Simple Little Things That Bring Me Joy.

The sun is shining, my house is clean, 3 kids are at school, 1 is napping {or singing in her crib, you decide} and I've got my coffee in hand. It is a beautiful day and there are so many little things I'm enjoying.

1. Over the weekend, we did a little furniture re-arranging and removing and adding and now what used to just have room for our excess dining chairs, a dining room table and china cabinet, sits this:

The china cabinet is still there on a side wall and the table with the leaves removed is still there too for us to sit and work on projects or homework or just talk about the calendar but we've removed all the chairs but two and it looks pretty lovely.

2. Candy. I love candy. Last month while out with some friends from high school, one reminded me that there was a time where I lived on candy and cereal. Seriously, if I could still maintain a diet like that I would. Yesterday half my head was numb for way too long and I got kind of impatient and decided it was time for a kit kat. Let me tell you that eating a kit kat with half of your mouth while the other side is numb is NOT enjoyable.

3. Glasses. This is the part where I once again admit just how dorky I have become. M has these fashion glasses from the teeny bopper store, Justice and she wears them here and there but last week she left them laying on the kitchen counter and left for school. What better opportunity for me to try them than that! So I wore them to ECFE and then to H's Halloween party at school {though one of the other mom's who helped was totally on to my hearts on the frames fake glasses}. I did wear real glasses once upon an awkward time in my life where I had braces and thick bangs and round glasses but outgrew the need for them so I am loving wearing fake glasses. Please tell me I am not the only one who does silly things like this just to have fun?

4. Sweaters. I made myself wait until November 1 to pull out the sweaters. Isn't it fun to pull out the clothes you've had tucked away for months and months and remember how much you love them?


5. Henry. Can I just say that I have never, ever known a child who loves life like he does? {And I am not the least bit biased!}

This boy bounces up out of bed most every day with an exuberance for life that some of us spend years searching for in self-help books and support groups. He knows how to live a life full of joy. I will say it again and again and again.

Friday morning he woke up and while we were eating breakfast without much knowledge of what our day was going to hold H out of the blue said; "Today's going to be the best day of my life." He lives it like he means it and he makes every day the best day of his life. He is a gift.

H with the sharing bag at preschool today. Not only wearing a sweater, but STRIPES too!

6. Just read a great book that I would recommend to anyone and this quote stood out to me and is definitely the kind of life I want to live:

I want a life that sizzles and pops and makes me laugh out loud. And I don't want to get to the end, or to tomorrow and realize that my life is a collection of meetings and pop cans and errands and receipts and dirty dishes. I want to eat cold tangerines and sing loud in the car with the windows open and wear pink shoes and stay up all night laughing and paint my walls the exact color of the sky right now. I want to sleep hard on clean white sheets and throw parties and read books so good they make me jump up and down. And I want my everyday to make God belly laugh, glad that he gave life to someone who loves the gift. - Shauna Niequist: Cold Tangerines

Are you loving the gift?

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So tell me what simple little things are bringing YOU joy today, this week, this month?

Every comment (with valid email) is an entry into a $30 gift code giveaway from CSN Stores. {One comment per person, please!}

Contest ends Friday November 5 at 6pm. CSN Stores is hosting this giveaway and will give the winner a discount code valid for $30. The code must be used in one transaction.  No change will be given. Can not be combined with other codes on the site. Winner to be chosen by random.org.



Happy day to you!

{PS. Minneapolis friends, you have until Wednesday to enter the Curious George Live giveaway over here. Don't miss the chance to win FOUR tickets to the show. Win them for your family, your nieces and nephews, your friends. Don't miss out!}