100 Things That Make Me Happy

I am still trying to decide what my New Year's resolution will be. A friend suggested I check out the website www.43things.com - a site dedicated to people's journey to accomplish their goals. So, I looked at it, and got lots of ideas. I still don't know what I want it to be though - I guess I first need to figure out what's most important for me right now. One thing that I saw on that site was that lots of people were making lists of 100 things that made them happy (besides money or the direct result of money). I liked the idea of looking for blessings in my life. So, I decided to start a list. These will be in the order I think of them (as opposed to how happy they make me). Here goes...

1. Waking up next to Aaron
2. Hearing "MOMMY!" when I pick up Alex from the church nursery
3. Hot cocoa on a cold day
4. My faith in God
5. The smell of a new car
6. Walking into Staples or Office Max
7. Online "window shopping" at Crate & Barrel, Williams-Sonoma & Pottery Barn
8. Getting Christmas cards
9. A day all alone - without any kiddos fussing or the phone ringing
10. Looking at old photos
11. Reliving good memories
12. Crossing things off my to do list (not doing them as much as crossing them off)
13. Garlic bread
14. Going out to eat (and not being the person to cook dinner or clean-up)
15. Reading the Sunday circulars
16. Finding a good deal at the store
17. The sound of my toddler's voice
18. My baby's smile
19. Having the time to read
20. Vacation
21. Family time (with lots of giggles) laying on our bed in the morning
22. Sleeping all night in front of (white) blinking Christmas tree lights
23. A beautifully wrapped present
24. Watching it snow
25. Listening to it rain on a tin roof
26. Kittens
27. Watching a movie while curled up under a blanket
28. Pasta!
29. Bedtime hugs & kisses
30. Having a full calendar & the energy to do what's written on it
31. Laying in Aaron's "shoulder pit"
32. Christmas music
33. A hot shower (not allowed baths anymore)
34. Having accomplished something worthwhile
35. Having options in my life
36. Getting emails
37. Unexpected acts of kindness
38. Hanging out with old friends
39. My Martha Stewart Living magazine subscription
40. Christmas decorations
41. Entertaining
42. Cleaning (as long as I have the energy to do it)
43. Art by John William Waterhouse
44. Playing Solitaire on the computer
45. Having the stylist wash my hair (when I get it cut)
46. Online grocery shopping
47. Watching my kids accomplish something new
48. Sleeping-in
49. Writing out checks (and having the money in the bank to cover the bills)
50. When my house is clean and tidy at the same time
51. When the boys nap at the same time and the house is quiet
52. Friends
53. Organizing things
54. Receiving and giving honest compliments
55. Starbucks: Grande Half-Calf Skinny Caramel Mocha with Whip
56. Fresh flowers
57. The scent of fresh cut grass
58. Designing my dream house
59. Rearranging furniture
60. Playing games with friends
61. Being appreciated for being myself
62. Love letters
63. Flavored coffee
64. Moose trax ice cream with chocolate syrup on top
65. Blogging and reading my friends' blogs
66. Watching the A&E (5 hour) Pride & Prejudice series
67. Mini Reeses Peanut Butter Cups
68. Knowing what I want from life
69. Seeing how far God's brought us
70. Autumn - decorations and the changing leaves
71. Planning things - events, goals, parties, gifts, etc.
72. When I don't kill a potted plant
73. Taking a nap on the couch
74. Looking at beautiful houses (in magazines or in person)
75. Summer thunderstorms
76. The look of pure joy on his face when Aaron skis
77. Ironed bedsheets
78. Daydreaming
79. Going on a date with my husband
80. White pumpkins
81. Listening to mellow music
82. An empty laundry basket
83. Helping a friend
84. Aaron soothing the crying baby at 3 am - and 4 am - and again at 5:30
85. HGTV and the Food Network
86. Washing our cars on a warm summer afternoon
87. Little boys wearing overalls
88. The snooze button
89. Wearing slippers
90. Cute old men
91. Burning candles - especially vanilla scented ones
92. The sound of my boys laughing uncontrollably
93. The feeling of my clean teeth after using my electric toothbrush
94. Tissues that are soft on your nose
95. Birthday parties
96. When Aaron turns his phone off (and stops working for the day)
97. On a cold day, using the "butt warmers" in the front seats of Aaron's Subaru Outback
98. Hearing a song and having it bring back a good memory
99. Family
100. Realizing it only took 45 minutes to come up with this many things!

There's so much that makes me happy in life! Hopefully some of these things will come to mind when I'm having a downer moment.... What makes YOU happy?