100 Days of Happiness Day 67

Everything with Owen these days is "a first." Today was his first time to sit on the front lawn on a hot spring day. Last year at this time he was not here. Isn't that crazy? He is full of new expressions and little things he likes to do or say. Here in this picture he is doing one of his favorite new looks. He puckers up his lips and says "ooooooh!" He says it like he is so very fascinated by whatever he happens to be looking at. He also likes to point. He points at people and things, and when he hears music he likes. He will stand at the back window and point at Henry or Daddy or his sisters while they're in the yard. Needless to say, he makes me so happy.

100 Days of Happiness Day 66

I'm not going to lie. Last night blew. And so did this morning.
I was beyond tired. I know when it's particularly bad because John will ask, "what's wrong?" several times. Nothing is wrong, but I imagine I must look horrid to warrant that question so many times throughout the evening. So when the kids were asleep I burned some sage, lit some candles and hit the sack myself. And it was glorious. For all of 1 hour. I woke up to Brooklyn sobbing by the bed because, as I quickly realized, Owen was screaming in their room. I rushed in and tried to help him but it was no use. He screamed for a long time, and I had a little breakdown myself and for a minute there, really truly believed that I couldn't do it. I just couldn't. Those moments of motherhood are scary. He finally settled, and everybody slept. I woke up this morning to discover that Peyton's guinea pig had died. This was devastating to her, and there is nothing worse than holding your sobbing child when there is not a thing in the world you can do about it. Poor Max.
So forgive the little rant. I only write about it because this day, like so many days, I had a choice. I could have crawled under the covers once the kids were in school and thought about what a crappy day it's shaping up to be. But instead I turned on my music, took Henry for a run in the sun and breathed in all the beauty and positive energy that I could. It was a choice -- in the same way love is a choice. Just like kindness is a choice. They are not always the easy routes, and sometimes require work and a concerted effort. But what is the alternative? I will always try for the happiness, the love, the kindness. Sometimes it will be hard, but life was not meant to entertain us or *make us* happy.
What got me going in the right direction this morning was some Elton John... I read somewhere that when listening to music - particularly a song you enjoy, your entire brain chemistry can change. It is healing and powerful and good for you. I believe it. I love music...  I suppose it's in my genes. I remember when my mom would come home with an album she loved -- a real record. She would lie on the living room floor with the headphones on and listen to it over and over and over again. Elton John was one of those albums. I know every word to this song, and it reminds me of her. It makes me happy.

100 Days of Happiness Day 65

The dog park. The place where when somebody says, "ahhh, he's so cute! How old is he?" They are always referring to Henry.
We haven't been making it there as often as we had before Owen was born. But I took Henry today as a special treat. Mainly because he hasn't been the best running buddy lately and as a result has had to sit out a few of our usual runs... Typically, I can get him out on the trail and take off his leash and he will run right next to my side, veering off here or there to sniff, but always rejoining me within seconds. For the last month or so, that has not been the case. I will let him off the leash and he will meander into the grass, where he will stay and sniff and gorge himself for upwards of five minutes. Whatever smells linger in the spring grass must be unbelievably enticing, because my well mannered dog cannot be bothered to obey at this time of year... I finally decided that he couldn't be off leash so I hooked him up but he gets so ticked that he reacts by running just a smidge slower than I run, which makes me tug what feels like dead weight the entire way. He looks up at me with pleading eyes that in essence say, "let me the eff off this leash, you mean lady." So though I felt like a traitor, I went on a few runs last week without him.
But today I wanted to get him out, so we trekked over to the Marymoor dog park -- aka: dog heaven. Seeing him run free and sniff all kinds of grass to his heart's content, made me happy.

100 Days of Happiness Day 64

You know the "If You Take a Mouse to the Movies" books? They go something like this: If you take a mouse to the movies, he'll want to buy some popcorn. If you buy him popcorn, he'll want to string it together for the Christmas tree. If you make a popcorn string, then he'll want to decorate some ornaments... etc, etc...That's how this afternoon played out for me and Peyton. We set off to run a single errand to the pet store to buy Max (her guinea pig) some bedding... On our way we passed the car wash, so we got the car all shiny and clean. We sang with the music at full blast and we passed through the sprayers, foamy bubbles, and the rhythmic dangling washing thingys... Then we decided we needed some tea so we went to Starbucks. Instead of going inside, we decided to get it to go and drink it near the lake because the clouds were really beautiful and we wanted to sit under them. When we were sipping our tea we took some silly pictures...
I truly enjoy Peyton's company. She is old enough to be quite an entertaining companion. She is funny and smart and a little bit quirky. It's nice to have an afternoon with just the two of us...
She is in the throes of pre-teendom, and sometimes it shows. There are times I want to thump her in the forehead and say, "get a grip." There are times I want to wrap her up in my arms and kiss her and say, "the world is so crazy and everything will be alright."
She means the world to me. She makes me unbelievably happy.

100 Days of Happiness Day 63

It can go either way with neighbors. If you like them, you are blessed. If you don't like them, your life can become miserable. Luckily I've never had really terrible neighbors -- aside from a few apartment/roommate situations I vaguely remember... There was the roommate who would go into the community freezer and take out my little pint of ice cream and meticulously dig out all the cookie dough chunks with a fork -- leaving just the plain vanilla behind with deep tracks throughout. His girlfriend would eat all my fruit. She even ate a bowl of my cherries while she was talking to me. It was mind boggling. Then, there was the man who lived above me in my apartment in Seattle who would wake up each and every morning and toot the loudest toot you ever did hear... But thank goodness I've never had the super awful adult neighbor situations I've heard about. Neighbors who yell at children, or get ticked about cars parked on the street, or argue about trees and property and blah blah blah. I suppose you never know what you're going to get when you move somewhere new. At the very least you hope for peace. We are so very fortunate to live next to some super stellar neighbors. This morning (fairly early I might add) Brookie and I were finally getting around to making our banana bread we've been meaning to make. I had the bananas mashed and all the dry ingredients mixed in a bowl when I realized I didn't have eggs. Not only did I know our neighbors would be awake, I knew it would be okay to ask to borrow some eggs. So Brookie dashed over in her jammies and quickly returned with the eggs, and her little bf from next door who was also still in her footie jammies. They have been playing together ever since. Liz, her mom, and I went to yoga this afternoon while the dads watched the kids. And did I mention she brought me a bottle of wine the other day? It's so great to know that our kids play well together and there is somebody there, just across the way in case I need anything. It's also an added bonus that they are awesome nice people. It makes me happy.

100 Days of Happiness Day 62

My two May babies. My first and my last. It's been so fun to watch Peyton with Owen. She adores him... It's such a different dynamic between these two. It's not the sister-sibling relationship she has with Quinny or Brookie. Peyton is O's other mommy. She is getting so grown up -- though I remember her being Owen's size just like it was yesterday. I remember sitting on the couch with her when she was just about his age and John said, "I can't wait until she can talk. I wonder what she will sound like. " And now here we are -- she can carry her baby brother around and take care of him. Watching them together makes me so happy.

100 Days of Happiness Day 61

I'm so tired I feel like I could throw up. That is where I am right now in all honesty. I woke up at what felt like the middle of the night with a restless baby, and moved at full steam the entire day. The afternoon was a blur. Picking up from track, dropping off at taekwondo, getting Owen down for his nap, starting dinner, picking up from taekwondo and dropping off at the same time, feeding Owen his dinner, then picking up again. Brookie crumpled at my feet somewhere in there because she said I promised I'd make banana bread with her. Owen is teething.
Sometimes I think I might go insane. Wait, I think I am insane. That's it -- I've gone insane!
But even in the midst of the insanity, there is happy. In the chaos some things strike me and stand out.
Today I ran by this tree. This is a special tree. It grew outside our little home we lived in last year. It burst into bloom like this at the very same time last year and took me by surprise. I was super pregnant at the time and would go out and sit by the tree. I took lots of pictures of it, and appreciated it for all of its peaceful beauty.
Coincidentally, I run by this tree all the time still. It's right along my route... I've been waiting patiently (eagerly) for it to bloom again. It's been a full year. And it bloomed just the same. Not much has changed for this tree. If we compared pictures from last year to this year we probably wouldn't be able to see many differences. Many things have changed over the course of this year for me, but this tree has stayed in the very same place... it's roots deep down in the earth. Soaking up water, dropping it's leaves and petals, reaching toward the sun, blowing in the breeze, and then when the time is right blooming again. It makes me happy. 

100 Days of Happiness Day 60

Darn you California, looks like you're snatching up some more of my favorites. Owen's birth buddy, and one of my besties are moving to CA at the end of the school year. Major bummer...
We got to see them today, which was a little sad but mostly happy. We will always hold a special place in our hearts for this family. Take care of the Schneiders, California... And look out SoCal, you're getting a great bunch of peeps coming your way.
Seeing these two little dudes today for an impromptu playdate made me happy. They are both rapidly approaching their one-year birthday, which is insane. Seems like it was just yesterday that us mommies were on the treadmill telling each other we were pregnant...

100 Days of Happiness Day 59

The presence of God in my life makes me happy.
Drawing closer to God is fairly new for me in my adult life. Even though I have always felt a strong presence of Him in my heart, I spent years not going to church because I felt very uncomfortable... like I didn't belong. I was nervous because I believed I wasn't God-like enough to be at church. I thought maybe the people there would know, and see, and tell me with their eyes that I didn't belong. It wasn't until Brooklyn (of all people) insisted we go a few years ago that I relented. It was a wonderful experience. It cracked open a piece in my heart and filled it with love and positivity. We kept going back. The girls enjoyed it, and each time we went it put our thoughts, our minds, our direction in the right place. I am learning and growing. I am far from perfect... But what I've realized is that God loves me as imperfect as I am. I'm working on it. It gives me peace and strength to feel His presence in my life. I truly believe Owen was a gift from Him. I believe we are in this house because of Him... and I count my blessings with happiness and joy each and every day.

100 Days of Happiness Day 58

I'm finally getting beyond the "survival stage" of babyhood. For those of you who have never had a child, or for those who have but forget, this stage is when the pants you sleep in and wear all day are one and the same... And because you are actually, you know *wearing pants* you are not only fine with the scenario, but feel quite successful. It is when you walk around having to pee for hours but simply cannot make the time to go. It is when you sleep in two hour increments, and a four hour stretch is like golden glorious heaven. It is when you shower at 3am when baby is sleeping, all the while praying you'll make it through without hearing the monitor begin to blow up. It's when your dinner is grilled cheese sandwich crusts you eat while standing up bouncing your baby, or while nursing, or while sweeping the floor... Or, while doing all three (expert level IV). I could go on but you get the drift.
There are still elements of that stage that I see in my life even though Owen is nearing the 1 year mark. I am still a zombie at times. Coffee is my buddy. I'm frazzled. But it's getting easier. Easier? Well, certainly more manageable. Now many of the things I have neglected are coming back to me. Like planting things. For the last several months I have had to purposefully turn a blind eye toward the pots of overgrown and/or dying plants on the porch. Though I love planting and watching things grow, I simply have not had the time to do it. But today at the store the nursery section was calling me. I told myself I'd do just one or two pots, so while I fed Owen a steady stream of rice puffs we meandered through the plants and picked a few to grow.
When I got home we set ourselves up on the porch in a little slice of sunshine and got to work. A little girl from next door came over and helped me give some of the plants a "haircut." Someday I will get to my big garden I have visions of planting... But today, playing in the dirt and planting my little pots made me very happy.

100 Days of Happiness Day 57

Today the girls woke up and found their Easter baskets on the stairs. Then they hunted for eggs in the backyard that were covertly hidden by the "bunny" the night before under the cover of darkness. Aside from Brookie gooshing into a Henry bomb while in the midst of hunting, it was a great success. Then we went to church. It is our two year anniversary attending our church. It makes me happy to go. I am thankful for God in our lives.

100 Days of Happiness Day 56

One of the main reasons I had kids was so I would always have somebody to brush my hair... It's one of my favorite things in the world. After a busy, hectic day... Brooklyn brushing my hair was pure happiness.

100 Days of Happiness Day 55

I woke up this morning with this little ditty writing itself in my head. When this happens I have to get it down, or else it will go away and not come back. So I crept downstairs to write it as best as I can remember.
Writing makes me happy.

I am the cool dirt beneath your bare feet
I am the morning air you taste
with the tip of your tongue
I am feathers and fins
And the gentle night
on your shoulder blades

I am there
When you wonder

I am the sweet sting of summer sun
soaking into your skin
I am the shadowy wet green smell
   in the deepest part of the forest
      of your thoughts
The lift on the breeze
   that makes the leaves whisper and grass sway
I am wordless and timeless
and instinctual

When you wonder
I am there.

100 Days of Happiness Day 54

I think I understand why we had three girls first... On the spectrum of "girl energy" they are certainly no slouches. I would have argued with boy moms a few years ago. I would have said, "girls can be just as intense." I remember Quincy as a small child going into a room -- she would seek and destroy. She would pull every book off the shelf, and she was super physical... And still, she is/was no match for her baby brother. I think we got our baby boy last because we are more seasoned. Because we could not handle three boys in a row. Because we make honey badger boys.
The picture above is my point of view for the majority of the day. Does he look blurry? Most times he is a blur to me. He wants to charge at everything. His favorite things, in no particular order: electrical cords, lamps on end tables, fireplaces, drawers/cabinets he can empty, belts, dangerous edges precipices and/or steep staircases. Toys? No thank you. He has unimaginable strength. It's kind of scary, really...
But I will tell you something. This little guy is the sweetest thing... He breaks my heart with his sweet face. I love him so much and laugh at his antics. He makes me so happy.

100 Days of Happiness Day 53

This day got away with me. So many days do. It was rainy, gloomy and fast-paced. There were not any particular highs, nor were there any lows. It was just a day, like so many days in my life.
So here I am after 8, thinking: "what in the world should I do for my happy post?"
What happened today? Not a great deal... And yet, everything. Life is in the minute little details. The things that are so very easy to take for granted. Today, Brooklyn and her friend from next door put on a stellar concert for me, Owen and Henry. It was Frozen - go figure. Today, I clashed a bit with Peyton. She is growing strong and opinionated. Even in the midst of our little conflicts I know I love her deeply, and I know she feels the same. She is testing her boundaries and learning to express herself. Today Owen crawled all over the house and started experimenting with going up the stairs. He said "Ooooooh" a lot (his favorite expression) and he pointed to the tree by our front door every time we walked by. He loves being outside. Today Quincy played her recorder for an hour straight -- hot cross buns and mary had a little lamb (don't be jealous). Today, after work John drove over an hour away to pick up a new sand box for Owen's birthday that is coming up. Today, I folded laundry, made blueberry muffins, drove my kids here and there, kissed them all... and yet, it was just a "regular" day.
It may be surprising to know that before I met John, I told myself I didn't want to get married and have a family. Looking back, I think I said that because I didn't believe it could ever happen. I think it was my heart's secret wish that it *would* happen... God sees our secret wishes, and I believe the wish in my heart was granted. These people, my family, make me so very happy -- each and every day.

100 Days of Happiness Day 52

The trail wave.
If you're a runner you know exactly what that is... If I'm passing someone on the trail I almost always wave hello. Or smile. Or at the very least, if I'm struggling with a hard run, a nod. If for whatever reason I don't smile, or wave, or nod... and somebody waves at me, I would hands down always acknowledge that person with one of the above greetings. That is why it blows my mind if/when I smile or wave or nod at somebody, and they look me right in the face and.... do nothing. What the ever loving hell, people? I've narrowed it down to A) perhaps these are the very same people who flip me off in the roundabout for simply following traffic guidelines... B) they are having gut wrenching digestional distress and simply CANNOT make their facial muscles form a smile... Or, C) I look really freaky with my beet red face and weird endorphiny smile and I scare them...
It's likely, C... as you can tell by this picture.
At any rate, today was not that type of day. Today the sun was shining, and I felt like smiling my red-faced smile at everybody I passed. And everybody I passed had the same grin on. It is a bright morning after all -- perfect for a run. And that is a happy happy thing.

100 Days of Happiness Day 51

I'm a morning person. Thank God. For as many times as I have to be up really early, it's a good thing. Today is different, though. I'm not up because I have to be, and I am the only one in the house who is up. That is my favorite. I have a chance to drink my coffee, read, listen to my music (quietly) and get the day going with my own thoughts before the chaos of the morning explodes upon the day. Sometimes when I'm awake this early (4:30am) it reminds me of my Grandpa Richard, who was very much a morning person. My mom told me when she was young, she would creep out in the early morning to find her Dad sitting at the kitchen table with his notebooks, his coffee, and his cigarettes. He was always thinking and planning and writing things down. And then when it was still dark outside he would slip off to work. He would come home early in the afternoon and doze in his black chair before having dinner.
When I would sleep over at my grandparent's house when I was little, as usual my Grandpa would wake up very early and make my favorite breakfast at the time -- cream of wheat, with lumps in it. He found out that I loved lumps, so in order to ensure there would be plenty of lumps for my enjoyment, he would hand-form them for me. When I would wake up, he would already be at work, but there would be a pot on the stove waiting for me. Once, when I was in college and visiting at my mom's, he came over very early in the morning and made this special breakfast for me... That memory makes me happy.
Happy Monday.

100 Days of Happiness Day 50

There is a poster I saw a while back... It says something like, "all these people around me are adults, and I'm the only one in disguise."
I feel like that a lot.
When did I become an adult? I know that I am one... Did it happen when I turned 18? When I got married and had children? Or does it happen when you take life so seriously and forget to play, and laugh, and occasionally make a fool of yourself?
Often times I feel I am very much a kid inside. I guess that is mostly a good thing, because goofing off like a kid, dancing like a kid, playing like a kid, and jumping around on the trampoline like a kid makes me happy.

100 Days of Happy Day 49

I got to spend some time with one of my favorite mama friends tonight. I've known her since Brooklyn and her little boy Tristan were babies... She is strong and smart and beautiful... and can do anything she wants. I always enjoy her company - her friendship makes me happy.

100 Days of Happiness Day 48

Sometimes other writers are able verbalize a thought or emotion that was not yet solidified in my own mind, and it hits a nerve... I came across this poem by Adrienne Rich today and was reminded how much I enjoy reading poetry. It is not logical or factual (most times) but illusive... and yet it binds us all together with a common thread of feeling. This was the perfect thing for me to read today. It made me happy.

The picture was taken in a sculpture garden on San Juan Island that Brookie, Henry, Owen and I stumbled upon in the (very) early morning when Owen woke up. We crept through the damp grass and quietly commented on the art work we saw. Brooklyn had such reverence for it all. To her, everything was "magic" and "special." She called this path that led down to the water "The Magic Path." I love how she sees it that way. Truth is, even at 40, I do too.

Either you will
go through this door
or you will not go through.

If you go through
there is always the risk
of remembering your name.

Things look at you doubly
and you must look back
and let them happen.

If you do not go through
it is possible
to live worthily

to maintain your attitudes
to hold your position
to die bravely

but much will blind you
much will evade you
at what cost, who knows?

The door itself
makes no promises.
It is only a door.

Adrienne Rich from Collected Early Poems 1950-1970

100 Days of Happiness Day 47

Traveling with a little one is so fun. And I won't lie -- it's also very much like punching yourself in the face. Repeatedly. To those parents who have the whole "traveling with babies" thing down pat, I'm in awe of you. Traveling with babies seems to be one of the stages I never mastered, but just made it through...
I remember the summer before we found out we were pregnant with O, John and I sat on the beach in Southern California, and for the first time *sat on the beach* and watched as our kids played on the shore. Our days of scrambling around the beach after little ones, fishing out a combination of sand, shells and/or trash from their mouths was over.
Of course we knew that would change when we had O. And in fact we have not traveled since -- until this week for our little mini Spring Break getaway. I was a little nervous because I knew all my hard-won progress with naps and schedules and the like would go out the window when we went on a trip. And that was the case for sure. The first day was tough. Owen slept in his special portable crib (that I painstakingly tried to make as similar to his crib at home as possible) for all of two hours. After that, he wouldn't go back to sleep until I put him in bed between me and John. Then he was happy as a clam, snuggled warmly next to me while I was left with a half foot wedge of the bed that I tried to side-lie in, with one arm tucked under my body and the other arm shoved awkwardly under the pillow. Same was true for John. Neither of us slept. We were exhausted.
But it was wonderful nonetheless. We had a picnic on the cliffs of Lime Kiln -- one of the single most beautiful places in the world. We played cards into the night, made s'mores, went on walking adventures, and explored. I know this time when the girls are "kids" are numbered. I am so glad we had the chance to have a little adventure. Though it was challenging, it made me happy.

100 Days of Happiness Day 46

It's really happening. 7:30 at night and the sun is out. The girls are still out playing. The sky is blue and it's warm... So happy.

100 Days of Happiness Day 45

Quincy wanted to bake with me yesterday. She pulled out the chocolate chips and measured them in the pyrex measuring cup. "Just enough for chocolate chip cookies," she told me suggestively. What the heck, I thought. I was in. I'm the type of person who knows herself well. To resist cookie dough is simply ridiculous. It's like trying to jump in the pool without getting wet. If you are the type of person who can resist cookie dough, I don't trust you. Yes there are raw eggs in cookie dough, but I roll the dice with that, too. It tastes like heaven, so I'm willing. We mixed and measured and formed our little cookie dough balls on the baking sheet... All the while nibbling little dough bits as we went. The baker-helper knows she gets special privileges -- licking the beaters, extra sampling of the dough, and the first cookie when it comes out of the oven. Quinny took full advantage.
Today when I came home from yoga, exhausted and purified and starving, nothing in the whole wide world sounded better than a cookie. So I had one (okay, dammit: two) and it made me happy.

100 Days of Happiness Day 44

One day, my body will die. No matter how many times I tell myself that, it still seems surreal. And on some level part of me thinks: maybe not me… But all of our bodies will eventually die. Before that happens they will age and fade and slow down. Until it is time. The inside light and energy is forever, but this body is only temporary.

 My body is not perfect - it is filled with challenges and flaws, but it is wise and strong and I respect it. This body grew my four babies. It fed them through my blood and kept them safe until it was time to bring them into the world. And it knew how to do that, too. My body has nourished them until they were over a year old. My body takes me for runs, it lets me dance, and sometimes during yoga if I can really let my mind go, my body takes over and runs the show.

I try to remember to enjoy my body while it is still strong. I won’t have it forever. Today during yoga I felt grateful for my limbs and spine and fingers and organs… They all work together and let me enjoy the world I live in. My body makes me happy.

100 Days of Happiness Day 43

I have a vivid imagination. I still look for pictures in the clouds. I take that back -- I don't necessarily look for pictures, it seems the pictures find me. I enjoy it. Days like this the pictures are everywhere.
I remember when I was little, on hot summer evenings after my mom got off from work we would make the drive through Laguna Canyon to the beach. There were rolling grassy hills on either side of the narrow road that ran between them, which made it seem like the world on the other side of those towering hills could be... anything. One day my mom suggested there might be a giant who slept just on the other side of those hills, and if you looked closely you would notice that the hills were indeed the same shape as his body. My brother and I agreed. Of course! Look! Right there was where his belt was, and over there you could see his nose and beard.... We kept that game up for years. If we ever asked our mom if she could "see it" too, she always said she did. She let us believe in things, she encouraged our creativity, and never once told us we were being silly.
Maybe that's why, even as an adult, my mind still finds pictures and magic in things that I might otherwise just pass by. It makes me happy.

100 Days of Happiness Day 42

I've been playing this little game inside my head... What was happening at this time last year? It's really amazing to remember. At this time... last year... I was hugely pregnant, wondering what my little guy who was nestled snug inside my belly would look like -- be like. We were living in a tiny little apartment waiting eagerly, anxiously, impatiently, fearfully to see if we would close on this house. So many things were up in the air. Now, here we are. We have this little guy who is not only here, but is standing, pointing, talking, wearing jeans, and impressing me everyday with his growth. What is he looking at out there in the backyard? What is making him smile so? It's his fascinating Daddy, who is the apple of his eye. Daddy is out there putting together a trampoline for his girlies -- in the pouring down rain. Owen thinks his Daddy is the best. And who can blame him? He is.
Both my boys make me so very happy.

100 Days of Happiness Day 41

I'm seeing a trend here... are you? My favorite peeps (furry and otherwise) and outside. It is my simple, sure-fire daily dose of happy.
Today was Brookie's and Quin's "early day." They both get out of school every Wednesday at 12:45. I suggested a walk to Starbucks. Brooklyn, as you can see in the pic, ran way out ahead of us singing and dancing "let it go, let it go" the entire way -- to the sky, to the trees, to the passing cars... Quinny wanted to be 100% in charge of Henry. She ran him, and took giving him commands on the leash very seriously. Owen chilled in the stroller and observed.
Sometimes I get this overwhelming feeling of gratitude. It comes over me and I see my life in that split second from the third person. I feel unbelievably blessed to be walking to Starbucks on a Wednesday with my smart and strong girls, my baby sir, and my dog... just like it's nothing. I am thankful, and I am happy.

100 Days of Happiness Day 40

It never ceases to amaze me how much work is involved running a family of 6. The cleaning, the paperwork, the making and keeping of appointments, oh my heavens the laundry, the bills, the re-cleaning, the shopping, the preparation the planning the organization... Did I mention the laundry?
I was in the middle of one of those days. Buzzing around like a bee high on caffeine... There was so very much to do, but Owen was buggy. So I decided to take the boys out for a walk in the sun. A very good choice... We walked through the woods, weaving through trees while Owen laughed at Henry as he ran on  the gravel path. We stopped so Owen could swing, and then we picked up the big sisters at school. The blue sky, the fresh air, a very happy baby, and of course a very happy dog made me happy.