10 Happy Things
SouleMama did a post like this the other day, and it inspired me to make my own. It's good to sit down and think of a few happy things every now and again.
The interesting thing is that usually when I make these sorts of lists, most of the things on them aren't material goods.
That's unintentional and probably sort of significant. When we take the time to think about it, we usually find that stuff isn't what really brings us joy.
1. A visit from funny niece #1.
Miss Adriana is the most talkative 14-month-old I think I've ever met. We babysat her this week, and she kept us all in stitches. Such a delightful toddler.
2. A visit from funny niece #2
Julia, who is a mere 10 days younger than Zoe, is such fun to have around. She lives life with enthusiasm (and a little bit of drama.)
She's got enough personality for about 10 people, I think.
She makes me laugh, and I like that.
3. The extra space in my decluttered coat closet.
Seriously, every time I go to put the vacuum away, I feel a fresh rush of joy.
4. My new mouse.
The clicking on my old one wasn't working very well, and Mr. FG surprised me by picking up a newer, nicer one for me. It's pretty lovely to only have to click on things one time!
5. A husband who is nice to me when I'm crabby.
I've been a little (or maybe a lot. ahem.) crabby this week, and Mr. FG has been kind to me anyway. He even brought me a giant Peppermint Patty one day. 😉
I must keep this man around.
6. Some homemade ice cream.
Lisey and I made strawberry cheesecake ice cream, and it is delicious. We're going to share the recipe once I take a photo of the finished product.
7. The kind comments on yesterday's post.
I must have the nicest readers in the world, because in a post where I explain I'm not going to produce something I said I would produce, you all gave me virtual high-fives.
8. Breakfast for dinner.
Pancakes are such a good thing to make when you're in a pinch.
9. Finding new schoolbooks on my bookshelf.
I found that I already had the handwriting book and math book that Sonia needs for this year. Sweet!
10. Good readers.
All of my children can read fluently. This is good for many reasons, but lately, I've been pleased because it means this school year will be easier for me. Since both Sonia and Zoe are good readers now, they'll be able to do more work independently. And that's happy news for me!
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Do you need a mental boost? Try making a Happy Things list...it really does perk you up.
If you want, you can make a short happy things list in the comments (5 happy things would probably be the perfect length for a comment.)
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Today's 365 post: I know you don't expect this kind of thing from me...
Joshua's 365 post: A new perspective
1.Ahhh! much needed rain!
2. Mama hen with her 4 chicks- always makes me smile!
3. The privilege of living in a very beautiful place.
4. Fishing, and catching big, beautiful bluegills.
5. God's overflowing love for me gives me such peace.
My life has been filled to the brim with happy moments this week.
1) going through our finances on the 1st and realizing that even in tough times for our family we are not just getting by, but thriving.
2)my 3 kids have all been incredibly helpful this summer, with a variety of projects
3)I have a husband who goes along with what ever plans I have for work for the house and yard
4)A group of friends and I got together for a very enjoyable and free evening out, taking a walking tour of an historic residential area nearby -- great gardens
5)The weather is cooperating with my many outdoor projects this week
1. None of my children have been sick all summer. Yay!!!
2. I got my whole house organized over the summer. Ahh!!!
3. Having a husband who goes along with me and supports my dreams, even if it means it may be a pain!
4. Having the month of August off from any kind of teaching or schedule!!! SUPER YAY!!
5. Getting to focus on my fitness for once! I hope to keep it up once the school year starts.
1. Visiting my two best blogging friends. I leave tomorrow to meet two of my favorite people in real life for the first time!
2. My super sweet boyfriend who brings me a Snickers bar when I'm feeling blue.
3. My precious kitty who makes me laugh at least once a day with her hijinks.
4. A garden that's still producing tomatoes at an alarming rate despite all the weird weather and my general lack of attention.
5. Getting to work and discovering that someone brought in breakfast!
Have a really fun time!
This is such a good idea! All too often, we forget about the things--even the little things--that make us happy and that are good in our lives.
I might steal this idea from you next week, if you don't mind!
1) My wonderful husband who takes the time to call me when he leaves work to ask if there's any errands to be run, and if there is anything that needs to be picked up, he does it without hesitation or resentment.
2) Finding the shelves to the entertainment center, which let me get the last of the boxes out of the living room. Having a place for CDs and DVDs makes the living room look less like a mausoleum and more..... inhabited.
3) New rugs for the guest bedroom, living room and dining room. We didn't used to have any and the rooms always seemed kind of bare. They really pull the rooms together and make the house feel more like a home.
4) Having the ability to go back to school and learn something I want to learn, as opposed to having to pick something more sensible.
5) Having a budget and not wondering where all the money went at the end of the month.
My happy places of late:
1 Hosting a 82nd birthday party for my mom and my siblings and family
2 Good report on a medical test I had to have done.
3 Fresh veggies from the garden
4 Watching all the wonderful Olympic events and seeing all the talent God
has given them.
5 Reading a good book at my leisure
6 Lunch out with a good friend and her mother
7 Hanging out with my grandson this summer....who started back to school
already today...way toooo soon!
8 Enough water....we are in a drought and thankful for a good well...so far:)
9 Getting a surprise call from a friend two states yesterday and wonderful
visit
10 The gift of waking up each day with another opportunity at life:)
Only one, but it's a biggie for me.
The realization that I'm exactly where I want to be IRT spending. My spending reflects my priorities (much happy meat, a few Pringles, no bad chocolate), increases my enjoyment of life (cleaning lady), and is less than I earn.
WilliamB's "happy thought" makes me happy, especially the part that says "no bad chocolate." 🙂
Ah, there's not really BAD chocolate in the world, right? Because I might faint if you say ANY chocolate is bad 😉
Well...maybe white. That'd be ok.
Reese, I'm going to have to disagree with you about white chocolate. It's not bad chocolate ... because it's not chocolate. No cocoa = not chocolate.
As it happens I do think there's bad chocolate in the sense of poor quality, or including things I don't like (milk), or old and stale,...
Yeah. White chocolate is...bleah. I really do not prefer it.
I was going to do ten grumpy things - it is so easy to complain about stuff - but then I read your happy things and it made me ashamed of myself.
So am I going to do a 10 happy things post?
No way. I'm too grumpy today.
You've spoiled it for me, who can be grumpy after reading a Happy Kristen post?
Ah, see, a grumpy day is precisely when you need to make a happy list. It can change your mood!
I can't count how many times we've had pancakes for dinner, when as you say in a pinch. After all they are egg (protein) Flour (carb) and milk (calcium) - where's the issue with that? Oh the fruit and veggies? hmm add some dried fruit, or eat an apple after!
Jo, my kids absolutely love it when they come in the house at dinner time and smell pancakes or waffles! I'm the greatest mom around, in their minds. For the fruit/veggies, when the pancakes or waffles are for dinner, I always top them with fruit, fruit sauce, and/or melted jelly. We had pancakes topped with blueberries, raspberries, a banana and red currant jelly just this past Monday night.
They sound delish!
Mmmm ... pancakes ....
Jo, I think you are in England so I don't know if you have this available--but I substitute "white whole wheat" for white flour in my pancake recipes with great results! It has a milder flavor than regular whole wheat. And you get the wonderful health benefits of whole grain. Just a thought.
1. my sister cooking supper for us yesterday
2. a good friend of mine feeling able to share some painful and difficult mental issues with me
3. the youngest of our cats recovering beautifully from being spayed
4. medicine for severe nausea (after a month of being nauseous, this is a beautiful thing)
5. a husband who loves his children enough to be torn about having to leave them (they are my stepsons who live with their mom in another state)
6. a niece who cares enough to make sure nothing is seriously wrong when i respond to "how're you?" with an "i'm okay"
7. blog posts that remind me to think of all the reasons i have to be happy.
I'm grateful for an opportunity to think about happy things. We just had a car crash, and I'm trying to accentuate the positive.
1) My husband and I have both walked away without a scratch. PTL!
2) We have great insurance.
3) Neither my husband nor I need to be at work for almost two weeks.
4) My in-laws' house is four hours closer to where the car was towed than our house, so we're spending time with them.
5) Now we can watch the Olympics! (We don't have a T.V. at our house, and this is the time when we actually want one!)
Glad y'all are ok!
I'm glad you guys are all right!
1. Four children with incredibly soft cheeks for kissin'
2. My wonderful husband's sense of humor 😀
3. Sitting on the sand watching my family play, splash, dig, and giggle
4. Goooood food
5. Girlfriends I can laugh with until I can't breathe
1. Thomas, my 3 year old grandson. Oh the joy this boy brings me. I cannot begin to express it.
2. Olivia, my 9- month old granddaughter, Thomas's cousin. Born with a heart defect, her cardiac visits have shown no progression of the defect into a cause for surgery....we all hold our breaths when the echocardiograms are done every three months, but at this last one, we were told she won't need one for SIX more months! She's a normal, ACTIVE and precious baby.
3. My four children having grown into mature and productive adults.
4. Instead of focusing on the weight I still need to lose ( I'm close to goal) I will pat myself on the back for being 61 pounds lighter than I was 8 years ago. I maintained all those years, then this past January I decided to make it to my goal.
5. Watching tv with my feet up after a hard day, seeing my flowers doing well in my yard, planning our oldest daughters wedding, and, hmmm... chocolate!
I totally cheated and put four happys in one.
1) My daughter learned to crawl and pull herself up onto her knees without help after 6 months of physical therapy! Thank goodness for Early Intervention and her wonderful therapist - at this rate, she'll be walking before she is 2!
2) New living room furniture that was delivered yesterday. It is so much more comfortable that our hand-me-down sectional.
3) That someone from Craigslist came and picked up our old sectional after the ad was up for less than an hour. They were so happy to have a free couch, and we were so happy to have someone haul it away.
4) That my husband is so nice to me, even though I've been miserable with morning sickness and fatigue for over a month.
5) We are leaving for vacation tomorrow evening.
1. How amazing "normal" human development can be as I watched my youngest take her first steps this evening.
2. How celebrated each milestone can be when you have a child with special needs, no matter how small the milestone.
3. The joy of having central air during this incredibly hot summer. I am so, so, so grateful for that.
4. The anticipation of an extended family vacation in a few days. Also looking forward to watching the joy on my kids faces during this vacation.
5. The feeling of accomplishment I have after making four pairs of PJ pants for my son today despite not having much sewing experience.
1. Rain! Blessed Rain!
2. A 36.5 mile bike ride with my sweetie today... WOOT!
3. Grapes, Cherries and Peaches all in season.
4. Free wildflower seeds filched from some cone flowers going to seed along the bike path - they seemed to be thriving out there with no water so perhaps they can survive the treatment they will receive in my yard. 🙂
5. Kitties! One on my lap, one on the floor next to me, one sleeping in his little bed, and one overcome with joy because it's cool enough to have the windows open.
I'm totally loving everybody's lists. It's so nice to have reminders of how rich and beautiful life is!
Isn't it fun to read what's making other people happy? The happiness is contagious.
1. The profusion of Black-eyed Susans in my garden.
2. The beautiful full moon which greeted me this morning--Yes, this morning!
3. The funny, cute-as-can-be note my autistic son wrote for his brothers which my husband read to me. Boy, did we laugh!
4. The tiny and very noisy bird family which lives in the birdhouse hanging on the porch. The babies are getting eager to leave the nest!
5. Still two months left of summer. YAY!
1) watching my dog running through the woods
2) spending time with my mom
3) unloading the dishwasher - having clean dishes really does make me happy!
4) taking a cool shower after a hot, sticky day
5) peace and quiet, listening to the night insects
This is a really helpful practice to foster contentment and gratitude for everyday joys and pleasures. It's much easier to focus on the negative sometimes.
1. My 3-year-old son stayed in his room almost all night!
2. My husband is doing well in school and is almost done.
3. I'm going to a AAA baseball game tonight, and it's dollar hot dog and dessert night! Score!
4. We have just moved into a rental in a GREAT neighborhood where everything is within walking distance. Including a duck pond (!!).
5. I'm back on the working-out-and-reading-my-Bible-in-the-morning wagon this week, it's been great!
Just went on a MUCH needed short vacay, so many happy blessings came from that!
1) Snuggling with my sweet sleepy 3 month old while I type this:)
2) Recently enjoyed the blessing of the "pay what you can" St. Louis Bread Company (Panera) while on a budget vacation.
3) My hubby found a Hilton Hotel Room on Hotwire for cheap, cheap, cheap!
4) St. Louis Zoo was a free fun outing our whole lil' family enjoyed:)
5) Our car making it through the trip & these past years w/o major repair!
Praise God for meeting our needs in EVERY season of life!