The List

22. Giggles
23. Being a bad singer and singing loudly anyways because you know there is no hope
24. When it is raining and you are driving under a bridge and the rain stops for 1 second
25. Forgetting that one thing you made a note not to forget
26. The way people dress at the airport
27. Pictures made perfectly by nature
28. Listening to loud people's conversations from across the hall when they think no one is listening
29. The first cup of hot chocolate in the winter
30. Falling asleep while reading
31. Talking in different voices to narrate a story

I hope that everyone is staying happy and enjoying the weather. Embrace it while you can :)

The Happiness List

14. Telling yourself to wake up in 5 minutes and actually waking up in 5 minutes
15. Cleaning out your closet
16. Talking with accents because you are pretending you're from a different country
17. Making up songs to go along with whatever it is you're doing at the moment
18. Going to bed early
19. The first breath of a freshly sprayed cleaning product
20. Getting to number 20 on any list
21. Getting past number 20 on the same list

Ginger- Coffee

Gingerbread+ Coffee= Ginger-coffee!

This, my dear friends, is what I will be enjoying in roughly 2 hours and 14 minutes. I am excited. How about you? I am excited. If you're not then you should be, but I know you're just jealous.



I can't lie. I don't want to drink this. Not with that little man in there anyways. I just can't bring myself to do it, what if he has a family, or a job! He is just too darn cute!! I mean come on, look at that smile, and those eyes...I think he is resting his eyes at the moment, but I can't really tell. I bet that coffee is like a gingerbread hot tub and that is why he is in my drink. He doesn't know any better, that is just what he does. It does look good, and that is why I am going to drink it! All of it :)

This is going to be good. Really really good.

AMAZINGLY AWESOME!!

Yay! Only 2 hours and 6 minutes now!

More exclamation points!!!!

Friday Night Lights

We all love Friday Night Lights. Don't deny it. The freezing cold, the hot chocolate, the team getting pumped up, the smell of lots of people in your space. It is the best time of the year. The football team just won the first round play off game in double overtime! It was amazing. I am so happy I was able to see it and be a part of it. Now, we are gearing up for round 2! Hopefully it will be an easy win since, you know, we are kind of a big deal around here, and well, we are pretty good. No big deal. Just kidding, it is a big deal. I was just thinking I would share what is like on these lovely Friday nights...

 The lights.

The team.

Tailgating, of course

Friends freaking out because we won.

Our cheerleaders.

The band.

What is a football game without popcorn?

The fans going crazy for the boys of fall

 Now that you can officialy say you know what it is like to be at a high school football game, wish us luck in round 2!

The Perfect Weekend

Hiking.

Good music

The perfect weekend.

Long time, no see! Except I have never seen you before so it is more just like long time...and this is true.

I have a few stories to tell you since you have been out of my life for a little while. Get ready because these are some mind boggling stories.

Story 1-

Well Fall Break was this past weekend and usually I am part of the family that doesn't go anywhere, ever. Lucky for me we decided to go visit the University of Tennessee at Knoxville because my older bro goes there! While we were there, or rather while we were planning our college visit we thought what better way to spend the break than going hiking in the Great Smokey Mountains. I know what you all are thinking, "She can't be serious, the Smokey Mountains? But how could they do that, that sounds like...like..." Yes, I know, it does sounds like lots of fun and let me tell you, it was all sorts of fun! I had both of my brothers in the car picking on me like always, I had my parents making all kinds of not funny jokes and puns. Who doesn't love a good pun? You're weird if you don't. I love them. And I also had a 4 hour car ride. Let's make a list of my favorite things shall we...

My Favorite Things:

1. My family

2. Car rides

3. Great music (see story 2)

4. Hiking

We got to the mountains and hiked and hiked and hiked and hiked our little butts off. It was amazing!

Story 2-

Now stay with me, it is going to get a little complicated. We have to backtrack to before the hiking trip. I should make this Story 1 I guess, but I already typed it so I won't. (BACK IN TIME, THE DAY BEFORE THE HIKING TRIP) I have this friend, Michelle, she can sometimes be cool, I mean it just depends on how you look at it I guess...and well Michelle is just too nice and when she heard that I was having some trouble finding some good music she kindly offered me access to her music collection. So, naturally, I remained unbelievable calm (psshh...yeah right) and I mosied my way over to her house to get some new music! We all know how great music can set the mood just right and make you feel like there is no one else around you. When that perfect song comes on and it just really gets you inside, maybe you tear up a little bit...I don't but I know someone does. Alright, I won't lie, I have teared up once or twice.I have to admit I was a little sad when I left her house with only 3 new cd's. Just kidding. I was stoked!I had all new music for my trip to the Smokeys! Let's make another list! Of my favorites from the cd's

My Favorites From the CD's

1. Beyonce

2. Iron and Wine

3. Grace Potter and the Nocturnals

4. Britney Spears- old school

5. The Weepies

6. Others that I don't really know who sings them

So, in conclusion. The weekend consisted of being with my family, hiking- a lot, listening to great music, and riding in the car :) The perfect way to spend a long break away from school.

The Rain

I love the rain.

I love nothing more than the rain.

That was a lie but,

I really like the rain.

I hope you get understand.

This tropical storm Lee sure does know how to put a smile on my face, although he doesn't understand anything of sentimental I would still like to say thanks. Thanks Lee, you the man. 

I love the smell right before a storm blows in, you can feel it in the air and you know it's coming and there is nothing you can do about it, and that's ok. No matter how many plans it's going to ruin or how much damage it's going to cause, you know it's going to be a good storm. The best part of the rain coming is when you look to the sky and you know it is going to rain, but it hasn't started yet; and then all of the sudden the heavens just open up and you cant help but smile because you knew, you  knew it would be this glorious. You may think I'm crazy but I know I'm not the only one who thinks about it.

"The best this one can do when it's raining is to let it rain."

- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Enjoy the rain next time it falls, it will make you smile, promise.

and we continue...
9. Almost hitting a small animal in the road and then not hitting it
10. Buying something for someone just because
11. Being friends with someone that won't judge you for acting insane, and joining in with you instead
12. When you guess the exact number
13. When your mom starts acting crazy and you realize that is where you got it from

The Best Dad

Okay this is going to be a  short one because I have to go to work :( but out of no where today, my dad brought me subway for lunch!! Isn't that just the best!! I just love him!

This was definitely a great way to end the school week and start the weekend! Woo Hoo!! Hope everyone is being..

HAPPY!!

Best Friends

Best friends are just the greatest things out there. I really have nothing else to say except that they are just simply, the best. Today my best friend, without knowing I was not having a very good morning, left me a funny little note in my locker and I laughed at it all the day long! She still doesnt know that it was the reason my day turned out to be so great. So now all I have to say it, thanks!

This is me and Michelle in our New Orleans mission trip. She is doing all the work and I am serenading her with our favorite, none other than the fresh-out-of-rehab Aaron Carter. Classic moment.

The List

Alright. It's happening. I'm making a list. A list of the little things that makes us all happy, we just never realize it. It's called, The List.

1. The moment you become best friends with someone
2. Making up captions and putting them to peoples faces/reactions
3. The melted whipped cream that sits upon the top of your scolding hot coffee
4. A really, really, really good song
5. Picking names for pets
6. Babies making faces and babies laughing
7. Everything about babies
8. The inside joke you have with your friend that neither of you know how it started

I just want to say that chicken noodle soup is one of the greatest ideas ever brought forth upon this earth.

New Orleans

I went to New Orleans this summer for a mission trip and it was so fun! I loved going down there to help people. We talked to the homeless, cleared yards with grass 6 feet tall, and ran a day camp for the local kids. As much as I loved doing all of those things, especially talking to the homeless, these pictures were the best part about going down there. My friend Maggie in the top left is just the cutest thing I have ever seen and I adore this photo of her! Obviously, the beignets were to die for and the scenery was gorgeous. I just thought I would share all of my favorites :) They make me happy!

Washed by the Water

Washed by the Water by Needtobreathe. This song makes me so incredibly happy, everytime I listen to it. Everytime. No matter if I am already happy, if I am sad, if I am being weird or awkward like usual this song just puts me in a good mood. I dont know what it is about Needtobreathe but I adore them oh so much, its getting to be unhealthy. On a slightly more serious note, I think this song can be pretty convicting. Its simple, but thats what makes it so. I love listening to it and realizing that all the worries I have have absolutly no value in this world, and I love that feeling!! I am washed by the water and there is nothing that is going to change that!

This is the song!

Oh and I started reading The Help and I just read the part where Constantine tells Skeeter that we have to wake up in the morning and decide right then and there if we are going to make today a happy day or if we are going to let today be a sad day. We have the power to make our own happiness, so why dont we use it? Hmm...

Cupcakes, Fish, and Rain

Yesterday my friend Sarah and I made cupcakes for our friend mother's birthday. They were obviously fun fetti cupcakes with fun fetti icing. I think it's safe to say we are pros at cup cake baking, and cup cake eating. We surprised her with them at her house and she was absolutly thrilled! It also made Sarah and I happy too because it feels so good to spontaneously do something nice for someone. After that I decided I wanted a pet fish, so I got one! We went to Petsmart and I picked out my little goldfish and I took it home with me. It's all mine! The only downside to getting a new pet is finding a name for him, or maybe it's a good thing? Hmm..we'll find out soon. When we came out of Petsmart it was pouring rain, yay! Love me some rain, and don't worry we ran all the way to the car screaming. I got pegged in the eye with a few rain drops but other than that all other injuries were pretty minor.  While we were having fun getting soaked everyone else on the planet was dry, in the store, watching us make fools of ourselves. It was a glorious and happy day.

Watching Kid Movies

I was babysitting a few days ago and the kids wanted to watch Spy Kids, so of course I let them. As I was watching the movie, very uninterested, I noticed how the kids couldn't stop laughing at the cheesiest parts of the movie. They would look at me to make sure I thought it was as funny as they did, so I naturally gave them a fake laugh, and they bought it. I realized that wasn't fair and when I was there age I thought the movie was just as funny as they were finding it to be, and if we're being honest I thought it a little scary too. I thought to myself, "what happened?". So I vowed right then and there to finish the movie as if I were a kid again. Funniest movie I have ever seen. Being a kid again is a refreshing experiece.

Hello!

Hi everyone! I'm Jennifer and I wanted to start this blog so that I can collect all things happy in one place. I think it's important that in the middle of all the chaos we have in our lives we take time to remember the happy stuff.  The Latin word for happy is 'felix', so I thought it would be appropriate to start off with something happy, and it's pretty catchy. Enjoy the happiness!