Well, the first Happy Thing on my list is a surprise visit from my sister who flew up from South Carolina yesterday with her oldest daughter (who is currently expecting my parents’ first great-grandchild). And by surprise, I mean it was a surprise to my parents and the kids, but not to those of us responsible for picking them up at the airport and housing them!
It was surprisingly easy to keep the secret. John took Belle to the airport under a ruse and she was SHOCKED. They’re only here until early next week – so the visit is short and sweet – but it’s wonderful to be together.
Since I have limited time to enjoy this round of family visits, I’m sticking with a rapid-fire bonus round.
HAPPY THINGS
- Getting back into a routine. It feels good to wake up, see the kids off to school, and have a general idea of how the day will unfold. I was starting to feel a bit squirrely after several weeks of more nebulous schedules.
- Open space in the basement. It is amazing how much lighter the entire house feels without the treadmill taking up a big chunk of our family room.
- Ferrari loves his beta leaf! It is so sweet to watch him resting on it.
- My brother and sister-in-law treated us to lunch before they headed back to Denmark.
- Drinking my favourite brand of green tea out of my favourite mug.
- Summer camp registration. It’s done! Last year I signed Indy up too late (it was only a few days after registration opened – goodness, spots go fast) to be there with his closest friends. This year, I made sure to coordinate things ahead of time and I ended up registering both kids less than 15 minutes after the website opened. They will both be there on weeks close friends are also attending. Yay! Done! It was a bit complicated because Belle is going to be a bridesmaid in a wedding this summer, so I needed to leave open space in the lead-up to that which impacted our options. But I think everyone is happy with the arrangements.
- Clean sheets.
- Reading in front of the Christmas tree. Belle was in a corner chair with a Harry Potter book, and I was sprawled on the couch reading The Berry Pickers (LOVED!).
- The Christmas tree in general. And LEGO. And little (well, not-so-little) boys playing with new LEGO in front of said tree.
- Getting the kids to do more chores. I’ve started writing a list of 2-3 things for them to do when they get home for school. They’re all easily doable and it helps me delegate some fiddly tasks like switching out the candles on our table, picking things up off their bedroom floors for the robovac, and prepping their lunchboxes.
- Belle made supper and dessert! Our neighbour makes the BEST peanut butter chocolate chip cookies, so Belle went over and asked for the recipe. I did nothing but sit on the couch and read and eat some dough when she brought it my way. It was as amazing as it sounds. After cookies, she made boxed Mac n’ Cheese. It was all great, especially since I didn’t have to lift a finger.
- My first two books for 2025 went back to the library with anonymous encouraging notes inside!
- Slowcooker soups. I dump veggies, spices, a couple of potatoes and cook for hours. Some coconut milk, salt to taste, and the immersion blender. Done!
- The feeling of satisfaction I get after finishing a workout at the gym. Who knew I liked lifting (Kae is especially proud)!
- While Indy had his mid-week basketball practice (we were on carpool duty that night), there was an hour to fill and I wanted to pick up some Canada-themed items for visiting family. First we stopped at a nice home goods store – we walked out with a few baby items, but NOTHING that even hinted at Canada. We still had about twenty minutes before we needed to be at basketball practice, so swung by a local thrift store and within 10 minutes we were checking out with these two items. The snow suit (new) was $7 and the mug ($5) screams understated patriotism which is exactly my I’ve-lived-in-America-for-decades-but-I’m-Canadian-first sister’s vibe.
And that’s a wrap on Happy Things in my world this week.
Your turn.
- What Happy Things top your list?
- Have you ever been in on a big surprise party or trip? Tell me everything about it!
- What’s the latest you’ve ever left your Christmas tree up and decorated?
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Birchie
The snowsuit and the plaid maple leaf mug! Too cute! I regret not picking up some Canada swag when I went to Pelee Island in 2023. I can’t change the past but I can change the future.
Fridays don’t get any happier than when you get a surprise visit from family. Enjoy the time with your fam!
Elisabeth
Well, I can help you find some great NS souvenirs 🙂
The time has been great so far. A very special and memorable visit for sure.
Nicole MacPherson
Oh what a wonderful surprise, Elisabeth! How great to spend time with your sister. I wish I could have seen Belle’s face when they went to pick them up!
I like that your library has a “sorry no renewals” note! I mean, mine does too, digitally, but it’s very charming to see it in person. I love the idea of leaving encouraging notes in the books and I am going to do that! What a brilliant idea.
Lots of happy things this week for me! Mostly meetings with friends, but my course started this week and I feel just really invigorated, re-reading my manuscript. And of course today is Friday, so that’s always a happy thing!
Elisabeth
She was SO surprised. But it was my parents who were truly in awe of the moment. Their reaction was everything I had hoped it would be and more <3
You are just crushing it with your book prep! And I assume you had pita and Greek salad on Friday which is always a highlight of your week!!
Jean C
Could you post the cookie recipe please ?
Love the list of positive things.
Elisabeth
Sure thing!
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
2 cups all purpose flour
1 T baking soda
1 cup peanut butter
3/4 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 white sugar
2 eggs
1 T vanilla
2 cups chocolate chips
(*These cookies are sweet; I would definitely scale back on the sugar and chocolate chips if I were to make them, but Belle followed the recipe exactly).
Preheat oven to 350C. Mix flour and baking soda in separate bowl. Beat peanut butter, butter, sugars and vanilla until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs. Blend in flour and baking soda. Stir in chocolate chips.
Put dough on baking tray 2 inches apart by rounded spoonfuls.
Bake for 8-10 minutes. Allow to cool on baking tray for one minute before moving to cooling rack.
Suzanne
Oh yay! What a fun family surprise!
Good on you for getting summer camp taken care of! Such a pain. I haven’t really thought at all about it yet… but probably should get to it.
Elisabeth
It is always shocking to me how early we need to start planning for the summer. You’d think for me, as a planner, I’d be delighted by this but it can be STRESSFUL.
Yes, such a surprise <3
Jenny
So many happy things here! Christmas trees and surprise visits and sisters! I LOVE Belle’s initiative in asking for the cookie recipe (and then baking them!!!). And, you’re beating me in the workout department right now- I haven’t lifted weights at all this week and haven’t been to the gym in, um… a while.
That snowsuit- so, so cute. And I LOVE the mug!!!
Elisabeth
Well, I haven’t gone to the gym since Wednesday or Thursday now, so my body is feeling like it needs movement!
Isn’t that snowsuit so adorable. I can’t believe I used to have kids the size where they would fit in something like that.
Lisa's Yarns
That snowsuit is amazing! I used a snowsuit a ton with Will because I wore him for SO MANY WALKS when he was an infant. And that coffee mug is amazing!
Have the best time with your sister and niece. It’s nice to host just a couple of people and what a fun surprise for everyone!!
I surprised my friend and flew down to visit her for her birthday in AZ many many years ago. I planned with her then-boyfriend now-husband. It was such a fun surprise. Then in 2014, I flew to visit this same friend who had since moved to Austin for our birthdays (our bdays are 5 days apart). I landed at the airport and 2 other college friends surprised me! I was living in Charlotte at the time so it was the best surprise to see even more friends! Everyone knows that I DO NOT LIKE SURPRISES. So the 3 of them debated whether they should tell me that the other 2 girls were flying in but since I did not need to do anything for this trip since I wasn’t the host, they ultimately decided to make it a surprise. That was the best kind of surprise!
High of my week was getting together for HH with a woman I used to work with and then book club on Wednesday!
I love that Belle could source the recipe and make the cookies. I had a similar moment of appreciating the increase in independence this morning. After Phil left with Will, I got Paul up and got him his breakfast and then I told him he needed to get dressed and brush his teeth and then he could have some screen time until the bus came. I went downstairs to do a strength workout and didn’t have to do a thing to get him ready and out the door. It was AMAZING and gives me a glimpse of the future!
Elisabeth
We used something similar with Indy and it was the best. It made it so easy to go out in Canadian winters and since it was one piece, it was much easier to wrangle and kept him SO warm. His was a bright blue Columbia one and we said it made him look like a giant blueberry 🙂
Go Paul! Those little glimpses of future independence are so exciting and I promise there will be many more to come.
Sophie
How wonderful to have a surprise visit from family! And I love the image of you and Belle each reading your own books together. I can’t wait for that with E (we are close, but her reading is still effortful and out loud). Getting back to routines is a happy thing for me too- O has started back at daycare and he needed it, and so did we. Next week I’m back at work, and two weeks later E starts school again. Ready for the normal year to start now (lovely as it’s been to have a break).
Elisabeth
I sure do wish my kids loved reading as much as I do, but it makes the times they DO read with me even more special.
I agree that I am ready for routine. My sister and niece leave on Tuesday so I’m hoping Wednesday I can really get my brain around 2025 and a settled routine. I have loved the break and the time with family, but my brain feels like it’s going in about 20 different directions.
Alexandra
What a welcome surprise visit. I haven’t had one of those since 2017 here. And the dinky little snow suit was just adorable. Trust the thrift shop to deliver the goods!
I was the subject of a big surprise party for my 21. I was working in Germany at the time, and my parents lured me home on the premise of celebrating my baby brother’s 18th and, as it turned out. He didn’t know we were having a joint party, which is what we ended up with. His birthday is end of Feb and mine is March 12. We were both surprised thinking we were coming for each others birthday. It was the best party ever.
During 2020/21 covid during Christmas we left the tree up for near on 6 months …
Elisabeth
It did feel ironic that we went to Winners and found nothing, and in a few short minutes at a thrift store found the perfect Canadian outfit.
This is definitely the longest I’ve ever left our “main” tree up, but a few years ago I left our basement tree up until March and switched it to a Valentine’s tree in February. Now I do that with our mantle for Valentine’s and Easter. I love it! It’s just a little hint of festive flare in the middle of some pretty dark and dreary months.
Alexandra
I’m not a big fan of Winners or Marshall, which we have here, and would prefer a good consignment store any day. The clothes are usually better looked after.
Yeah, we leave up certain decorations here for the winter, as they are a joy, as you say, in the dark. I think a few people in our complex do the same, as lights on the balconies are there well into April. And why not? It’s colourful and fun.
Elisabeth
Oh, I LOVE Winners. I find it to be such a great place to find gifts and little odds and ends (high quality, generally, at a lower price).
Our tree is officially down and I am happy. Yesterday afternoon I got a hankering to have it come down and my niece helped. It’s usually sad, but this time it just felt like the right time. After a month of company in our house, it was nice to wake up today to a “reset” house. The mantle will stay decorated for a few more months and I tend to leave up the wreaths since they add a pop of colour. But everything else is back to normal!
J
Oh how wonderful to get to enjoy your sister and niece! I hope you have the best weekend!
My daughter cooks dinner once a week now, and I LOVE MONDAYS for that reason. I’m down to cooking 3 nights a week now, and it ROCKS.
I’m glad you loved The Berry Pickers. It’s definitely getting mixed reviews.
Elisabeth
Yay! It’s not so much the cooking but the meal planning that exhausts me, so I literally would not have cared if she served us cereal and milk. If I didn’t have to make the decision, it was always going to taste 1,000 x better.
I LOVED The Berry Pickers. I’ll admit I’m surprised people are so love/hate about it, but then again that is how things went for My Brilliant Friend. I HATED that book, but it is beloved by so many. Just goes to show how we can all respond so differently to the same book.
Grateful Kae
Yes, I am proud!! 😉
What an amazing surprise about your sister, too! Soooo fun!!
Elisabeth
Yay! I know you are and it does make me happy. I regularly think of you when I’m on the weights side of the gym!
Kyria @ Travel Spot
I love that winter onesie! I want a big girl one just like it. But seriously, I would love to have a pair of footed pjs, although I think that I would probably get hot, plus it would be a pain to go to the bathroom but I used to love mine when I was a kid, so I have a romantic notion that they would be fun.
I do not have a Christmas tree, but I am in Dijon and they just took the one in the main square down a couple of days ago, so if it is good enough for Dijon, I say keep it up as long as you want!
Elisabeth
My answer is Magic bags (I have two right now). I love to be warm and cozy.
Elinoora
2017 – my mom did a walking tour for her birthday with an aunt and my 2 sisters. My husband and oldest were joining them for a weekend (as I was highly pregnant at the time I couldn’t join the walking), and my dad flew down to surprise her. It was so much fun, she really didn’t have a clue!
We only took down the decorations today, but I usually keep the tree (we have an artificial one) up until the end of the month for extra light and cosiness.
Elisabeth
I’m loving having the tree up!
Sounds like a very special surprise for your mom!!
Ernie
I love the surprise visit. Oh, what fun! I once took a train to Omaha to visit Coach when he was in college. He had a dance as he was a senior in college. I’d just graduated and I was coming in town to be his date. His buddy’s girlfriend and I planned it, which was tricky back then because no cell phones and I am 99% sure we didn’t even email. She picked me up at the train station and I walked into the dance (the theme was Prohibition – so I was dressed like a flapper). The guys told Coach they got him a date, but he didn’t know who it was. He was blown away. It was so much fun. We just had a small, very last minute surprise bday party for Rae at our house Sat. night. She was so so so surprised and really tickled. Sometimes the last minute plans turn out the best.
I once left a tree up for SO long that there were like NO needles left on it by the time we got it out of the stand. I think Coach was too busy to remove it from the stand and that was his thing. Also, I think this was a tree that just lost its needles really quickly so maybe it wasn’t up extra extra long. It did look funny because the needles were all on the floor of the living room. Oops.
Happy things (well, I somehow missed this post, but I don’t work on Fridays and I try to just work on my writing projects/chapters, so I have to play catch up on blogs after the fact) Monday – Mini has really been struggling with sleep since arriving in Florence and she slept like 9 hours last night. Phew. Hoping she’s on her way thru this.
That snowsuit and mug are quite the score. Amazing to find just what you need at a thrift store.
Elisabeth
I agree that sometimes last minute really adds to the experience because you can’t fret about everything being perfect. The planning can take a lot of energy and some of the fun out of the event.
I’m so glad you gave Rae something so special and I’m sure she felt lots of love <3
Sleep is one of my all time favourite things, so I'm oh-so-glad Mini was able to get a solid night of sleep.
Tobia | craftaliciousme
That snowsuit is gorgeous. What a thrift.
And what a surprise visit from your sister.