The Early Bird

When I started my run this morning, I felt faster and stronger than I usually do. I slowed down as the run progressed, but it felt great to start out strong! I ran for 32 minutes, mapped out to be about 2.85 miles on Mapmyrun.com and it included a big hill by our house. I actually like doing hills, as long as I remember to take my time.

I saw beautiful birds while running this morning, including a blue jay, which is one of my favorites - they just seem to have such attitude!

Here's to waking up early (4:55 a.m.!) and starting out the day with movement, appreciation for wildlife and feeling stronger!

Exercise = Happiness!

Sophie took this photo of me this morning - I felt so happy, so calm after a great workout. My little sister has started a running program, the one I did last year, and she emails me of her progress. This email exchange has gotten me back into working out and even though I couldn't run today (Steve had an early appointment, can't leave Soph home alone), I got 22 minutes on the stairs with Mamma Mia on in the background - it was fabulous!!

Feeling good, feeling energetic and feeling happy!

Quotes that make me think, make me happy:

Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.
Maria Robinson

Day with Sophie!

Sophie and I spent Presidents' Day together - reading, playing Littlest Pet Shop, doing some origami. Steve had to teach, so it was just us 2 gals - and the dogs, kitty, snake and turtle.

Nothing makes me happier than spending time with my fabulous family!

Words

These are the words I read yesterday in "The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching":

Waking up this morning, I smile.
Twenty-four brand new hours are before me.
I vow to live fully in each moment,
and to look at all beings with eyes of compassion.

Snakes = happiness??

Ok, one more snake photo.

I was going through emails and this is the photo Steve sent to me of Sophie with the boa and as I looked at my daughter's face I couldn't help but smile. She is so different from me! No way would I have allowed this when I was her age, nor did I have the curiosity about reptiles that she has. My god, I just love my child!!

Awwwwww....

Steve said today that when he drives home and turns the corner to the house and sees my car in the driveway it makes him happy.

His words made me happy.

P.S. The snake in the photo does NOT live in our house - we went to a reptile workshop with Sophie :)

L.O.V.E.

LOVE

What could possibly make one happier than that?

31

This photo is actually from yesterday, but we've got this again today and it is amazing to me what a difference it makes in my mood!

I was absolutely giddy this morning about going for a run, haven't been on one in too, too long. I was also nervous, haven't been on one in too, too long. I ran for 31minutes and it was wonderful. Again, I started running last year, around April, following this program:

http://running.about.com/od/getstartedwithrunning/ht/getstarted.htm

I followed the program religiously and sure enough, after 8 weeks, I was able to run 30 minutes non-stop. I highly recommend it if you have even the slightest interest in running, but, follow it - I don't recommend skipping weeks, running for 30 minutes on your first go - no, none of that.

So here's to being happy about running in the warm (34 degrees!) weather and appreciating how lovely it is.

Fun Stuff

Today has good things planned (and most are with my 2 favorite people pictured below):

• A workshop at the Dahlem Center about Peru.

• Some one-act plays at the high school

• A work out and I don't have to hurry up to get ready for work

• Time to read a great book I just started

• Trip to the library

• Hanging out with the dogs

So Says Pooh

So, I did not take a photo of the sign mentioned in Tuesday's post. Oh well.

Yesterday I finally finished watching the interview with Colin Firth from Monday's Inside the Actor's Studio. There is a moment, at the end, when an audience member asks Colin a question, Colin answers and the student mouths the words, "Thank you," to him. You then see Colin give the student a smile and nod. That's it, but I was compelled to watch this exchange over and over...and over again.

That exchange seems so simple and was obviously very short, but it contained such meaning to me. I love when two people have a moment like that - a connection, a validation of each others needs at that instant.

I could not find an image, nor really a quote that captured this exact thing, but I found this quote that made me pause:

Piglet sidled up to Pooh from behind. "Pooh!" he whispered. "Yes, Piglet?" "Nothing," said Piglet, taking Pooh's paw. "I just wanted to be sure of you." ~A.A. Milne

Signs

We were driving around tonight and I took special notice of a shop in Jackson, Upscale Resale, because their sign seemed to be of a skipping family and it just struck me as really funny! I wish I had gotten out to take a photo, but I didn't...

And now I can't find anything online that is striking me as funny.

Mission for tomorrow - photo of sign. Happiness can be having a plan.

Snakes, Turtles, Skinks...

Yesterday we attended a class at the Dahlem Nature Center near our home and it was so fascinating! The presenter had a few snakes, a couple turtles, a gecko, a baby alligator and a blue-tongued skink. We got to touch each animal and learn about their unique qualities.

I have never had a strong interest in science and I am married to a scientist! Our daughter, now 11, is very much like her father in her fascination with science, specifically reptiles. I really just don't understand how mny things work, it boggles my mind and sometimes that boggling can be completely fascinating! I love that the skink has a blue tongue as a defense mechanism and that the leopard gecko's tail will snap off when threatened - a clean snap, amazing. I cannot even grasp the diversity in nature and how it all works.

So here's to learning and realizing how much there is still to learn as a way to increase ones happiness!

A Film Well Done

This was a lovely film. I took myself to the movie yesterday and felt that giddiness that comes when the lights go down and the feature begins - the anticipation of being swept away for 2 hours is delicious. It's always nice when the film lives up to the hype surrounding it, as this film did.

What I loved the most was the scene in which King George VI is giving the speech (for which the film is titled) and his speech therapist, Lionel Logue, is standing in the small room with him. Logue is the king's security blanket, his personal cheerleader and the king needs his presence to make it through those few minutes as he delivers his speech. The king did it, HE delivered the words beautifully, and yes, he probably could have done it without Logue's presence, but how beautiful to have someone in your life who means that much to you - who helps you overcome your greatest challenge.

How fortunate we are when we have someone in our lives who is there for us, just there. How fortunate we are when we can be there for someone. Both lives are made richer, both people share in that happiness that comes from giving up one's weakest self to another's care.

Dog Days

I wish I'd had my camera with me yesterday, because the image I saw made me laugh, laugh, laugh!

We were driving through the neighborhood and a man was walking his 2 dogs - both boxer types, very strong in appearance, a bit intimidating until I saw that one...

had a stuffed doll doggie toy in its mouth! Yes, a security blanket of sorts that obviously had to be taken on the walk. Oh, the face of that pooch - such a sweet face carrying that doll. I so hope I run into them when out walking and that I'll get a chance to hear this dog's story.

So no image of doll-carrying dog, but the image I did find is quite fabulous too, and shows the pure joy dogs can feel. Love it.

Bring on the Buddha

I read recently that "research suggests that mindfulness therapy - a meditation-based treatment with roots in Buddhism and yoga - can help people with mood disorders feel better without drugs." *find link to article below

When our family lived in San Antonio for 11 months, we attended the Shambhala Center and learned a bit about Buddhism and meditation. I am grateful to have learned about mindfulness and how meditation is a time to be still with our thoughts, not try to banish or change them, just to be still with them. It did make a difference to me.

I also loved watching Sophie and the other students in the children's meditation class. They did things like meditation by blowing bubbles. Soph was quite adept at the meditation practices and has always been the calm compared to my storm.

I do not think every person with a mood disorder will be, or should be, medication free after practicing mindfulness and meditation, but I do believe it improves the quality of one's life. Meditating, mindfulness, most of the teachings of the Buddha, all make me happy - not always deliriously so, but in a satisfied way.

http://articles.latimes.com/2011/jan/08/health/la-he-mindfulness-20110109

Inappropriate and Happiness

Yesterday my beautiful, and actually quite eloquent, daughter asked me if she could have some cheese, but not just any cheese....

"Mom, can I have some cheese that doesn't taste like farts?"

In Sophie-speak this means sharp cheddar rather than mild cheddar, but why be so blah?

This question made me LAUGH OUT LOUD, but like all good mothers everywhere I reserve the right to find the use of the word fart funny in one instance and completely inappropriate in another. Gotta keep these kids guessing.

Snow Day!

Winston and Lucy in the snow that has been falling, falling and falling! No school for any of the Albee-Scotts today - yee-haw! Being all together, warm, healthy and safe means being very happy.

Seeking Sunshine Any Place I Can Get It!

I have to put this out there - the past few days have been tough. I've felt really down, missing Utah so much it hurts and dreading the fact that I will be living in Michigan for a long time. These things make it hard to find something to be happy about...hard, but of course not impossible.

On Saturday I picked up Little Miss Sunshine, one of my all-time favorite movies. I watched it yesterday and just as I'd hoped, I laughed out loud! There are so many parts of this movie that I love, but really just the escape from reality that this film offers is what I needed...and the van door falling off, well, that's definitely happy inducing!

Let It Be Your Umbrella

http://longevity.about.com/od/lifelongbeauty/tp/smiling.htm

Here is a link to some good reasons to smile!

I have found it to be true that when one is down, by just smiling one's mood is instantly lifted - at least a little bit. So today - SMILE!!!!

Approaching...

Ok, just posting this photo made me smile! Valentine's Day is actually my favorite holiday - I love having a day to express love. Sure, it's a bit cheesy and a total Hallmark holiday and yes, when one is without a romantic partner it can be a bit depressing, but for some reason I love seeing all the pink and red hearts, the flowers, the candy, the little cards kids exchange.

So during this very dreary Michigan winter I will look forward to whatever lies ahead that can bring some hope for happiness and with it being just a little over 2 weeks away, I think it is time to break out the crafting tools and make some homemade Valentines!

Winston

Every morning I have nearly the same routine with the dogs. I dish up their food and let them outside to eat. The boys go scrambling to the fenced in area and I place Lucy's food down on the deck. Lately, Winston has been running back to the deck to check on me, I guess to make sure that I'm really coming. This morning I found it to be so sweet and funny.

Winston is our happy guy - his tail can wag so fast and mightily that one needs to be sure to stand at a safe distance. (Percy is often right behind him and will just blink as he takes a tail beating...) Winston is the one we took for pet day at Soph's Harry Potter Camp, because we knew he would behave himself, and he did. Winston is the quiet presence among his nervous brother and bossy mother. He is the one who took his shots without flinching at the vet's office and then pulled and cried out when his brother showed discomfort at receiving his own shots. He is our sympathetic man.

Just like with children, I often worry that Winston gets left behind because he is so good, so easy, so mild-mannered - Percy and Lucy know how to get attention. So Winston, buddy, I love ya and you definitely bring happiness to my day!

Searching...

I had a lovely conversation with a co-worker yesterday regarding the horrifically depressing qualities of Michigan this time of year. It is really astounding how the sky can retain its gray quality for so long!

So in my search for happiness yesterday I decided that Soph and I should go walking around the mall, which is relatively well lit and has people - two qualities that do lift my mood. It was wonderful! Soph loves to hear stories while we walk and we play games like, "If you could only have one pet, what would it be?"

I realized that just doing something to defeat the winter blahs, taking action, is happiness producing. It is amazing how uplifted one can feel when one decides that they, not the Michigan sky, is in control of their outlook. I know this applies to all areas of life. When we give up control of our happiness to outside sources, we give up our happiness.

What the heck people did before we had malls is beyond me!

So Simple

Sometimes just a few simple words, said sincerely and with love, can make a huge difference. Yesterday, Sophie's birthday, I had an interaction that left me feeling sad. I didn't tell Steve about it right away, I felt too angry and on the verge of tears, so I held it in until last night. When I did tell Steve he did the best thing for me at that time - he said softly, "I am sorry you had to deal with..." and that's it. I knew he meant it, I knew he felt my sadness and I knew he was there for me. It was perfect.

So today I feel happiness in the comfort that 1) my husband has my back! and 2) that I don't have to have the solution, that I don't have the solution, to fix anyone's problems - but I can offer the same, simple words when needed and sometimes that is all that is needed.

11 Years

11 years ago this little girl came into our world and has forever changed that world in a way that leaves me in awe. I am absolutely, 100% smitten by my daughter and I am proud, pleased and thrilled to be her mother.

Sophie - you add so much happiness to every day and to love another person as much as I love you is a blessing for which I am extremely grateful. Happy birthday sweet child!

Sun

Blue skies, crunching snow, sun warming my face...

and having the knowledge that in the scheme of things - it will be soon that the blue skies and sun shining will be the norm again.

From Start to Finish

A phylogenetic study of Trechispora thelephora

Yesterday was one of those days that started out great and just continued that way, a day to put in the memory bank of great days and pull out when things seem too dreary to go on.

Woke up before 5 a.m., got my hair cut for $14 (at 8 a.m.), bought supplies for Soph's birthday party (went a wee bit overboard, but didn't care), cleaned the house a bit with the family, walked Lucy, Soph's party, dinner with fam and a nap that turned into a sleepfest, ahhh.

Oh, and Steve published a paper, the title of which is above, in purple and I beg of you to say it 3 times super fast, it is smile inducing!

“Nothing can bring you happiness but yourself."

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Really - what more is there to say?

A Bit of Beethoven

A few years ago I was telling Sophie how lucky she is to take piano lessons and how I wished I had practiced more and appreciated it more when I was a child. My daughter's response, "Then why don't you take piano lessons now?" So...I did!

I took lessons for a little over a year and got back into it enough to get a few more songs under my belt. I can escape when I play the piano - the way my fingers move across the keys, the sound of the notes, the build-up as a piece moves from piano to forte! All good stuff.

It is 6:15 a.m., so I will refrain from playing the piano now - realizing it might not bring happiness to those slumbering away in my home - but later....I shall use a bit of the ivory to bring a bit of the happy!

P.S. The photo really doesn't have to do with the post, just thought it was lovely!

Checklist!

I have so much for which to be happy (ha, I do not like to end sentences with prepositions...!).

• Pulling up Facebook this morning and finding myself tagged by my friend Brooke - who posted beautiful pics of Logan, including one of our old house. Love you Brooke!
• Having a wonderful, full of laughter, conversation with my little sister the other day - who came into this world 33 years ago on January 25. My own daughter came into this world 11 years ago on January 25.
• Seeing Sophie perform last night with part of the Jackson Public Schools orchestra. My daughter, a cellist! So proud of that kid, in so many ways.
• Spending time with my husband yesterday morning - we had to take the car in for tire replacement and we ended up walking laps around the mall - loved it!
• A sparkly cover of snow outside this morning - gives me pause while letting out the dogs in the freezing cold.
• A beautiful moon last night - seen through the trees behind our home. Lovely.

And the knowledge that today is holding all kinds of moments for which I will find happiness, because I am looking!!!

Here Kitty, Kitty

Jada, trying to get as much warmth from the laptop as she possibly can - she usually likes to lay right across the keyboard - made me smile this morning. Looking for a warm place to reside is pretty much Jada's constant goal - and isn't it what we all really desire - that warm feeling that comes with being...

Happy!!

I Hear The Rain

The sound of raining falling against our house was what I heard this morning and it made me smile. I love that sound. I got up, followed my routine of dogs out, cereal, coffee, computer, dogs in, and I found out that school is closed, which I did not expect and which I am absolutely thrilled over. Unexpected bliss!

As I looked for a pic for today on the web, this one of a man walking in the rain made me feel so cozy. I love walking in the rain. I love the sound, the feel, the smell in the air.

Happy unexpected day off!

Read, Read, Read

Today is MLK Day, which meant no school for Soph and no work for me (Steve taught and did a presentation today). I battle with having a day off on MLK Day, so we tried to do something meaningful and found ourselves reading, reading and reading...we visited a bookstore in Jackson and read Berenstain Bear books aloud to one another. We also purchased a popular book for the library at Sophie's school.

Here is my very beautiful, smart and creative child still reading with her head resting on Calvin, who travels nearly everywhere with us nowadays.

My family and pets.

My family and pets make me feel happy.

Happiness Brought on By Birds...Day 2

About 10 years ago I saw a collection of cds advertised on tv, Modern Rock, and commented on how cool it would be to have so many fabulous songs from the 80s! Well, Steve ordered them...all of them.

This morning I found them in a box we have yet to unpack and this song just had to be played first. Hit the link to find a little happiness, too!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUjIA3Rt7gk

Definitely Not Crying Over Spilled Seeds

A few days ago Winston, one of our 3 dogs, pulled down the bird feeder I'd recently hung and dragged it across the yard, spilling seed along the way. Please try to imagine how hard it is to take something from one dog while 2 others are aiding and abetting! Some choice words were said by me during this process and I was definitely NOT happy.

This morning, what do I find...a bunch of birds flying out of our yard after, I assume, enjoying some seed sprinkled on the ground. I never saw 1 come to the actual feeder, so the sight of various birds in flight made me chuckle. Something that had caused me such frustration, turned out to be serendipitous (the faculty of making fortunate discoveries by accident - indeed!)

Oh, and a bonus, our cat is now sitting by the window facing the backyard as it's now like being hooked up to kitty television!

Happiness can be found from a source that originally brought us discomfort - and happiness for the birds is found by a canine's naughty nature!

Good Choices = Happiness

I was feeling a bit down as the numbers on the scale kept going up. Sadly, when I feel down, I often make choices that increase the likelihood of continuing to feel down!

Yesterday I went back to healthier choices that I had made in the past that got me to a better place. When I got home from work I put on my workout clothes and worked out on the stairs instead of vegging in front of the tv with some snacks. Also, back to the tactic of eating everything at the table. I find that when I don't do this, I eat mindlessly and when I eat mindlessly, I eat A LOT!!

It feels really good to make good choices and good choices mean realizing that complete deprivation will backfire. Last night after dinner - a bowl of ice cream was had. This morning, back down a bit on the scale. Now, please do not think I am saying a number on a scale equals happiness. NO WAY! I am saying that a healthy lifestyle does bring happiness. I do not live a healthy lifestyle all the time, I am always working at it and sometimes I do better than other times.

Now this picture I have posted will make me smile while I'm working out!

Observing the Offspring

This child, right here, makes me feel happy every single day! This is not to say that there aren't times I feel worried, frustrated, tired...and all the other emotions a parent feels, but when I take the time to stop and look into her fabulously freckled face, I am in awe!

I am also in awe of this child when I get to see her do things in a way that are so different from how I would do them. Today I assisted with the frog dissection at Soph's school and her reaction to the frog was so different from what mine would have been at that age. She was calm and kept her group on track. She didn't partake in the cutting or removing of organs, but she observed everything. She didn't act silly or try to draw attention to herself, she handled the task at hand with a maturity I still don't possess.

Happiness can be seeing how amazing your child is and realizing that although you are their parent, they are their own person.

*This photo is from the Valentine's Day party at her school last year - not from today's dissection!

Never Too Late

The Jackson School of the Arts offers adult tap dancing classes!

Tap dancing just looks like so much fun and I never took a dance class as a child, but I wanted to. Just the idea of it thrills me!

I truly believe that happiness does stem from continuing to learn, trying new things and doing activities for the sake of the pure joy they bring us!

Maybe Not Happiness, but Hope

I am not sure if the word happy really suffices, but people like Tony Dungy make me feel comforted in this crazy world and I think comfort is part of happiness.

I really didn't know about Tony Dungy until my husband took the Wilbur Dungy Endowed Chair position at Jackson Community College. As I read about the Dungy family, I was amazed at the service both Wilbur and his son, Tony, have done in their communities.

Tony Dungy has taken it upon himself to help someone who is, rightly so, extremely unpopular in our society right now, a football player, Michael Vick, who committed horrific crimes against dogs. It is easy to feel hatred and disgust over Michael Vick, and yet Tony Dungy is trying to help him get to a better place in life.

I thought about this this morning and of course I'm only speculating, which is far off from reality, but if someone committed a horrific crime against me, would I be better off if they were punished forever or if they could eventually do something meaningful with their life? I realize now all persons who commit crimes can ever feel remorse, but for those who can and who can possibly do some good, shouldn't we try to help them? It's a huge undertaking, not something I'm sure I could ever do, so I thank people like Tony Dungy who believe in the goodness of others.

Good Morning

The sun was peeking through the trees this morning and the trees are covered with ice and the image is stunning. I am so happy that I get to see these things when I take our dogs outside.

Uplifting

As often happens, I am behind in the trends and the news of the hour and I only heard of this amazing story yesterday. As I watched the clip, I was just in awe of how humble Ted Williams seemed and how truly grateful he appeared by the reporter's stopping. Great story. I also feel like we all need to learn from the reporter who stopped, to really, really look around us and delve into a situation just a little deeper when a person in need needs us to.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6kI_u3ho_c

5:57

That is what time I woke up today, 3 minutes before my alarm was set to go off, so I feel I get extra points for not only not pressing snooze, but for actually getting out of bed pre-alarm shrill!

The reason I got up early is to exercise before going to work today and it really does make me happy to exercise and it definitely makes me happy when I'm done exercising and all those lovely endorphins are bouncing around in my head...better than 9 minutes of sleep would do for me (why DO snooze buttons give us 9 minute?)

Look How Easy It Is!

Seriously, this is getting too easy - look what made me smile today, a sandwich! Normally I cut my sandwiches straight down the middle, but today I did it diagonally and when I saw the finished product, I smiled because it reminded me of the sandwiches my mom made for me as a child.

I am learning through these daily posts how very easy it is to find moments of happiness - I think I'm just learning to realize how to be in that moment.

Longevity Can Bring Happiness

You might think the person in the photo making me smile is the guy on one knee with the Wii control, because he does look like he is having fun, but no. The people making me smile are the couple on the couch, the parents of my best friend from elementary school.

Michael and Aleca Durocher have been married 41 years and seeing them in this photo together, Mike's arm around Aleca, made me smile. I knew these people 30 years ago, when I went to my friend's house many, many times and it brings me great comfort to see something so familiar, so gentle and so speaking of a bond that has spanned many decades.

Love and long-term relationships can definitely induce happiness!

Burst of Happiness

I had been eating the same Kashi cereal for a really long time, but when I went to the store to restock, they were out! Hubby suggested Island Vanilla and I was skeptical, I don't usually like these shredded wheat type things, but oh, it's been heavenly!

I am a huge texture person - when I eat food it has to taste good and the texture has to be pleasing. What I love about this cereal is how the milk works its way into the pieces and bursts out, just a little bit, into my mouth. Ahhhhh.

Speaking of texture and food - I've decided that chocolate chip cookie dough, made from scratch, has a really pleasing texture if whipped up right. Another happy inducing food experience.

Leaking Over Into Today

Ok, I just can't take that photo down from yesterday yet, looking at it as I got ready to post this made me smile again!

Happy, happy, happy Tuesday!

Purpose

I do not know the child in the photograph, but what a great expression!

Getting up in the morning with no place to go is often a very happy-inducing feeling, but this morning I was all too ready to get up (ok, I hit snooze twice) and to have somewhere to go. I feel happy to go back to work. I love my job working at my daughter's school and it's been a great 2 weeks off, but having a routine is also great. I feel lucky to have a job that brings me such joy and to be around people, the students, who are so full of life and energy and the desire to live with great abandon!!!

To me, happiness is feeling needed and having a purpose - it's what gets me up in the morning.

Sharing the Good Stuff

A friend asked me today to send her the link to the running program I used and it filled me with joy! I love sharing the good things that have worked in my life. I started this running program last year and I kept a journal of my progress. I followed the program religiously - even when I wanted to kick it up a notch, I didn't and by the end of the 8 weeks I was running 30 minutes. I ended up doing a 5K last year and most importantly - I still run!

Here's the link to the program: http://running.about.com/od/getstartedwithrunning/ht/getstarted.htm

Evening

Lucy and I headed out for a walk and as we were coming home, the sun was setting and it was spectacular. I love seeing the sun set behind the trees near our home. The colors in the sky were amazing and definitely happy-producing.

If you look very, very closely, you can see Steve on the front stoop. He installed a new dishwasher today and was cleaning out some part, I think.

Much, Much, Much!

So much to be happy for this New Year's Day!

I started Mansfield Park and am loving it!!

It is beautiful outside, quite warm and I am ready to go for a run.

My family is safe, healthy and we are all together in our home - this includes our animals, too.

Although I woke up feeling slightly sad, I have the knowledge that only I can make myself happy and that it is an attainable goal.

The birds are chirping.

And really, in the words of Eleanor Roosevelt: Life has got to be lived -- that's all there is to it.