Things That Make Me Happy Rainbows and Water

Things That Make Me Happy #141-172

It's been awhile since I posted a Things That Make Me Happy blog, so here goes. Though, lately I have felt anything but happy. Depression is not my friend, and the last few weeks I have just felt a heaviness on me, a heaviness of sadness, despair and fear. I recently took over paying our bills. I told my hubby I would handle it since it seemed to really bring him down. I thought I could handle it, but it is really getting to me. I need to give it time as it's only been not even one full month since I took the reigns. But, it's like a constant feeling of impending doom over my head. We have like no money, yet we both work harder than the average adult. We just need a higher level of pay for our efforts, or a whole lot of debt forgiveness. But, I digress. This blog is not about my feeling hapless and hopeless but about the things that make me happy. Maybe, as I conjure up some happy thoughts, it will help to lift me out of the gloom. In the meantime, I won't turn away anyone who wants to shoot up a prayer on my/behalf. Here goes - Things that makes me happy starting with #141:

141. Children Celebrating Birthdays

142. Birthday Cake

143. Coffee

144. Days without hail

145. Cool breezes

146. A mom and dad who are still alive and alert

147. Babies

148. Avocados

149. Eggs

150. A good hair day

151. Watching my son turn 16 and not care about getting his license

152. Friendly Customer Service

153. Vacation

154. The Beach

155. Wisconsin

156. Michigan

157. Family

158. Neices and Nephews

159. Comfy Clothes

160. A Clean Kitchen

161. Pepper Plants in my garden

162. Fresh cut flowers

163. A smiling face

164. Finishing another school year

165. Free curriculum

166. Finding a good bargain

167. Bargain shopping

168. Happy children

169. A friend request

170. Baby dolls

171. Not having to cook

172. Art

Things That Make Me Happy Number 133-140

What makes you happy? Instead of grumbling and sharing all of the things that make me frustrated - Let's face it, there are plenty - I decided to make a list of things that make me happy. I've already blogged a few blogs, with a total of 132 things that make me happy.

Episode starting with #133 of things that make me happy goes like this:

133. An unexpected nice weather day
134. A husband who brings home dinner
135. A husband who fixes dinner
136. A yummy cup of coffee
137. A vacuumed carpet
138. Having funds to pay a bill
139. Watching my children get excited and happy
140. My blue t-shirt

Things That Make Me Happy - 131-132

As a continuation of things that make me happy, See Items Number 1-130 here!

As I was drifting off to sleep last night, I saw by my bedside a spiral notebook, and I thought - It's the simple things that do it. It's really the most basic of items that can put a smile on my face.

Now, for a very short list - But, part of the list of things that just really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really   make me happy:

131 - A nice sectioned (3-5 subject) spiral notebook.  Not the 3-ring binder type, but the spiral kind with lined paper and folder dividers in between each new subject area.  Ahhhhhh! In spite of how I embrace technology and all its benefits, I just absolutely love this old-fashioned style of keeping a record of something I can hold in my hands.

Which brings us to the next happy item:

132 - A good pencil, or pen...  I emphasize GOOD. There are so many that break or pens that leak or run out ink before you get to really use it. I'm talking about good quality pencils with amazing erasers and leads that stay sharp without the wood haphazardly off center, or a pen that feel good in the hand and flows as it writes without smearing or leaking to make a mess.

Things That Make Me Happy 121-130

I'm sure, or rather I hope, you have your own list of things that make you happy. Here's more things that make me happy in no particular order:

121. Kind words
121. An invitation to return to the 2016 TOS Review Crew (Yeeeeeeeeayyyyyyyy!)
122. Crisp, fall cool days
123. A big cup of ice water
124. Coffee
125. Bible Gateway verse of the day
126. Freedom
127. Acoustic guitar music
128. eBay buyers
129. Photographs
130. Learning things with my 4th grader that I somehow never learned in school.

What makes you happy?

Things That Make Me Happy 102-120

I'm not doing the Thanksgiving challenge, but I am keeping track of thing that make me happy. Here's a continuation of the first list.

102. Ear buds
103. Starbucks
104. Pandora music instrumental folk
105. Kind people
106. Pumpkin
107. Smooth-running errands
108. Being on time, or early
109. A science experiment that works
110. A smooth-running school day
111. A son who wakes up on his own
112. A new laptop
113. crockpot
114. The aroma or dinner cooking in crockpot
115. A rainy day when I don't have to drive
116. My fireplace heater
117. Snuggling in chilly temps.
118. Hayrides
119. A good hair day
120. Smiling

Things That Make Me Happy 101

One Mother's Day, I had the privilege of listening to a woman talk about how her life changed when she was introduced to a book about a thousand blessings. She began her own blog, after reading the book, to record all of her thousands of blessings. Last I saw, I think she's into the 6,000's or so.

Her talk inspired me, but I just never did anything about it other than change my thinking to positive rather than negative when viewing the world....  Which is not so easy for me. I tend to look at things in a sarcastic manner turned cynical over the years. While, I try to be the encourager in the room full of people and not the one to complain or tear down, I often think otherwise when it comes to my own life or when evaluating myself.

I recently began to list the things in life that bug me - That I don't like. On that list are things that many of my friends enjoy, and I love these people nonetheless. But, rather than to dwell on the things I don't like, even if that list may not be extremely long, I am starting this blog series of things that make me happy - Blessings, if you will, in my life.

I will start my list in no particular order, and I honestly have no idea how long the blog series will last. But, for the first week, I will number the things that come to mind. So, here goes:  Things That Make Me Happy 101 (or 1-101):

1. Crisp fall days
2. Being able to snuggle in a sweatshirt without feeling too warm
3. avacados
4. My family
5. A clean sink
6. Watching my son learn new computer languages
7. Watching my daughter's delight in the color pink
8. Elephants
9. My child's delight in elephants
10. Waking with no headache
11. Wisconsin
12. acoustic guitar music
13. watching my hubby perform music and entertain
14. A van that runs
15. When people are kind
16. Backstage passes
17. When my sewing machine works and the tension doesn't mess up the bobbin
18. Standing with no pain
19. Watching my child learn a new fact or skill
20. Getting through a day of school without any incident or complaint
21. Revolutionary sugar cookies
22. Rain on a day when I have no outside plans
23. My child's friends
24. Coffee black
25. When they get my order right and don't add sugar to my iced tea
26. A clean living room
27. A cozy chair to sit in
28. My hubby voluntarily rubbing my feet
29. Christians who haven't sold out or bought into bringing modern culture into the church
30. Music from my childhood/teen years
31. Easy-to-remember Christian tunes from childhood, like Ho-ho-ho-hosanna, ha-ha-hallelujah
32. Freedom to act goofy
33. Laughter
34. Pizza
35. Flip Flops
36. The Beach
37. Blue Harbor in Sheboygan, WI
38. Holland Dunes in MI
39. Sleeping Bear Dunes in Traverse City, MI
40. The Great Lakes
41. The UP
42. Waterfalls
43. No traffic
44. Ice Water
45. Apple Cider
46. My Ninja Blender for Smoothies
47. My Jack La Lanne Juicer
48. Strawberries
49. Whipped Cream
50. Pumpkin Pie
51. Pictures
52. My camera
53. Pumpkin Butter
54. Bagels Toasted with Cream Cheese
55. Quiet
56. Earbuds to Drown Out Loud Annoying Conversations at Panera Bread or Starbucks
57. Getting Paid
58. Selling Things on eBay
59. My Workout Room
60. My Free Treadmill
61. Tutus
62. My Workout Ball Turned Office Chair
63. Drawing
64. Coloring
65. Creating Art
66. Chocolate
67. French Fries
68. A Good Hair Day
69. A Cozy Bed
70. Time Alone with Hubby
71. Potato Chips
72. Brussel Sprouts
73. Salad (Really)
74. Olives of any Variety, especially black olives
75. American Girl Dolls
76. Dolls
77. Hobby Lobby
78. Disney
79. Cinderella
80. Girl Meets World
81. Writing my Heart Out (Not on Demand)
82. Kind Words
83. Paying off a Bill
84. Hotel Rooms
85. Walking on the Beach
86. Cleaning up my basement
87. Organizing
88. Planning
89. Calendars
90. Free Stuff
91. Clothes that fit
92. Healthy parents
93. Cute dog pics
94. Compliments that are sincere
95. Not living in the states I dislike
96. Sitting with a cup of coffee on a deck that overlooks Lake Michigan or Lake Superior
97. Going on tour with hubby and kids
98. Sleep
99. Good dreams
100. Somehow Jesus still love me, and God is still on the throne
101. Blue eyes