things to be happy about

21. watching a train go by

22. a surprise brick road in the suburbs

23. collecting items for a future home

24. picking strawberries

25. fresh kettle corn

26. going to a summer festival just to eat fried foods and polka

27. someone being your every dream

28. 3-ring binders

29. being impeccably organized

30. focusing on the positive

31. believing in one great love

32. finding a new favorite meal

33. buying yourself flowers

34. googling it

35. trying a new recipe and being pleasantly surprised by the results

36. raspberry jam and blackberry preserves

37. ordering what you want, even if it's mac and cheese at a fancy restaurant

38. taking the top off the jeep for the first time this season

39. butterfly gardens

40. being able to see the stars

lunch at the lagoon

Tried to enjoy a yummy lunch from StrEat Mobile Bistro a few weeks ago, but made the mistake of trying to sit outside at the lagoon. These guys were fearless in trying to steal our lunch!

things to be happy about

I have been working on a list of things to be happy about for just over a year. I got the idea from the book  14,000 Things to be Happy About. I love hearing what other people have on their list, and I'm hoping to share at least 20 things a week on here. 

1. Waking up next to the one you love. 
2. The first warm, sunny day of spring. 
3. Getting out of the city for the weekend. 
4. A mother's love. 
5. Impromptu jam sessions. 
6. Laughing so hard you cry. 
7. The comfort you feel with a best friend. 
8. Realizing that it's not as bad as you thought. 
9. The bark of a basset hound. 
10. Cats that want to be cuddled. 
11. Brown eggs fresh from the farm. 
12. Feeding apples to horses. 
13. When someone waits and holds the door for you. 
14. Realizing that the sun is still shining at 7pm after a long winter. 
15. Staying in bed as long as possible. 
16. The traditions that go along with putting up the Christmas tree. 
17. Cookies hot from the oven. 
18. Baking for someone else. 
19. Driving along the Erie Canal. 
20. Being able to appreciate the history of that drive.

beginning

Oh, hi. I'm Nikki. 


I've never blogged before, so bear with me. I'm creating a space to compile the positive affirmations I keep around, to post some of my photography, and to share my reasons to smile.