Happiness Is...

Let's Goooooo...Mountaineers!

The Holidays and Happiness are pretty closely linked in my book.  And, Happiness reflects gratitude quite nicely.  The day after Thanksgiving, Devin and I picked out our annual Christmas ornament at Hallmark.  In Hounor of the Moose joining our family this year, we selected a Peanuts ornament that talks about Happiness.  So, in light of that (and the fact I never got a Thanksgiving post up) I want to share a list of my Happiness right now.

Happiness Is...

...snuggles from your dogs after not seeing them for 3 days.

...fresh made waffles on a Sunday morning.

...a giant bin of clothes on loan from your amazing sister-in-law and switching to elastic waistbands on Thanksgiving day!

...eating at all your favorite restraunts, enjoying a huge Thanksgiving feast, and generally stuffing yourself for 4 days without gaining any weight.

...knowing that you will see your family in just over 3 weeks.

...finding a place and time to appreciate some silence and realizing how wonderful it feels.

...sleeping in and then laying in bed talking with your favorite person.

...dancing in the kitchen.

...watching your football team pull off a win.

...grocery shopping with your husband on a Saturday night because we really do enjoy it that much.

...fresh sheets and fluffy pillows when you make it back home after a few days.

...finding those moments where it feels like nothing could ever be more perfect than it is right then.

As we are now moving into the Christmas season, I hope everyone can find those little moments that define what Happiness means to them.  As Charlie Brown says in our ornament, "Happiness is one thing to one person and another thing to another person."  May this be your happiest holiday season yet!

11:11 on 11/11/11

I was at work.  I'd just gotten off the phone with my husband and was texting with my sister.

Where were you?

Stephens, MD (almost!)

This came in the mail today.  Devin and I laughed.  It was one of those "oh my goodness this is almost for real" laughs, though, and not a "haha that was a dumb mistake" kind of laughs...just to clarify.  We are now 8 days under the 18-months-until-graduation mark.  It's really for real.  He's going to be a doctor!  And, to prove it, he's passed out on the love seat right now after setting a record for the latest a student has ever been in the operating room (4 am, btw) last night.  Oh, and he mentioned doing sutures like it was no big deal.  I'm pretty darn proud of him...and so very happy every time I look at this picture!!

Just not the same...

This is what I miss about Autumn in the South...

Gratuitous leaf piles...

Throwing brothers into the pile...

Burying in the pile...

Swimming in the pile...

...and all the cool pictures that go with it.

Nine years ago my family arrived in WV in October.  The leaves were dizzying.  We had lived amongst coniferous trees and scrub brushes for the previous many autumns, and NOTHING could have been more exciting to us kids than 6 acres of grass and leaves to play in.  We were in love.

As we spent the next few days exploring, we quickly built a leaf pile that was bigger than we'd ever had before--though not quite as large as the brothers' up top--and played for hours.  Every autumn, I remember back to those magical first few days with a happy smile and a little nostalgia.

Thankfully, the leaves outside my office now are starting to change...but with no colorful pile it's just not the same.  I'm ready to get back to the country (or "out in the county" as Devin says) sooner rather than later!

Glorious Holiday Weekend

This past weekend was perfect.  Nothing could have made it better...except maybe remembering to use my camera.  Honestly, I don't remember a weekend this good in a while.  It may have just been the high of the extra sleep, minimal scheduling, and having my husband home, but I will take that any time it's offered.

Friday started with a 2 hour nap.  The dogs were cuddled up on the bed with us; I was wearing my favorite sweatpants.  I loved it.  Then we grocery shopped.  It's sooo much more fun when we get to do this together...enough so that we find it a fun way to spend a Friday night.  After some late night Taco Bell, we stayed up even later thanks to the nap.  It was great.

Saturday we got to sleep in a little.  After getting our morning tasks finished, we ended up back home cooking and watching football all afternoon.  Then, we had friends over for dinner to enjoy a spread of baby back ribs, baked beans, mac and cheese, croissants, waffle fries, and brownie sundaes.  We also got to hold our friends' brand new baby!  For just a week old, she was already providing some serious entertainment for us.  Also, we got the kitchen completely clean before bed...which we rarely do and always bothers me left undone.

Sunday morning, we woke up, looked at the clock, and we laughed.  We then fell back asleep for another hour thanks to the magnificent holiday known as "Fall Back" or "the End of Daylight Savings."  I know, you might think it's not that special.  Some may even find it annoying.  I've been counting down for quite some time, though.  We then still got up at a reasonable hour, and Devin brought me breakfast in bed.  It was cereal--but one of my very favorite, only for a splurge kinds.  After a leisurely morning and an afternoon at church, Devin made me breakfast for dinner, and we tried to watch Gnomeo and Juliet--until we just couldn't take it anymore.  Instead we watched some football highlights.  And we played with the dogs outside.  Then we got to bed at a reasonable time.

So, you may not have cared at all about the play by play of the weekend, but I loved it.  And I wanted to remember it.  And it was perfect.  I hope yours was equally as great!