Laughter is the Best Medicine

While I was getting our taxes done, I saw a sign hanging behind our CPA's desk that stated a health benefit of laughing, how it relieves stress. Then this morning I read the verse, "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the house." (Prov 17:22). I looked up laughing facts and was surprised to read that God created us to laugh before we speak. I'm sure I knew that because it's common sense but I've never really thought about it.
I began thinking about various people in my life that can really get me laughing. I remember how my Nana would giggle like a schoolgirl, which would get everyone else laughing. I remember laughing until my sides hurt and tears were streaming down our faces with my college girlfriends. I remember  laughing at other people's expense with my mom (not maliciously but when someone falls we inherently find it comical.) Pretty much every time my brother talks, he's laughing. Laughing is contagious.
When I've had a rough day, spending time with my boys is the best medicine for me. P and I can get the giggles over something as simple as walking the dogs together. E is quick witted and just about everything he says makes me laugh....or roll my eyes. I love laughing and sometimes I get so caught up in the every day life stuff that I forget to find the humor in things. So my challenge to you is to find something to laugh about every day, even if it means looking up corny jokes on the internet. Laughing was created by God and is good for your soul so there's no reason not to do it!

Travel Memories

If you read my blog, you know that travelling is one of my most favorite things to do. I love visiting new places and I love, love, love when the boys can be part of the travels! One thing I/we try to do every year is to introduce the boys to new places or experiences. Yesterday Rob and I were talking about our travel plans for the next few months. We are excited to take the boys to one of mine (and P's) favorite states: TN. We have been there a few times but this time we'll be going almost to Kentucky so we'll really get to see the state. Then we'll be doing to the Dallas area where we will be staying in a kid themed hotel called Great Wolf Lodge. I keep getting on their website, excited about all the hotel has to offer! To be honest, I wish it was in our budget to stay the whole week to really experience it. But I will be happy with the few days we'll be there. After school gets out for the Summer we get to go camping at a state of the art campground close to where we live. We haven't camped since we lived in NV so, although we have been to this place before to spend the day with friends, I am SUPER excited to go camping!! Then we'll top of our travels with a long trip to Cali. The boys and I came up with a "dream list" of places we'd like to visit while we're there, some new places and some places we've already been to.
As P gets older, the more it hits me that in 8 years or so he will be heading off to college to start his life as a young adult. I want him to look back on his childhood with fond travel memories. I'd also like him to use those memories to guide him in choosing a place to go to college or set up life after college. I want both boys to experience as much of the world as we can give them. I want them to have a lifetime of wonderful memories before their childhood transitions into adulthood. And I am so happy to get to experience it with them!

Total Attitude Overhaul

As I get older, I learn things about myself- some good and other stuff not so good. One thing that I started noticing last year is how negative I can get about things/people. I contribute certain things in my life to my overall attitude but it doesn't excuse having an overall negative attitude. So, in an effort to change my outlook, I started a 21 day devotional called "Total Attitude Overhaul". I'm only halfway through it because I only read it when I have time to really absorb it. But, wow!! It has kick me in the gut and has convicted me of some of my actions....and my overall attitude. Take today for example. I didn't sleep very much last night, which usually causes me to be grumpy in and of itself. But I prayed about my attitude before I even got out of bed. As we were leaving for school, our dogs got in their biggest fight yet and one of them ran off. By the time we got them settled. the boys and I were running late. My lessons were all "off". In one of my classes, I had prepared the wrong lesson so that had me flustered. Then I had a wardrobe malfunction that I was self conscious about the rest of the day. I was looking forward to ending the day at Spin class, where I could work out my frustrations. But when I got to the gym, I realized that I had left my spin shoes in my gym bag...which was at home. Then. as I was walking to my bike, some guy (accidentally) hit me. I had to do the entire class in my Adidas slides and my bike monitor kept shutting off. When I got to my car, the car next to me had parked over the line and didn't give me any room to get in the driver's side. I tried to get in the passenger side but lost one of my slides under the car next to me. Normally, all of that combined would've turned me into a bear. But it didn't. I'll confess that I'm a tad cranky but nowhere near what I would've been last year/6 months ago if I had had a day like this. For me, it's baby steps. On the way home from the gym I focused on the fact that I am healthy enough to go to the gym, that I have a good friend that works out with me several times a week and that I have a husband willing to hang out with the boys so I can go. I have a ways to go but I'm thankful for the attitude overhaul I've had so far. One step at a time....to a happier, healthier me.