Thursday, June 28, 2012My "Happy Things" List Includes Breyers
Do you ever stop and make a mental list of things that make you happy?
I do. Seriously. When I'm having a super-crappy day, I try to force myself to stop wallowing for a minute and list My Happy Things. All sorts of random things are usually on that list. There's the kid, chocolate, the way Penny's fur flops around when she runs, peanut butter, Max purring, cookies, sporks, sprinkles, flowers, ice cream, frogs in my pond, food . . . hey! Did I mention that food makes me happy? Especially dessert?
You know what makes me even happier? When I get to combine things that are on my Happy Things list. Give me chocolate and peanut butter and time with my kid and you've just made me the happiest human on earth.
Hello there, sexy!
You guys. YOU GUYS. Breyers and BlogHer asked me to review Breyers Blasts!® Chocolate REESE’S®. You can add THAT to My Happy Things list. Getting asked to review Breyers Blasts! is definitely one of My Happy Things.
A few weeks ago there was an evening when I didn't get home until it was almost time for Alexis to go to bed. I called when I was on my way home and told her that we would have some Breyers Blasts! together as soon as I walked in the door. I try to make it a point to spend a little time every day having a one-on-one conversation with her. Gathered at the kitchen table with a treat is an excellent way to get the conversation started.
She made herself a bowl and I made myself a milkshake. I kind of have a thing for chocolate/peanut butter milkshakes, by the way. That "thing" is that OMG I LOVE THEM SO MUCH.
We sat at the table talking about what we each did that day. Alexis talked about the things she had learned in school, she shared a funny story her bus driver had told her, and she told me about how she wanted to spend the weekend. It was nothing particularly exciting, but it was perfect. Everything about those moments was perfect.
Until Alexis finished her bowl.
Fortunately, we had some Breyers Blasts!® OREO® Birthday Blast! to try as well.
(Cake batter flavor + OREO cookies + sprinkles = YES. PLEASE.)
My Happy List is made up of things that may not seem significant, but thinking about sitting at our kitchen table sharing Breyers Blasts! while Alexis tells me about her day is one of those memories I'm going to hold in my heart forever.
What about you? How would you and your family enjoy Breyers Blasts!? Tell me in the comments below for a chance to win a $100 Visa gift card.
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My Version of a Not Bummer Summer
While Alexis was busy writing her Must Do List for the summer, I was busy making my own version. Some things match up, but it turns out I dream a big bigger than the resident 6-year old. I think that's mostly because it didn't occur to her to even think to ask to do things like have a paint fight. It's going to blow her little mind when we get around to it.
Since I'm such a sharer, I figured I'd post MY Must Do List for the summer. Fun times, ahoy!
1. Catch (and release) fireflies. We get a fantastic firefly show in our backyard every night, but Alexis hasn't gotten to see one up close for a few years. It's time to fix that.
2. Go berry picking. This one is already done, but it still deserves to be on the list. We've picked blueberries and raspberries, and maybe we'll get lucky and find some wild raspberries soon.
3. Make another fairy garden. Obviously this had to make the list.
4. Go to the Water Stairs for a day. We are big fans of the Water Stairs on the North Shore, so we need to pack a picnic lunch and make a day of it.
5. Play in the fountain at Southside Works. This one is also already done, but it still counts. I want to hit all of the free water play activities in town.
6. Splash around PPG's fountain. See #5. It needs to happen.
7. Go to Station Square and dance in the water. It's free and it's fun, so we'll spend an afternoon at the dancing fountains at Station Square.
8. Dance camp. I won't be participating, but I think Alexis will have fun just fine without me being on the dance floor.
9. Kennywood. We have annual passes for Kennywood, so we're making it a point to go often. We may only stay for a few hours, but that just makes it more fun. If we get really lucky, Alexis will spring up about 3/4" so she can ride the Phantom's Revenge. She REALLY wants to ride it, but she's got to meet that minimum height requirement first.
10. Have a Kennywood water ride day. Every time we go to Kennywood, Alexis begs to ride all of the water rides. I'm not opposed to the idea, but I need to show up prepared to get soaked. I'm leaving the camera at home and dressing appropriately at some point this summer and we will spend the day getting wet. Very wet.
11. Pittsburgh Zoo. We have a membership, so this one is a given. It's possible that we've already gone three or four times this summer.
12. Go to a Pirates game. Alexis looooves going to games. I love taking her.
13. Make homemade ice cream. We have an ice cream maker that has very barely seen action in the past couple of years. It's time to change that.
14. Play basketball. Thanks to Coca-Cola for sending us a big box of fun outdoor things, Alexis has discovered that she loves basketball. You better believe I plan to monopolize on that.
15. Go on a road trip, even if just for one night. I promised Alexis that if she reached a goal at school we would stay in a hotel for a night. I plan to keep that promise.
16. See Brave. Why, yes, I have added seeing a movie to my Must Do List. It's Pixar, so it's a must. (We already did this one, actually. I think I might be the only person on earth who HATED the movie. I can't even talk about it I hated it so much. BOO. HISS.)
17. Go biking at Ohiopyle. We do it every summer, but that doesn't mean we don't need to do it again. We most definitely do.
18. Take a ride aboard the Good Ship Lollipop. We've done this with Alexis, but it has been a few years. I'm pretty sure she has forgotten how fun it is.
19. Go to the beach. As long as there is sand and a body of water large enough for swimming, it counts.
20. Go canoeing. It's embarrassing that we have never taken Alexis canoeing considering how many opportunities there are to do it in and around Pittsburgh.
21. Water balloon fight. We might create our own balloon fight, or we might participate in a big event. We'll see what happens!
22. Host an outdoor movie night. We have a projector, a laptop, and a giant white garage door. That's all we need to host an outdoor movie night in our driveway.
23. Go to the drive in movie theater. We've done it a few times, but it still needs to go on the list. It's a good way to have fun for a few hours.
24. Camp out in the backyard. I will not be sleeping in a tent anytime soon, but Alexis and the husband are going to have a night of camping out. It's a must.
25. Go to TEN different playgrounds. So what if we have a swing and a slide in our yard? There are some great playgrounds around town and we plan to visit at least ten of them.
26. Go on a fancy lunch date. Alexis loves when we get dressed up and go out for a date. We're going to hit her favorite Thai restaurant for a fancy lunch one of these days.
27. Visit the National Aviary. We have never been, in no small part because Alexis is insanely afraid of birds. It's time to pull the rug out from under her feet and go visit some pretty birds.
28. Take a day to go mini golfing. I don't think Alexis has gone mini golfing since she was maybe two years old. It's time, folks. It's time.
29. Eat ice cream for breakfast. Because OBVIOUSLY.
30. Have a paint fight. I have a Trash the Dress photo shoot on the schedule for this summer and just thinking about the fun we're going to have that day has me wanting to have a paint fight just for us.
