make your own happiness

i do a lot of wishing that i had more time to do the things i think will make me happy.  the truth is, i have 3 kids, and a job, and a husband and we all need to eat and someone, someday has to clean this house.  so time isn't always easy to come by.  but here are few things that are making me happy lately:

Baking - greyson likes to help me bake (he loves treats.  kind of obsessively).  we tried out a new recipe for vegan vanilla cupcakes sweetened with agave nectar.  the recipe is from vegan cupcakes take over the world which is a great little cookbook!  the cupcakes were easy to make and delicious.  i've tried a few variations on this recipe and they were all good.  the trouble we've had with dairy free cupcakes so far is they can be really dense, like corn bread.  these are not.  they are soft and light and perfectly cakey.  i love the subtle sweetness and flavor of the agave.  i topped one batch with fresh organic raspberries.  yum.  for even more fun, i baked in my very cute apron, a gift from my sort-of-sister-in-law.  i love both the apron and the girl for making me smile.

Learning something new - i learned to make my own celery salt.  a lesson from heidi of the inspiring 101 cookbooks.  the celery salt is easy to make, you should do it today.  it has already earned my love by making my cauliflower soup something truly special rather than just a responsible use of our local co-op share of cauliflower.

Sharing - Quinn shares my love of pearl jam!  he stopped what he was doing and clambered up into my lap when "release" began playing on my laptop.  he sat still, smiling, and listened intently to the whole song.  when it was over he signed "more" again and again until i played it again.  i may love him even more now.

Recycling - our neighborhood got new curbside recycling cans.  these large rolling cans replaced small bins this week.  i take this as a victory for recycling. it must mean that a large part of our neighborhood is recycling and that there was need for larger cans.  (i have been concerned about this since moving here, many neighbors do not seem to put out recycling at all).  our curbside pick up now also accepts glass.  and as a bonus, the heavy lids on these cans will help keep out the raccoons!

Babies -  my world is full of tiny new babies, or babies we are waiting to meet.  i recently welcomed one new cousin.  another is due any minute now.  one friend had a beautiful baby girl today that i hope to meet very soon.  several long distance friends have had babies that i probably will not meet.  i have had new baby photo sessions and am planning to photograph a birth story next week. i am already excited. i just cannot help but feel content and hopeful for this world when i see new lives in it.

baby cousin Madeline