This One Stays Up, I Promise!

I've seen a happiness meme floating all around the Internet over the past month, and in particular here and here. Both of those ladies were classy enough to tag any and all of their readers who wished to participate. Almost a month after each of their posts, I've finally found some time to post one myself. (And won't it be a refreshing change from the last few posts here!)

Ten Things That Make Me Happy

1) Using cloth diapers-I'm not sure that using cloth with child number 5 is really all that helpful to the environment when children 1-4 were all in disposables, but I like doing it anyway. And you should see how cute she looks in them. Because really, it's all about the cute.

2) Words with Friends-It took some convincing, but I am having so much fun playing this. Not that I'm winning very many games; but I'm glad I finally downloaded it to my phone. My username is mlgregg4 if we aren't already playing and you are so inclined.

3) As of yesterday, we are through with most of the nightly classes my kids take. Natalie still has a few performances and piano goes throughout most of the year; but we are no longer living at the Sooner Theatre Studio...until summer programs start anyway.

4) Being a Mother Advisor-I'll admit I'm still in the middle of the learning curve and having to figure things out with three past M.A.'s (one of them my own) literally watching me from the sidelines, but they have all been gracious and patient and I will figure it out. I may work with Primary at church, but big groups of small children will always make me nervous. My heart is always with the older kids and I'm grateful to be working with them, however small our Assembly may be at the moment.

5) Land Run at the Harn-I know I just said working with groups of kids makes me nervous; but here it doesn't. (Likely because the big groups of kids come with teachers and parents who handle discipline and ALL I have to do is teach.) Here, it is fun. I wasn't sure I would be able to participate this spring and while it was different, I did enjoy it. And here is where I admit a little bit guiltily that one nice difference was only having to show up, teach, and leave without any set-up before it started or clean-up when it was finished for the day. Regardless, I loved being there.

6) Norman Music Fest-My BIL plays the drums. I've known this since he married my sister six years ago, but it was only last night that I heard him play for the first time. All I can say is "Wow! What took me so long?" The show was wonderful! Their band is called Circe and they are on iTunes-check them out! Beyond just Scott's band though, Norman Music Fest rocked-literally! This was its 3rd year, and it really seems to have found its niche. It was all very well-organized from what I saw and I loved that it coincided with the Lion's Club carnival AND that they moved the carnival back to its original spot. I have good friends in Woodstock, IL who always want to invite my family to the Lighting of the Square the day after Thanksgiving. Someday, I will be there for it. And now I would gladly invite them to Norman for 89er Day weekend provided that it coincides with the carnival and Music Fest again in the future. It was a great weekend!

7) My sisters and their families-We may have been shortchanged in the mom department, but we have each other. Saturday night I got to listen to Selena's husband Scott play the drums while my sisters wore the band t-shirts that Janet's boyfriend Matt silk-screened for them to sell. Friday night I was crying on Janet's shoulder because not everyone loves me as much as my sisters and their children and she and her daughter were telling me how much everyone else is missing out. (Not exactly the way Dave and I planned to celebrate his 40th birthday, but it was what it was. We did have a night out on Saturday, as mentioned in #6.)

8) 3D Movies-I must really like the eye candy, because I enjoyed both Avatar and Clash of the Titans and neither one of them are exactly great without the 3D glasses. Alice in Wonderland was the first one I saw though, and I think I would have loved it regardless. I think the best in 3D is yet to come...Tron anyone?

9) Upcoming travel plans-Alexis and I are off to Arizona so she can meet her Aunt Anne this coming weekend. You can tell I'm your typical taken-for-granted wife and mother when her email asking me what I wanted for my birthday dinner brought tears to my eyes. I haven't been this excited about a birthday since Aunt Chris bought me the SnackMaster we had been watching on late night infomercials. And that was long before she was ever "Aunt Chris" even to her actual siblings' children. (Well...Niece #1 may have been born by then...)

10) The occasional 'lazy Sunday'-I know "good" church members don't have these, but when Elisa's mild fever hung around all weekend and Natalie had a Sunday performance at Norman Music Fest; I declared one anyway. Dave went to church to make sure they didn't kick us out while the kids and I rested. Natalie got ready at a slower pace, Elisa napped away her fever, and no one did much of anything else until Natalie had to be on stage. It was BLISS.