Simple Pleasures

There have been mornings when I wake up overtired, to the sound of two boys needing my attention with the realization that the house is a disaster and there will be a worker coming at 9:30.  As I start breakfast, my two year old will dismantle the living room and dump out bins of toys on the floor.  Bottles need to be made, dishes need to be washed and don't get me started on the mountains of laundry that have piled up next to the machine.  In my head I question if I can keep on doing this.  For some reason these daily toils of life can overtake me as the chaos of doctors visits and weekend trips to visit my father-in-law weaken  and trouble my soul.  Peace like a River is last praise I want to sing from my lips.

One of the easiest ways for me to break out of a mood slump is to remember to enjoy the simple pleasures/blessings in life. 

Here is a top ten list for today:

Hot Coffee - Do you know how hard it is to drink a cup of hot coffee these days?  It seems that every time I pour myself a cup, someone or something needs my attention and the darn thing turns lukewarm or cold by the time I actually get to drink it.

Warm Sunlight through my Living Room Window - Cold windy days of winter and the lack of vitamin D make the pleasure of sunlight all that more tantalizing.  I love laying out on the couch and just soaking it in.

My Kids Smiles - Nothing melts the heart more than seeing Alex and Gideon smile.  Because of Gideon's vision issues, it took him much longer to learn how to smile and seeing them makes it that much more special. Alex will try and make you smile like it's some kind of game.  He is such a Ham.

Kisses from my Husband - Again, these leave me breathless and heart melted.  Do I need to say more?

The Smell of the Wood Stove - I grew up with a wood stove in the house and the smell is just so nostalgic.  It reminds me of my great grandmother and waking up early to visit her when I was just a little older than Alex.  It floats me back to a time of ease, when life was so full of wonder and awe.

Showers - Nothing relaxes tense stressed out muscles like a hot shower.  I'm sure I'd be a hunchback curled up in an unmovable cannonball position if it wasn't for my therapeutic showers.  Great for the pool... but not so much for daily living.  

Knitting in the Evening- The click clack of my needles and the repetitive motion mixed with the need to pay attention to changes in the pattern and the anticipation of completion make this activity both relaxing and rewarding.  

Fresh Cut Flowers - There is something about having fresh flowers in your house that just makes you smile; maybe even more so in the winter.  The smells, the colours, the arrangements; it's pure happiness.

Listening to Music - Recently I pulled out some of the old CDs I listened to when I was in university.  Again, these tunes bring back a simple pleasure, full of nostalgia that makes me sing out loud in the car.  Yes... I'm the one you all watch and laugh at while sitting in traffic.     

Reading - Taking time to read things that do not rhyme, involve plots without curious little monkeys and have more words than pictures helps my brain solidify from the jelly-mold ramblings of children's literature.  Yes they can be fun.  Yes they can be entertaining. No they are not the only thing I want to be reading.   

What simple pleasures are making you happy these days?