August Happiness aka the longest post ever.

So, once again, it's been a while.  Partly because life is a lot busier than it used to be, and partly because I have a teenage boy who hogs the computer.  

I know it's a lot, but I am finishing out August so I can move on to September.  So, here we go:

M2B =) days 196 - 208.  Thursday, August 19th - Tuesday, August 31st:

Thursday, August 19th happiness:  Today is my mom's birthday.  Happy Birthday Mom!  Thanks for having a birthday today because it allowed me to shop for you at Deseret Book.  I love that store and I rarely get to go, but today I took my time and in addition to getting your present, I bought 2 books for me (both on sale, of course).  I don't know when I will ever find the time to read them, but oh well.

Tonight was my mom's party at Peter Piper Pizza.  This is what is so great about my mom.  For her birthday, she threw a party for all of us.  It was fun hanging out with everybody.

Here are a few of my favorite photo's of the evening:
How happy is this face?
How cute is this one?
Not sure what is going on here, but it looks like fun:
Who invited these guys?
Good times.

Friday, August 20th happiness:  One of the boys in my class invited me to his birthday party at Jeepers.  He has asked me every day this week if I was going.  So, I did.  This kid is adorable.  He is always smiling and loves to tell me silly jokes.  I was happy I went.

Saturday, August 21st happiness:  Joe and I got up this morning and helped out Michelle with her car wash fundraiser.  This is how good of a helper Joe was.  Can you see him working hard?
Just kidding.  It was a little slow at first, so Aunt Sandy made an Elmer's run.  She even bought something for Joe.  How sweet is that?  Lest you think Brian was home sleeping, he was not.  He was on babysitting duty.  He spent the morning with Michelle's kids, so she could be at the car wash.  

Later that day Brian and I went to see the movie Switch.  I actually liked it a lot.  The kid in the movie was great.  He really made the movie for me.

Sunday, August 22nd:  Today was a lazy Sunday.  I love lazy Sunday's.  I need them.  Joe and I spent much of the day, hanging out on the bed.  One of my favorite activities.  We talked, we read, we watched silly t.v. shows (is it wrong for me to say how much I love the Jonas Brother's t.v. show?  actually, don't answer that.) and he even busted out the guitar and played some songs.  I love this kid.
Monday, August 23rd:  My mom and I had been planning to go see a movie for her birthday.  We wanted to see Charlie St. Cloud, but it wasn't playing anymore in any of the theaters nearby, so we went and saw Switch instead.  My dad tagged along.  He just doesn't like to be left behind.  It was fine by me.  I have the best parents in the world!

Tuesday, August 24th happiness:  
It makes me happy to live in a free country, where I have the right to vote.  I never waste this opportunity.  Even though most of the people I voted for didn't end up winning, I am happy to have the chance to make my own choice.  I love this country.  

Tonight also, Joe and I went to Barnes and Noble.  I could spend all my time and money in that store.  Tonight however, I only walked away with one book.  It was the book for this month's book club, which is in 2 days.  I WILL finish it.  Joe also got a book.  The third book in the Kingdom Keepers series finally is here.  Woo hoo.

When we were driving home tonight, there was the most gorgeous sunset ever.  We were on the freeway, and I didn't have my camera.  I hurried home, but the view just wasn't the same.  There were too many trees and things in the way.  Oh well, this is the best I could get:

Wednesday, August 25th happiness:  Rain and lots of reading.

Thursday, August 26th happiness:  More rain.  Tonight was book club.  This month's book was "A Long Way Gone".  It was heartbreaking, and a bit graphic at times, but I loved it.  It is this man's personal story of growing up in Sierra Leon.  By 13 he was an orphan and a soldier in the army.  I loved it because, even though he had such a horrendous childhood, he was able to overcome his adversity and make a new life for himself.  He is an inspiration of how to handle adversity.  Also, it is a good reminder that even on my worst day, my suffering doesn't come close to what some people have to go through, and it really helps me put things in perspective.  
Sadly, I did not actually make it to book club.  I map quested the address, and it was of course, wrong.  I drove around for an hour before I gave up.  Next month I am definitely getting a ride with someone.

Friday, August 27th:  Family movie night.  Joe picked this week:
Even though the movie is not nearly as good as the book, and they changed A LOT of things (I hate it when they do that).  I still like this movie.  I just don't compare it to the book.  I love that they cast Logan Lerman as Percy.  I think he is great.  And even though the Grover character is nothing like he is in the book.  I thought Brandon T. Jackson did a great job with the character.  He was definitely the comic relief in this movie.

Saturday, August 28th happiness:  This morning had a rough start.  By 9 a.m. I had to get out of the house for a while.  I went to Barnes and Noble of course.  While I was there my mom called and invited me to come over.  Today was Addy's birthday and she was having the girls over to make pizza and cookies.  I hurried right over.

I got to make pizza with Addy:

And dip strawberries in chocolate with the girls:
We also made and frosted cookies.  A lousy morning definitely turned into an awesome day.

When I got home, it was raining.  I stood in the rain today and for 5 minutes felt completely happy.

Sunday, August 29th:  I was sick again today.  I think I am catching everything that my kids are bringing to school.  It has definitely been going around, and around and around.  Thank goodness for Brian taking care of dinner.  It's nice to be able to lay in bed and recover.  And I know I've said it before, but the NyQuil really does make me happy.

Monday, August 30th:  Every morning when the kids first come into the classroom, they have to unpack and then get to their desk and look up the "word of the day" in the dictionary.  They have been doing this for over a month now.  Without fail, I have at least 2 kids who can't seem to do it.  One of the girls came up and asked me for help.  I asked her if she had even opened the book.  Her reply was: "When I think about looking up words, I get nervous."  I had to really try hard not to laugh.  I love my job.

Tonight, Brian brought home this:
It is heavenly.  I have decided that I need to eat this every day.

And Finally......you thought this post would never end, but here we are:

Tuesday, August 31st happiness:  I located a theater that is semi-near by that is still playing Charlie St. Cloud.  We had to drive 10 miles, but my mom, dad and I went and saw it tonight.
I liked it a lot.  It was a lot less cheesy than it could have been, considering the subject matter.  I think Zac Efron did a good job, and he has dreamy electric blue eyes.  =)

That's it for now.  Congratulations, you made it all the way to the end.

Happy Day!