Share

One dozen Krispy Kreme donuts - up for grabs!  hehe

Mother's Day

a day to honor everything that mothers give...

I have always appreciated my mom...her sweet and easy-going nature, her loving comfort, her honesty, and that confidence and surety she shares with me telling me that everything will be alright, even when I feel like I'm stumbling off a cliff. 

Let me take a moment to describe one thing that sets my mom apart from other people. 
My mom is strong. 
Not the kind of strong that's in your face and bulging protrusive veins.  My mom is a much more honest and interesting strong...she's has the quiet discrete strength.  She doesn't look for a fanfare when she has to hurdle obstacles, nor does she use hardships as excuses, in fact you would never even realize my mom has gone through struggles that trump most other people's challenges.  She doesn't complain about her struggles and honestly I sometimes even forget what my mom has been through...but I do recognize how amazing and brave she is.  She is possibly the most courageous person I know.

Enjoy the sights around you

Today I took Kaylee for a bike ride and enjoyed the fresh air, warm sun, and beautiful scene  =)  Very refreshing!

Clearly my child doesn't look where she's going.

An Amazing Teacher

Today I let Kaylee's awesome teacher, Miss Michelle, know how much I appreciate what she does.  Not only does she give me comfort knowing that Kaylee is in good, loving and educating hands; she is so nuturing and attentive to Kaylee's needs.  Kaylee adores her.  She adores Kaylee.  It's a beautiful thing  :)

Hopscotch

Give up your parking spot

Today I kindly gave up my parking spot.  Granted, the spot is not reserved for me, BUT I always park in the same spot.  Therefore it is my spot.  And I gave it up to the 'lucky' driver who parked there today.

Now my confession. 
I didn't mind giving up that spot today.  Why? Well, because I arrived at work earlier than usual...finding that a more lucrative spot was available to me at this early-bird hour.  I opted for this prime spot, justifying that I was following the calendar's instructions.  I later discovered that by taking this amazing spot, the driver of the minivan usually parked in this spot was forced to take my less amazing spot.  Funny how those things happen.

Celebrate Cousins

I got to enjoy girl-time with one of my cousins and my sis this weekend!  YAY! 

I truly do love my cousins, and wish I could see them more often.  I will be seeing cousins and other family members this coming weekend, though, so I can celebrate them more then!