Things That Make Me Happy

On yet ANOTHER dreary, rainy, downright depressing day in St. Louis, I thought I'd make myself a little list of things that are making me happy this week. Oh-- and I'm not going to state anything overly broad here. I'm talking little material type things. (ie: I'm not including things like my baby's constant kicks or the beautiful Fall foliage. Those always make me happy.)

1. Dad's cookies. While I have had these before I have certainly never bought a bag at the grocery store for myself. Well... this week I did... and then I did it again. They are so delicious and satisfy that little cinnamon craving that I get when the weather turns nasty. My pregnancy book tells me that from this week onward it is very important to get enough Calcium as the baby's bones are really starting to develop. Obviously I take a pre-natal vitamin and try to eat well, but a little cookies and milk certainly doesn't hurt.

2. Hanky Pankies. Get your mind out of the gutter people. That is a PLURAL Hankie Pankies. I'm talking underwear here. I have worn this brand for years but am really appreciating them now. They are one size fits all and conform perfectly to any body type. (Including a pregnant one) with out riding up or causing any "muffin top." They are a bit pricey for panties ($18 a pop) but are so worth it. Oh-- and I've tried the cheaper knock-off ones that Victoria's Secret sells and they just aren't as nice and move around a lot more. You have to stick to the real thing.

3. Pomegranates. These are one of my favorite fruits that you can only seem to find at certain times of the year. They also taste better in the Winter and Fall. They must be in season somewhere. While they are a pain in the butt to "clean" (get the little seeds out) the tart sweetness is worth it. And I don't buy the seeds that are pre-harvested and come all clean in a little package. They aren't nearly as good. Your kitchen counter might look like a gory murder scene when you are done (and watch it-- that red juice stains!) but they are so yummy!

4. Automotive "Extras." Did I mention that we bought a new car this week? I was a little sad to get rid of my little red two door, but the time had come for a more practical family car. Or at least one I can fit a car seat in. :) After a lot of research we ended up with a Toyota Highlander. It seemed to fit all of our criteria...

- 7+ Passenger (only when the third row seat is up... most of the time it will be down.)

- Decent gas mileage (26 mpg highway)

- Safe

- Leather seats

There were other requirements too, but lets stick to a couple little "extras" that this post is talking about...

-Heated Seats. My old car didn't have these and they are so lovely on chilly mornings. I'm sure when it gets really cold I will appreciate them even more.

-Back Up Camera. Lets just say that in my 11 years of driving I have backed into stationary objects on more than one occasion. I certainly wasn't expecting this feature when we went car shopping but it happened to be on the vehicle that we ended up with. A very nice perk!

-Heated mirrors. With all the darn humidity in the air these came in handy this morning. That dew/frost/fog or whatever just evaporated away when you turn these guys on.

5. Gap First Favorites -- On Sale! Gap is running a 20% off promotion on their "First Favorites" line. I have a serious problem with most baby clothes out there. First off, it is slim pickings in the gender neutral category. I get that as most people find out the sex, but what I can't get past is why all baby clothes seem to have all this appliqued crap on them. They take a perfectly cute striped onesie and then sew all these cheap scratchy cartoon characters on the front. Newborns certainly don't look down at their clothing and the shapes and words seem so uncomfortable! I really like Gap's First Favorites line and have heard from friends that they really wash up well and stay soft. Plus-- no ugly appliques to be found! I ordered quite a few during the sale.

Well.. hope that inspired some people to think about the small things that make them happy on this crappy day. (Assuming you are in St. Louis. If not, you're lucky!!!)