10 things

Recently my friend posted about things that are making her happy at the moment and I want to take this opportunity to do the same.  So here are ten things that are making life good right now!

Windows.  We have kind of a basement apartment and so windows have become quite important to me.  Opening the curtains in the morning and letting the sun shine into our house chases away any bummed out-ness I feel when I get up.

Muddy buddies, smores pop tarts, and baked goods.  I’ve always been more of a candy person.  For some reason I am loving these things lately.  Especially all the pumpkin flavored ones.  Pinterest is heaven and torture at the same time because of this.

Making our bed in the morning.  When I do I feel like the whole apartment is cleaner!  If I cant get to anything else the rest of the day at least there will be a nice clean made bed to sleep in at night.

Conference talks.  These have made such a difference for me.  I try to listen to at least one or two every day as I do things around the house instead of turning on the TV.  Lately I’ve been going back to previous Conferences and choosing talks from them as well as the current ones.  I often find exactly what I need to hear in a Conference from years gone by.  They are so uplifting.  They make me feel good and they keep me moving forward.

Book time with Audrey.  It’s the most beautiful time of day, outside and in.  We sit on our made bed with the sun shining through the window on us and we read book after book after book.  Audrey’s attention span is getting longer and longer so we are able to read more and more every day.  It’s like a break from life, even though it’s really not.  I love it and I love being surprised by her when after 5 or 6 books she’s still sitting patiently in my lap waiting for more.

Avonlea.  My favorite show of all time.  It’s a spin off show from Anne of Green Gables.  The characters in it are like my friends.  Seriously.  When I was a kid I loved all things Sara.  As a young adult I adored the unfolding of Felicity’s story.  Now as a new mother I identify with Janet more than anyone.  If I’m feeling down and nothing else has solved it, Avonlea usually does.

The cool weather, being outside.  I’ve mentioned before on this blog that I greatly dislike hot weather.  I was SO glad to get away from it during the summer.  We were able to come back right during the nicest time of year- fall.  Not too hot and not too cold.  All you need is a light jacket!  Andrew and I have talked about things we want when we buy a house someday.  One of my number ones is a good-sized porch.  A place where we can be outside without having to go anywhere.  With a rocking chair on it for when I’m a grandma!  Probably would use it before though….

Mom’s Hillary journal.  My mom has kept a journal about each of her kids individually, writing down important memories from our childhoods.  She gave mine to me to keep a little while ago and it has become an important self-esteem booster for me in a few ways.  First of all it makes me feel loved by her.  And second, it makes me happier about and more determined in my chance to be a mother myself.  Reading about myself growing up and seeing myself through my mom’s eyes makes me so excited to watch Audrey grow and learn and find what she loves.  It makes me feel better about life amid the hard times.  My mom encouraging me from so far away.  I’ve already started one for Audrey and I hope one day it will be something she cherishes as I do my mom’s.

This blog/my journals- I’ve realized again how good it feels to write.  I’ve kept journals since I was 12, pretty faithfully, and they are my most prized material possessions.  This blog has become an extension of my journal with one difference- writing in public, so to speak.  It helps me write without completely gushing and rambling because I know that others will be reading it.  While it will probably not replace my actual personal journal, it is a source of happiness for me.  To post pictures of my girl and talk rationally about her where people will see how adorable she is, to bear my testimony and explain my feelings about the things that are important to me, or to write about the things that just plain make me happy.  I like my blog.

My little family and our warm cozy home.  Here we are together in this small apartment, not doing anything too important for the world.  But we three are each other’s world.  I love loving them and I love feeling their love for me.  I love the alone time I get with each of them and I love seeing them have their own daddy daughter time together.  I love when we’re all sitting here at night and the heater comes on a warms up our house.  I love trying to make our apartment a home for us.  I love my little family and I’m excited for it to grow.

Think about those little things that make your life happy :)