No, I did not kill someone, that is just red sharpie running down my chin.

No, I did not just kill someone....that is just red sharpie running down my chin. (I chewed a little too hard on my pen this morning) Arghhh! 

It seems like I have weeks that I am just down on my luck...it seems like all that could go wrong will inevitably go wrong. My week so far has consisted of trying to find childcare on a last minute basis, losing a file I worked 2 weeks on, falling in the shower and scraping my leg, losing a baby turtle somewhere in the house (that's gonna stink some day), finding out I have to coach soccer (even though I thought I had this year free), forgetting to respond to an important email and getting chewed out about not responding, having my mom have to go to the hospital (still not sure what that was about), cleaning up dog crap in the basement, going to bed every night past midnight, having children that don't want to adhear to a schedule of going to bed at a decent hour and having a husband that is frustrated with his job.

As I got ready for work today, I was told, "You will have a blessed day." My first thought, "Pfffttt....yeah right, you have no idea how my week is going so far AND it's only Wednesday." Why must we dwell on the bad stuff happening in our lives and not the good things (even if they are few and far between some weeks). As I sit here and retype my file I've worked 2 weeks on, the cloud is starting to lift from over my head. The sunshine is beginning to shine again for me.

It worked out well that I had to find childcare at the last minute. My kids got to go to various friends houses and spend some time with family members they don't usually get to see to often. It's good (well, maybe not good), but it's ok that I lost that file I've been working so hard on, because you know what? The new file I created is even better. I'm trying to see the good in falling in the shower and scraping my leg...I guess that was good, because I decided to sit down and relax and take a bath instead... It was Ok that we lost the baby turtle, it forced me to clean the kids' room and find stuff they haven't seen in months. And perhaps that baby turtle is having the time of his life somewhere...Finding out I have to coach soccer isn't THAT bad, my son is super excited and that is what counts! Forgetting to respond to the email is good because it forced me to talk to someone in person that I normally wouldn't stop to talk to face to face. It's good that my mom went to the hospital (whatever it was for). It's good that the doctors were able to find out what was wrong before it became something too serious. Cleaning up dog crap in the basement was good because now the house doesn't have a foul odor when you walk in. Going to bed every night past midnight isn't all that terrible, I've gotten a lot of work done. Having children that don't want to get back to a schedule is fine...they are kids, I have to remember that. They are having a fun summer and don't want it to end (there's nothing wrong with that). Having a husband that's frustrated with his job is good, because once you become frustrated with your job, it helps you realize all the good things you do have in your life. Jobs are part of your day, not who you truly are. 

The people and situations you come in contact with each day play an important role in what makes you, YOU. If only I could remember this day in and day out, without getting frustrated.

I always have a blessed day, it's just somedays those blessings like to play hide-n-seek.

The summer of "Hurry Up"

Ok, I've totally been lacking at blog writing...and I've needed it, yet I've ignored it.
My excuse...I've been busy.

This has been a summer of exciting new adventures for me. I've been hired as a communications director at a local church, I'm the director of my home church's VBS, I'm still working an advertising/freelance job at a local office, I'm trying to spend quality summer time/fun time with the kiddos (who are getting too big, too fast), I'm trying to keep the house in a somewhat decent, non-stinky condition (hard with 3 kids, a dog and a husband who can never find his belt), and I'm trying to find time to ride my bike (the one thing I do all for myself).

Lately I've noticed that this is becoming the summer of "Hurry Up" for me...I think I end or begin every sentence with "hurry up."
"hurry up and get dressed before the babysitter gets here."
"Emma, please hurry up, we're going to be late."
"hurry up and pee before we have to go."
"Joey, we'll tie your shoes in the car, just hurry up."
"hurry up and get ready for bed Kemp, we've got to get up early tomorrow."
"If you want to go to the pool, hurry up! We don't have much time."
"hurry, hurry, hurry, hurry, hurry."
Ugh! I sound like a broken record.

Luckily I noticed about a week ago, that these words are coming out of my mouth way to often.
I'm a laid back person...I take things in stride. NORMALLY. But not this summer.

I feel like the whole summer has passed before my very eyes and I've stood in the background watching it pass...Not really a part of it, just watching it. And that makes me sad.

A few days ago, I had about 40 more hours of work to fit into 4 hours, but when I got home from 1 job and saw that the kids were curled up on the couch looking like they were bored out of their minds I decided today was the day that my attitude was changing. The kids come first...where/when did they get pushed to second and third behind work and housework. I packed them up and we went to the park. It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining, it wasn't took hot. I laid in the grass and watched them be kids for more than 3 hours. They ran, climbed, swam, went down slides, played on the seesaws...it was great!

This might have started out being the summer of "hurry up" but it's going to end by being a relaxing fun summer. Yeah, we might not go away on vacation, but we have discovered geocaching! It's free and it's fun!  The last few weekends of the summer are going to be spent with family and friends, not a computer screen.

Biking, biking....and rain!

I am not graceful, I don't have dimples and I don't have a beauty mark... I am clumsy, and hey...I can admit that and laugh about it. Thank goodness I can, because if I couldn't I would be a sad sad person.
The supreme awkwardness began in junior high (elementary school no one cares if you're clumsy or not) First day of junior high I fell UP the stairs, yes UP the stairs in front of the whole school while we were waiting to be led to homeroom....from that point on I knew I either had to choose to laugh or cry. BUT the one thing I could do was bike...I used to ride my bike everywhere. I loved riding my bike. Sure, I had some tumbles (the usual running into a mailbox, car, falling off the sidewalk), but what kid hasn't had those mishaps? I was actually pretty good at riding my bike, I could even do the no hands, feet on the handlebars trick...(I impressed many with that one)
My dad used to go on long bikerides and one day he wanted me to accompany him. Keep in mind this is before I had a bike with gears...he just kept going farther and farther away from home...I didn't think we were ever going to turn around. I was exhausted. Finally I saw a big hill in the distance...thank goodness! This should be fun! I had good speed going and dad was like a hundred miles in front of me when I saw that tree. I say "that tree" because about 5 seconds later, I ran into the tree.  I'm just lying there on the ground with my bike on top of me watching my dad ride off into the distance. When he finally realized I wasn't behind him, he turned to see me just sitting there hanging out with my bike...I thought I got tired and just stopped to take a break. After he "took a break" also we continued pedaling on...but I wasn't happy.
As I grew older, my bike and I became strangers...It just wasn't cool to ride your bike everywhere and I had much more important things to do...Softball, basketball, tennis... Needless to say I was still clumsy, but that's OK, clumsiness was becoming second nature and something everyone expected from me...The time I fell off the stage during a play, the time I fell with my bass drum and went rolling down a hill, the numerous times I fell down the steps at school, the time I fell through the bleachers...the list goes on.
Now as I embark on "Young adulthood" (OK, maybe it's not young adulthood), I have taken to riding my bike again. I try to ride at least every other day, rain or shine...today was rain (remind me not to wear white shirts on "biking in the rain days") Another embarrassing thing to happen is the dreaded "Freshman Stripe"- a very embarrassing phenomenon that occurs when your bike tires splatter your back with muddy water. Once I arrived at work I proceeded to change out of my wet clothes and into clothes suitable for work. I looked like I was tanning at the beach for two weeks. It amazed me how much road grit and mud was on my face, arms and legs. But boy, did I enjoy the ride today! I felt like a kid, having fun in the rain and mud. So unleash the child within! Enjoy the small things while riding! And enjoy riding through the deep puddles and watching the spray go everywhere!

Reasons my children cry...

In a house with three children...scratch that, a house with any amount of children, you will often hear wailing...hysterical loud-pitched, crying.
Most of the time our children are pleasant...happy...laughing...having fun, but there are many times when that ear-bleeding sound will pierce the quiet happy laughter AND here are the top 10 reasons my children cry:

10. They are not allowed to play in the dryer or the oven..."NO!, you are not allowed to hide in the oven for hide and seek just this once!" NO, NO, NO! (insert piercing sound of crying)

9. His/Her brother/sister looked at him/her...It's a terrible thing when you live in a house and you have to look at the other people living there....can you imagine the audacity it takes for one sibling to look at another... (insert piercing sound of crying)

8. His/Her brother/sister DIDN'T look at him/her...Can you believe that after being yelled at for looking at their sibling, next time they're in the room, they don't look at their sibling... (insert crying)

7. The inside of his/her nose stinks....why can't we as parents FIX everything?? Including the awful smell that has somehow embedded itself into your child's nostrils? (insert ear piercing crying)

6. A balloon they got 1 year ago is MISSING! Missing I say...where could it have possibly gone?!?! (insert screaming & crying)

5. The dog is in his/her way...who got this dog anyway? Oh, that's right the kids wanted a dog...and they loooooovvvveee her! Except when she's in their way. (insert crying and screaming at dog)

4. His/her tongue is itchy....(insert crying)

3. There's a stinkbug in the near vicinity. ANYWHERE in the house is a reason to cry...watch out stinkbugs we are out to get you.

2. You kill the stinkbug that is causing so much trauma...."Don't kill it!! It's a bug...it's a living thing!! DON'T KILL IT" I'm torn...should I kill it or not???!?!

1. It's bedtime...no explanation needed!

Tough Questions

My oldest son asked me this question on the way home from church yesterday, "When was God born?" I mumbled something, something inaudible so he couldn't hear it hoping that he would give up and move on to the next question.
Unfortunately this question grabbed the attention of the 6 year old and 3 year old also occupying the back seat. My oldest continued on, "I asked this in Sunday School today and there was a long discussion. They told me God wasn't born, he just was...and was always there."
I take a peak in the rear view mirror....3 sets of eyes are staring back at me...I feel the sweat start to form on my forehead, I turn the A/C on...I open the sun roof...ahhh, that's better...I turn up the radio. I take another peak, they're still staring at me.
"Ummm, can you repeat the question please?" I manage to say.
He repeats it...darn! I heard him right the first time.
"Well," I say..."it's sort of like the idea of eternal life...when you die and go to heaven, your life there will never end...just like there was never a beginning of God, he was just always there."
I couldn't have confused myself more, let alone them more....

Where do these life questions come from and why isn't there a manual with all the answers? Many days I feel inadequate. Like I should be a better mother, wife, daughter, somehow....but how? Another tough question. I can just wake up each day and be the best I can be...do what I feel is right and honest and kind....

Thank goodness when my husband got home yesterday we headed to the family cabin...to just be together and spend some family time together.
I love having campfires and being able to invite tons of people and hang out and talk about nothing in particular, but just laugh and have fun as friends and family. So back to the question about God and heaven....I told my oldest that heaven has to be a lot like campfires...that feeling you get when you are surrounded by good friends and good times...where there seems to be no worries that can reach you. That's what heaven has to be like.

It's been a long time, but I've got 3 good excuses....Kemp, Joey & Emma.
Our family has been hit very hard this winter with sickness....I believe it was just a few short weeks ago that I said, "Wow! It's been a great winter, we haven't had one sick kid yet." BOOM!!! I shouldn't have said it out loud, I should have kept quiet. We have gone through the stomach bug, the weird fever bug and strep throat, all within 3 weeks. I've become really good friends with the doctor and the school nurse. I talk to them more than I talk to members of my own family. BUT as I look ahead to the rest of this week, I think we are all on the mend. Of course I say that after I wake up with a really sore throat. (I stole some antibiotic from the kids...so hopefully that will catch it) shhhhh!!! Don't tell anybody.
ANYWAY, the reason for this blog entry is the:

TOP 10 WEIRD THINGS MY KIDS DID IN THE LAST 3 WEEKS WHILE THEY WERE OFF SCHOOL SICK.

1. Joey made up a game using a Rubik's cube. He would mess it all up and than ask me what pattern he was making (meaning, I had to guess what all 9 colors were on the side he was looking at) This took a good hour because you know there are about 50 gazillion combos of colors that could be on that one side of a Rubik's cube....To make it even a little more confusing, if I guessed green, white, red, orange, red, black, white, green, yellow he would tell me which ones were right by saying green if they were right and red if they were wrong....I was so confused.....It was NOT fun.

2. Kemp & Emma decided one day it would be a good idea to talk in alien-chicken voices all day. I can't even explain the pain felt during this one.

3. NEVER EVER leave a Sharpie anywhere close to where your 3 year old can get ahold of it....you could end up with your own personal KISS member in the household.

4. NEVER EVER leave red food coloring anywhere close to where ANY child can reach it...they like to put it on their hands and come screaming to you that they cut themselves. In the process dripping red food coloring all over the floor.

5. Kemp decided to make brownies for the family one day he was off. As he was putting the brownies into the oven he sneezed... ALL.OVER.THE.BROWNIES.

6. FYI - the curtain rod in the family room will not hold a 30 pound child.

7. All 3 children somehow obtained the ability to stand 2 feet away from me while looking right in my eyes and still not hear a word I said.

8. Joey and Emma decided to play a game of "Eagle versus Puppy" Joey was the eagle and would swoop around the house screaming Caaaaaaaawwwwwww Caaaawwwwwwwww while flapping his arms madly. Emma would crawl around on all four's barking like a dog trying to get away from the evil eagle that was trying to snatch her up with his talons.

9. The bathtub became a swimming pool unknown to me...Unknown until the water started seeping into the hallway

10. As my husband and I were putting the boys to bed last night, Kemp gives us a very sheepish look and says, "Here mommy" And he hands me a pound of hamburger he took out of the freezer to thaw behind his bed.... *There's not even any kind of explanation I have for this one.*

Nightmares

Last night after I got the kids to bed, I headed downstairs to relax and read a little of my book, "The Devil in Pew Number Seven" (it's a great book, so far). It's about a preacher and his wife and their family. They move to a small town in North Carolina and the congregation loves them except for one person, Mr. Watts, whom always sits in pew number seven. He terrorizes them, threatens them and tries his hardest to drive them out of town. Anyway, it's a pretty intense book and I didn't realize it was making such an impact on my life....
I read a few chapters and decided I just couldn't read anymore. I know it's time to lay down the book when my body becomes so tense I have to remind myself to relax. So I drifted off to dreamland on the couch downstairs in front of the wood stove. It was so warm and I was so comfortable. I fell into the deepest sleep I have had in a long time. I started dreaming...I dreamt the family was in Disney World (these are my most favorite dreams) We were having a blast and then for some unknown reason, I let the kids go off on their own....they all wanted to ride different rides and do different things so I figured what the heck, it's Disney World, they'll be safe, right? I took notice to the clothes they were all wearing...Kemp had on a bright orange shirt and he headed for some Dumbo looking ride, Joey had on a yellow and green tie-dye shirt and headed towards a spinning ride of some sort and little Emma has on a black dress and she headed for Cinderella's castle. I kept an eye on them for some time until they were all to far apart to watch. JD and I headed for the Tower of Terror. When we returned to the Magic Kingdom, we found the orange shirt of Kemp right away and over there, there was little Emma running around with Cinderella, but where was Joey's tie-dye shirt. I looked everywhere, it was no where to be seen. I tried not to worry, he had to be fine. Then nighttime rolled around, still no sign of Joey's shirt. We headed to the hotel...some how we were magically transported (this happens in dreams). Joey wasn't there either. I had a sinking feeling in my stomach....
I was still searching for Joey when I heard, "MOMMY.....mommy......MOMMY!" I awoke with such a start I thought I was going to have a heart attack! It was Kemp, "Mommy, my legs hurt so bad, I don't know what to do." I got up and helped him back to bed and headed back downstairs to the warmness of the wood stove....

I absolutely HATE having dreams where my kids are hurt or lost. I'm sure if you are a parent, you've had these dreams...they are the WORST! You continue to have a terrible feeling in your stomach the whole next day.  I gave extra hugs today...kids are such a blessing! Even though some days I complain and some days the last thing I want to do is look at one more drawing of an Angry Bird, I have been so blessed with 3 beautiful, caring children.

I had a miscarriage before Kemp. It was the most devastating feeling I've ever experienced. JD and I had been trying to get pregnant for a little over a year or two ( I don't remember the specifics) Finally we found out I was pregnant. We were so happy! We took my parents out to Hoss's to tell them. They were ecstatic! We were all so happy.

At my next doctors appointment we would get to hear the heartbeat, a moment we had been waiting weeks for. Everything was going great! We were coming up with names, deciding how to decorate the nursery, just having fun getting ready for baby.

I will never forget that doctors appointment. JD and I headed back to the examining room, hand and hand, giddy with excitement to hear the heartbeat for the first time. The exam went great, all things were looking "just right" Now it was time to get the heartbeat hearing machine out...The nurse went over and over my stomach trying to find the heartbeat...there was no sound...it was the worst silence I have ever heard. She looked at us, she could see the worry on our faces, "Don't worry, maybe we are just off on the date, maybe we can't hear the heartbeat yet, let me go get another nurse and we'll get the ultrasound machine so we can see the heartbeat." She headed out of the room, JD and I sat in silence...waiting. When the 2 nurses came back in, they were rolling an ultrasound machine with them. The gelled up my belly and started searching for the little flicker of the heartbeat....they searched for so long...it seemed like an eternity. They looked at each other and in silence left the room. JD and I didn't know what to do. The doctor came in a few minutes later... "We are going to send you down to the high-tech ultra sound room (I forget what he called it) But it was a mega-ultrasound machine...one that could see little little flickers. We headed downstairs and waited. Waiting, waiting, waiting. I don't think JD and I talked at all, we just started off into the distance and held hands. I knew it was bad news...I could feel it in my heart. I started crying. People were staring. I still cried.

The doctor called us back and performed the examination. He left the room. He came back in about 20 minutes later. No smile, no good news.

"Mr. & Mrs. Dyson, we CAN NOT find your baby's heartbeat."

I had had a miscarriage.

I couldn't think of a thing to say other then, "OK"

I just wanted to leave. I didn't want the doctors staring at me, I didn't want them see me crying. I held it in. JD and I walked in silence to the car, hand-in-hand. I stared straight ahead. I had to be strong. I stared at the farmland rolling by as we drove home. I didn't dare look at JD...I could hear the heavy breathing and the sniffling beside me.

He called my mom, he took care of telling everyone. I headed to the living room and started cleaning. I needed to be alone. My mom came over to our house. She tried to comfort me. How can you be comforted during this time?

Life went on, but I will never forget the little baby that had a February 5th due date.

TODAY, I have three beautiful, healthy children to love, and I couldn't be happier. Love your kids! Love your life! LIFE IS GOOD!

Overwhelmed?!?!

I'm feeling overwhelmed. I can tell I'm feeling overwhelmed from the dreams I've been having.
The other night I dreamed I had an extra finger tied to the back of my hand and I thought everybody had that extra finger until upon closer inspection of the kids on my soccer team I realized no one had that extra finger. I proceeded to find a doctor and he removed it, but after he removed it I felt lost, like I was missing something very important. Last night I had a dream I acquired a brand new red Jeep Wrangler with a soft top. I was trying to get to the top of a mountain, but Emma kept wanting to sit on my lap, so I eventually moved to the back of the Jeep, held Emma and waited for the Jeep to take me to the top by itself (it was voice controlled of course). The mountain was very steep and as we neared the top, Emma and I had to lay flat in the back because the G-forces were just to great to sit up straight. We never made it to the top...I woke up :( ANYWAY I can usually tell I'm overwhelmed or stressed out by my dreams...somehow in real life I never realize it, I have to dream it first.
So why am I overwhelmed? I'm not real sure, I can't pinpoint the reason. I know I say yes too much, but I enjoy all the things I do, so I really don't want to say no, but sometimes I probably need too.
So how do you figure out how much is too much?
Being a mom/dad can be a very overwhelming, yet very rewarding job.
Somedays when I walk into my home and it's a messy house, and there's laundry to do, and there are groceries to buy, rooms to clean, dishes in the sink, dog to be fed, stuffed animals to find, and the to-do list is longer then one side of a piece of 11x14 paper, I must say I feel overwhelmed. I don't know where to start. All I want to do is sit in the corner, put my head under a pillow and have a good old-fashioned cry.
BUT then, there's my three year old yelling "MOMMIE!!!" and my six year old trying to get his own glass of milk, but in the process spills half the container on the kitchen floor, and then the eight year old that wants me to build a LEGO house with him and somewhere in that time I'm supposed to make dinner, but unfortunately I can't find the counter...
It's at this moment that I have to remember
I AM NOT ALONE.
Everyone has stress and feelings of being overwhelmed...and luckily this moment of being overwhelmed doesn't define me. I always move out of this feeling.

Other days I go home and I still can't find the counter, there are still dishes in the sink, the house is still a mess and of course laundry still needs done, but for some reason it doesn't bother me...


Hug the kids, have a belly laugh, that's what they will remember.... (hopefully they won't remember the milk on the floor or the dog hair on their clothes)

I'm on my way to find an AWESOME day!

I'm going faster than you....

Going to the gym some mornings is a struggle. I try everything to get motivated to get there.
I get my earphones, Muppet water bottle, comfy sneakers, drop off the kids at school and I'm on my way. I coach myself silently in the car on my way there. You can do this, I know you're tired, but YOU CAN DO this!!
I pull in the parking lot and take my time getting my stuff out of the car...then I see someone I know, darn it, they saw me too, now I have to go in. I can't just come to the gym and park in the parking lot....

I drag myself inside, fill my water bottle, drop off my extra belongings in the ladies changing room and head out into the gym...ahhhh which machine should I torture myself with today? The "Helliptical?, perhaps the "Deer in Headlights" Arc machine... I head for the Helliptical, maybe if I get it over with the rest of the workout won't be so bad. I'm sweating buckets after just 10 minutes, I'm ready to throw in the towel and head to work so I can sit down. Oh darn, there's someone else I know...I better stay a little longer, 10 minutes at the gym is not going to do anything...I head to the bike...pedal, pedal, pedal...that's when it happens, I look to my right, just a quick glance at the girl next to me...she's going 13.1 mph....I look at my speed... 16.8...oh yeah, the competition mode begins. I glance to my left, another girl (she's at least 15 years younger then me) her speed is 14.7, I'm beating her too!!! Before I know it, 10 minutes has blown by and I blew by all my competition... (or at least the 2 main competitors beside me...I head to the "Deer in Headlights"Arc machine, my least favorite. I get my 10 minutes in on that horrible machine and look for my next competition. There on the treadmill is a pretty buff guy, looks like he has the incline on about 50 gazillion....THAT is my next competition. I step on the treadmill 2 down from him, don't want him to think I'm stalking him or anything...I put my incline on 10, speed up as far as I can go before I'm in an all out run....I keep up for a few minutes...in fact I'm feeling pretty good about beating this guy....
I compete with him for about 7 minutes and before I die, I wipe the sweat from my forehead, catch my breath and head out of the gym.

That was a good gym trip...
Thank you complete strangers for letting me compete against you and thank you for motivating me.

My day has just become AWESOME!!

Margaritaville

It's tough to wake up when it's 10* outside. You want to stay under the 5 blankets you have yourself wrapped in. The 5 blankets you have managed to wrap yourself so tightly in like a mummy (a crowbar couldn't get you out), but alas, you have to get out and get ready for the day. It's tough, you keep hitting the snooze button, but it just won't go away. OK, OK you unwrap yourself one blanket at a time and it gets colder and colder until your feet are totally uncovered and now you have to make a run for the bathroom as quickly as you can manage. Ahhhhh....the hot shower feels so good. You make your way downstairs and take a glance out the window....WHAT?!?!?! Where did that snow come from....you grumble your way through the morning dreading going out to get in the car...it just looks sooooooo cold out there!
As you wrap yourself in 60 layers so you won't suffer from hypothermia you slowly open the door to head outside...the cold air hits you like a slap in the face. You put your head down into your coat as far as it will go and head outside. At least the car will provide some kind of protection from the frigid air, RIGHT?!?! Think again, the car grumbles and moans as you turn the key...it doesn't want to wake up either. Come on, come on, you can do it...I did it, now you need to do it. The car shakes and shivers and finally wakes up. You turn the heat on full blast, it feels like air conditioning....BUT it's warmer then outside so you deal with it. Halfway to your destination you suddenly feel warmer...WHY? Because to your enjoyment "Margaritaville" by Jimmy Buffett comes on the radio...Ahhhh, you are instantly transported to your last beach vacation. You know the one...where you are sitting on an oceanfront patio at a restaurant sipping your favorite drink as the warm ocean air blows over you.


Suddenly the day becomes AWESOME!

Beautiful Smile

I woke up this morning (a little late, of course) and continued on with my morning routine. Groggily find my way to the bathroom, look in the mirror, made a weird face to show my disgust at what my hair seemed to do overnight. Somehow I go to bed with a pony tail and wake up with a dead squirrel on my head...it's a conundrum. After I make my weird face, I proceed to brush my teeth. I then make my way to the boys' room to initiate wake-up call #1. I turn on the shower and daydream for a few minutes till the water gets hot enough for me to get in. After the shower comes wake-up call #2. Still no response. I make my way downstairs to where the clothes are piled next to the dryer...(because I haven't had the energy to put them away). I find some clothes for the boys... I head back upstairs, wake-up call #3...I'm starting to get snippy at this point, no more mrs. nice girl..."WAKE UP!!!" Kemp stirs, but rolls back over...Joey mumbles something inaudible and covers his head with his blanket. I make my way to the bathroom to comb my hair. OK, I'm ready...Back to the boys' room, wake-up call #4... "WE ARE GOING TO BE LATE AGAIN!!! GET UP NOW! You don't want to fail 1st and 2nd grade, do you??" Finally there is some movement. Joey jumps up and runs to the bathroom, slams the door. Commence the complaining from Kemp... "I have to pee, I'm cold, I need to get a shower, etc."
I give Joey 2 minutes and knock on the door..."Joey all you had to do was brush your teeth...Kemp needs to go to the bathroom." Joey: "I haven't brushed my teeth YET!!"
OK, so anyway you get the point...after all of this, and about 10 minutes we are ready to head out the door. So it's a normal morning, nothing AWESOME yet...
I drop the boys off at school and head to the gym....still a normal day.
I get to the gym and hold the door open for a man coming in after me...he smiles at me and says, "Thanks!" He then continues on and opens the next door for me and says, "You have a beautiful smile." When a complete stranger stops and takes the time to say something so nice to you, how could that not make your day AWESOME?


My day has just become AWESOME!

$20 Bill

I got the coolest book over the weekend, it's called, "The Book of Awesome" by Neil Pasricha.
It is filled with everyday things that are just....AWESOME! Things that make you realize how great life is and just how awesome small things can be. With the help of my hubster, we have decided to make our own list of AWESOME things! I'm so excited to get this started.

First on the list: When you think you are totally out of money for the week and you find a $20 in the dryer. AWESOME!!

It happens to everyone at some point in their life...there comes a day when you get up in the morning and all you want to do is go out for lunch that day, but unfortunately pay day isn't until tomorrow...that means ANOTHER peanut butter and jelly sandwich in an old brown bag that you will sit in the conference room at work to eat all by yourself. You make your way down to the laundry room to throw in one more load before you head off to work with your peanut butter and jelly sandwich. You aren't paying attention, just the old hum drum of throwing clothes here, throwing clothes there and THEN, just as you grab that last electrically charged blanket out of the dryer, there in the back of the dryer is a freshly washed dollar bill....BUT WAIT!!! You grab it and unfold it and (glorious trumpets sounding in the background) it's a $20 BILL!!! Put that peanut butter and jelly sandwich back in the fridge and save it for another day! Your day just became AWESOME!!