Late list!

Okay...so I am feeling a bit negative and a bit like Eeyore ---whiney, negative and complainy *my own word*---hence I haven't been writing. I will keep it to myself as to the many reasons why...but I guess you could say I have been in a funk. It's been a challenge to understand a number of the things that have happened in my life over the last year---but I guess what it all comes down to is that "no man is an island". I think one of the most crazy ironic statements one can make is "It's my life." Every thing we do affects others for good or bad. Okay...so this may be a myriad of thoughts. Despite all the drama lately, I am truly grateful for a lot of the little things. I have probably spent more time being grateful this Thanksgiving than a lot of other ones...grateful for random things...things outside "the givens"
So here goes my random list:

• Electricity in the basement! YEE HAA! Loving my new laundry room light!
• Employment---need I say more
• A good class of kids at my work---I love these little ones!
• A decent hair cut---it's not perfect---but it sure beats some of the 80's do's!
• A new niece or nephew in a week or so
• A warm halloween and Thanksgiving--it was great!
• Blogging-it gives me an opportunity to think about my life and keep in touch with people I have lost!

Allright it was short and sweet, but it had to be before I mentioned the "givens"---SOOO what are you grateful for beside the givens?

I am a FRIEK!

Okay...so WHY would I say such a thing about myself--well the truth is that it is time that I acknowledge my strange gift. We all have been given strange gifts some that we are born aware of and others that we come to accept, love, and deal with. SOOO...what is it I am getting at...? Well as some of my long time friends have discovered I have an unbelievable LONG term memory. My short term memory sucks rocks! I could hardly tell you what I did yesterday (I have been told that is due to Long term use of meds for my OCD--but justify it as I may...I think I am just stupid sometimes...NE WAYS---I digress), however I can tell you stories that often you won't remember and many I would like to forget. Okay...so that is dealable right? It goes a bit further, I have anability to recognize people I hardly knew, after having not seem them for long amounts of time. This wasn't such an issue when I lived in North Carolina, afterall how often did I really run into people on the streets that I went to college with or high school, but having returned to St. Louis I have opened a huge can of worms. Here's the latest story:
So Friday I am at my work picking up Alyssa from school, a girl walks by the doorway as I am standing in the room, I recognize her without a moment's hesitation and say "Hey Jessica"---She is walking by so she returns...she looks at me, I say "Jessica---Melanie Silva"---Now she is frieked out---and we talk blah blah blah. This was not a close friend, or anything, just someone I chatted with at times. It had been sixteen years since I saw her and undoubtedly we BOTH look different, yet my mind recognizes her. The worst part is I cannot tell you the number of times I have done this and it is like I cannot control myself---we all know I have a hard time keeping my mouth shut---but this is like some friekish, tourette's syndrome thing---I know you, I see you, I must yell your name whether you know or remember me or not. SO there you have it...it has created some pretty interesting moments (especially on a number of occassions when the person has no clue who I am and how the heck I know them (until of course I use my gift to tell them exactly where we knew eachother from) and then they feel sheepish if they have no clue. Oh well...what are your unique gifts? Spill the beans friends!

Mouths of Babes

SOO it's been a while...things have been unbelievably busy---I will leave it at that. I have to brag about my girls for a minute---I hope THAT is allowed on blogging. They are my joy in life. They make me laugh and the following are a few stories on why!

• Torie (7) and I had a discussion on how it probably wasn't best to tell people on the phone I was in the shower or bathroom, and so if she could just tell them I was in "dispose" (after the following scenario, I would MUCH prefer she just told them where I was). As life would have it, I was in the potty and the phone rang and of course Victoria answered, much to my gratitude or so I thought. As I emerged from the bathroom Victoria said, "Mom, I answered the phone, but don't worry I told them you were Exposed"---In shock, I said "What did you tell them"--to which she repeated "exposed"---I broke into laughter and was greatful that she could bring such a good laugh to a friend! When Victoria actually realized the word she accidently used she was horrified---which made it funnier.
• Alyssa (3) did the child like thing to do and farted in the car---Victoria was appalled (while Alyssa giggled her heart out) and said "Alyssa--that is gross--it's not funny." To which Alyssa happily replied--"It's funny to me."
• Torie recently went to the ward chili cook off---when she was talking about it the next day she said, "You know mom, last night at the hot chili stand off."---It painted quite an interesting picture!
• Alyssa was outside watering plants with my mom...my mother told her that the plants were saying "thank you" to her for giving them water...my mom then sees Alyssa watering the plants and saying "your welcome, your welcome."
• Alyssa was helping me fold laundry tonight and was doing quite an amazing job of folding wash cloths---I expressed my gratitude to her for doing such a great job and gave her a hug, after each wash cloth she reached out for more recognition and another hug---to which I said, "you really love mommy to hug you don't you," Her response was, "yes and I like it when you call me the "bomb"---
• Torie loves to play soccer, however we have had a lot of laughs as she would literally skip to get to the soccer ball. I once stated, why does she want to play soccer when she is dancing on the field. We also enjoyed as she would run after the ball, and next to it, but rarely kick it.
• Lastly, Alyssa was a Poodle for Halloween---however no matter how hard she tried to pronounce it --it came out "piddel"---when people would ask what she was going to be for halloween---she would say "piddel" and people would say..."A pillow"---and I would explain a Poodle. It became a joke at work as none of the teachers could understand her and would laugh when the heard it...she got tired of saying it and a wee bit embarassed so she would just say "I don't know." I suggested she say a puppy---but she had other plans...when people would ask her then, she would say "A piddel" - get on all fours and run around like a dog. She figured if they couldn't understand her ---she would FIND a way to get the message across!

And there my friends is a little insight into my world of laughter. They make me laugh and bring a ray of sunshine into my life. EVERY DAY! I can't say enough how much I love my little girls!