Things that make me happy

I’ve been reading a few blogs lately where people have written about the things that make them happy, or things they can't live without. So I thought I would jump on the bandwagon and write about the things that make me happy:

*Cuddles from my boys. Ethan’s are spontaneous and always accompanied by an “I love you” which melts my heart. Tyler’s cuddles are given sparingly so when I do get one it is very special (it must be an age thing, because Ethan was the same when he was that age).

*Being alone in my house. It doesn’t happen very often, but when it does I like to just walk around or sit upstairs in my new bedroom looking out the window and enjoying the sound of silence!

*Scorched almonds. Ever since I was a little girl, they have been one of my favourite treats. My late Grandad adored them and was always given a box (or 2 or 3) for Christmas, Father’s Day and every single birthday. I remember he always had an open box of scorched almonds in his desk drawer in the study, and when we visited I would often go and sneak a couple when nobody was looking! Now we have scorched almonds every Christmas.

*Reading my favourite magazine. Be it Little Treasures, Slimming, Up2Scrap, NZ Home & Garden or the good old NZ Women’s Weekly.

*Swimming or snorkeling with my hubby. We don’t get to do it much anymore but pre-kids it was one of our favourite summer activities. Of course we still spend lots of time at the beach but it is difficult to swim properly when you are holding a slippery child! Last time my parents babysat for us we went snorkeling at Little Manly and then had dinner at the local Indian restaurant.

*Scrapbooking, although I hardly ever get time for this anymore. I suppose I could do it in the evenings instead of watching TV but I usually have ZERO functioning brain cells by the time I get home from work. I have my eyes set on a whole uninterrupted Saturday of scrapping sometime this year.

*Watching DVDs on the couch with Rob. We don’t get to the movies much these days but I enjoy watching movies at home with him almost as much as going out.

*Choc Sultana Fruit Slice from Snack Right. This is my all-time favourite “healthy” snack food! Only 2 Weight Watchers points for 3 slices, and it completely satisfies my 3pm sugar craving. I have tried in vain to find other healthy snack foods containing chocolate that actually taste good, and failed. But this is a winner!!

*Reading thrillers. The more plot twists, the better! My favourite authors are Jeffrey Deaver, Lee Child and David Baldacci. I like other novels as well but there is nothing better than a really good psychological thriller.

*Body Balance, my weekly yoga/pilates/Tai Chi class. I’ve only been going to this class for a few months, but I really love it. I have a long way to go before I will be any good at it, but I can already feel myself getting stronger and more flexible. My goal is to one day be an instructor. Mind you, this is a VERY long-term goal. Like 10 years!

*Strawberries from Craigie’s Orchard in Kaukapakapa. Many times we have jumped in the car and driven all the way out there just to buy strawberries, and polished off a whole punnet on the drive home. They are my absolute favourite summer fruit, and I have never tasted any as good as Craigie’s!

*Survivor. I have watched every single season of Survivor, except the very first one (I guess I didn’t know what I was missing at first). And I will continue to watch every single season of Survivor until they stop making it.

*My Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. He is my reason for living.