52 Weeks of Happiness Week 13

I am utterly exhausted.

This week, I am tired. I am finishing up the school year. Narrative report cards and grades. Packing up my office (moving again). Dealing with summer-fever ridden 3-7 year olds. My computer hard drive crashed, so I have been tremendously lacking in blogging. I've been packing for tomorrow's trip to New Orleans. Which means a lot of laundry and packing for me and the little guy.

BUT, of all the things I actually took pictures of this weekend, I had to share this small moment for this week's post. It's from Sunday. My son and dog were "sharing" a snack. This week, amidst the chaos of the last week of school, there was this wonderful boy-and-his-dog moment. I LOVE those moments.



I ADORE the look on his face. Like mother, like son. I shared many a snack with my canine brothers and sisters.

Such joy!!!

Happiness Update

A few things:

I'm not good at the no Facebook thing, but I do stop after 8:45 or 9 each night.

I've only bought one thing online since then, and as usual, it's something we did need. Yes, we could have gotten on without it, but I caved. No one is perfect.

No, I'm not doing the sticker thing. I decided that was too much to actually do, and that was NOT bringing me happiness.

Also, I have come across a fourth happiness-related book. This one is called "Raising Happiness." I have read around 50 pages so far, and really love it. I think this one is going to be a great reference...I can see myself checking it out again when the things are more applicable. There are so many tips for kids older than my 17 month old, but it's GREAT information to keep in my back pocket!!

And that's the scoop!

PS- I'm catching up on blogging today, both this and my personal family blog. Catching up makes me so happy!

And Double PS - I have implemented Gretchen Rubin's One-Minute Rule (never procrastinate on something that will take under a minute), and it really has made a significant difference. Try it!!

52 Weeks of Happiness, Week 12

There was a great deal of wonderfulness in this past week. My son's show-off day at The Little Gym. Hubby's graduation. But what REALLY brought be tremendous happiness was one major thing: appreciation.

Hubby is about to start a new job. He's moving from teacher and assistant Head of Middle School to a Head of School position. And he's 29. We've had some amazing things happen where we both work now (and met), and well, he's always the one who throws the thoughtful goodbyes to the retiring teachers and such.

This time, someone did it for him. I got to be a part of a surprise assembly with the entire Middle School, and I witnessed how much these students love and respect him. And THAT made me giddy with gladness.

Everyone likes to be appreciated. Hubby is the least egotistical male I have ever met. And he has his moments. But this was humbling to him. We had some people from the past come out (former teachers and workers), and family. Then there was a slide show. Then came the 8th grade drama class skit...ALL ABOUT HIM. Then he was given a trophy.

It was really, really necessary and VERY special. Seeing how hard he has worked, I was just so happy to see him really be honored. He got MANY standing ovations, and here's the pic of one of the many.

What a wonderful day.

52 Weeks of Happiness, Week 11

We all know it...Mother's Day.

It was my second Mother's Day this year, and it was magical. Hubby (and dear son) got canvas prints made from pictures I took on my Iphone. Isn't that amazing? The pictures are so good that they can be blown up to a (I think) 16 x 16 print? (could be 20 x 20). One big print, and four smaller ones that we have lined up on our walls...and they are WONDERFUL.

We had family over that evening, and it was simply lovely. And this moment was special to me...so that is this week's picture. My son loves dogs, and my dog has been mine for 6 wonderful years, so she made me a "mommy" 5 Mother's Days ago...and now look at my real child and my sweet canine child. Beautiful moment.



Thank goodness my son is a dog lover!!!

Reading rules Iphone use

I struggle with addiction.

A facebook addiction. And I'm only halfway kidding. I have always wanted to be in the know, and want to be the first one to know when someone announces an engagement or a baby, or anything of the like. And I love how it's connected me with people I haven't seen in years. It's a tremendous support system for me, actually, as I have some friends who comment on things and it makes my day. Words of encouragement, love, happiness, and oohs and ahhs over my son's pictures make me beam. I happened to glance at my news feed the night Bin Laden was killed, and otherwise I would have missed that and the president's statement. So it's got its really good points.

BUT...

I update my phone many times a night so I don't miss ANYTHING. And I find that the nights I put it down "early" and go to bed to read are the nights I have the most joy.

I don't have a lot of time to myself for exercise without rearranging other people's schedules, and I hate doing that. But I have a good amount of time most nights for eating a quiet meal with my hubby, watching my favorite shows, or the beloved, always enjoyable, reading. As I said, and this is KEY, I find that the nights I DO put the phone down, I'm MUCH happier. I feel like I did something, instead of wasting my time on my phone. Time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time, but I don't enjoy wasting it this way.

I am going to make myself stop looking at my phone past, let's say, 8:15. If I miss something, I miss it. Surely that highly important information (which usually ISN'T) can at least wait until morning.

Sure, hubby is on the phone or computer a lot too, but he reads a lot, too. So there just has to be a time for me to stop it. And if I do it, I need to reward myself. So, the teacher in me says I deserve a sticker for each day I do it. And who doesn't want to see a perfectly filled calendar with stickers? :)

So, for now, after 8:15 pm on regular ol' weeknights, this is my rule:

Today, I feel..

Today I feel irritated.

I am irritated at myself. I LOVE to shop, and I love to online shop. And unfortunately, I know of a lot of great bargain sites. And unfortunately, I can't pass some of them up.

Some purchases (actually, most) are very good investments. I'm sure some of them I don't need, but I have wanted for a while. For instance, I bought an apron for myself. I'm excited about cooking new things for my baby, and I have always wanted an apron. And the one I have been eyeing had a sale of 10% off. It ended up being about 20 dollars. Then I also bought a few other things, for my son and husband, and in about 10 days it just added up. Not anything crazy, and I don't charge it. But I feel AWFUL when I think I have spent too much.

Hubby's not mad at me, after all, he knows he does the same thing (only it goes to the yard), but I am mad at me. So NO SPENDING for me this month. Period. No excptions. Anymore. Not til June.

We have a WONDEFFUL trip to New Orleans planned and we need to save our pennies for that. So, it's groceries and gas for me this month, and limited eating out.

We simply (like most americans) don't make all that much and need to be better budgeters.

Let's see if it works and if it leads to more happiness. I don't feel like I need stuff to make me happy, though it is very much something that CAN make me happy.

We'll see. Now that's it's out there, I am officially accountable. Even if it's just to my one sweet follower!!!

52 Weeks of Happiness, Week 10

I hate to say it, but my week was kinda mundane. And usual. And though I find a little happiness in many, many things throughout the week, it's not quite the thing you take a picture of, so my picture only comes from last night.

And this is about things that make you wildly happy, right? That was last night.

A fellow teacher threw a Cinco de Mayo party.

Awesome part #1: It was 4 minutes from my house. SCORE!
Awesome Part #2: I got to bring my 16 month old!
Awesome part #3: Hubby came!
Awesome part #4: Hubby took son home, mama got to stay!

I stayed with good work girlfriends until 10:30. On a Thursday.

Here's a fun pic from the event. The much needed lovely wonderful event!

Real Simple Energy Tips

From the first edition of the Energize your Life magazine covers, I bring you my favorite techniques.

1. Splashes of color in your life (in your wardrobe or on your walls, or anywhere!) are said to wake up the brain!

2. Citrus smells are energizing, so get that grapefruit bodywash for your morning shower.

3. Pop a peppermint.

4. If you stand in the sun for 20 minutes, even on a cloudy day, in the morning, you should have a good burst of energy to take you through the day.

5. Take care of things that zap energy during the day. Make that dentist appointment. Take the dog to the vet. The next day, you'll feel relief, not burden.

6. Really, really exhale when you breathe out. Any way you can rid your body of toxins, the better off you'll be.

7. Do an inverted pose to send blood to your brain to wake it up.

8. Before bed, calm yourself. Concentrate on happy things, and ditch the iphone and computer before bed. Even TV is better since it's less interactive. I prefer the quiet, welcoming pages of a book.

Maybe you can use some of these too...?