I am a little starstruck that Diary of a New Mom author, Abby/ Mom2Miles, asked me to participate in this blog-chain-mail thing.  I was so excited to see Personal Faves on her post that I forwarded it to my  husband and called my mom.  You guys know how much I enjoy reading Diary of a New Mom so I’m taking this request pretty seriously!

10 Things That Make Me Happy

1.) Family: Just like Diary of a New Mom, what would Personal Faves be without my two favorite boys??  My husband David makes me laugh at least twenty-one times per week.  [I figured around 3 times per day!]  He is not afraid to be silly and that confidence and zest for humor always makes me happy.  My little guy Graham does his “turbo crawl” when I come home from work.  He gets a giant smile and  just beelines for me.  I mean seriously, it melts my heart every single time.  I also love my extended family and am just very lucky!

2.) Chocolate: need I say more?  Brownies, ice cream, candy… you name it; I love it.  If only it were calorie and fat free… which brings me to # 3.

3.) The euphoria you experience when done exercising: Mom2Miles is a fellow exerciser and she hit the nail on the head in her description: physical activity is something I’ve done my whole life and I can’t imagine feeling healthy or happy without it.  That being said, I’m not jumping around shouting for joy to go to the gym at the end of a long work day.  I am, however, smiling REALLY BIG when I leave the gym sweaty, tired, and triumphant!  “It’s over!!” I say to myself.  My desire to be fit has won out again over my desire to eat chocolate on the couch and the hard part is all done with when I’m walking out the gym door.  Success.

4.) Makeup: Where to begin?!  I’ve always been a girly-girl and loved makeup but I have a deeper appreciation for it now that I am really tired.  I developed these “perma-circles” [short for permanent]  under my eyes after having Graham.  Even though he sleeps through the night now it’s like I aged overnight [David suggested I write "It was like I aged 20 years overnight.  Thanks hun.]!  This is where my love of makeup comes in.  A little concealer, a little blush and I instantly look alive again.  There have been times my girlfriend Kristen and I wondered how we ever went out in public before being introduced to brow filler. 

5.) Foreign Languages: I am halfway through this list and am realizing that there have to be some more “important” things that make me happy rather than just makeup and chocolate!  I love foreign languages and wish I had all the time in the world to just take classes, travel to those places, and practice speaking.  I was a French major in college and I remember very clearly when I told my mom I was passionate about French poetry.  She looked at me and said something along the lines of, “That’s nice honey… I hope you are considering law school.”

6.) Thursday Nights: This is seriously my favorite time of the week.  I am anticipating the weekend and not even so much dreading work on Friday.  It seems that everyone is in a better mood on Fridays at work anyway and I know I’m just one workday away from the weekend.  Plus I get to watch Grey’s Anatomy and usually I am tired of cooking and we order out or pick something up.  What could make a better night?!

7.) Baking and Cooking: I grew up being told to go read a book rather than enter the kitchen.  I was only too happy to oblige.  Since becoming a wife, and more recently a mom, I figured I better learn how to make some food other than Lean Cuisine.  I’m not gourmet and I probably only cook three times a week but boy do I feel so proud when I prepare a good meal or bake something really tasty.  I tell myself I am Super Mom!!  Yes, I really say that and yes, it really makes me smile.  I owe a big thanks to my friend Maureen for her inspiring blog.  I also have to give a nod to my mom because she and I were in the same boat [non-cooks] and boy has she come a LONG way!  Now I’m asking her for recipes.  You go mom.

8.) The Sun: This would not be a realistic post about 10 things that make me happy if I didn’t include the sun.  I would have said travel but I’m being honest.  I just want to travel to a hot place, plunk myself by the ocean or pool, and drink a Corona Light with  lime.  Who doesn’t look good with a tan?  I know, I know, it’s dangerous and causes cancer.  I should add that I always wear 30 sunscreen when in a tropical location.  Seriously though, we took a baby-moon to Acapulco and even then I didn’t mind having a big preggers belly because I was tan!  If I didn’t work full-time then I think I’d like to travel to other less-hot places but right now this woman is so tired I just need some R & R!

9.) Clothes: Shopping is one of my favorite things to do; if only I had more money!!  There’s nothing like that feeling of finding a great sweater, jeans, or something you feel hot in and know you’ll wear all the time.  When I was feeling really depressed about going back to work this fall David knew what would cheer me up: Shopping Spree!  I got to celebrate being back in shape post baby and seriously a day on Michigan Ave., courtesy of my husband, made me feel a lot better.  Then, every time I put on a new item I still felt good.  Imagine going to a wedding and you’re like, “I have the perfect thing to wear!”  I just love clothes.

10.) My Friends: You know who you are!  I have friends who have helped me through some of the worst times of my life.  Friends have offered me support in more ways than I can count.  When I swore I was going to die from lack of sleep I had so many mommy friends tell me to hang in there and offer advice.  I just have some of the best friends anyone can ask for.  They are thoughtful, caring, fun, and just great people.  I love you guys!

OK, well I don’t even know ten bloggers but the following are friends who might keep the blog-chain-mail thing going and I consider you a sweet friend.  I’d love to hear what makes you happy [in no particular order!]

The Springer’s Daily Grind

The Bathricks

Addie-n-Emee

Homemade Mothering

The Porchlight

Nicole Rufuku

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