I’m so happy to be back in this space. It was lovely to get away from our normal routines for a while – buffered with some extra offline time – but it’s nice to be writing again. I didn’t miss the cooking and cleaning and organizing and working that comes along with regular responsibilities, but mostly I’m happy to be home!
Life has been a bit of a rollercoaster lately, but there are still many Happy Things (including plenty I’ll be mentioning in my Barcelona recaps); for today, I’ll keep it short and limited to things from this week only.
- Birthday planning. How can she be 13??!!
- Sunshine.
- Crisp morning walks to school.
- Hot coffee.
- Going to bed right after a shower. It makes falling asleep, sleeping – and waking – feel more luxurious.
- Nice pens.
- Happy little moments with the kids.
- Magic bags. I know I list these often, but they remain such a Happy Thing in my life.
- Quiet.
- Meeting up for coffee/tea with Joy.
- A stack of books I’m excited to read arriving at the library. Interlibrary loans/holds are a reader’s delight.
- Supper at my parents – no food in the fridge, no desire to cook, and an invitation from Mom to come for a meal. Lovely.
- Mom’s strawberry-rhubarb pudding cake + ice cream.
- Funny things kids say. John and I volunteered at a church event this week; I was helping out at the craft station and one of the cheekiest (and sweetest) kids told me: “I still remember the very first time I met you. You were going to be my small group leader.” At this point I made a joke about her first impression being something along the lines of: “This is the most incredible person I’ve ever met in my life [yada, yada.]” To which she replies: “I looked at you and said to myself – I CAN WORK WITH THIS.” I just about died laughing. She recounted this so seriously now – at all of age 7 or 8 – but if her memory is correct she thought “I can work with this” about me when she was 5 or 6.
- Putting on CLEAN CLOTHES. After re-wearing things on vacation it’s so nice to have a washing machine again.
- Writing cheques. Oddly, this remains one of my favourite things to do. I find it so relaxing. Why?
Your turn. What happy things have you noticed this week? What’s your favourite dessert (be specific!)? When do you normally shower or bathe – morning or evening? What odd job do you find relaxing (and if you say “ironing” I simply cannot compute)?
Jan Coates
Oddly, I don’t mind unloading the dishwasher – probably because I know the cupboards will be full of clean dishes after:) And I had homemade key lime pie ice cream on a sugar cone last night, so that’s my new favorite dessert:)
Elisabeth
Can you pop over and unload mine? I loathe unloading the dishwasher – well, at least the cutlery. I simply hate unloading cutlery.
Homemade key lime ice cream on a sugar cone sounds positively delightful. I can see why that’s a new favourite and I hope you have it again before you leave Georgia.
ccr in MA
“I can work with this” is killing me! What a great line.
I am a morning-shower person and have been as long as I can remember. I can understand why you feel that way about evenings, but do you dry your hair first? I don’t blow-dry mine, so I would have to be awake long enough for it to dry, and it seems complicated that way.
Elisabeth
That line killed me too. It’s still making me smile days later. This is the same girl who told her mom she wanted to come over to “L’s” house. When her mom replied: “Oh, so you can play with L?” She said: No, so I can play with ELISABETH. Can you tell I adore this kid?
Sometimes I blowdry, sometimes I go to bed with my hair soaking wet. And YES it looks horrible in the morning…but sometimes I’m just too lazy to blow dry at night.
Jenny
Oh, don’t worry! I’m opposed to ever ironing anything (I don’t even know where my iron is.) Anyway I’m glad you’re back with Happy Thing Friday! I also love it when my library holds come in. How is it even possible that I sit at my computer, click a few buttons, and then a week later am walking out of the library with my books???
Wow, A is going to be a TEENAGER! Good luck… er, I mean, it will be so fun!!! I can’t wait to hear what you plan for her birthday (will it be on the level of Sarah’s recent post about Dorothy’s birthday? Ha ha… I actually have birthday inferiority complex after reading that.)
“I can work with this…” so, so funny.
Elisabeth
I hate ironing with such a deep hatred it’s not even funny.
Don’t tell anyone but I am doing basically NOTHING for her birthday. I have left she and John almost entirely in charge of all the details. I have a two-day conference this weekend and I’ll only get home an hour before her party (9 other tweens/teens). So I’m mostly just…showing up to chaperone the event but John and A are prepping the cake pops, decorating, hiding candy for the candy hunt and coming up with all the games. I helped her finalize her invite, but even all the shopping for supplies has been the two of them. It feels great but also slightly guilt-inducing.
And NO. I will NOT being doing anything in the realm of Sarah’s party for Dorothy. A is getting laundry pops – YES LAUNDRY pods – as part of her gift. Welcome to teen life, sweetie – now you can start doing your own laundry.
Nicole MacPherson
I shower in the morning, post workout and Rex walk. If it’s summer and I have sunscreen/ bug spray/ sweat, I shower in the evening as well.
Happy birthday to A! 13!! Welcome to the teen years!
Cake in general is my favourite, but angel food with berries and non-dairy whip is my absolute number one, followed closely by chocolate.
Elisabeth
I do love a double shower day.
Cake is so good. Unbaked cherry cheesecake is my fav, but a REALLY good apple crisp with tons of topping, warm, with vanilla ice cream is very hard to beat for me, too.
Kyria @ Travel Spot
You’re my Mom! She loves writing checks. I just was talking to her about that this morning, in that she was going to write a check for the insurance and I told her that she should put it on her CC so she could get points. She is up for suggestions but really does love her routine!
Have fun at the birthday party; I hope it goes very smoothly! My happy things this week have been spending time with my family, reading in the sun in the backyard, taking a daily walk, checking off some things from my neverending to-do list and in general being done with all of the packing and cleaning and getting rid of stuff!
Elisabeth
You had me at “reading in the sun in the backyard”…
I’m so glad you’re mostly done with the packing/cleaning/purging! That must feel like such a relief.
Beckett @ Birchwood Pie
I remember the first time we celebrated a 13th birthday in this house…and then I blinked and this year we have 17th and 19th birthdays. What the heck with these kids growing up?????
TGIF!
Elisabeth
The days are long (sometimes, not always), but the years really are short!
NGS
I have worked from home two days this week – one planned, one unplanned (there is SO MUCH SNOW today) and Hannah and Zelda have been such joys to have as co-workers. Furthermore, my husband is home with me today and he’s making me unlimited tea!! What a glorious life.
A teenager!! Are you ready for that?
Elisabeth
Aww. Hannah and Zelda do sound like the perfect companions on a snow day. And unlimited tea! Glorious indeed.
Ready or not it’s coming. I feel like the tween years have been angsty and moody enough. Some people tell me with girls at least and the hormonal shifts, the tween time CAN be rougher than the teen era? Whatever will be will be and I just need to be there to support and show up when things fall apart – but the I need you/you know nothing whiplash can be exhausting!
Ally Bean
What happy things have you noticed this week? Sunshine!
What’s your favourite dessert (be specific!)? Apple crisp with homemade whipped cream
When do you normally shower or bathe – morning or evening? Morning
What odd job do you find relaxing (and if you say “ironing” I simply cannot compute)? Scouring the kitchen sink, a little effort, instant reward
Elisabeth
I really do LOVE a good apple crisp. Sadly, my daughter HATES anything with cooked fruit, so I rarely make it.
Joy
What happy things have you noticed this week? – morning birdsong, daffodils blooming, and I had a birthday and got to talk to all my favorite people
What’s your favourite dessert (be specific!)? Fruit tart with pastry cream
When do you normally shower or bathe – morning or evening? -morning – my curly hair will not put up with evening showers
What odd job do you find relaxing (and if you say “ironing” I simply cannot compute)? Cleaning out drawers – so satisfying to pitch and organize and then open up a tidy drawer for a few days, at least.
Elisabeth
We are kindred spirits with the drawer thing. Just this afternoon I needed to unwind for a bit and I started reorganizing a drawer. It gives me an energy boost, resets my mood, helps me “get out of my head” – it really is such a cure-all for me.
Lisa’s Yarns
I can so see Paul saying ‘I can work with this’!! He has these funny adult like expressions that he must have picked up from us.
I am glad you had a good week back from vacation. Re-entry can be tough but I am usually happy to get back to normal eating and routines. I am such a creature of habit!
This week was hectic as I was in Charlotte and had especially long days since I was at an offsite. I was out until 10 both nights which is so late for me. So I feel like I am still recovering! Ha!
Elisabeth
Re-entry IS tough. I’ve been feeling it in more ways than one, but it was such a great trip.
coco
Kids could be very funny as they are unfiltered. hahaha…
Favorite dessert… mmmm…… something chocolate related, probably mouse, although they are not usually offered in restaurants. Homemade ones are the best.
I usually shower in the morning after my runs. on days I don’t run, I shower before bed. Sometimes twice a day if it’s so hot.
I like cooking and baking, on a good podcast or music, quite soothing. That’s why I usually do it on weekends so family gets something special homemade.
Elisabeth
I think a lot of people enter flow with baking, so it’s a great way to get a mental break…and have something delicious to show for it!
Sara
Things I’m loving:
Spring sunshine and feeling the warmth on my skin
The baby falling asleep and not feeling one ounce of rush to put him in his crib
Moving! We are moving to a new house next weekend and it feels like such a God thing to be closing on Good Friday and moving over the weekend and having a chance for a fresh start and new rhythms.
Carrot cake. Hands down. Key lime pie close second.
I love vacuuming and cleaning the bathroom because it doesn’t take that long and the difference is HUGE.
Elisabeth
Oops. I think my reply disappeared when I clicked a button.
Having a baby fall asleep on your chest is one of the most magical and divine experiences possible here on earth. I’m so glad you were able to settle in and linger in that sacred space.
Good carrot cake is hard to beat. Would you believe I’ve never had a slice of “authentic” key lime pie.
I am not a fan of anything to do with cleaning bathrooms; wanna come over and do mine because it’s dire (giant SIGH).
Tobia | craftaliciousme
Love all your happy things. 13 is big.
I usually shower in the morning so I can let my hair dry on its own. Therefore not at night because yuck wet pillows. But sometimes before dinner.
I spend a whole day with my dad which was nice.
Kate
“I can work with this!” HA!!! Kids are just the best. Recently we’ve been cracking up over Elizabeth’s antics. She turned 2 in December and is totally blossoming with her language and social awareness. She pulls dramatic faces and just started exclaiming “what the heck?!” with a shocked expression if something surprises her.
Favourite dessert depends a bit on my mood, but I’m always up for tiramisu, apple pie or strudel with ice cream, or key lime pie.
Elisabeth
Would you believe I’ve never had key lime pie?
Stephany
I am a morning shower-er. I tried to do the evening thing, but even then, I would wake up in the morning and my hair would be stringy and gross. WHY IS MY HAIR SO OILY. Argh. So it must be in the morning so I can at least have nice hair for any meetings I have that day.
Re-entry is always a rough time, but it seems like you had a lot of happy things to get you through! Welcome to teenagerhood with A! If you need a good Jim Gaffigan bit about raising teenagers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVBgludXH3k
Elisabeth
Re-entry IS tough, eh?
I’m going to watch that Gaffigan bit ASAP!
Melissa
Well you know my good things. I would always shower or have a bath just before getting into bed, unless I run in the evening and then I shower after that and watch TV. The thought of bringing all the dirt of the day into my bed … just no. The unfortunate thing is that G is a morning shower person, so he brings all the dirt of his day into the bed.
Favourite dessert if I’m cooking is a strawberry and rhubarb crisp. If I go out for dinner I love to have either something really fancy that makes eating dairy worthwhile or something with minimal dairy. For example a nice moist tart or cake that I can leave the cream off. One of our favourite restaurants in Melbourne has sfoglia di mela, a puff pastry apple tart with caramel sauce, which is so good. I do love chocolate desserts but I’m trying to avoid too much chocolate as well because of the migraines. Can you tell I just love desserts.
Elisabeth
Ha – I did laugh out loud that your husband ruins your “clean sheet” efforts.
Strawberry and rhubarb together is a magical combination. Desserts are so good. I’m with you on that one and I really do want something sweet (or desserty) each day. It makes me happy…what can I say?!