Things to be happy about.

Back in high school my good friend Kara and I were all about this little book called 14,000 Things to Be Happy About. Each page is filled with charming little phrases of simple things that you may or may not have thought to be happy about... like, "writing letters in an outdoor cafe" or "ripe pear wedges with creamy brie" or my personal favorite, "a Dairy Queen date." I have no idea what corner of the world my copy of this little book has found itself, but occasionally on a Sunday afternoon I wish I still had it around to browse through. It could always make me smile.

So in honor of this little book, I've decided to put together my own, less poetic version of weekly postings of my 10 (not 14,000) things to be happy about that week.

For this week...

1. Kickin' back with The Help.

Read it.

2. Ordering the House Salad at the Latona Pub on a Sunday afternoon.

3. My new I Heart Oregon necklace.

What state do you love? Check out Truche's shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/truche

4. Vassily, the Russian custodian at my school, because he is one of those guys that asks how you're doing and wants to hear a truthful answer.

5. Coming home after a long day of work to spend the afternoon with The Moondoggies.

On my ipod of course.

6. Hearing all the juicy details about the hubby's new mountain bike.

7. Lizard Drawings.

One of my new little guys (1st grader) at school draws me a picture of a lizard everyday. And everyday I tape it on my wall. At first I told him it creeped me out a little because it reminded me of the geckos that would gather on the ceiling at night in Mexico. But then he started drawing smiley faces on them and it became something to be happy about.

8. Cheering for Butler in the NCAA championship basketball game with the boys.

9. "Freebies"

We ordered a print & a t-shirt from this super cool local artist, and when the package arrived, we were thrilled to find that he had snuck in this awesome print to say 'thanks' for our business. What a cool guy. Check out his work- you'll like what you see: http://www.powerslidedesign.com/

10. And finally, this quote:

It's not so much that we're afraid of change

or so in love with the old ways,

but it's that place in between that we fear . . . .

It's like being between trapezes.

It's Linus when his blanket is in the dryer.

There's nothing to hold on to.

-Marilyn Ferguson