It’s that time of the week again, folks! Buckle up for some Happy Things.
If this has been a hard week, I’m sorry. If you can’t identify any Happy Things, that’s okay! Hopefully, this little list will brighten your day and, just maybe, become a Happy Moment for you.
Guinness world records
As part of my role at a local university, I was contacted by a community member looking for some tech support. In the end, he found assistance elsewhere but it warmed my heart when he reached out this week to let me in on the project he had been working on – he just set the record for the world’s oldest person to do a headstand and was looking for help submitting his official application! What a Happy Thing (and not something I can do in my 30s, let alone 80s, so mad props).
manicures in “Mystical”
As part of a belated birthday present, A received a huge kit of manicure supplies last month and we have been putting them to good use. Every few weeks we cover the dining room table with sales flyers and have a girl’s hour. It’s so much fun. I have never been into painting my fingernails, but it’s a really nice bonding experience and I am LOVING the iridescent pinky/purple shade she received (LA Colors Mermaid Magic in Mystical; an inexpensive Walmart brand). Just don’t look too closely at my cuticles, please and thank you!
pulling a good Pokemon card
L didn’t just drink the Pokemon KoolAid, he downed a whole jug in one gulp. He has been saving his pennies to buy a new pack so you can imagine his delight when he “pulled” some good cards including this EX. I have no idea what EX represents and don’t really care to know…but I know that he likes to get EX cards, so that is enough to make me happy.
candles and pretty shadows
A lit a candle one night before supper. In addition to the cozy glow, I thought the shadow pattern of the lotus flower was beautiful! I bought this candle holder exactly 6 years ago yesterday. I always remember the date because I bought it the day we moved into our current home. The kids had an evening youth activity and a friend and I went thrifting while we waited for them to finish, and I spotted this cute tealight holder.
Our fall “carpet”
Like Anne of Green Gables, I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.
bonus round
- Finding $10.
- Church and small group. Love this place, love these people.
- New (soft) velvet jammies.
- Bedtime.
- Bedtime snuggles.
- Morning snuggles.
- Hot showers.
- Freshly laundered sheets.
- Crossing things off my to-do list.
- Good books.
- Drinking coffee from my favourite mug. (The mug really does matter.)
- Popcorn.
- Music.
- Playdates.
- Weather cancellations…leading to free afternoons.
- A movie night at home with the kids (Sherlock).
- Fresh Honeycrisp apples.
- Hugs.
- A morning walk with Joy.
- The smell of the beeswax candle A got me for Mother’s Day. Just a little whiff of honey while I write this post at the dining room table.
- Notebooks. I haven’t met a notebook I didn’t love. Especially writing in one for the first time.
- Getting a package in the mail.
- Memes.
- Paying A to start wrapping some Christmas gifts for me. Money well spent.
Halloween reveal
Thanks to everyone for the fun guesses on the literary duo the kids have chosen for this year’s Halloween costumes. It is…
*Drumroll*
Sherlock Holmes and Watson. J guessed it right away (literally, the first comment on Saturday’s post), and then Lisa ehoed this idea, so special congrats to you two for getting it right. The kids are very excited; hilariously one of their friends is going as Enola Holmes! I guess it is the year of the detectives.
Happy weekending friends.
Your turn. Any Happy Things to share? What was your favourite Halloween costume (either as a child or that your own child might have worn)? Do you have a favourite mug/bowl or other common household item? Any lowlights from the week? It’s okay to share those too…
Melissa
We don’t do Halloween but my kids main dress up day was Book Week. There was a big chunk of the girls primary school years when they were reading the Rainbow Magic Books, so a few years they went as one or other of the fairies with homemade wings in the correct colours.
I love your list of happy things, I’ve been inspired by you to start recording my own good things each week on my blog.
Elisabeth
A went through a BIG phase of loving Rainbow Magic Books. I miss those days <3
And yay for my Happy Things inspiring your own list. That is EXACTLY the point of this weekly series!
Katie
What a fabulous list 🙂
That nail varnish is sooooo pretty!
I’ll go with a good nail thing too, and it’s that I start feeling ready for autumn and Halloween so early, I’m on my fifth appropriate nail colour. For the first time in my life, it’s BLACK! With an ombre glitter. So cute and fun!
Elisabeth
Ohhhh. Black with glitter – how fun (and seasonally appropriate).
Also – love it being called “nail varnish!” That definitely betrays where you come from – haha!
sarah
Sherlock Holmes and Watson!! SO DARLING. Also, I like your jogger/boot combo– very cool mom fall. Lovely mani. I am crap at home manis, but it is something I aspire to…
Elisabeth
Aww. Thanks. I hate pants, so thank goodness joggers are in. Other than PJs, joggers are the only comfortable pants I own. Sigh.
Nicole MacPherson
Your nails look great! What a pretty colour!
That’s so fun about the Headstand Man! Great job! Also, I bet I could help you do a headstand. It’s all in the technique!
What a fun costume for the kids! We are hosting a Halloween party and I am dressing up as Cruella Deville, with Rexie as my main accessory (I assume he’ll be at my feet for the whole party.) I don’t remember too many costumes from when I was a kid but one year I was a mouse, which seems ironic now, and one year I was Miss Canada. Lol, what even. We used to watch beauty pageants when I was a kid and wow, the 80s were a different time, is all I can say.
Elisabeth
I suppose you’re right, but I think I’m too chicken to try!
I love your costume idea and having Rex there will be perfect <3
The mouse one is a bit ironic...
Jenny
Yes, the mug does matter!!! I just got a new (non-holiday) mug as a gift, and I’ve put it away so I can take it out on that sad day in January when all the holiday mugs are put away. So I have that to look forward to.
I remember the Pokemon days and the thrill of pulling an EX (again, whatever that means.) Personally I never “got” Pokemon, but my son was VERY into it for a while and even my daughter likes them, so there’s definitely something fascinating there.
Great costumes, and I can’t wait to see a photo. My kids had some good costumes over the years- one year my son and his friend dressed as Mario and Luigi, and another year Paul and two of his friends dressed as ninjas. That same year Angie (who was four) was a cupcake, and we all trick-or-treated together. That was a funny group- three ninjas and a cupcake. Oh, and actually Angie and two of her friends are going as pokemon characters this year! I almost forgot about that.
I hope you have a great weekend!
Elisabeth
THE MUG DOES MATTER sounds like a perfect slogan…for a mug. The one I got at the pier in Charleston is my favourite mug by a long shot. It’s basically perfection.
Ninjas and a cupcake; it works. And I’m very relieved L didn’t ask to be a Pokemon character; this is much easier to source items for out of things we already have at home!
Diane
I love how quotidian your Friday lists are!
My favorite Halloween costume is the Millenium Falcon I made my son two years ago. i spent a lot of time on it and it even had lights in the back. I love making costumes, but this year my oldest has such a vague idea I’m not sure if it will happen. (something to do with Taylor Swift and a house… I’m sure if I were more with the times, I would know what she’s talking about)
My favorite mug is my Yeti Rambler, but it’s more for practical reasons than for cozy vibes.
Elisabeth
As a big Star Wars family, we would surely LOVE your Millennium Falcon costume.
Ernie
This is a great list. Hot showers – YES! I once had a stomach bug and the next morning when I felt better and I couldn’t wait to take a shower is exactly when our water heater broke and I found myself in a FREEZING cold shower. That was only a few years ago, but the memory stuck.
Cute costume idea. My favorite costume for Coach and I was the year he was Gumby and I was Pokey, his pony pal. I made the kids Sesame Street characters and they turned out awesome. When Lad, my oldest, was in kindergarten I made him a knight riding on a horse – all of the boys wore it over the years. There were fake legs attached to the side of the horse and many people did a doubletake because it looked as if the little knight was riding a horse.
I don’t drink coffee. I know, I know, so strange – so no favorite mug here. My daughter, Mini, has been home from college all week for fall break and my son, Tank, was home last week for his fall break. I so enjoy having my college kids home. It was my son Ed’s birthday Wednesday and I made our favorite meal, Cuban Rice Chicken Bowls. That recipe is time consuming, but it’s so delish I’m always glad when we get to enjoy it.
Elisabeth
A freezing cold shower is my worst nightmare (this happened when we were on vacation this year and I almost cried).
Your costumes all sound VERY impressive. We’re generally low-key, but we’ve had a few winners. I think I’ll post some round-up/flashback pictures before Halloween.
How lovely to have your kids home <3 Cuban Rice Chicken sounds ah-mazing.
Kat
My happy thing is being able to find joy in others’ happiness and daily joys.
It took me a full week if not more after the war started on October 7 to be able to smile again. Everything either made me cry or didn’t matter till then.
Now, colors and kittens and headstands, at least make me smile for a bit.
Elisabeth
It has been a heavy month – and heavy few years. I get this. It feels wrong, in a way, to smile or even find joy in everyday things when you know the basic necessities of life aren’t available to so many and so many are grieving unspeakable losses right now.
But I’m glad you’re smiling some and hope you continue to see fun colours and kittens and headstands <3
Michelle
I love mugs! I have too many favorite mugs and often have trouble choosing which one to use. I also love fresh Honeycrisp apples and walking on crunchy leaves. Some other things on my happy list are:
1. Gorgeous weather! This has been a perfect fall, and I never want it to end!
2. I was outside early this morning, and the stars were amazing! I just stared up at them, mesmerized.
3. I’m watching a fun class about drawing with Adobe Fresco.
4. I’m sewing a doll that will have a witch costume!
Elisabeth
I have a VERY favourite mug now and I just took my last sip of morning coffee from it mere seconds ago. It’s perfect.
I love fall. Yes, the stars (in particular Venus and Jupiter, I think, we SO bright).
Please post pictures of the doll! I’m so amazed by your creativity and gold stars for printing off the book with all your projects!
Ally Bean
Holmes and Watson are a great duo. Such a fun idea for costumes. I like the candle with shadows photo. Nothing much going on here this weekend, other than raking leaves of course.
Elisabeth
Enjoy the raking! My husband was going to mow the lawn, but it’s POURING rain outside. So there goes that plan…
NGS
We have gone ALL out on cozy home decor. I have a bunch of LED candles that come on for four hours every night (from about 6:30 to 10:30), in addition to an LED candle that sits on our coffee table that I have to turn on manually. We also have two Halloween nightlights up and outdoor Halloween lights. I’m definitely into LED candles as a solution to what seems like neverending darkness.
Happy things! I got a job! We’re getting excellent resumes for the jobs at the community center! We’re having leftovers for dinner tonight, so all I have to do is pop it in the oven and not cook it from scratch!
Elisabeth
Having timed LED lights is such a brilliant idea. And Halloween nightlights; the kids would love that.
You know I’m soooo excited about the job news. Congrats and I’m so proud of you for sticking with the process!!
Leftovers are basically my favourite “meal” ever…
Beckett @ Birchwood Pie
The fall colors are gorgeous right now. Just being outside makes me happy.
Elisabeth
Fall is my fave; sadly, it’s rapidly feeling more wintery around these parts. But it was great while it lasted.
Lisa’s Yarns
What a wonderful list! As you know, this past week has been HARD. But there have been bright spots like lots of snuggles from the kids, treating myself to a pumpkin spice latte and a delicious salad the one day I was able to go into the office, appreciating the beautiful fall colors and seeing Will return to his happy, bright-eyed self
Elisabeth
So glad Will is feeling better and hope Paul will be back to 100% by the end of the weekend!!
Kyria @ Travel Spot
Happy Friday! or Saturday now! I love this roundup; it is such a good ending to the week and makes you realize the good things that have happened, despite the mundane or the bad. My favorite thing this week was hanging out with my friend and her girls (as always) and seeing their Halloween costumes and hearing of their plans for the next couple of weeks. I myself am not really a huge Halloween person, but being with the kids really makes it a bit more special. Funny story, last Halloween my friend’s youngest L who is now 9 but was 8 then, had to be home alone for a bit one day shortly after Halloween and she proceeded to eat pretty much all of her candy in one go and then (of course) felt ill, so she wrote her Mom an apology note saying that she had eaten all of the Twix and she was the worst daughter and she was so, so sorry. Ha! I can’t wait for more adventures in candy eating this year.
Elisabeth
This is especially ironic to me because Twix is one of my LEAST favourite candy bars…
coco
manicure with the girl sounds lovely. I usually go to nail salon to do it as I’m terrible doing it myself but I think we might try doing it at home just for fun.
i’m loving sunset at the beach!!! few more days to come of my favorite view and sound in the world.
Darlene Cardillo
so happy to read all your highlights.
Low for me – RAIN on Saturday so postponed long run, run during my Monday hike
High for Me:
manicure
Sunday long run with friends
dinner out with friends
No COVID (my20 miler companion got it)
hike on Monday with a friend and good food for lunch
surprise visit from my granddaughter
Elisabeth
We’ve had a lot of rain here, too!
Great “highs” in your week; though sorry your running partner had COVID – ugh.
Stephany
Sherlock Holmes and Watson! I just cannot. I love that so much.
I am trying to get better about lighting my candles at night. I have so many (and SO many fall/winter scents) but it’s just not something I remember to do on a regular basis.
Elisabeth
Pretty fun idea, eh?
I get into a routine of lighting three taper candles in mid-November and do this for several months. It becomes one of my favourite rituals of the day!
San
What a great list of happy things. And I concur: the mug really DOES matter 🙂
I was so happy to be back in SoCal and see the sunset at the beach. It’s just so magical.
Sherlock Holmes and Watson. That’s fantastic – who’s going to be who?
Elisabeth
A = Sherlock and L = Watson. Though A has been invited to go out with friends so they’re actually now going to be separated – she’s not even going to be coming home before heading out with her friends. I need to get them to dress up together this weekend so I can get pictures of them as a pair!