The Happiness Project

I've discovered a new favorite blog just yesterday:  The Happiness Project.  Some of you might have heard of the book - I actually haven't read it yet, although I just bought it on my nook.  To be actively happy is something I need to cultivate in my life.  In my younger days, I was an innately happy person, but as I've gotten older, I see myself becoming more and more pessimistic and generally grumpy about everything.  It's not my favorite quality, in myself or in others, but I haven't done much about it thus far.

On the main page of the site, Gretchen has listed 12 personal commandments.  The third is "Act the way I want to feel", and the fourth is "Do it now".

Well, color me inspired!  My incremental step for today is to do exactly that:  Act the way I want to feel, and do it NOW.  I woke up mildly sick, generally lethargic and totally grumpy about my long list of to-do's that simply MUST get done today, but none of which are things that I enjoy.  In fact, I sat down to blog in an effort to procrastinate over those very things.  Now, I'm not saying that I don't still feel grumpy about it, but I'm closing down my browser as soon as I publish this blog so that I can focus on finalizing my taxes. (Yes, I realize it's April 12th.  Shut up.)  And I will smile about it, even though I hate doing taxes, and I hate that it's my job in our family, and it makes me feel confused and angry in all sorts of ways.

See me smiling?

Okay, it's more of a grimace at this point, but I'll get there.

And here's your cute for the day, because I know you don't tune into the blog to hear my musings - you're here for the pics!

Bye Bye Banshee

Adios, Senor Banshee...  some of us will miss you...

 Poor Stephen, saying good-bye

Oddly enough, I was not nearly so sad...

Wahoo!!!

Sleepover Madness!

 Last month we had a sleepover with another family - the Dallases.  Jackson, Iain, Quincy and Whittaker are great kids, and match up with our boys quite well.  Seven boys in the house was less work than you might think, since they entertained each other, but there was a time there that it was CRAZY LOCO in our house.  One one bloody injury: Quincy fell off the scooter, scraped his arm and knee, and banged his front tooth (thankfullly a baby one) pretty hard.  All in all, I think that seven boys with only one injury that did NOT involve the hospital is pretty good.  :-)

Here are some random pics through the night that show both the calm and the crazy.

Ben and Jackson, playing Wii

 Outside scooter time, pre-injury

Pizza for dinner!

Inside chaos with Ryan and Whitt - both moving so fast I couldn't get a clear picture of them

Nerf Wars

 Saturday morning - everyone lived!

 Ryan and Whitt - still crazy-town!

It was a great night, but next time it's their turn to host and we get a whole evening to ourselves.  I think I like this plan...