tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57460948471777974402024-03-12T22:30:27.257-04:00Every Day JoyJoyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14994707297456839402noreply@blogger.comBlogger436125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746094847177797440.post-67676164020972823282011-02-17T17:57:00.000-05:002011-02-21T17:59:43.928-05:00Day 437 - Music<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgRLWCeJacMtN0K6qZcAAucQIxwwhwLkpe0xXMWU1B9oL8vKF2OVGrg5ja4GY01RNbq5wCvbnCU3F43kW55Ibm1MCWB8B7gSOE-_LEOZZicTzKvc5bICcXYk3giJ3C3Z-UPwqXNBnMUHSv/s1600/Tom_En1.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576281303179771810" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgRLWCeJacMtN0K6qZcAAucQIxwwhwLkpe0xXMWU1B9oL8vKF2OVGrg5ja4GY01RNbq5wCvbnCU3F43kW55Ibm1MCWB8B7gSOE-_LEOZZicTzKvc5bICcXYk3giJ3C3Z-UPwqXNBnMUHSv/s200/Tom_En1.jpg" /></a>Music gets me through. Through difficult times, bad moods or a chore I simply dread. Today was no different. My in-laws are visiting this weekend and there was so much to do. I've had a sick kid home for over a week and so many chores had been pushed to the wayside. Just turn up the music and chores are almost a joy to complete. Almost. (At least there was joy in the music!)Joyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14994707297456839402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746094847177797440.post-3199203609835274842011-02-16T14:12:00.000-05:002011-02-21T17:57:10.554-05:00Day 436 - Retro Lunch Boxes<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvMJjdU5M1OnAPEVUviujeWJ07eMQzN5hf7tLkcI8meRErAePLVghQYaYdjVu0vbpDbTGM5QoYSK_lC4Qdm4vydWcegRrtKUzN5w8_n2qj5nsQyRKmLy2YSLdepHPMmn6VpPjeINyAXons/s1600/imagesCA1YQKCY.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 157px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576280617889507442" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvMJjdU5M1OnAPEVUviujeWJ07eMQzN5hf7tLkcI8meRErAePLVghQYaYdjVu0vbpDbTGM5QoYSK_lC4Qdm4vydWcegRrtKUzN5w8_n2qj5nsQyRKmLy2YSLdepHPMmn6VpPjeINyAXons/s200/imagesCA1YQKCY.jpg" /></a>I was in a store today that had retro lunch boxes. The metal ones with stripes and plaids and polka dots and tv shows and music groups and cartoon characters. It brought be back. I almost bought one. I<em> should</em> have bought one. Because having those memories flood back was fun. Such a simple little item making such an impact. Maybe I'll go back and get one. Because we all deserve a little retro joy!Joyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14994707297456839402noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746094847177797440.post-8286732164622146072011-02-15T17:49:00.000-05:002011-02-21T17:52:54.176-05:00Day 435 - Field Trip<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlWmPJklWkTFY6cHiKBN0A_HDbTdH05BQWga6ckffOMPRA9SmKlX-_VpwBuKFv-hneF3REGrIPgY3JcAMLKRhrd0BnXSgJ9GdLMhObm9s3f-UfVxqIWT-OqhPvjWCQgHFOExzGHsRi1JvT/s1600/902-field-trip-pic-1.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 184px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576279555571155010" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlWmPJklWkTFY6cHiKBN0A_HDbTdH05BQWga6ckffOMPRA9SmKlX-_VpwBuKFv-hneF3REGrIPgY3JcAMLKRhrd0BnXSgJ9GdLMhObm9s3f-UfVxqIWT-OqhPvjWCQgHFOExzGHsRi1JvT/s200/902-field-trip-pic-1.jpg" /></a>Field Trip! I love accompanying my kids on their school field trips. Today we saw Sleeping Beauty ballet. Sure the kids were a little bored - especially my boys. But there was so much to talk about on the way home. The costumes. The special effects. Who fell asleep. It was my youngest son's first field trip. So he didn't care that it was boring. He was just glad to feel like a big kid, hanging with his friends, eating lunch outside. A fun trip and a joy for me to witness.Joyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14994707297456839402noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746094847177797440.post-70586614682451753122011-02-14T21:46:00.000-05:002011-02-21T17:49:05.707-05:00Day 434 - Valentine's Day<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDljumolFOMBoBSr1MCqeelUJpzsUi60G9mZjTD2XgCLGBX4jWJA0srD9TJXVyP2AgVZvx8fsE_uEgy4l7uQMqGSIDtwjK0tH3DHEA2Eez-mqtl67zDYzYERzGvPAmAkhk5b33Sg-EHYjm/s1600/imagesCA95MEBI.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 133px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576278498272248050" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDljumolFOMBoBSr1MCqeelUJpzsUi60G9mZjTD2XgCLGBX4jWJA0srD9TJXVyP2AgVZvx8fsE_uEgy4l7uQMqGSIDtwjK0tH3DHEA2Eez-mqtl67zDYzYERzGvPAmAkhk5b33Sg-EHYjm/s200/imagesCA95MEBI.jpg" /></a>Valentine's Day isn't just for boyfriends and girlfriends and husbands and wives. It's for me and my kids, too. I had so much fun sneaking little boxes of candy with heart shaped wrapping paper where they would find them. And they had so much fun receiving and sending Valentines at school today. Sweet reminders of how much joy we all bring each other.Joyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14994707297456839402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746094847177797440.post-67902547602601207432011-02-13T16:05:00.000-05:002011-02-21T17:43:49.095-05:00Day 433 - Date Day<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhj0ULTEmwCN7DmUxZfdzQsDjyO4gNZ3R5-1jJp7ZF7y9_eFOU4KYwQtInff84vO7AT6ITisq78OUFGfIH1ZK9FEn0ZsqoedNxw9XNEGM3lQWDXhSyNFWf4ky6elwJZcijM8_7OrnWPI2d/s1600/imagesCA40VBPO.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 182px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576277146176566434" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhj0ULTEmwCN7DmUxZfdzQsDjyO4gNZ3R5-1jJp7ZF7y9_eFOU4KYwQtInff84vO7AT6ITisq78OUFGfIH1ZK9FEn0ZsqoedNxw9XNEGM3lQWDXhSyNFWf4ky6elwJZcijM8_7OrnWPI2d/s200/imagesCA40VBPO.jpg" /></a>We don't have date nights (and a good thing, too, 'cause I'm not much of a night person). We have date days. And today we celebrated Valentine's with a little lunch, a little shopping. It's nice to get out and have adult conversation and dream a little together. Some early joy in an early Valentine's date day!Joyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14994707297456839402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746094847177797440.post-33041178835308384082011-02-12T19:17:00.000-05:002011-02-21T17:25:26.425-05:00Day 432 - Online Errands<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4B4G81GwlvIMtf5_jxd1ohPqbRImXRnL7i-XDbUMlSrxRlvwB52YAAcWE6ViSgdzn_87Wg3QUpTDobvZ3rIvSAn1ItKuIi-f2f2M2O1STrxa9mAppOmtQlpdSO1ZcqhTapTGqxgKKSlcM/s1600/090872.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 170px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 113px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576272390081346226" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4B4G81GwlvIMtf5_jxd1ohPqbRImXRnL7i-XDbUMlSrxRlvwB52YAAcWE6ViSgdzn_87Wg3QUpTDobvZ3rIvSAn1ItKuIi-f2f2M2O1STrxa9mAppOmtQlpdSO1ZcqhTapTGqxgKKSlcM/s200/090872.jpg" /></a>I kicked out a bunch of errands today. All online. Banking. Shopping. Letter writing. Sometimes my dinosaur of a computer annoys the heck out of me. But today? He was my best friend. I can't believe how productive I was today. You name it. I got it done! Now that's joy!Joyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14994707297456839402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746094847177797440.post-10814994074018451812011-02-11T17:12:00.001-05:002011-02-21T17:17:01.260-05:00Day 431 - Groupon<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwuoraw-O06nWukmTZAwLKDHdOURFGpel2mP3N9Bz4UM5aqwop007vlCuHDpdguKyXiyDa200Tty4GWcxzSe9fi6LCu7E3bulOLRtoCW9kGX1dLuF2jnBjHUfJa7AHG7_DFJtBSEYi-P_Y/s1600/images2.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 180px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576270318804068322" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwuoraw-O06nWukmTZAwLKDHdOURFGpel2mP3N9Bz4UM5aqwop007vlCuHDpdguKyXiyDa200Tty4GWcxzSe9fi6LCu7E3bulOLRtoCW9kGX1dLuF2jnBjHUfJa7AHG7_DFJtBSEYi-P_Y/s200/images2.jpg" /></a>I've just discovered this site and saved a boatload of money on an attraction near us that I knew my in-laws would be interested in. Tickets that were typically 7 dollars were only one dollar each. What would normally cost 49 dollars only cost a mere 7 bucks. Now that's a little added joy to my wallet!Joyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14994707297456839402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746094847177797440.post-71689939754188202792011-02-10T23:14:00.001-05:002011-02-14T14:17:10.169-05:00Day 430 - Angel Food Cake<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Px4EUerK6eGnwz8m1WefMobWtfakSmv_75JDh8EDO987QIWqcoiDAwYL7IpLq9KrhC2Y4T2zTdvvayiuTywG0TRU9ZnBIY9zO48vWaUJ2nJ6tjk8Kfr1y1LvLWcLq1S1y1jWYKz3rz-0/s1600/imagesCAGZQDVK.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 192px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5573626384242632610" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Px4EUerK6eGnwz8m1WefMobWtfakSmv_75JDh8EDO987QIWqcoiDAwYL7IpLq9KrhC2Y4T2zTdvvayiuTywG0TRU9ZnBIY9zO48vWaUJ2nJ6tjk8Kfr1y1LvLWcLq1S1y1jWYKz3rz-0/s200/imagesCAGZQDVK.jpg" /></a>My sweet cravings typically include chocolate, coca-cola and ice cream. I'm not a big candy, cookie and cake person. And I rarely choose to enjoy angel food cake. But tonight I had a luscious piece, complete with fresh strawberries. It was simply divine. Who knew? Angel food cake could taste of joy.Joyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14994707297456839402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746094847177797440.post-43045316919545317822011-02-09T14:10:00.000-05:002011-02-14T14:14:25.896-05:00Day 429 - Yoga<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwjOXigmwLvRJHY934xaUsK6QUTv-yK0oRMFymRVjNKfyBXEx_eFMfO44bI2Tg9nh9nxxzOrc4_-2amKRS4aXBl7gwMXwtGf_mBuRaCeHoHv0jDWES2VFE05JCOIB1OZKzMkjQ9LKd5zYH/s1600/imagesCA0VYU9A.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 133px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5573625440860505858" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwjOXigmwLvRJHY934xaUsK6QUTv-yK0oRMFymRVjNKfyBXEx_eFMfO44bI2Tg9nh9nxxzOrc4_-2amKRS4aXBl7gwMXwtGf_mBuRaCeHoHv0jDWES2VFE05JCOIB1OZKzMkjQ9LKd5zYH/s200/imagesCA0VYU9A.jpg" /></a>I haven't lost the weight I wanted to. And I honestly thought yoga would be more helpful in that area. Maybe I'm expecting too much from one exercise practice. But I keep plugging along. I've kept at it longer than any other exercise regimen. I'm not sure why. What I do know is that yoga makes me feel so good. Yoga <em>is </em>joy, in my opinion.Joyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14994707297456839402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746094847177797440.post-47812006988925782912011-02-08T22:43:00.001-05:002011-02-14T14:10:02.373-05:00Day 428 - Good Books<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii5fBr0_FbXID83cGMIal-3fHkK8bMN4XMnIlirdd5e5VrRJU3WTlsfGo5u-C13sF2H-NFE2TBSyiPBv43t4xT7iu004PSlqSUflMZVCKKgNfJ_sy6Z_ij_QBHCAgQ4likESIGfvp0nvzI/s1600/30910-pick_jpg_full_600.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 134px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5573624559518642882" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii5fBr0_FbXID83cGMIal-3fHkK8bMN4XMnIlirdd5e5VrRJU3WTlsfGo5u-C13sF2H-NFE2TBSyiPBv43t4xT7iu004PSlqSUflMZVCKKgNfJ_sy6Z_ij_QBHCAgQ4likESIGfvp0nvzI/s200/30910-pick_jpg_full_600.jpg" /></a>A good read. I crave a good read once in a while. Sometime to immerse myself in. I've found it with The Book Thief. Fascinating story. Interesting story-telling. It's one I look forward to finding time for. And while the subject matter certainly isn't "joyful" --- looking forward to snuggling on the couch, getting lost in the story brings a little joy to my day.Joyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14994707297456839402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746094847177797440.post-57205566598099648442011-02-07T22:25:00.000-05:002011-02-14T14:03:10.870-05:00Day 427 - Modern Medicine<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJT3QMeRmgXfaTDEmHfe61Y2e5LJp221EEkU8TjdjpoWZdi2bDGDGasZ3fr6STultUMin35C1VDXek5H3P_dkjIl1Jo62A-UhOPvE9Trx_gxdn4-DBUuBVRCWHn6kjUTXjQNEbNOHdLZkE/s1600/imagesCAHD436P.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 133px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5573622765495898306" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJT3QMeRmgXfaTDEmHfe61Y2e5LJp221EEkU8TjdjpoWZdi2bDGDGasZ3fr6STultUMin35C1VDXek5H3P_dkjIl1Jo62A-UhOPvE9Trx_gxdn4-DBUuBVRCWHn6kjUTXjQNEbNOHdLZkE/s200/imagesCAHD436P.jpg" /></a>I love Chinese medicine. I love how natural and organic it is. I love the miracles it seems to create - non-invasive, simple, pure. But sometimes, modern medicine needs to step in. My son has been struggling with high fevers and what we thought was an ear infection. We were doing all the right things but his fever had been in the 103-104 range for 5 days now. It was time to try something else. And lo and behold, after two doses of antibiotics, his temperature is normal. Overall, I think we, as a culture, overdo antibiotics. But when you use them when you're supposed to? Joy!Joyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14994707297456839402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746094847177797440.post-75852298733740299512011-02-06T19:46:00.001-05:002011-02-14T13:55:03.055-05:00Day 426 - Secretariat<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYn0EASWt19puHantKl_Rr780tqw1F7kebHRWHOROgu1C7ZAf-x3KsSrMa7Tdrqfxqd0xzsg2na_ku3s4OCg51RWgJwgbVM93G6zD3XK3VeVHSlSbCiP4_1L_o7O4eRMtlfn9MQZOoBIu9/s1600/Secretariat-Movie-Poster.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 133px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5573620461543011202" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYn0EASWt19puHantKl_Rr780tqw1F7kebHRWHOROgu1C7ZAf-x3KsSrMa7Tdrqfxqd0xzsg2na_ku3s4OCg51RWgJwgbVM93G6zD3XK3VeVHSlSbCiP4_1L_o7O4eRMtlfn9MQZOoBIu9/s200/Secretariat-Movie-Poster.jpg" /></a>No news here that I'm a big Disney fan. I'll watch any movie they produce. Secretariat was no exception. We watched it today, cuddled on the couch, with popcorn and drinks and enjoyed every minute. I love how Disney creates movies both kids and parents can enjoy together. And I loved the story of this amazing horse. My parents owned a race horse once, and I never witnessed mistreatment of the animals. I did, however, witness the pure joy that horses seem to feel, being allowed to stretch their legs and move as fast as they can. Secretariat seemed to embody that joy. Plain and simple.Joyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14994707297456839402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746094847177797440.post-16177223051783213252011-02-05T11:12:00.000-05:002011-02-14T13:46:28.568-05:00Day 425 - Stat Counter<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgex96Dr6x8C4utvcPmPpS1D6Ruy_RGHNOznkQZ3vTLAkahMpeqK-MtHKmCsf4gjaqX7NLuijK5UHKQrdYLkbhTxrkuKMVZeH0GmYY2TwkYXB1DCcwLdzKdOORISqflJ5Qx2cmQveYcIVte/s1600/website-statistics1.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 182px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5573618349119158018" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgex96Dr6x8C4utvcPmPpS1D6Ruy_RGHNOznkQZ3vTLAkahMpeqK-MtHKmCsf4gjaqX7NLuijK5UHKQrdYLkbhTxrkuKMVZeH0GmYY2TwkYXB1DCcwLdzKdOORISqflJ5Qx2cmQveYcIVte/s200/website-statistics1.jpg" /></a>I wish I were more timely in publishing my daily joy. And I've explained before how I carry a little notebook with me to jot down the joy of the day so I don't forget. I hate it that I haven't made the time to regularly utilize this blog - both for joy posting and for exploring those few who check in or have a similar blog mission. I will try to do better. I truly will. But for now, for today, when I'm a little discouraged by the lack of interest in my humble blog - Stat Counter shines a little joy. It says that, yes, indeed, people are peeking in. Not many. But a few. Making it worth it to me to continue.Joyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14994707297456839402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746094847177797440.post-36704357508925302252011-02-04T13:35:00.000-05:002011-02-14T13:38:00.369-05:00Day 424 - Turtles<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo61KYKgVR_geBgbC1WUYhtyU4F5YmSXNgaU2LW51vR0fAk5fGeyRpiddyAS0ysBtVZLzS-ZixEJAkfQsv9FgbzeOZDlmFJ37T-wT7yAPUPrAQEZAQutKjVXumHgD5u-pAVPKQ-o0VLB6-/s1600/turtles1.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5573616239953660802" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo61KYKgVR_geBgbC1WUYhtyU4F5YmSXNgaU2LW51vR0fAk5fGeyRpiddyAS0ysBtVZLzS-ZixEJAkfQsv9FgbzeOZDlmFJ37T-wT7yAPUPrAQEZAQutKjVXumHgD5u-pAVPKQ-o0VLB6-/s200/turtles1.jpg" /></a>Turtles. Simply turtles. You know when someone laughs and then, even though you don't get the joke, you laugh too? Today was one of those days. Just the mere mention of them sent my youngest into a fit of giggles. So today's joy is brought to you by turtles.Joyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14994707297456839402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746094847177797440.post-72792083316137096082011-02-03T17:12:00.000-05:002011-02-09T17:18:13.453-05:00Day 423 - Alaskan Go Fish<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp8TPotsg50xcsRDAoyhXM4gQpkM6e_3kUyOUvfVycXX_f1knRxMc3wkJszzjAXxfpeogFMy62wawnGDsV6ScHWiv6p1kjhQutHIKrZDxUZjNB4ySqnt4NRcL4A57TQZwl6X5lGkmMPfFo/s1600/1278254135243-1968040750.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 175px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 125px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5571817325223942418" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp8TPotsg50xcsRDAoyhXM4gQpkM6e_3kUyOUvfVycXX_f1knRxMc3wkJszzjAXxfpeogFMy62wawnGDsV6ScHWiv6p1kjhQutHIKrZDxUZjNB4ySqnt4NRcL4A57TQZwl6X5lGkmMPfFo/s200/1278254135243-1968040750.jpg" /></a>My mother-in-law buys the kids the craziest and best gifts sometimes. Last summer they went on an Alaskan cruise and bought the boys a card game - Alaskan Go-Fish. My oldest son is home sick today and he wanted to play. Pretty soon we were playing the best out of 5, the best out of 7, the best out of 15. Yes, 15 games asking each other, "Do you have any Pink Salmon? Do you have any Brook Trout?" Hilarious and joy!Joyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14994707297456839402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746094847177797440.post-60164392049729629832011-02-02T16:32:00.001-05:002011-02-09T17:12:32.878-05:00Day 422 - Hot Chocolate<img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 160px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5571816020608556242" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVe2NzR1_4kq1MAZKwroZ6z-Rc9QXKjLdMpCe40577QgwqEpcuB4fCnTOIX3FSs5aCP0R0hGmliZJVtLqYGjcsDtVTzA0ryndqiTwN0qfv1_FC2eIyCmwrDjn-hBFzDNrfJ5A4gNAU29xx/s200/hot_chocolate.jpg" />Such a simple, winter drink but brings back such good memories of snowy afternoons of my childhood. I no longer live in the snow (thank goodness!) but that doesn't mean I can't share my love of hot chocolate with my kids. Today was a rainy and bitterly cold day. Hot chocolate and whipped cream to the rescue! Chocolate joy in a cup!Joyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14994707297456839402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746094847177797440.post-63161533576265060282011-02-01T12:02:00.000-05:002011-02-09T17:08:22.597-05:00Day 421 - Pathwords<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisPEi7_AjSubrw1iPTJflOVBorEfXSHVhIg1izPYqd2aF2B0AtzNMjWRBi6rZ7vz4Fze0qzQGXW5EbhW4tccLjXajDWeYl7YizKjaiIXB0lXpooZJLUw8L3OEnCeiKTSnguJAu6jS0DLVK/s1600/ipmages.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 185px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 140px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5571815031588596050" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisPEi7_AjSubrw1iPTJflOVBorEfXSHVhIg1izPYqd2aF2B0AtzNMjWRBi6rZ7vz4Fze0qzQGXW5EbhW4tccLjXajDWeYl7YizKjaiIXB0lXpooZJLUw8L3OEnCeiKTSnguJAu6jS0DLVK/s200/ipmages.jpg" /></a>I love this Facebook/Zynga game. Each round is five minutes long and the time just flies. I'm a good player but not the best player....yet. ;) Practice makes perfect, right? It's a pastime that exercises parts of my brain and allows other parts to relax. And a balanced brain brings me joy.Joyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14994707297456839402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746094847177797440.post-27934505937940583322011-01-31T15:03:00.000-05:002011-01-31T15:03:00.299-05:00Day 420 - Hint Water<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNjzMMypIt-Hm3-pH39TLYE3scBETQ0IHcK_03-kI3zYaMwdwBa1pku4r9AL5CUXTPk6woRa3KYexNW_US8W6zpBt3YLf3TElk2B2skKWSLi96Z-OZ-VM5JDG9nqoHXOtGFIV-mCle1N99/s1600/hint-water.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 122px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568428384790648978" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNjzMMypIt-Hm3-pH39TLYE3scBETQ0IHcK_03-kI3zYaMwdwBa1pku4r9AL5CUXTPk6woRa3KYexNW_US8W6zpBt3YLf3TElk2B2skKWSLi96Z-OZ-VM5JDG9nqoHXOtGFIV-mCle1N99/s200/hint-water.jpg" /></a>I have been craving this water and I hate how hard it is to purchase in bulk. I probably should just go to Amazon and try to get it delivered. I could drink this stuff all day long. And I'm trying so hard to stay away from the sugary cokes and sweet teas I succumb to all day long. I found one in the back of the refrigerator just a few moments ago and, I mean it, JOY. Truly. It's like tasting joy.Joyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14994707297456839402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746094847177797440.post-50288466477785525912011-01-30T21:16:00.001-05:002011-01-31T14:01:34.560-05:00Day 419 - A Fresh Coat of Paint<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlW1Wh8oNAnO_zPV5X52Gpt_YpLWM8zFbG_VYROnm8Zw1V4QDjerfwGMtcDp_oBYmL32btSAcrTwQcvkX1iTR_2cPen2DGWdB19PG1VLTia04-gFKo0CFyHdcTKayS3ia1U3YXspaulBYw/s1600/imagesCAUP9RXC.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568426869729003682" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlW1Wh8oNAnO_zPV5X52Gpt_YpLWM8zFbG_VYROnm8Zw1V4QDjerfwGMtcDp_oBYmL32btSAcrTwQcvkX1iTR_2cPen2DGWdB19PG1VLTia04-gFKo0CFyHdcTKayS3ia1U3YXspaulBYw/s200/imagesCAUP9RXC.jpg" /></a>It's amazing to me what a fresh coat of paint can do to change the look of your home. We've been talking about painting the boys' bedroom and bath for some time now. And we're finally doing it. Or should I say, my husband is doing it and I'm prepping, cleaning up after and keeping the kids out of his hair. What a difference it has made! The bath is a sandy beach color that fits their seaside decor so perfectly. And the bedroom is shaping up with a gorgeous denim blue color to start. Their bedroom is going to be three colors; the blue, some of the sandy brown and a stripe of red. We'll be finishing next weekend but already it looks amazing! A color boost of joy!Joyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14994707297456839402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746094847177797440.post-51673898090522962692011-01-29T19:51:00.001-05:002011-01-31T13:55:29.264-05:00Day 418 - Library<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqE193cIAlENv7vEbxG9pp2exijF0Gr5TvbL9zXENZ5LUukNEa00PgMfy5Nwkgipzo6yYSsxwv4YxNuUwytPGhRt560xi98DBHGUH4gXY-3zko3CdMMQgA6VxR3J-ie6TKcZQsCgmxSpQB/s1600/imagesCAOPS7ND.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568425250943240402" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqE193cIAlENv7vEbxG9pp2exijF0Gr5TvbL9zXENZ5LUukNEa00PgMfy5Nwkgipzo6yYSsxwv4YxNuUwytPGhRt560xi98DBHGUH4gXY-3zko3CdMMQgA6VxR3J-ie6TKcZQsCgmxSpQB/s200/imagesCAOPS7ND.jpg" /></a>I love our library. I love thumbing through the stacks. I love <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">cozy-ing</span> up to the fireplace (our library has a fireplace!) and sifting through my selections. I especially love it when I can come here alone and putter around without children in tow. Today's hour in the library was simple, pure, absolute joy. (Thanks, husband!)Joyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14994707297456839402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746094847177797440.post-67412680951465339702011-01-28T14:18:00.000-05:002011-01-31T13:51:05.112-05:00Day 417 - Berry Pie<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiLBEFaHT0rQS5VfQ3R5uHVUlFjs4-ao-OCzB0whgpuLkjpLjQSUUO5MOkicZM6g_6Dsp_cAoFwOpIFgszeGzVkkCC2GYdy-e6dgTGVwoH9YjbbjJCAlAieoYGz1rvgRKvs-lCCW8kVgxk/s1600/106866.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 179px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568424354642288082" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiLBEFaHT0rQS5VfQ3R5uHVUlFjs4-ao-OCzB0whgpuLkjpLjQSUUO5MOkicZM6g_6Dsp_cAoFwOpIFgszeGzVkkCC2GYdy-e6dgTGVwoH9YjbbjJCAlAieoYGz1rvgRKvs-lCCW8kVgxk/s200/106866.jpg" /></a>I'm suprising my family tonight with a berry pie. They've been requesting cherry pie but I had fresh blueberries leftover, so I snuck those in, too. And because I'm hopeless with pie crust, I made a strusel topping, instead. It smells so delicious in this house right now. I can't wait to dig in. A little joy for my family and certainly joy in making this yummy dessert!Joyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14994707297456839402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746094847177797440.post-12399466510774102902011-01-27T17:02:00.001-05:002011-01-31T13:46:58.697-05:00Day 416 - Aveda Foot Cream<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsd3ltT6HoD17sIVaqosw-6qP4cyXubEUDQ5A3GZbZ2EjN0-tUO-MuSUNx7GNMFKUYMBBh7IWSLztBbULL4s_B2atA8HVQL5VbhIiRzlQUIYYI8wCFAzGlTpz3j_0dGlvS20vj61JaDQfi/s1600/footcream.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568423345135815682" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsd3ltT6HoD17sIVaqosw-6qP4cyXubEUDQ5A3GZbZ2EjN0-tUO-MuSUNx7GNMFKUYMBBh7IWSLztBbULL4s_B2atA8HVQL5VbhIiRzlQUIYYI8wCFAzGlTpz3j_0dGlvS20vj61JaDQfi/s200/footcream.jpg" /></a>To continue an Aveda theme....I love their foot cream. A little pricey, yes. But does it work? Absolutely! I'm not very good at remembering to use it regularly. Since Christmas, I've make good progress, applying it about 3 times a week at night before bed. And what a difference it's made! No cracks. No snags. Just smooth, soft feet. This is worth continuing. Joy in foot cream? You'd better believe it!Joyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14994707297456839402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746094847177797440.post-44892285553636218402011-01-26T13:34:00.000-05:002011-01-31T13:42:52.800-05:00Day 415 - Aveda Shampure<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigpP5O7czl0YEHs_VR6nCpX4d1tKhCJo9x_ylHM5D_z6_FHmlioydvvvWY3idv8N9hyphenhyphen59u6aKWxOB22Zb-BMUx1iFWG9eblUbYrTL8QHFqZQ6SIY2xyYAoOrAcEWIZzaOVjEClz0gaNyY0/s1600/imagesCA7OFW83.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 160px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568421994847598338" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigpP5O7czl0YEHs_VR6nCpX4d1tKhCJo9x_ylHM5D_z6_FHmlioydvvvWY3idv8N9hyphenhyphen59u6aKWxOB22Zb-BMUx1iFWG9eblUbYrTL8QHFqZQ6SIY2xyYAoOrAcEWIZzaOVjEClz0gaNyY0/s200/imagesCA7OFW83.jpg" /></a>I should be a spokesperson for Aveda. I've used their products since I was a teen - when they were first introduced. I was a competitive swimmer at the time and their hair products kept my hair shiny and healthy, despite being submerged in chlorine for 3-4 hours a day. When I would get my hair cut the stylist never believed that I was a swimmer. But I was. And Aveda shampoos and conditioners are what kept my swimming secret. Today, I adore the Shampure line. Whenever I take a break from them (which I did recently) I come crawling back to Shampure. Thank you Aveda, for a little hair healthy joy!Joyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14994707297456839402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746094847177797440.post-52861808204491586612011-01-25T12:02:00.000-05:002011-01-26T12:06:34.171-05:00Day 414 - Snail Mail<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4-uSKm5chM_YYPvVytLnolu0KIFfrF9HLmsmUr1xD5joNPxF2Im-97zI1bOsxYLqzAfWUv9iVDPPMCO0haDaTLB87sY3IfUq76kQ-5HZwQy9UB3_1sKSuJCW5A9DZFeLDHo69nc1BV4VT/s1600/snail-mail.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5566542074165810706" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4-uSKm5chM_YYPvVytLnolu0KIFfrF9HLmsmUr1xD5joNPxF2Im-97zI1bOsxYLqzAfWUv9iVDPPMCO0haDaTLB87sY3IfUq76kQ-5HZwQy9UB3_1sKSuJCW5A9DZFeLDHo69nc1BV4VT/s200/snail-mail.jpg" /></a>I sure love receiving snail mail but I love sending snail mail almost as much. Today, I was on a roll. I sent two birthday cards, a note to my sister, a magazine article to a friend and a silly card for a blogging buddy. I had intended to just sit down and send the birthday cards, as one was long overdue. But then I remembered this silly card I had and I knew just the person to send it to. It snowballed from there and before I knew it, I was putting stamps on five pieces of snail mail. It's so much fun to receive. And a joy to send!Joyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14994707297456839402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746094847177797440.post-82581656482928531322011-01-24T19:52:00.000-05:002011-01-26T12:02:27.864-05:00Day 413 - Scented Candles<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOGJDDoOYWy2onNB-IJt9XA5VfWEEmjzdrgJCX3uXSSJurmN2npQGiwyKMLDEt6shCIeXWFBhEt834Fl4t8epVUstTgKd0fE4wqtu0Ede18-cEhvuyFzsutMClj6FxK31V4lbEj5sV_3Ut/s1600/imagesCALN6WOP.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5566540871576164146" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOGJDDoOYWy2onNB-IJt9XA5VfWEEmjzdrgJCX3uXSSJurmN2npQGiwyKMLDEt6shCIeXWFBhEt834Fl4t8epVUstTgKd0fE4wqtu0Ede18-cEhvuyFzsutMClj6FxK31V4lbEj5sV_3Ut/s200/imagesCALN6WOP.jpg" /></a>I love to cook but sometimes I don't like lingering cooking smells. That's where my scented candles come out to play. I'm pretty picky about my scented candles, though. They can't be too flowery and I'm not fond of cinnamon or fruit smells. I typically stick with the clean scents of fresh laundry or the sea. Sometimes I allow vanilla to sneak in. Tonight, after dinner, I wanted a fresh, clean start for the day tomorrow. I scrubbed the kitchen and then lit my favorite candle that reminds me of the beach. Ahhhhh. Scented joy. I feel warmer already.Joyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14994707297456839402noreply@blogger.com0