Laughter - Good for the Soul

I love laughing. I think it's great. It makes you feel all good and warm and fuzzy. I love the deep gutteral laughter that small children have. It's when they think something is truly hysterically funny. Jackson does it every so often and so does Mackenzie. It is one of the sweetest sounds in this world. I love it.

Well today I had one of those laughs. It was the genuine heartfelt laugh. One that I seriously thought was going to cause my insides to explode, especially from where the Dr. went in. It was great. It was one of those you had to be there episodes but it was the funnies thing I've ever seen.

I'll start from yesterday, although that part isn't the funny part. So yesterday morning we all went to Breakfast with Santa at Mackenzie's school. We got there around 8:30. The whole family went. We ate in the cafeteria and in the middle of it there were ginger bread houses that local restaurants and families made and donated. They did a live auction to raise money for the school. Then in the gym they had face painting, ornament making and you could have your picture taken with santa.

Each classroom made a basket for the silent auction. I was shocked at their baskets. One had over $500 in gift cards from restaurants, Target, etc. and a 7 day vacation package at Sandestin and a 4 day package at Sandestin. The last price for it was $600, I wonder what it went for. There were golf baskets to Sandestin and Seascape. Baskets with games, spa packages, computer programs. You name it. It was great. I thought it was such a neat way to raise money and so many restaurants and local businesses kicked in money, gift cards or merchandise.

We had a blast there. I even saw Dr. Petrac there. She is the Dr. who did my procedure. It's strange seeing someone like that out and about. She asked me how I was feeling. I told her I felt great. I did end up getting tired and really hot in the gym so we left. Both of the kids had a great time there. Jackson was all excited because he shook santa's hand. Oh and little miss priss can claim that she still isn't comfortable at Butler because she doesn't know that many people, but she had kids coming up to her from the moment we got there. One girl saw her an came running to her in the parking lot and giving her a huge hug. She is little miss social there. I think it's great.

We got home and I made some cookies. Mackenzie ended up playing at Stella and Emily's. She came home around 1 and asked if she could go with them to Baytowne to see the boat parade and go ice skating. She was thrilled to go. We talked about going up to Baytowne and I called Maria (the girls mom) to see how much longer they'd be there and at 5:45 the parade was just starting and they hadn't skated yet.

The three of us headed up there and went to see Mackenzie skating before we went to eat. She was having such a great time and Maria was awesome for taking 3 kids skating. Wow, what a great mom and neighbor. We went to eat at Acme Oyster House. We had a good time and we got to see Tim Tebow win the Heisman. Man how I love football.

When we went to get Mackenzie she was invited to spend the night. Of course I said she could. Stella is my favorite girl on the street. Her little sister Emily is just adorable. They are a good family. Jackson reluctantly left Mackenzie there while we went home. Jackson took a bath with Lee while I ran her nighttime clothes on their front door.

Anyhoo, Kenzie came by to get Clarice, Rudolph's girlfriend, that she made at Build a Bear. Let me just say I think the name Clarice for a Build a Bear is a bad idea. All I can think of is "Clarice" in a really creepy Hannibal Lector voice. Yeah, really creepy. Maria saw Jackson's mural of the sharks and totally loved it. They just got finished painting their house and she saw where I had taped up the kitchen. We started talking about the ideas we have for our house. It was almost 11:30 when they left.

Jackson and I hopped in be with Lee. I can't believe it but we slept until 10am. Wow! It was amazing. I loved it. I woke up refreshed. I had taken some meds the nightbefore to help with my TMJ and muscles. Lee was awake too and in a good mood.

We decide to go on the boat today. With a high of 80 why not go on the boat. Kenzie came home and we straightened up some and left. We had a great time on the water. It really brings us together as a family. Especially since Lee can now get the boat on the back of the car. Before when he struggled he'd just get really frustrated an upset. It did not make for a fun experience. Now he can do it no problem. I still am the only one who can back the boat in or any of that type of stuff. And he will also admit that I'm the best driver of the boat and know how it works the best. I don't know how I do it so well, but it's like second nature to me. I love it.

We were by crap island and saw dolphins. I spotted them first and the kids love it. I'm in awe of them every time I see them. It seems everytime we go out we see something. I think it's great. We heade towars the harbor so we could go in to the gulf. We never made it in the gulf. We became engrossed in jelly fishing. Yeah, we're nuts. Before I went under the Destin bridge I noticed something big in the water but ran over it. We were getting closer to the gulf when we noticed they were all in the water. They were jellyfish. I mean huge suckers. I looked them up online tonight and found out they are called cannonball jellyfish. Very strange looking things.

It became our mission to catch a jellyfish. We had Jackson's little green net. Lee was the cutest thing hanging over the boat. Mackenzie and I both telling him, there's one near the surface on the left, no wait, hurry there's one on the right. Jackson was even pointing out the jellyfish. After us going around in circles and looking crazy to those onlookers Lee finally caught a jellyfish. It was heavy. It enfulged the whole net. It was weird looking. the bottom part and it was hard, it was so weird. I can't think of another way to describe it.

That was the highlight of our trip. The whole family was involved. Even Lee loved doing this. It was something small and stupid to some but it was great for us. We finally called it a day and headed back. Now this is where it got funny.

We get to the dock and I get out and go get the car. I back it in like a pro. Lee and I put the kids in the car. He goes to drive the boat on the trailer. Now we forgot that this is my job. He's the one who waits for the boat and pulls it in. First of all I was just waiting for Lee and come to find out I had forgotten to untie him. While he was waiting on me I was waiting on him.

I untie him and then the fun begins. I am sitting in the car and see him. He can't get the boat on the trailer. He keeps reversing and going forward. He can't do it. It's not hard at all. I mean it's so simple. It's hysterical. Next thing I know he is literally sideways. It was like he paralled parked between the two docs. Mackenzie and I are laughing hysterically. A boy and his dad are riding their bikes and pull up to the dock. I am just dying with laughter because Lee is still struggling and the kid is just watching Lee. The laughter did start earlier thought. I needed my boat shoes so I could get in the water and not fall in the sludge like I did once before. Lee threw me one shoe beautifully. The second one, well it ended up in the water. Not good. But really funny.

So we're laughing at Lee like crazy. Apparently Lee fell in the boat (which I totally missed and if I had seen it I would've really peed in my pants). I start laughing so hard at him I have to sit down and end up throwing up a little from the laughter. The kid and dad bike off. Lee said that when he fell the kid said "dad, did you see that?" and the dad saw Lee's face and told him that they better go. Man I wish I could've seen that. It only took another 10 minutes for him to get it up.

It felt so good to laugh. Mackenzie and I both laughed. It was great. What was even better is that Lee didn't take himself seriously. So we all had a great laugh. I know that Jana can so visualize what I'm telling. She knows how he is. What's funny right this moment is that Lee is snoring like a freight train. It's loud. It's a weird pattern sound. I wish I could record it for people to hear it. Man it's loud.

So now it's a little past 11pm. I need to sleep.