Happy Stuff

Well, since I usually just complain about stuff here, I thought I'd try to conjure up some happy thoughts to share today. Here goes:

- Today is my cutie-pie nephew's fifth birthday! We can't wait to help him (and his papa whose birthday is on Saturday) celebrate his birthday! We have something special picked out for Aidan. Shh...don't tell! (This pic is from last year when he turned 4.)

- I went to the dentist today and lived to tell the tale, which means I don't have to go back for six whole months! And no cavities! Woo-hoo! My dad used to give me five bucks every time I went to the dentist and didn't have any cavities. I'm pretty sure he owes me a chunk o' change by now....

- I found the YUMMIEST fake chicken noodle soup! This stuff kicks Amy's No Chicken Noodle Soup's bum! I bought this soup mix the last time I was sick (what was that, like three weeks ago?) and made it up on Saturday. It is DELISH. Of course, I've been totally congested and couldn't really smell or taste anything, but Adam agreed that it was indeed tasty. I've now stockpiled four more Fantastic Simmer Soup Mixes in my pantry so I'll be prepared when the craving for liquid food hits. (Looking forward to trying the Blarney Stone Creamy Potato & Dutch Split Pea varieties too--and I especially love the cheesy names.) Now I just have to load up on Oyster Crackers at Trader Joe's. Just the other day Kira asked me, "So who is Trader Joe?" Good question!

- All the lights in my car work, thanks to my awesomely talented and gifted husband. I swear, I've been to Shuck's twice and couldn't get that flippin' brake light to work, and then a headlight went out! Hooray for not being paranoid about getting pulled over (at least not for burnt out lights!)

- I recorded an episode of Unwrapped for Kira last week and we all watched it together on Saturday morning. (We love that show, especially Kira.) It was all about my favorite food group, CHOCOLATE! First up was Shokinag Drinking Chocolate. Adam and Kira proceeded to ready themselves and went to Pasta Works and bought two canister's! This stuff is so, so YUMMY, but unfortunately, it's also SO, SO expensive. I think maybe we could justify this buying it on occasion if we kick our Starbuck's cocoa habit though.


- I got to have lunch with my aforementioned awesome husband today, and it was nice. Granted, I had to pick up the food, then got stuck on the Hawthorne Bridge (it's a draw bridge), then spent at least 15 minutes trying to Smart Park, then crammed into the slowest moving elevator on the planet with 11 other people, and THEN went through security with a large bag of smelly Mexican food so I could spend 30 minutes with my sweetie, but it was all worth it. Right, Honey?

- I've got six months worth of last year's photos selected, cropped, and ready to order from scrapbookpictures.com, and then I'm gonna start scrapbooking again! Yes I am, by golly....

- I read a whole book on Sunday! It was Each Little Bird That Sings, by Deborah Wiles. Okay, so it was a kid's book, but it was really good. I think I picked it up at a Scholastic Warehouse Book Sale (a happy perk of being a teacher) and thought I might read it to Kira. Uh, well, no. But I really enjoyed it, when I wasn't sobbing and making myself even more congested. I love books with dogs, and it made me super anxious to go visit my 92 year old Grandma Pearl. (On a different note, the book When I Go Camping With Grandma was written for her and me, I swear.) Next up, Love, Ruby Lavender, also by Deborah Wiles. I just gotta put it on hold at the library.

- It was sunny and glorious today, even though the forecast called for rain. Take THAT, Matt Zaffino! Mwah-ha-ha-ha-ha!

- There's an old, warm, gray kitty sitting on my lap as I type, and I'm the only person she likes. (Okay, so I'm also the only one who likes her, but I'll take what I can get in the love dept.)

- Lastly, I've recently downloaded some iTunes goodness, including an album by the seriously bearded William Fitzsimmons. Dude, now that's some facial hair. Think I'll give his Goodnight album another listen when I go to bed tonight. Zzz...zzz...z..z...z.....