• celebrating Dad's birthday at a favorite restaurant
• Cadbury mini-eggs
• Horizons
• students' prayers for my family
• committed volunteers to assemble Friday folders

• phone conversation with a friend (after far too long)
• playing (& learning) with the sand table
• seeing my name on a student's paper in response to the question, "Who is your hero?"
• great message in chapel
• down time with my one and only

• students working independently and being proud of how they have grown since September
• leisurely walk with one of my best
• dinner at the Hulsebos' like old times
• Riesling
• crafty picture frames that I now want to make

• excitement over tickets
• pretty bracelet from Haiti
• finding a Lego in the hem of my pants after school
• congratulatory support from colleagues
• catching up with a friend
• reassurance of a job for another year

• celebrating my husband
• being in church again after missing out on a couple Sundays
• seeing family
• "Happy Day" by Tim Hughes
• a Sunday with no schoolwork

• accomplishing 10 pages of my wedding scrapbook
• shopping (splurging)
• family coming home safely from FL
• quesadilla with mango-peach salsa
• baking a cake for my love's birthday
• Friends and Cheez-Its in bed

FRIDAY, MARCH 25, 2011

• a hubby that was happy to go home and lug over ALL of my scrapbooking stuff
• going through fewer tissues
• spreading out my scrapbook gear and not putting it away
• finishing my planning for next week (back to reality soon)
• a letter from school with good news!

• engagement pictures online
• shopping spree
• Chopped
• visit with a friend I missed
• "Pursuit" by L.A. Kuehlke

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23, 2011

• hubby playing hooky to keep me company
• shampoo massage while getting my hair cut
• making a donation to the upcoming Auction Elegance (keep your eyes out for a.j.e.less designs!)
• pizza & a movie
• going to bed early

• staying fever-free all day
• gift card from Grandma
• catching up with my cousin
• organizing wedding pictures
• getting out of my sweats and out of the house!

• two cars for the week
• puppy to keep me company
• "feel better" flowers from my love
• phone calls from Florida with exciting news!
• a soon to be new sister
• Glee Season 1 finale

I missed the boat on the blog again yesterday. I guess this is what happens when I am out of routine! :) To get back on track, today's list is a combination of the little things that made me smile from yesterday and today:

• feeling well enough to celebrate a friend's birthday
• Sixteen Handles frozen yogurt
• a birthday song
• laughing so hard that I can't stop coughing
• well-behaved and happy puppy
• having no agenda for the day

Oops! I completely overlooked the blog yesterday. I will blame it on the fact that it was a sick day. :( I spent most of the day in bed. But of course, I will seek out the positives from Friday:

• game time with friends, even when I don't win ;)
• temps. in the 70's!
• my fever broke
• naps
• loving husband to care for me in sickness and health

• comfort of my bed when I'm not feeling 100%
• good friends to cheer me up
• flexible substitutes
• soup & bread from Panera (thanks to my love)
• warm enough to have the windows open

• relaxing pedicure
• delicious dinner with a fun couple
• Advil & a nap to fight off anything the kids are trying to pass along to me
• words of encouragement from the office staff
• taking pictures of the 4th grade musical
• parents who follow through at home

• seeing my grandparents again after their long stay in FL
• brown and white brownies
• Bible slideshows
• more good news for the hubby: acceptance into a summer language program in Jordan
• coming to the rescue for a fellow teacher

• no students in the principal's office today!
• kind strangers at CVS Caremark to answer my questions
• so many willing students to pray for earthquake & tsunami victims in Japan (even those who are usually too shy to speak up!)
• caring co-worker who volunteered to "give me a lift"
• girls night - great combination of ladies, wine, and The Bachelor
• hubby on spring break and generously using his time to help me out

• sleeping in
• longer days!
• a walk in the park with the hubby
• knowing a better weekend lies ahead
• weekly updates from college friends
• www.simplynoise.com

• 2 lazy, but cute black labs to keep me company
• feeling the sun's warm rays while taking a walk
• planning ahead
• not having to go outside to do laundry
• reading others' blogs
• mom & dad's help to keep our basement dry

• a teacher who is willing to come in on his day off to sub in my class
• a peaceful and quiet day at school (for me at least!)
• feeling refreshed with new ideas to try in my classroom
• blue sky after days of rain
• reunion of the triangle!
• an amazing husband who takes care of me and our house without complaining

• wonderful school nurse
• supportive friends who provided a "pick-me-up" after a tough day (a hug and blueberry muffin donut did the trick)
• encouraging words from a forgiving parent
• cancelled plans, resulting in not taking work home (for 1 night at least!)
• sharing "scary stories" in class
• delving deeper into my fallenness and God's holiness through small group

ordering a canvas print of this image
(for only $40 - gotta love Groupon!)

• ECHS musical (and wishing I could still be in one!)
• extra income from house/dog-sitting
• coming home to my husband's cooking
• entranced students during Story Time
• new ideas from my mentor
• watching my students genuinely have fun at school

• a wonderful teacher who volunteered to cover my class during lunch so that I could eat in peace
• a younger brother that makes me proud
• delicious home-style meal
• good relationship with my cooperating teacher
• snow is melting!

• cousins
• iced animal crackers
• a husband who is supportive and good at listening, even if he can't make it better
• cooking dinner
• cuddling on the love seat with one of my loves
• friends' crazy stories

• challenging sermon series
• watching a husband who is on leave from the Navy wrap his arm around his wife and daughter in church this morning
• back scratch
• feeling productive = ready for a new week
• Pandora Radio
• encouragement from an old teacher
• a wonderful husband who did my job of cleaning the bathroom
• juicy clementines

• ignoring the alarm this morning
• much needed walk with a friend
• helping with my first photo shoot
• celebratory dinner
• followers on the blog - thanks!

• students excited to show off hard work on their animal habitat projects
• break from the Friday routine
• happy hour with the girls
• Glee soundtrack
• relief from worry

• enjoying a present that was delivered to my desk drawer
• supportive colleagues who are willing to help out at last minute notice
• news of new life
• kids working quietly (at least for a little while!)
• hearing my students pray for my loved ones

• the students' faces as they entered "Eagletown Airport"
• dressing like a flight attendant
• funding from NYU for next year!
• sharing good news with loved ones
• longer lunch break
• oatmeal chocolate chip cookies (thanks mom!)

• March - one step closer to summer!
• help from a friend in my time of need
• a school "transformed" into an airport
• Amano in Ridgewood where everything was phenomenal - dinner, drinks, dessert, and the company
• wearing moccasins to school
• time with mom 3 out of 4 days in a row