laugh : (mini-challenge #5)

Friday was the last of my mini-challenges. Now, granted, this week was a little skewed because - let's face it - I can't be gloomy when in the company of my sisters. On Friday Kelli and I loaded up the kids and headed down to the Ben and Jerry's factory - about a 40 minute drive. The kids were in somewhat close quarters so, of course, there was whining coming from the back seat. I was driving, and Kelli was pulling out every trick in her 18-years-of-motherhood book, but to know avail. At one point it seemed we were going to be successful with the "I'm going to Ben and Jerry's and I am bringing something that begins with the letter A... etc." game, but it ended in hysterics at the letter D. Kelli and I just looked at each other and started laughing. There was nothing else to do. If I was on my own, I probably would have started yelling, but laughing worked out so much better. We were soon at our destination, and good times were had by all.

The same technique worked again on Saturday when I caught a certain child with crumbs down their front while insisting that it was their sibling that got into Katie's birthday cake while it was cooling. With a "Grr..." I went huffing downstairs when Kelli's daughter said, "Our Mom 'Grrs' at us too." And then once again we started to laugh. And then we realized that we get it from our mother and that at least one other sister also "Grrs" at their kids. Even though I was still annoyed about Katie's deformed cake, life moved on, Katie didn't care and I felt much happier having taken a moment to laugh.

Granted, it is a lot easier to laugh with someone. I'll have to try this challenge again when I am on my own. (Perhaps I should have tried it today when I was taking a screaming Jack out of Sacrament Meeting during a prayer. ... )


Overall, I feel much happier this week. I would say my mini-challenges were a success.  I think it was a good way to kick-start a path to a happier mood. Every person has down times and good times, seasons of sorrow and seasons of joy. I don't mean to say that we can't or shouldn't feel down or sad sometimes. Sometimes the best thing is a good cry. It is great to know, however, that I have power within me to get myself out of a rut and to feel better. 

just add music : (mini challenge #4)

Thursday my sis came to town. She brought 3 of her kids and it was a party. I loved having her here. Thursday morning I was trying to get the house straightened up and I started to feel stressed. My to-do list was running through my head. I thought I was managing it pretty well until Dave called and wanted to switch up the day a bit. Suddenly my stress level started rising. Until I remembered my mini-challenge #4 : Turn on some good tunes and sing and dance.  So that's what I did. Pretty soon the stress began to dissipate.  True, the house didn't get nearly as clean as I would have liked, but it is my sister, after all, and she still loves me. Heck, she even helped me clean it up a bit, which I really appreciated. Nothing like uplifting music to clear the cobwebs our our souls.

5 things: (mini-challenge #3)

5 little things I loved about today:

*I got a new dryer. Hooray! I actually want to do my laundry.
*Watching Jack carry around the map at Shelburne Museum and try to figure out which way we needed to go.
*Ana had perfect manners tonight at dinner.
*Katie took a nice nap early on in the day which meant she went to bed very easily.
*Katie singing, "I touch a bouy. I touch a bouy" over and over again. (She likes to sing about random things. A few weeks ago while at the lake, Dave took her out to the bouy and let her touch it.)

(I am trying to find joy in little things. Today we had a really fun day that ended in fireworks, but I still tried to keep them focused on everyday happenings.  I'll update with some pictures at a future date.)

think outside: (mini-challenge #2)

Yesterday's challenge was to do something for someone outside of my home.

I often get so caught up in my list of to-dos around the house that I forget to actually think about people outside my little space. Yesterday I made a conscience decision to make some phone calls to some friends and catch up on some Relief Society assignments I needed to do. I really think that taking the opportunity to take a break from minutia and focus outwardly is a major principle in finding everyday happiness.

serve with a smile: (mini-challenge #1)

Thanks for your comments on my post yesterday. I know such amazing people.


I once head someone say, "Don't do something for someone that they can do for themselves."  It is all in the name of curbing entitlement and what not. There are times when I resent even small requests for help from my older kids or from Dave in the name of "They can do it themselves."  Today I decided to go the other direction. I woke up determined to serve with a smile.  To be willing to step away from what I was doing to help or to serve. Now that the day is over, I can see evidence that my willingness to serve helped the atmosphere in the home way more than it hindered it. As I sit typing this, I don't even feel like I was being imposed upon either. In fact, I feel happier for serving my family.

Now, the first rule of experimentation is to isolate the variable. Okay, I don't know if that is the first rule, but it is a rule. Today was a day of many variables, so it is difficult to analyze the result. Maybe I feel happier because I hit 23 out of 24 pitches at the batting cage tonight.  Or that I helped a friend paint her basement after the kids were in bed.

Whatever. I am happy tonight.