Some things that are making me happy
Mondays always seem like a good time to make a list of things you're grateful for, right?
Like all of you, I could effortlessly make a list of things that aren't making me happy.
But finding the things that are bringing me joy takes more intentionality.
They're there, of course; they just don't usually end up front and center by default.
Thus, the list-making.
(for more on that, read "Looking at the bright side is so unrealistic!")
Lisey's learner's license came in the mail.
It arrived more slowly than promised, so we had to cancel and reschedule her training/paperwork day at her new job.
(She needs a photo ID to get the paperwork done, and since she doesn't have a student ID, we really needed the learner's permit!)
But it finally hit our mailbox, which means she can go this week for training.
Dogwood trees and other such blossoms
The view outside my kitchen is so pretty. And when I go for walks with Mr. FG, there are blossoming trees everywhere!
The promise of rain
The smaller trees don't seem to be a huge allergy problem for Sonia; it's mainly the oak trees, which comprise about 98.2% of the trees on our street.
They're letting off serious clouds of yellow pollen right now, but happily, we are supposed to get some rain today. That helps so, so much.
Normally, I don't hope for rain, but at this time of year, I hope and pray to see big green splotches on the weather radar!
Egg-dying without me
I've had some egg dying kits in my Easter box for years and years, but somehow, I never got around to using the kits with my kids.
This year, Sonia and Zoe found the kits and went ahead and dyed eggs with very little help from me.
(Which, honestly, was probably the only way it was going to happen, based on my track record!)
Egg-hunting with Sonia and Zoe
Joshua and Lisey are happy to eat Easter candy, of course, but they haven't been into the egg-hunting thing for a few years.
Sonia and Zoe are still going strong, though.
We had to do our hunt inside due to the pollen, but an upside is that there are so many great places to hide eggs inside.
My crowning achievement this year was hiding a light pink egg inside one of the tulip blossoms pictured at the top of this post. It was one of the last eggs to be found. 😉
A Sunday bike ride with Mr. FG
It was really, really warm yesterday. Kind of hot, actually.
But once the sun went down a bit, Mr. FG and I went out for a bike ride and it was perfect...enough breeze to be pleasant, and not too cold or too hot.
An easy Easter dinner with my family
It was just the six of us here this year, so I bought a smallish ham, which we ate cold (none of us are big fans of hot ham, and cold ham is easier anyway.)
I also made a batch of honey-glazed pan rolls (so good!) which we topped with cinnamon butter. And we had oranges and strawberries as well.
I bought some asparagus, intending to serve it with the ham, but I ran out of motivation to cook it. So maybe we'll eat that tonight.
(A sign that you are more of a baker than a cook: you have motivation to make yeast rolls from scratch, but then you decide not to cook the asparagus. Even though asparagus is legitimately easier! )
Your turn!
If you could use a little thankfulness boost, make your own list in the comments. I'd love to read about what's making you happy today.
1. My kids are happily playing with new play doh that I got on clearance.
2. My windows are open!
3. Going to visit my 85 year old grandmother today
4. My kids are on school vacation and we have a few play dates planned.
Ha--I'm a baker, as well, and I can relate to your asparagus comment!
1) beautiful weather
2) a meaningful Easter church service yesterday
3) good health
4) egg salad sandwiches (typically only made once a year around here, during Easter egg season)
1. The nice weather this weekend...it was so much fun to spend time outdoors.
2. Volleyball with friends yesterday
3. Snuggles with my toddler this morning
4. My glass water bottle
5. My coffee
OMG so much to be thankful for- beautiful weather, GS played guitar in both church services yesterday and was confirmed, all my Easter candy is GONE, I have been up since 5 AM doing paperwork and am done and I have leftovers so no cooking today.
Ya know, this is exactly what I need today because the husband isn't on that list to say.
1. However, I am thankful that he is around and worried about his job. A lot of times he doesn't show that worry to spare me because I do enough worrying for both of us.
2. That I am planning food/meals for thr week with what we have on hand. Freezer is stuffed to the gills and I need to use up what I have. Some people are not as fortunate.
3. Calling for rain this week which in So FL is desperately needed.
4. Happy that I saw my only grandchild last week and spent the week with her and her parents. She's such a joy and I see what happiness she brings to her mother/my daughter.
5. Happy that I got up and rode my bike 11 miles before work today. Sunday nights I end up staying up too late and don't want to get out of bed on Mondays, but I'm glad I did today.
Happy that my friend and I went to church Thursday evening and Friday evening for the Easter Vigil, lasted 2 and a half hour's, including 5 baptism. For Easter Sunday, endet up at Applebee, lousy, it seems the are no more good ,tastings affordable palaces anymore, we shut have gone to cracker barrel,homecooking, so good and you feel like you get your money worse. , on sodas and drinks that's how the make their money. Have a blessed week ,dear Kristen.
1. I have planted many pots in my back yard and they are all blooming beautifully.
2. I will be going on a fun "road" vacation in a week and we finally got our list of must sees written down.
3. I have two vases of my home grown roses in the living room and they make my heart sing when I look at them.
4. I ordered a new ottoman for the living room, although it won't arrive for four weeks.
5. Our retirement funds are so much higher than we ever dreamed because of an unexpected pension.
I get to marry a wonderful guy in a few weeks.
I am healthy enough to run/walk a half marathon this Saturday.
I just got all of the equipment in for a big project at work.
I get to see my sisters and mom this weekend!
I am road tripping to Kentucky this weekend and the drive should be beautiful.
Congratulations! God bless you and your marriage!
Things making me happy today:
1) Exciting job candidates coming for the next two weeks. I am so excited to add some new energy to my department!
2) Ice cold diet cola. Yes, I know it's poison and I don't even care.
3) I get to teach my classes today. I love my students this semester!
4) My dogs always make me smile. Even the needy one who weighs 65 lbs and tries to lie in my lap while I work on my laptop. She keeps me from spending 24/7 grading or writing emails.
5) Sewing projects. I took a very long break from creative pursuits after a long bout with depression/anxiety and general overwhelm. It's so nice to get back to something so satisfying.
We drove 250 miles south of our home on the Canadian border to spend Easter at my mother-in-law's, which means we drove right into spring. There is no green at our house yet, but here the daffodils and hyacinths and forsythia are in full bloom. So great.
I really, really felt like having a salad for lunch today and found just enough (kind of old, but salvageable) lettuce in my MiL's fridge to make one. Plus, we had hard-boiled eggs (with that faint soaked-through Easter dye on the whites :-), a piece of leftover bacon, some cooked broccoli and carrots, and I remembered I still had some pickled beets in the cellar. We lived here until about 6 months ago, so some of our things are still around. Including pickled beets I apparently canned in 2013, so it was about time to use them up. Anyway, this all meant just the kind of salad I love. And the perfect antidote to a lot of Easter treats yesterday.
1. Even though my minor surgery on Friday was a little more detailed than originally planned, no cancer was found.
2. Thankful for family who helped me out over the weekend.
3. The beautiful weather over the weekend
Oh, I'm so glad to hear that there was no cancer. Wonderful.
Good to hear! You are indeed blessed!
Isn't it wonderful to hear those words, "No cancer"? I am so happy for you.
So many things!
1) The kids are back in school and day care. I love my kids dearly, but I find being a stay at home mom--even for a week--about the hardest job in the world. Today they are back playing with their buddies, and I am back to my research.
2) But I am taking tomorrow off for a 50 mile back ride that I have been planning for some time. I'm going on one of Virginia's excellent paved trails. Its just me, so I am looking forward to quietly absorbing the spring time.
3) My salad, mostly made of leftovers and veggies from Aldi, is particularly good today. I will have to pack along a salad for my ride tomorrow too. But I expect to burn several thousand calories, so I'm not ruling out a cheeseburger after the ride.
4) My husband is feeling better. It was nothing serious, but a stomach bug had him not feeling like himself for several days. It is hard watching the person you love feel like crap. It's so nice to have him back to normal.
5) Next Monday is Garden Week in Virginia. My mom and aunt and I have taken a day each April for fourteen years now to tour historic homes around the state. I have no interest in owning a huge million dollar home, but it sure is fun to walk through their beautiful gardens and gap at how big their fridges are. 🙂
That bike ride sounds fabulous. Have fun!
It sounds like y'all had a fantastic Easter! And congrats to Lisey on the job. 🙂
This week:
1. I'm grateful that I started Week 1 of my two weeks' notice at my job. Everyone has been supportive of my career move, but I'm excited to get back to doing what I love. It's scary to make such a big career move with unknowns, but I'm due for a positive change. Eep!
2. My cat Zap. He's such a funny little fur ball. 🙂
3. Our garden. We're starting to harvest a few things here and there. It feels great to have home-grown food. 🙂
- My new-to-me dog, who came with an adoption discount because he's "old."
- Working through and getting through the hard slog of the past couple of years.
- Opening the windows for fresh breezes in the house.
- Being able to train my replacement at work. Usually the poor things are just thrown in the deep end.
Sitting here after a morning straightening up from yesterday, and It makes me happy remembering it! Friends, grandchildren, my 81 year old mother-in-law with us ( she was sick last week-so glad she's a bit better. !), FaceTime with my out of state son- it was a truly blessed Easter Day, happiness at church and home. Loving thinking about it as I clean up! Plus, since tomorrow is finally tax day, I will get my accountant-husband back. Happy dance!
Happy that my friend and I went to church Thursday evening and Friday evening for the Easter Vigil, lasted 2 and a half hour's, including 5 baptism. For Easter Sunday, endet up at Applebee, lousy, it seems the are no more good ,tastings affordable palaces anymore, we shut have gone to cracker barrel,homecooking, so good and you feel like you get your money worse. , on sodas and drinks that's how the make their money. Have a blessed week ,dear Kristen.
I'm glad you and Mr. FG had a great walk and went biking together. Mr. FAF and I LOVE going for a walk together, especially after dinner.
This week I'm very happy spring is coming. I like seeing beautiful flowers everywhere!
I can SO relate to poor Sonia. My allergies are so bad I had to take a sick day from work. But that's a nice thing: having a flexible time-off option and understanding bosses. 🙂
re: Photo ID maybe you and other home schoolers should create "School ID cards" It could feature her picture, Name, birthday, school (Frugal Home Academy)Print it out and laminate it. Would any one know? Even if it wouldn't be excepted for official purposes, the students would probably get a kick out of carrying ID.
It is possible to get a state issued id that is not a driver's license. All my kids got those to travel with their grandparents when they were not yet driving. 😉
Just what I needed today!
1) I do not have to let my grumpy children dictate my mood!
2) they are no longer grumpy
3) the younger two are outside playing together!
4) it is my day off, so I am catching up on the mountain of laundry
5) we're grilling for dinner tonight!
The beautiful spring that we have in Maryland. Yes, there is a lot of pollen, but the colors of the flowers, buds, and new leaves are amazing.
That I was able to help a friend with very limited financial resources figure out how to have internet access. He loves to be engaged with what is going on in the world.
That our daughter was home for Easter and that she seems to really be coming into her own.
For good health, ample food, a loving husband, nice extended family.
For a roof over my head and plenty to eat.
This blog, it is a great place to find inspiration and knowledge..
Making me happy...
1. Sunshine!
2. Eating lunch outside (in the sun).
3. Starting a new project.
4. I woke up early and spent the extra time relaxing.
5. Coworkers thanked me for bringing in treats.
6. Having a clean workspace. It's like a blank canvas for new ideas <3
Happy that my mom is visiting and we can spend some time together.
Happy that there was enough rain to clear out the air, but we can still get in a baseball game and a practice tonight.
Happy to see the flowers in full bloom everywhere we go.
Happy we had such a great celebration yesterday.
Happy there are only 6 weeks of school left.
* If not happy, I'm grateful about the support I received from coworkers, friends and family in regards to having to put down my beloved cat this past Saturday. She was 14 yo. It's sad. I'm sad. But she was sick, so there is no suffering anymore.
* Spending quality time with 3 friends this weekend
* Husband and kids coming back from a 4 days trip in an hour
* My house. I loooooove my house
* Health for me and my loved ones
We had a wonderful Easter and weekend.
The sun has been shining, grass is green, flowers blooming & trees are budding!
I'm 24 weeks and can feel the little babe kicking and squirming around! So amazing.
My MIL has been out of town for several weeks, she is a difficult person. But I will choose to be grateful for her In our lives and am grateful that she will watch my daughter from time to time.
I can nap while my daughter naps!
Re Sonia's allergy
My husband developed a tree/blossom allergy when he moved to Eastern PA. He suffered, then tried Allegra but he didn't like it. Last year he tried a homeopathic remedy called Sabadil & it worked great! This year so far as well! (At our local health store & CVS).
Oh, thank you! I'll check it out.
My LO was not feeling well this week so I'm glad antibiotics are amazing and fast!
Patience for those in chronic pain is something I truly appreciate.
I'm also thankful for days that we water our plants and then it rains b/c the only thing left to do is laugh at yourself!
I'm so thankful for pleasant days!
I couldn't ask for nicer co-workers even though the job can be pretty tough.
I'm with the other lady who mentioned play doh! Its fun for everyone!
I'm grateful to see my husband walking a little better each day after his surgery. He is excited to think he can walk about freely again, after being confined to such short walking distances for so long.
I'm thankful for the wonderful Easter service at church yesterday, with my family all there.
I'm thankful I could make the solemn Good Friday service, too, because it really sets off the joy of Easter.
I'm grateful for the nice meal we all shared after church, and for the time to enjoy the grandkids.
I'm thankful that our thornless new blackberry bush is putting on berries.
Our big show of spring flowers and blossoming trees is already past, but I'm thankful that some of the summer blooms are coming on now.
I'm thankful to see some growing blueberries on our bushes in spite of the late frost we had.
I'm thankful that one of my co-workers did much of my work while I was out with my husband, so I didn't come back to a nerve-shredding nightmare of work.
Wonderful to hear that he's up and about already!
I'm thankful and grateful and happy for new friends that we've met at our new church. The Good Friday service was humbling and intense. Yesterday's Resurrection Day service was beautiful - with choir, bell choir, organ, piano, and orchestra. Wowzers.
I'm happy for the beauty of magnolia blossoms against the blue sky. I'm happy to be able to do my own yard work without pain (as long as I don't do it in the heat of the day). I'm happy for all the worms who live in my soil, and enrich it. Little things mean a lot!
I'd be happy if the cleaning fairy would visit my house...
1. My children were so joyful this Easter holiday, it was wonderful. 🙂
2. My 7yo son has not had any asthma complications in a few months. The new meds seem to be working very well. I am very very thankful he has been able to breathe freely.
3. My 2yo daughter and I have had a great time with seedlings this spring. We even had time after all our egg hunting to replant some pepper seedlings in larger containers. I so love that she loves to do this with me.
4. Four day weekend from school means four days of not having to get children up and ready at 6:30am. I am grateful for the temporary relief from that chore and I love the extra time spent with my first grader!
I agree with the motivation to bake being far stronger than the motivation to cook!
This is wonderful, so positive!
Here's mine:
1. Spent my spring break with DH. We walked every day, and sometimes rode our bikes. Worked in the yard. Spent Easter with just him, but I made a special meal from steak, lobster tails, and vanilla pound cake I'd found on sale and hidden away. Grateful we still enjoy time with each other.
2. Fought hard at work to get some glasses for a student at my school. The Lion's club stepped in and paid for them. I was very excited to hear that.
3. Beautiful weather. Went to sit on a beach nearby twice after dinner last week.
4. Facetime. I love it. My children and grandchildren call me and its almost like they are really here.
5. Except for a few aches and pains, both of us are relatively healthy right now. We know what its like to face a life threatening disease, and we pulled through. Life is so good.
Let's see . . .
I am grateful for a wonderful Easter day with my family.
I am grateful that I am starting to feel better and more in control after last week being so incredibly stressful. Work was still crazy today but I handled it with deep breathing, a more positive attitude, and a nice walk after work to decompress instead of the tears, binge eating, and dark thoughts of last week.
Ducks! I love ducks always but especially in the Spring. And I am grateful to live half a block from a pond so I can visit the ducks whenever I want.
I am grateful that I will be paying off my student loan this coming Friday!!!
1. I spent Sunday so happy --probably because I spent Saturday with less that good perspective. The days that we mishandled can either lead us to a bad habit or a better day.
2. COFFEE-isn't it just the best?
3. A cloudy ,rainy day that created an excuse not to do yard work and not enough sun to see any accumulated dust in the house.
4.The seamstress that altered several of my jackets...beautiful work....I am fashion ready for.spring/summer 2017!
5. The great team I work with...they are the best.
I planted tulips last year and they are blooming. The petals start a bright sunny yellow and gradually turn apricot then a mellow orange. There are 25 of them so they make a pretty bright spot outside my window (and inside of me!)
1. All the blooming bulbs in my yard. The tulips and daffodils are so cheery.
2. A husband who made real food for our family while I was sick this weekend - minestrone and roasted Brussels sprouts.
3. Good friends I can share the hard things in life with as well as the good.
4. That taxes are over for another year.
5. That I live in a country where I can improve my own life. I watched a couple of heartbreaking documentaries while sick on poorer parts of the world and it's important to remind myself (especially when I'm frustrated by the lack of change in some areas of my life) that I have so, so much more opportunity and agency than so many people in this world.
My youngest finally learned to ride a bike. He wouldn't even get on a bike 2 weeks ago. He didn't like the "ride along" things and he has been too tall for a bike trailer for a long time. At 8 he was a slow bloomer but now that he got over the learning curve he can go a long way. We did a 3 mile family bike ride last weekend. This really makes my heart happy that as a family we can do one of our favorite things.
I am thankful for:
--my mom visiting
--beautiful weather
--yummy dinners planned
--park close by