All I Need to Be Happy

The list has gone from very complex and long, to simple and peaceful.

Warm bacon fresh from the frying pan.
Snuggling with a baby smelling that fresh baby scent.
A nice back hug from my husband
Running on a snowy day.
A really great glass of red wine
Time with my sisters
Finding a spot next to a creek on a lazy summer day
Waking up late on a Sunday morning because there is nothing planned.
That feeling when you can be there for someone
Sitting outside in front of a fire wrapped in blankets
Getting to the best part of the book and there's still pages left.
When my writing clicks and I feel the story.
Thinking about my boys
That song that makes you feel it
Frankincense
A really good belly laugh
The smell of a new journal
Learning something new
Watching my bird feeders
Soft buttery filet mignon with a blue cheese sauce
Finishing an endurance race - yes, that rockstar feeling
Hitting a groove skiing where everything becomes automatic
Powder days, of course
Standing on top of the world experiencing God's majesty
Yoga

Happiness cannot be touched, don't tie it up in things.

25 hard truths of being a Mom

25.  You will never sleep through the night again.  Ever.

24.  Hand sanitizer is your perfume - of choice.

23.  There will be a permanent indentation that fits a Lego piece perfectly on the bottom of your foot.

22.  There is no such thing as a HOT cup of coffee.

21.  You free time will be when you tell everyone you're going to the bathroom to take a nice......

20.  There are calories in Macaroni and Cheese, your thighs are telling you.

19.  Tomato, in every Mom's book, is considered a vegetable.

18.  Spandex was invented by Moms.

17.  TV will become your best friend, just behind X-Box.

16.  Your sense of smell will become perfect - especially if it involves dog poop.

15.  You'll never look down at your boobs the same again.

14.  "Wow, that's great," is the perfect praise you can give, especially if you didn't hear a word they said.

13.  Wining not whining is your preferred method of communication.

12.  No one, I repeat, no one will be talking about your flaming volcano cake for the 2nd grade Spring snack a year later.

11.  That secret drawer, the one with those "special" books and items - well, your kids have already been through it - twice.

10.  Cup holders are your best friend - on the stroller, attached to the beach chair.  They keep that "Mom Juice" from getting spilled.

9.  Your easiest hairstyle involves leftover food, and dried milk.  Only you can smell it.

8.  Your kids are energy suckers on the teat of your life - if you let them, they'll suck it all right out of you.

7.  The first time you pee alone, you'll have performance anxiety because you are used to an audience.

6.  In the beginning you'll relish the silence, until you live through the messes left behind it.

5.  Your child will become the best chaperone you ever had before marriage.

4.  It's OK to ignore your children and say, "My God, who's kids are those," when they are in a dog fight in the middle of the cereal aisle.

3.  You'll be overcome with the uncontrollable urge to do something cruel, like drive away and leave them in the house when they are taking 15 minutes to put on their socks.  And another 15 to put on their shoes.

2.  Please really is a magic word.  You'll be amazed at what you do after hearing the word please.

1.  You really will miss them when they move out.  Really.

What would you add to the list?