Come on in and post your sparks of joy

[ProfessorArtNerd]

Lots of us are dealing with some heavy shit right now.  Let's post some things that make us happy.  Big, little, whatever. 

I'll start.  Joey has been laughing this completely unhinged belly/monster laugh at Sesame Street this morning.  The other kids aren't up yet but I'll have something regarding them too, I hope.

[liverandonions]

My baby turned 8 yesterday. He was so excited to get a Cristiano Ronaldo jersey from his sister, a new baseball bag from us, and Nike Lebron Witness shoes from Grandma. We're getting close to no more toys which is bittersweet!

His real favorite gift was Robux, but hey it's a work in progress

[starburst604]

DD came home from her first day at her new school yesterday with a big smile, and said she really likes her class and teacher. I'm so relieved and glad that the school change is going well for her.

[scm1011]

My 2 best mom friends and I are planning a last-minute farewell to summer hurrah to my favorite beach this weekend with our combined 6 kids. I can't wait.

[dochas]

When my son was really young money was really, really tight. We went to the library several times a week which has remained the highlight of our lives. But buying any books really wasn't an option. For his 4th birthday Barnes and Noble sent a discount coupon and a coupon for a free birthday treat in the cafe. We went and he got this shark encycolpedia that he had taken out of the library a million times. Every year he looks forward to our trips there to buy a book and then we read in the cafe with a treat. He's 13.

I'm off today and I found a really big used book store about an hour away. We're taking a little road trip! Books are something I hope we always share. That and our deep love of browsing. LOL

[Aloe Vera]

My 2 kids (12 months and 3.5) playing together and laughing out loud makes me so happy.

[Patsy Baloney]

I put out on the curb a target box with a ton of tomatoes from my garden in it marked, “Free Tomatoes”.

People were already taking some when I left for work this morning ♥️ love sharing my harvest.

[abs]

Yesterday morning it was 68 degrees for my morning walk. It still was 101 in the afternoon but it’s no longer 82 in the mornings. Progress!

[litskispeciality]

DH was just commenting on how nice things have been lately. This has been a really tough year and he's taking a lot of my emotions, so it's really big to hear him see things can and will get better.

@@@

They're saying we might finally get summer weather for a few days too! Sorry kids in school who don't have AC, I want my pool to warm up enough I can comfortably swim for just a few more days, then I'll take fall which I love.

[candreco]

Tuesday evening DS was having trouble settling down to sleep, and and actually snuggled on my lap and let me just hold him for awhile. He's 10, so these moments are getting rarer and more precious.

[abs]

Kid related:

I continue to be so happy about how good junior high has been for DD. Elementary was a struggle socially. She just never found her people and was on the fringes of every group. I thought she might get lost in junior high with its 1800 students but nope. She’s thrived. She has a great group of friends now and I love hearing them laugh together and have fun. Our house has become the hang out place and I am great with that.

I also continue to be thankful for her science teacher last year. DD still goes by his room almost daily just to say hi/talk baseball or get a piece of candy or pep talk before a tough test. He will be a forever favorite of hers.

[pixy0stix]

I really love legos. It only took until I was 46 to understand the love of building a lego kit. (Never had the money as a kid, nor really as an adult to spend the $$$ money on something I might not like.)

[Bernadine]

My BIL proposed to his girlfriend last night! Yay!

And, they’re going to do a destination wedding to Mexico, to which family is invited. Double yay!

[cville]

McConnell's health issues.

[ProfessorArtNerd]

I don't know why, but it makes me really happy that H stopped drinking coffee, and I get it all to myself.

[jennistarr1]

My birthday is tomorrow!

[oregonpachey]

My older son and I went birding on Saturday and got to see my favorite bird ever: Lewis's Woodpecker.

They are the coolest birds ever and we have to drive about 2 hours to see them.

[Captain Catnip]

One of my and H's good friends bought his first house. I'm so happy for him; he currently rents from my parents and while they don't want to lose a tenant they've known him as long as they've known my H and are also so excited for him. I won't be surprised if my dad helps him move or lends his pickup.

[tacokick]

My neighborhood of almost 20 years has been gentrifying which I have feelings about but I heard that we are getting a creative reuse place (sort of like thrift for craft supplies) that is going to apparently do workshops so I’m optimistic about that!

If new places are going to open up, it will be nice to have one that isn’t expensive and as a bonus be of actual interest to me personally lol

[gretchenindisguise]

The mental image of A running like a goofball into school this morning, me telling him to remember his backpack and then him running goofy back to the car. It made me laugh in the moment.

[sunshineandpinot]

Aug 31, 2023 9:26:33 GMT -5 litskispeciality said:

DH was just commenting on how nice things have been lately. This has been a really tough year and he's taking a lot of my emotions, so it's really big to hear him see things can and will get better.

@@@

They're saying we might finally get summer weather for a few days too! Sorry kids in school who don't have AC, I want my pool to warm up enough I can comfortably swim for just a few more days, then I'll take fall which I love.

omg dying to know where you are located that you haven't had summer weather?? bc I want to move there. This has been the most brutal summer and I am over it!

[jewel]

My 5 year old and I were on our iPads this morning for a few minutes before school. He plays all kinds of weird games and I was watching Dr Pimple Popper.

Me: why do you play such strange games?
Him: why do you watch people get their skin cut open?
Me: touché, as you were sir

I am just tickled with his wit. That’s some hilarious shit.

[litskispeciality]

Aug 31, 2023 10:37:56 GMT -5 sunshineandpinot said:

Aug 31, 2023 9:26:33 GMT -5 litskispeciality said:

DH was just commenting on how nice things have been lately. This has been a really tough year and he's taking a lot of my emotions, so it's really big to hear him see things can and will get better.

@@@

They're saying we might finally get summer weather for a few days too! Sorry kids in school who don't have AC, I want my pool to warm up enough I can comfortably swim for just a few more days, then I'll take fall which I love.

omg dying to know where you are located that you haven't had summer weather?? bc I want to move there. This has been the most brutal summer and I am over it!

I know, the northeast, at least most of New England has had rain, humid, and some cooler weather...all. g- d. summer. I joke that I'll take 20 of those 100+ degrees everyone else is getting, and trade you the rain we can't take anymore. The 100+ heatdomes or whatever kooky word they're using now need the damn rain, and we need the damn sun!

[litskispeciality]

pixy0stix, have you seen Lego Masters (Hulu/Fox)? I just saw another season is coming out in Sept. It's amazing to watch, and a nice break from reality on a tough day.

DH and I have thought about buying Legos for giving trees, but like you said they're so expensive we go back and forth on buying more, less expensive toys for volume, rather than one or two cool toys, for less kids. I think the collector sets like Harry Potter, Hocus Pocus, Friends and so on, plus the show, aren't helping prices either.

[mcppalmbeach]

Aug 31, 2023 11:09:14 GMT -5 litskispeciality said:

pixy0stix, have you seen Lego Masters (Hulu/Fox)? I just saw another season is coming out in Sept. It's amazing to watch, and a nice break from reality on a tough day.

DH and I have thought about buying Legos for giving trees, but like you said they're so expensive we go back and forth on buying more, less expensive toys for volume, rather than one or two cool toys, for less kids. I think the collector sets like Harry Potter, Hocus Pocus, Friends and so on, plus the show, aren't helping prices either.

I love legos, but they really are SO expensive. My 12yo ds likes them too and it’s something he’ll turn to when I force him off electronics lol. But of course he’s better suited to the more intricate sets and they are always over $100. And in my head I’m like he doesn’t like them enough to make the price worth. I wanted to get him a set for his birthday that he could have for rainy days or whatever, but that kills the birthday budget.

[mcppalmbeach]

I just posted about this on MMs, but my freshman is working so hard to find his place and what he has tried has not really worked out for him. As a mom, it breaks my heart, but his resilience and willingness to keep trying sparks a lot of joy. He has had a rough two days of medical appointments and tests and he is so sweet and kind to the medical staff.

[Patsy Baloney]

Aug 31, 2023 11:16:51 GMT -5 mcppalmbeach said:

Aug 31, 2023 11:09:14 GMT -5 litskispeciality said:

pixy0stix, have you seen Lego Masters (Hulu/Fox)? I just saw another season is coming out in Sept. It's amazing to watch, and a nice break from reality on a tough day.

DH and I have thought about buying Legos for giving trees, but like you said they're so expensive we go back and forth on buying more, less expensive toys for volume, rather than one or two cool toys, for less kids. I think the collector sets like Harry Potter, Hocus Pocus, Friends and so on, plus the show, aren't helping prices either.

I love legos, but they really are SO expensive. My 12yo ds likes them too and it’s something he’ll turn to when I force him off electronics lol. But of course he’s better suited to the more intricate sets and they are always over $100. And in my head I’m like he doesn’t like them enough to make the price worth. I wanted to get him a set for his birthday that he could have for rainy days or whatever, but that kills the birthday budget.

My H and kids are super into legos, and while I do spring for a set for each of them once or twice a year, the kids especially get the most use out of the big tubs of different colored blocks without any specific final product. We got my son some for his birthday this past year and I think it was 2 really large bins for $50 altogether? Hundreds of pieces for me to step on.

[picksthemusic]

I have been getting facials more lately (like once or twice a month), and my skin is glowing. I get complimented on it, and I rarely wear makeup. If you have access and time, I highly recommend them!

[fancynewbeesly]

DD1 and I returned home from Philly this week. She had a bone marrow transplant on June 20th. After five weeks in the hospital and then roughly another month at the Ronald McDonald House we are back home. And she is thriving 🥰🥰🥰🥰 (During the transplant she was intubated for 4 days in the ICU).

We are so thankful and grateful to her bone marrow donor.

[lilac05]

Hearing a patient loudly yell, “I can’t believe it! I’m getting out of here! I get to go HOME!” yesterday is probably something that will stick with me forever. They have worked SO hard, been through so much, and have come so far…and the joy and optimism and pride in their voice…reminds me of why I do what I do.

litskispeciality, lots of LEGO sets are really expensive. For giving tree type stuff, I highly recommend the Speed Racer sets or the Creator sets. The Speed Racer sets are a great value. They’re generally under $20 and are fun to build and specific high end cars, not just a generic car. The Creator sets start at $10, and are also great value because they’re 3 sets in 1. So you’re actually giving a kid 3 LEGO sets for $10-20. They’ve got some really cool ones, too! The 3-in-1 sets are my favorite!