A feeling of pure happiness washes over me every time I see the photo above. Then, at some point, that happiness turns to disappointment and shame.

You see, that was probably one of the happiest “regular” days of my life. My husband and I were in Park City, Utah on a little getaway. I was feeling healthy because I had made exercise a priority in my life. I was feeling beautiful… thin, healthy, and in shape. I had a confidence that I hadn’t had in a very long time.

Nick and I went on a 20+ mile hike through the mountains and enjoyed every moment of it. It was an amazing day. (more…)

Do you see that picture right up there? The one with the bright, shining sun and palm trees? The kids and I are leaving on our annual 16 hour road trip to find the sun… down near South Padre Texas, where my parents live! I am so excited to leave the chill behind and head towards the warmth! The thought of warm weather in my near future is obviously making me smile. I thought it would be a great time to share what else is making me happy these days!

Have you seen this video with Billy Joel and the college student? Find out what happens when Billy Joel gives an unexpected answer to a student willing to take a risk. The moral of the story? It never hurts to ask! Love this life changing moment – it makes me smile from ear to ear! (more…)

Happy Friday to you all! It’s time to share things that are making me happy lately… such a great way to start the weekend! (more…)

Happy happiness report time, friends! It’s my first happiness report of the new year, and I have so much to be happy about!

The absolute first thing on my list is our new dog. I can’t tell you how happy she is making our family. When we finally decided to get a dog, and Santa decided he’d bring us one, I was really nervous about how a dog would fit into our lives. Well, I think she is the best thing that’s happened to us in a long time. Right this very moment, she’s sitting on what she has taken over as “her chair” and snoring her sweet little doggy snore. Heartwarming.

She is an absolutely wonderful dog and has instantly become an important member of our family. Every time she hops in the car to go for a ride, or sits on my lap while I’m working, I smile. She loves the kids so much too, which of course brings me joy. If you are on the fence about getting a dog, I highly recommend taking the plunge! (If you missed the story of Meg’s entry into our family, you can find my post about it here).

Your emails, private facebook messages, calls and comments on my post about the struggles we are having with our 6 year old make me happy and feel so much less alone. Thank you all for your support…it totally turned my attitude about it all around. I know it takes a village, and I’m so thankful to have you all in mine! (more…)

Happy New Year! What? I’m a week behind? The new year actually started last week?

Oh, I know, but I’m counting today as my new year. You see, the kids went back to school today and I always feel like I can’t really get started with all my new year plans until they are out of the house. So, cheers to you! Raise a glass and let’s celebrate the start of 2013!

Each year, I’ve blogged about my “word” for the year. A couple years ago it was “HAPPINESS“, last year it was “CONNECT” and I’ve decided that this year, my word is going to be “SIMPLIFY”.

I chose the word “SIMPLIFY” this year because getting back to basics and eliminating the physical and emotional “crap” in my life is important. I know that when I keep things simple, I’m happier and therefore my family is happier. Simplify in 2013 means: (more…)

Taking a picture a day in 2012 hasn’t been hard for me. In fact, I take so many pictures each day sometimes the hardest part is choosing which picture gets to be the picture of the day. Getting them uploaded to my blog in a timely manner has also been difficult, but so worth it. In my 2012 Project 365 wrap up post next, I’ll reflect some on what finishing this Project 365 has meant to me. Until then, here is my second to last Project 365 2012 post.

November 1st: I find it interesting that one thing that hasn’t evolved much is the halloween candy bucket. This is the same type of cheap bucket I used to trick-or-treat with!

November 2nd: A baking day = a happy day!

November 3rd: Kelly’s last day of being 8!

(more…)

Happy November! I feel like I say this with each passing month, but November already? Really? Raise your hand if you think that seems impossible!

My heart has been heavy this week as I think of you all on the East Coast who have gone through so much. The pictures, stories, accounts… they all seem so surreal observing from Kansas. Please know that you are in our thoughts and prayers.

Everything else seems kind of irrelevant, but I always think there is time to focus on what’s making us happy, so I decided to share a Happiness Report. Also, as the month of being intently thankful is upon us, seems like a good time, don’t you think? (more…)

Hi friends! It’s time for another Happiness Report and this one is going to include a very special, happy giveaway!

Please take a listen, then read on…

Shannon Curtis and her music has been a part of several happiness reports of the past. As you know, I’m a big, big fan. Shannon released a live album of her 2012 Summer House Concert tour today, and it is simply amazing. We had the pleasure of inviting our friends over for a private house concert with Shannon and her husband, Jamie, this summer and it was such an amazing, one of a kind experience. It makes me so happy to be able to re-live all of that through her newest album. Please, go check out Shannon’s website and take a listen. You can listen to her music for free on Bandcamp and you can also name your own price for her 2012 Summer Concert Tour CD download. How cool is that? (more…)

Is it possible to find happiness in a cookie?

When that cookie is a Rainbow Tie-Dyed Sugar Cookie, the answer is a resounding yes!

There’s even more joy found when the whole family gets in on the action, piecing off dough and contributing to the giant, multi-colored log of psychedelic cookie dough.

Makes me happy. How about you?

Complete instructions, including a fabulous sugar cookie recipe, can be found on the blog, Baked Bree.

Don’t you just love the vibrant colors? I highly recommend AmeriColor gel paste. You won’t find a better product out there, in my opinion!

It’s time for another post of getting caught up on my Project 365 pictures! For some reason this is probably my least favorite group of photos from the year. Several of the pictures within this group are some of my very favorites, but as I was going through the pictures I realized I was getting lazy and just taking pictures to take pictures. (Notice all the flower shots, for example). I’m going to work extra hard in this next few weeks to purposefully take pictures… to get out, look around, seek out photos versus just taking whatever is around me. Either way, without further adieu, here’s our life currently in pictures!

(Above) August 26th:This is how we do serious lounging in our house. Princess dresses, totally messed up hair, food in our mouth, and glued to something either on TV or the phone. Leah does it quite well, as you see!

August 27th: I went shopping and came home with 2 soft, beautiful, lacy shirts. Can I tell you how happy I am that this kind of clothes is currently in fashion?

August 28th: Sunflowers

August 29th: This is called keeping it real… I had a huge deadline day, which means I cooked and photographed 9 recipes. This is what my kitchen looks like when I fail to clean up between recipes because I’m in such a big hurry to get things done while the light is still good. I looked back and couldn’t even believe what a huge disaster it was. Yikes!

August 30th: You know your kids love you when they’ll go out in a winter coat and gloves in 103 degree weather to help you with a shoot for a winter issue. Thank you, Kelly!

August 31st: Remember Shannon and the Summer House Concert? Kelly was quite smitten (with very good reason!)

September 1st: More flowers.

September 2nd: Yes, we are in the “love our princess dress and not brush our hair” stage of 3.

September 3rd: Yes, even more flowers!

September 4th: Leah had her very first day of preschool today. This is her dancing out in the yard celebrating after she was done. She informed me then that she was not going back and “one day of school was plenty”.

September 5th: This is what you might look like if you ran all the way home from school in the heat so you could hurry up and share with your parents that you were chosen as the “Student of the Day” at school! Way to go, Ella!

September 6th: Two of my favorite things… rain showers and coffee.

September 7th: My friend Jenny invited Leah and I to join her and her daughter on a trip to Pryde’s of Old Westport (an amazing kitchen store in KC with a homemade pie bakery inside). The girls were thrilled to get to eat pie and cookies for lunch!

September 8th:Probably one of my favorite pictures, ever… Kelly and I took some yellow balloons out and just had some fun at the park with them!

September 9th: It was the Red Faced Runners 5K Race weekend! Look at what Cassie and Alli surprised me with before my run. Such sweet friends!

September 10th: I fell in love with this clock at the Blog KC event at the beautiful store, Raised in Cotton. In fact, the more I look at this picture, the more this clock is calling out to me. I’m going to give Carol a call tomorrow to see if they still have it because I think I need it!

September 11th: She was napping and I couldn’t get over how big her not so baby feet are getting anymore.

September 12th: Watching the annual Mill Valley High School Homecoming Parade

September 13th: Have you seen the new Curiosity Shoppe at Target yet? They have the cutest things. I loved this cup for my morning #shotofcoffee. Just had to pick it up!

September 14th: This was a very difficult week. One of my longest and dearest friends from high school lost her husband to leukemia. He was diagnosed on Thursday and passed away after a reaction to a chemo treatment on Sunday… only a few days later. They have 5 young kids together. I stopped to take this picture on my way back from going home for the funeral. Lots and lots of tears were shed.

September 15th: I had the pleasure of taking pictures of some beautiful ladies and handsome guys for homecoming tonight. I loved these shoes… and longingly remembered when my svelte self could fit into shoes like that and not kill myself!

Well friends, that’s it for now! Remember you can follow along on Instagram for more pictures as well as Facebook and Twitter!

I hope you remember to stop and snap some pictures of your life. Have a great week!