Hi friends and happy Friday! It has been so so so cold here this past week…it’s bringing me down. I’m hopeful that this weekend things will turn back around and Spring will be here to stay for awhile. Until then, I thought I’d take a little assessment of the things that have been making me happy lately and share them with you! How does that sound? Make sure you share below what’s been making you happy lately too – because that in turn, makes me happy!
We celebrated Ella’s first communion this past weekend. Nick’s family all came into town and it was an absolutely wonderful weekend. We recently switched parishes and to be honest with you, this was the first time I’ve left a first communion celebration for one of our kids with a heart completely full of happiness. Our new parish is such a great fit for us and that makes me so happy.
We went back to Iowa to celebrate Nick’s grandmas 90th birthday a couple weeks ago. Hundreds of people showed up to the party to wish Grandma a happy birthday! It was a great celebration and I gave myself the job of taking photos of her and her guests. As I was doing that, I got to listen in on conversations people had with her, sharing memories of times they had together, funny stories and more. I decided right there and then that EVERYONE should have a party like this at least once in their lives. It was such a great celebration of friendship!
We are puppy sitting this weekend… oh what fun it’s been so far! Brownie is a little 10 week old puppy who is the cutest thing on earth. Meg has been playing non-stop with him and I’m pretty sure he’s already completely worn out from all the attention. How can a puppy not make you smile?
I made this incredible salad from my friend Sheila’s website. It is seriously one of the BEST salads I have ever had. You must bookmark this one to try soon! I also used my new OXO Good Grips Salad Chopper and Bowl to easily turn it into a chopped salad. This will be one of my new favorite salad tools this summer! I can’t wait to enjoy a summer full of chopped salads.
As if I needed a reason to love Jon Bon Jovi even more, have you read about his new Soul Kitchen project? Amazing.
Meghan Davidson recently completed a really cool self portrait project. What an amazing accomplishment… love this!
Speaking of photography projects, I love Holly’s tips for Shooting a Daily Photo Project. I think I need to come up with a daily photo project…seems so inspiring!
Two good friends have cookbooks available for pre-order right now, and I can’t wait to get my hands on them! I think you’ll want them too…for indulgent but fun and approachable recipes, you’ll definitely want this book. For healthier fare that doesn’t feel healthy, this cookbook will be right up your alley. I say stay balanced and get both!
I started running again and using My Fitness Pal again. Although I have a love / hate relationship with calorie counting, I know I need it. Setting goals and working towards those goals makes me happy. You can find me on MFP as dineanddish. Let’s support each other!
I am in love with this to-do list method…make sure to watch the video. Seems so simple, right?
I love this blog…so much. It makes me laugh out loud!
Alright friends, I hope you enjoyed the links and found some happiness in this post! Thanks for being here (that makes me happy!) Now it’s your turn to share…
Disclosure: This blog post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Really enjoy your happiness reports! My happy for this week?
– lots of showings on the house
– a Friday with RAIN and thunder (my favorite) and NO showings!
– a bunch of ripe tomatoes from our little mini garden
– finally getting my new weekly email gig set up
– a super clean house that has lasted ALL week (see happy item #1 above)
Happy weekend, Kristen!
Oh my gosh – so as soon as our house went off the market, my kids all of a sudden lost all ability to keep the house clean! I hope your house sells quickly so you can live freely again 🙂
Send us some fairy dust or something? We have two “interested parties” but that happy pigs don’t make bacon … Hoping for some good news over the weekend! Free living (a/k/a being messy when we want!!) will be wonderful!
Loved this post! I just ordered the salad chopper for my husband as a summer vacation gift — I know it will make him happy to be able to (easily!) make salads for himself and not just eat the junk that the kiddos are eating when summer rolls around. Other happy things in my life:
* You’re not moving 🙂
* The 5-day weather forecast full of sun
* A garden full of little plants just ready to grow
* Spending a day at the zoo with the first graders
* My bright orange pedicure!
P.S. You should always post these on Friday afternoons…think it might be the happiest time of the week.
Omg I love this list!! 67 and Dumped – I can’t wait to read it! Already sent to a friend. 😉 What’s making me happy?
1) The farmers markets open this weekend around town! <3
2) I have two beautiful children and although this house has been sick for 4 weeks and counting, I'm grateful a bad cold is our biggest issue in the health department.
3) I'm looking forward to Miami in a couple weeks… Michigan's version of winter and spring have been a cruel joke this year. 🙁
4) YOU!
Such sweet pictures! I use Bullet Journal and LOVE it.
Shaina – I would love to know more about how you use Bullet — do you follow it to the letter? It’s so appealing to me but it seems like a lot of wokr?
In the past year of one heartache after another I’ve had to look for even the smallest things to provide happiness and some measure of cheer. I’m not being melodramatic…it really was that kind of year! So today, as you know, my youngest daughter is moving to Las Vegas for a great job. In truth I am not happy but I’m also not bereft like I was last year when she was diagnosed with cancer. It is truly bittersweet. Bitter that she won’t be 30 minutes away but far more important is the sweet; that she has found a job she is so excited about and that makes me happy.
As a gardener who is starting completely over with a very small plot my joy could barely be contained yesterday when the builder FINALLY put sod down in my yard. 4 months of dirt? Not happy. Sod? Happy. Now off today to buy some herbs and pansies for my pots; we can’t plant much in Colorado until after May 15th but I know those few little things will bring me immeasurable joy.
Last? Your daughter makes me happy. That is all.
Your children make me happy! They remind me of the times my Mom told me would be the best days of my life. She was right, as always. Raising our kids was the most fun we’ve ever had. It’s so fulfilling to watch you do the same things and see your family’s love.
Your kiddos are so precious! I’m going to miss not seeing you this summer! Thanks for sharing”the” salad!
I’ve started up with MFP this past week too… and I am in love with a book I was recommended by Kelly (sass and veracity) called “The Diet Fix” I’ve been reading it and working on the 10 day reset and I am so in love with it!
Another wonderful report! Your daughter is beautiful! Love the idea of a Daily Photo Project!
What makes me happy:
1. After a cold week, the Kansas weather is finally turning sunny and warm!
2. Strawberries – just got my hands on first strawberries of the season!
3. Morning coffee with my Hubby on our patio – our summer tradition!
4. Watching my son giggle while having fun on the big kids swing!
Your kids are the mayors of cutie pie town.
I’m happy because my mom’s in town! I haven’t seen her in a year and a half, so it’s especially nice.
What a wonderful post and I love the photos. Very sweet. Very uplifting. I think have captured what makes me happy—-FAMILY—yes in all caps. I am so happy at spring time. Gorgeous time of the year with all the luminous colors and promising new growth.
reading this just makes me smile 🙂
I am still happy and smiling from the sweet facebook-push you did for me. 🙂
This is so delayed (sorry!) but YAY! That makes me happy 🙂
I had the best time flipping through all of these links tonight! Your happiness project posts are my favorite!! xo
Thanks, Amy! They are my favorite too 🙂 I need to do them more often!