who knew it was National Donut Day?

Not this girl. I am not exactly sure how the pregnant girl missed this memo. Thankfully, my pharmacist Jamie did not forget.

When the announcement was made that there were donuts in the kitchen I made a bee-line towards them. Quite a few folks laughed because I wasn’t the only one heading that way… so were the other 2 preggos in the building. Hey, what can I say… us pregnant girls like our donuts.

um, also, I ate half of the 1st one before thinking… I should take a picture.

*side note… donut number 2 is still sitting on my desk 8 hours later. I am saving it for my dinner/snack. One for me, one for baby. It’s the only time in my life I can blame someone else for my “oh my god I love chocolate covered creme filled donuts, I am gonna eat 2 of em” moments.

man, I love donuts.

-m

WPC 2011 week two – joy

When I saw that the topic for week 2 in Shutterboo’s Photo Challenge was JOY, I immediately thought of one person and one picture.

I know that part of this challenge is to take the picture based on the topic in the week that it’s posted. I am going to do my very best to actually follow those rules. But, this picture depicts a kind of joy that resonates deep in my heart.

Reason number one I thought of this photo: her middle name might (or might not) be Joy. Don’t tell her I said that.

Reason number 2: this picture sums up the much-needed escape we took in October perfectly. It is pure JOY.  

Taken with the Hipstamatic App on my Iphone 4 in Gulf Shores, AL. October 2010

http://melissagay.smugmug.com/photos/1141476309_63Mpy-L.jpg

I kept my eyes open for Joy all weekend so that I would have a new photo for this week. But, here in Birmingham, we shut down for a few days due to Snowmageddon 2011. I wasn’t exactly sure how to photograph 2 days, piled up in bed, watching movies and eating bags of Doritos. It was most definitely Joy… But it’s hard to photograph orange fingers and laziness!

-m

oh my god i am eating again. help.

Happy turkey day interwebz!

I am sitting here after a full day of family and food wondering how in the world I will fit into the bridesmaids dress I have to wear on Saturday! Yet, i still want more Broccoli and Rice casserole. And Turkey. And Pumpkin pie.

Obviously I should list what I am thankful for today… but it’s no different then what I am thankful for every day. I feel like I do a pretty good job of keeping the important things in my life in perspective.

Today I got to see my sweet grandmother, and my not so sweet Papa! I got to play with my dogs, and cry when I had to leave them. My cousin and I tried our best to not giggle through the pre-dinner prayer. (we failed miserably!). We had gotten tickled because we held hands, even though nobody else did. My dad sang my favorite thanksgiving song, and I recorded it so I can have it forever! I was able to spend the day with my nephew, who I haven’t seen in 4 months. He has grown 2 feet and his voice has deepened. It’s amazing to see the young man he is becoming and I am so thankful he is learning from the mistakes of those around him.

Tonight I will hang out with some more friends. Tomorrow I will attend a funeral, then a football party, and a wedding rehearsal. Saturday, 2 of my favorite people will get married and I am blessed to be a part of it. As crazy as my life has been, it has been wonderful recently. I am thankful for the roof over my head, and the people who provide it. I am excited about my future for the 1st time in ages… and it’s not because of someone… it’s because of me. I am doing what’s right for me and that is good stuff!

anyway… I am going to find some pants with an elastic waist band, and see how much more food I can stuff in my face.

 

-m

I am too old to jump on trampolines

* HAPPY HALLOWEEN… I will be back as the week goes on with some shots from my Halloween weekend.*

Last weekend I spent some time with my bestie’s family taking their fall photos. Madalyn is 4 now, and a lot more willing to follow my directions and pose for pictures. (Last year she had a full come-apart after a short time and I was limited to what I could actually get!). Once we were done, Madalyn wanted to play.

The property we were on is owned by a client of Jason’s. He has this amazing, gigantic rocking pig…Seriously. It’s really neat. Mad played on it for a few minutes.

Then she headed to the trampoline. After she jumped for a little bit, I took my shoes off and got in with her. It was so much fun bouncing her and making her giggle. Though I did bounce her once and she landed on her face. After that, every time I jumped to hard, she would say “aunt misslissa, you are hurting my nose!” Of course my camera was involved! Steph got a couple of shots of me and mad, then I took a few mid bounce. I think these show the chaos and craziness of a trampoline so well. Plus, I can remember Mad’s laugh and that makes me smile!

I had such a blast laughing and playing with Madalyn on that trampoline. My knees did not.

-m

sometimes it’s the little things

Sometimes it’s the little things that come out of no where and make you feel better.

This showed up when I needed it most…

Rainbows always make me think of mom. I have a memory about a double rainbow and the 1st day of pre-school… but it’s really foggy and could be a complete figment of my imagination. I do know mom had pictures of a double rainbow and I am sure it’s from the same clouded memory I have as a child. Isn’t it funny how memories work. I block so much of my child hood that I question the memories I do have as “real”. I wish mom was around so I could verify some of them!

-m

easily entertained by gumballs

Some days it’s the little things.

The little things that make you smile. The little things that make you laugh. The little things that can entertain the shit out of grown people and make you waste 15 minutes of precious work time!

I was in my boss’ office one day last month and this was on the desk…

It was a card. Now I can’t remember what it said. But something witty from some company wanting our business…

My boss and I had a laugh about it… wondering if they were going to send us a gum-ball machine like another company had done as a huge scam. Basically they called and got my name, then made a bogus order and shipped it to us via ups. Only after the poor ups guy had unloaded cases and cases of toilet paper, huge shredders and A FULL SIZE GUM-BALL machine, did we say “wait a minute… what the hell is all this stuff”. Then we had to refuse it and he had to load it all back on the truck. I am pretty sure he still hates us for it! It took me months of fighting with this stupid company to get the bill cancelled and us removed from their mailing lists and call lists.

So, the gum-ball machine has kinda been a joke.

Then we got this in the mail…

We opened it up and laughed. It’s just a tiny desk top one but it hold about 1lb of gumballs. AND they sent us 2lbs to go with it. MLL and I spent 15-20 minutes opening it, filling it up, looking for change to put in it, testing it out and laughing. She read me the instructions that stated “hours of entertainment and enjoyment.”

me: how in the wold could a bubble gum machine give me hours of entertainment?
MLL: Well I don’t know Melissa, it’s already given you 15 minutes!
me: oh. true.

Now the cute little machine sits in the pharmacy, with a pill bottle full of pennies next to it. And it’s almost ready for the next bag!

-m

a small reminder of big things

Here are some things I love. (people and dogs too!)

To remind me that life is still good.

the kids being silly

my puppy 10 years ago… (and my NES)

my kids in arkansas that I need to go see. (the one on the far right just turned 18!)

one of my favorite pictures of my grandparents

Frogs and cookies shaped like frogs

The wonderful family who have taken me in… and let me sleep in their office!

My sweet Daddy-o

Margaritas

this place

these…. ohhhh how i wish it was easter!

There are more people… but I will save those for another day!
-m