Tree of Happiness Meme

Chris, over at Mothering by the Seat of My Pants, tagged me for this meme. I'll give it a go :)

**On a side note, the blogger that tagged Chris is at Our Jacob, and I blogstalked him and found the cutest, most adorable photo sequence that I have seen in a long time. I will be reading more about Jacob in the days to come!!**

So, Things That Make Me Happy (in no particular order):

1. My kids. As exasperating as they are sometimes, and despite the amount of poop that I deal with both in person and in conversation, I love those little dudes. And they always make me smile. Especially when Ian sings songs in the car that go like this: "And I'm sing-ing a soooong in the caaaar...and kids can't sit in the front seat...because they have to be saaaaaafe in the backseeeeeeeeeat in a carseeeeeeeat...but sometimes the buuuuckle...pinches my wooooooorm..." And when Chase roars back at Ian when they are wearing their Lion and Giraffe towels (yes, giraffes roar!), or crawls up onto the train table when no one is looking.

2. The newspaper and a cup of coffee. Sometimes, when we don't have anywhere to go or any therapists coming early, and when the stars and planets are perfectly aligned, I am especially efficient and manage to get both boys sitting at the table at the same time eating breakfast. I sneak in a few minutes to drink my coffee (assuming I've remembered to get the coffeepot ready the night before) and read the paper before Chase throws anything off his tray and Ian starts in on the "Mom-mees". I just love those moments of synching with the adult world, and enjoying my coffee before the chaos of the day begins.

3. Elevation Church. For the first time in my life I look forward to going to church on Sundays. It's uplifting, it brings me peace, it energizes me for the week, the music is awesome, the Pastor brings incredible, relevent messages time after time.

4. ILEX butt paste.

5. Yoga and Pilates. I have been horrible, horrible, horrible about going to the gym, and I will continue to be since I will be watching baby Will full time starting next week. I soooooo miss those classes. I really need to just bite it and do a DVD at home, but who has the time?

6. Spring and Fall. I love the in-between seasons. I'm looking forward to some good outdoor playing weather, and plan to take the boys to Cane Creek Park to explore the trails there this autumn. I'm also aiming to get my bike ready with the trailer to pull the boys when it cools down (right now they bake in there).

7. Candy Corn. 'Tis the season! I'm really trying to eat more whole foods and stick with fruits for my sweets...I guess there is no place for a whole bag of candy corn this year...*sigh*

8. A good book (and the time to read it). Anything. Trashy romances, Stephen King, Maeve Binchy, Brad Thor, Martha Beck, Mitch Album ...ooh, I just finished The Shack- soooo good!

9. A glass of wine on the front porch in a rainstorm.

10. MarioKart Wii. I admit it, I am addicted. Not good at it, but thoroughly addicted.

11. Trying new recipes/reading cookbooks. Yeah. I'm a dork like that. I love cooking, when I have the time and the energy.

12. My hubby, especially when I catch him reading to the boys before bed.

13. Going out to dinner. Something about good food and no kitchen to clean up. I am especially fond of an appetizer and a drink (without kids!) before a movie.

14. Clean sheets.

15. Family and friends. Of course you all make me happy :) Thanks for being there, always.

Ok. I tag Melanie, Grace, and Jennie. You're It!