Sounding Board

Okay - not all of my blogs can be about my kids.  Sometimes I need some time to myself (and that I'd like to share with you all).
I've almost finished reading a really fantastic book - Seriously...I'm Kidding by Ellen DeGeneres.  I haven't ever laughed so much reading a book.  The people in Chapters kept staring at me...maybe next time I should buy it and read it at home. LOL!  Now I'm just kidding!  I got it for Christmas from the yes man.  He really wants me to laugh more too - and not just at him.  I feel soooooo funny today!!
Back to my blog...at least what I thought that I intended to write was so much deeper and serious than this is turning out to be.
I seem to be a place now that I can and want to give back.  I have had so much support and love that it is abundant.  I'm overflowing with gratitude and wanted to share it with you.  I've titled this blog entry Sounding Board - not bored.  I'm not bored - hopefully you aren't either while reading this.  Anyway, I'm off topic again.  That could be a great blog entry for me...the Art of Distraction or Tangent Girl something like that.  If you're unsure of the word tangent, please look it up - I don't want you to think I'm "tantric" girl - which is something all together different.
Let's try this again.  I've been giving back.  Lots of volunteering and now I even have a job.  Yes.  I get paid every week.  I look after a little guy (who's kidding who?  The kid is almost as tall as me!) - and the mom has thanked me a few hundred times for taking him in.  The truth is, I'm thankful to him.  This kid brings out my fun side and who doesn't want a little more of that side out?

Keep smiling!

Roots and Wings

At night when the yes man and I are putting the kids to bed, he goes with Naomi and I go with Ben.  It has always been that way.  Naomi likes to talk and giggle with daddy for at least 1/2 hour before going to sleep.  They discuss various topics, but usually it has something to do with movies or tv shows and involves Brad explaining entire plots and characters and story lines.

Ben, on the other hand, loves to snuggle and have me sing to him.  This works for me because I love to snuggle and to sing!  He picks out the song and I sing softly to him in the dark while he drifts off to sleep.  Sometimes (well, okay, many times) I find myself thinking that one day this will end.  He will no longer need me to snuggle with him or for me to sing to him to help him sleep.  He'll be a big boy (fingers crossed that it's not till teenager LOL!!) and snuggling with mom would be, well, gross.  Funny, I'm not sad while I write this - but actually smiling.  Because isn't this what we want for our kids?  We give them roots - family, love, connectedness and in return, they grow wings and soar.

Keep smiling!  

Serendipity

What a lovely word.  I wasn't entirely sure of it's meaning when my friend commented that my knocking on her door that morning was serendipity.  She said I was her angel.  Imagine that!  In fact, what she was referring to was that I showed up at just the right time.  Her son's daycare was falling through and I said that yes, I would help her out.  So it's going to be me and Nate two mornings a week.  That combined with my volunteer gigs is keeping me busy 4 mornings a week!  Yeah!  This is what I want.  I want to feel needed.  One thing that I have learned about myself over the last 6 months is that I love to be with people.  Whether it's volunteering, or having coffee with a friend.  It's all about being connected.  Even if it's a bit scary putting myself out there.  Just do it.

I've been thumbing through some magazines lately, and I've noticed some interesting tidbits that I'd like to share.  Namely, Chatelaine has had some great ideas for happiness that struck home with me:
Practice Gratitude.  Remembering to be thankful for all that we have.
Take a Deep Breath
Laugh Out Loud (I'm smiling as I write that!)
Hold the Door - I think I've mentioned that in earlier blogs...
Find the Awesome - apparently even getting that stuck piece of popcorn out of your teeth can be awesome!  I agree!  LOL!

Do any of these resonate with you? Maybe you have some interesting ideas of happiness or things that you do to help you get through your day.  One thing that I do is...smile at myself everyday in the mirror.  Even if I don't really feel like smiling I do it anyway.

You keep smiling too!

Mom's Dream House - by Naomi & Ben

My son Ben was drawing in his new book - The Wimpy Kid Do-it-Yourself Book.  The drawing was titled "Dream House".  He was proudly showing me all the great things that he would include in his dream house...a Pizzeria, indoor pool, elevator and a singing toilet too!  Naomi quickly got in on the action and suddenly it was no longer just a Dream House but a Dream House for Mom - aka - a competition was brewing.
The competition grew fierce - money was added (a whole room of money - in any currency), Oprah would be my best friend and I would have a slide to take me to a)work or b)the pool.  Naomi was at my side adding ideas (they were getting wilder by the minute!) tapping at me every 5 seconds to make sure I was paying attention.
Ben added a time machine and a hand couch and a bakery that was part of the Pizzeria.
Naomi's last grab at the prize was a "crowd room" - a music room with 10 people that would always cheer for me after I sang for them. LOL!  I love it!

But the best was their "No Place Like Home" room.  They came up with the idea for this together.

Ben's Dream House

I love this room.  The concept is simple...one room in our new house would always feel and look like our old house (the one we actually live in).  

Naomi's Dream House

The Dream House?  I already have it :o)

Keep smiling! And may you all have a healthy, happy, smiling 2012!