What Makes Me Smile #1

I tend to be a Negative Nelly about my life.  I'm great about putting a positive spin on things when friends vent to me about their bad days, but when it comes to my life, I only see the bad things.  In an attempt to change this aspect of my personality, I want to journal some things that make me smile each week.  Hoping that when I look back, I'll see just how many things I have to be grateful for and smile about in my life.

Last week, I had a lot to smile about!

• Visiting with old friends:  I've said this before and I'll probably say it many times more, I love Facebook!  It has connected me with so many people that I've lost touch with over the years.  Just a few months ago, I "found" a friend on Facebook that I haven't seen or heard from, in over 25 years! Her family moved away a year or two after we became friends.  We tried staying in touch via snail mail for a while, but that didn't last very long.  After a few emails back and forth, she told me she'd be visiting family in PA.  She and her mom stopped by for lunch and a nice visit earlier this week!  I loved seeing them and chatting while enjoying a picnic lunch!  

• Grace's Dance Class:  We signed Grace up for a summer dance program.  Six, 45 minute classes.  I was concerned that she wouldn't participate since we've attended 2 birthday parties this summer that included dancing as a group and both times she shyly stood there, frozen, while the other kids danced around her.  This week, was her third class.  I had the chance to peek into the room and saw that she was indeed participating with the rest of the class!  She has not shown Joe or myself any of her new dance moves!  

• Regal Summer Movie:  Can't beat $1 movie days!  Especially when they are spent with people we love!  In the past, we've attempted taking Grace to the movies before on full price days.  Both times, she was disruptive and we've left the theater soon after the movie started.  So, we've been reluctant to try again (at close to $50 for the three of us after tickets and snacks).  At a buck a ticket, I decided to give it another try.  She loved the experience and sat through the entire movie!  

• Family Fun Time:  We took Grace for her first game of mini golf.  I hadn't played since I was a kid and I'm guess it was just as long for Joe, too!  It was a fun time!  Grace had a blast!  She played not only her game, but "helped" Joe and I both finish our games.  We'll have to work on the rules with her so we can go with other kids that most likely won't want her "help"!  

• My Girly Girl:  Grace decided the other day that she wanted to wear a dress.  Just as we were about to walk out the door, she ran to her dress up box and put on a tiara over top of the hair bow she was already wearing!  She received lots of smiles and compliments while the little princess was out and about for the day!  

• Chatting online with old friends:  Grace was being unusually cooperative and mellow one afternoon, so I had a chance to chat online with a classmate from elementary school days.  Although, some of our topics were sad, it was so nice chatting with her about our lives.  

• Another Family Fun Day:  One of my girlfriends from high school and her kids came over for dinner, dessert and a campfire.  Her girls are older, but Grace just adores them!  I love that she saw them drinking water at dinner and she got up from her chair and went to the fridge to grab not a juice box, but a mini bottle of water for herself!  We enjoyed a delicious dinner (yes, I'm patting myself on the back) and a very decadent dessert!  Followed by S'more by the firepit.  Though, that didn't last long since the mosquitoes were pretty bad!  

Sorry, no photos this time around.  I'll try to make a point to take some happy photos during the weeks ahead.  

Hope you have lots to smile about this week!  

Linking this post to:

• List It Tuesday