If I Die...

It won't be because I slid off the road. It will be because I'm mesmerized by the size of the snowflakes falling right now. They're huge! And when I'm in the car and they are falling from the sky, I just look at them. Forget the other cars or the traffic lights...just watch the snowflakes...until someone slides into me from behind because I didn't see that the light was green. Focus Noelle, focus.

According to the Calendar Today Is:

"Happy Amanda is My Sister Day"

I have a suspicion that not all calendars say the same thing. I'm guessing that Amanda snuck into my office one night and declared her own holiday on my calendar. I'm happy to oblige. I even have a gift for her special day.

For the record: I AM happy Amanda is my sister. She's a great sister to have. She is a great secretary, she is a great computer tech, she is great to borrow any CD ever made from, she has her own DVD library...any movie in the world I want to watch? She's got it.

She makes me laugh, she hides herself when I want to get on the computer (sorry, Amanda is the only one who will get this one), she can speak Spanish like a pro, and she could supply the country of Beliz with socks.

In one word, Amanda is FABULOUS and I love her.

I Double Dog Dare You...

...to leave a comment...just one...just one little itsy bitsy comment...

Words To Live By

I have a friend...yes, it's true, I have a friend. He's from California and he personifies the "surfer dude" image we see in so many movies. He makes me laugh almost more than anyone else does, and he's one of the nicest people I have ever known. He would do anything for anyone.

A few weeks ago he stopped by my work to say hi. At some point in the conversation he came up with this gem:

"If I didn't think about things, I'd have time for so much more stuff."

I tried not to laugh too hard because he was serious, but I did write it down, and now on occasion I ponder his words. There must be a deeper meaning somewhere...I'll keep looking for it.

Meet Dave

THIS IS DAVE (the guy on the left)

DAVE IS THE ONLY REASON SOME PEOPLE READ MY BLOG (they think he writes funny comments)

SOMETIMES DAVE BREAKS WATER PIPES IN GUATEMALA (leaving entire villages without water)

DAVE IS A WORLD-FAMOUS AUTHOR (if you're interested I'll give you more info about his books)

DAVE LOVES LOVES LOVES SOCCER (I think Dave is addicted to soccer)

DAVE LOVES LOVES LOVES LOVES ALL THINGS SUGAR (It's my blog Dave, I can say what I want)

SOMETIMES DAVE SAYS THINGS THAT TOTALLY SURPRISE ME:

"Today was supposed to be hair color day. Its a lot cheaper to do the home version than the beauty salon version. We set out all the plastic covering, plastic gloves, application bottle, the works. And I am the master color man who applies the color to my mom's hair. So she's all bibbed up and ready to go and I'm all set with plastic gloves when she realizes she doesn't have any of the hair color stuff. Such a funny scene. "

DAVE IS SINGLE AND LOOKING FOR THAT SOMEONE (Again, it's my blog Dave, I can say what I want)

SO WHAT I'M WONDERING MR. WOOLLEY IS THIS:

1. Do you do hair for people besides your mother?

2. How much do you charge?

3. Is there anyone out there in the blogging world in need of Dave's services? (I might could get you a discount, assuming Dave doesn't kill me for this post)

THE END

A Love Story

Main Characters:

Becca

Erika (Age 5)

And Micky Mouse

Erika: "Noelle, is Micky Mouse still Becca's boyfriend?"

Noelle: "Yes, I think he is."

Erika: "Noelle, do you think Becca will marry Micky Mouse?"

Noelle: "Well, what do you think Erika?"

Erika: "No. Becca is a human and humans can't marry Disney people."

Erika: "I guess she'll have to find someone else to marry."

Hey, I never promised it was a love story with a happy ending!

Kids Say the Darndest Things

Meet Gabi. Gabi will be 4 on Sunday. Gabi told me I have to be at her birthday party. Gabi is in love with the idea of being in love. Everything is weddings or boyfriends or something in-between. When asked the very important question of "How do you show Jesus you love him?" Gabi's response was "When you love Jesus you get married." (Her answer graced the front page of the sacrament program.)

A few nights ago I was cuddling with Gabi in front of the fireplace. "Guess who I love," I said to Gabi. She looked up me and said all seriously, "Brian?" (Brian is a friend of mine who Gabi hadn't seen in MONTHS. I think Gabi is in love with Brian.) I laughed and said, "I love YOU Gabi."

Gabi looked frustrated and threw her hands up in the air and said rather loudly and with a tone, "If everybody loves somebody why doesn't anybody EVER get married???"

A very good question my adorable niece, a very good question indeed.

Traditions

Every year for the past 15-ish years we have gone to our mountain property to cut down Christmas trees. Some years the trees are beautiful, some years not so much. The three years Dad and Mom were in Brazil, our trees were amazing! (Dad wasn't there to prevent us from picking the perfect tree. He has such strict rules about what we can and can't cut down!)

Last year I said, "Tradition or not, I QUIT!" ...until I get a husband who will put the lights on the tree for me. I HATE putting lights on the Christmas tree and last year I refused to do it. Seeing as how Becca refuses as well, we were in a no-win situation. So we committed the #1 sin in the Ed Platt book of sins: we bought a fake tree. PRE-LIT! It was well worth the money spent! I didn't get ornery and we didn't have to worry about our tree drying up, catching on fire, and burning our house to the ground.

Last night we got the tree out from storage and went to set it up. The key piece was missing. You know, the part that makes the tree stand up straight...the one piece that secures the entire 7.5' Norway Pine to the stand...gone, vanished, nowhere to be found. Not at our house, not at our sister's house where we store our Christmas decorations, and all 12 million of Becca's snowmen. (Really, during the month of December we have a snowman explosion at our casa.)

Now, had we had some smart man there, I'm sure he would have been able to figure out a solution. Had we not been soooo tired, perhaps we would have been able to figure out a solution. As it was, we went to Roberts and just bought another tree. And set it up. And it looks beautiful.

Kevin, my amazingly smart man-brother-in-law is now in possession of the old tree, and I'm sure that by tonight it will be standing straight and tall, lit and decorated, in some corner of his living room......next to the real tree we cut down, because my sister is not yet ready to give up on tradition. (She doesn't have to. She's got that husband to put lights on the tree for her!)

What The World Needs:

Is more little girls, freshly bathed, full of love and smiles.

And more snuggling.