Smiles from November

Yes I know it's already December, but Alicia over at A Beautiful Mess does this lovely linky called "Project Smile" where you focus on all the things that made you smile in the past month. And this is my first chance to do mine, so I better get cracking before the linky closes! Because it's a lovely thing, focusing on the smiles.

So here in no particular order are my November Smiles...

• Our 10th Wedding Anniversary. We made it this far. Marriage a rollercoaster of thrills, chills and spills, here we are still smiling.
• Queenstown - a beautiful weekend in our Kiwi Wonderland
• Going on my first ever school outing as Parent Help, with a bunch of the class clowns in my group.
• Hearing my boy describe that event like this: "My mum came on my school trip. I was so excited like a birthday..." Love that he wants to be with me. Long may it last.
• My birthday, 41 and counting. I am all content to be in my forties. Maybe because I am mostly in denial about what that means. Middle age??? Forgeddaboudit. Still smiling.
• Getting a voucher made laboriously on the computer by my husband for a surprise weekend away at a secret location... somewhere I have never been before. Love his thoughtfulness. Love surprises.
• Hubby doing Elvis in the Church Talent Quest. Not a hope of winning but oh what fun. And to hear my daughter prounounce indignantly, "How come my daddy didn't win???!!". Smile.

• Getting called One Hot Mama by my eight-year-old son. His new name for me, written on my birthday card as "one hot mummer". What's a mummer? An actor in a folk play according to Wikipedia. Ha!
• Grandma arriving from England. It's always like an early Christmas when she comes.
• Playing Laser Strike with my son and his friends. Getting to shoot people with laser guns. And blow up space stations. Fun fun fun.
• Dressing up as Princess Leia, finding the perfect wig for ten bucks (and being able to still zip my boots. Just.)
• Pulling off another birthday party. Star Wars rocks. Love the fun themes as the kids get older. I am looking forward to one day having a Survivor Party. Or an Amazing Race party. Won't that be cool??
• Going to my first ever U2 concert and screaming like a teenager. Bono, I love you. Edge, you rock.
• Summer coming early. Eating outside, putting away winter woolies, slapping on sunscreen.
• Grass. Grass in my garden from edge to edge. Weedy garden beds... gone. Nice green grass to mow instead... done! I love all the extra playing space.

That's just some of what made me smile in November. Now as we are full tilt into the Silly Season I am trying to keep things light and easy, and keep smiling. After all, there's so much to smile about when you stop and think about, yes?

What were some of your November Smiles??

Project Smile: I Survived October

Yesterday I crashed the car. Yep, I did. Thought the intersection was clear and pulled out... only to feel that sickening crunch as I smacked into another car. A high school student on her restricted license. A very sweet girl who mouthed at me through the window: "Are you OK?"

Thankfully no-one was injured. Thankfully we have insurance. But it kid of tops off what has been a bit of a tough month for me. October had some rough spots.

I survived panic attacks, verbal attacks, school holidays, brain fog, meltdowns and crazy hormones. Here I am still alive and kicking. Surely I must have to smile about that?

So I decided to break my blogging-during-the-day embargo and focus on Project Smile.

I really need to think hard and remember the things from the past month that were good. The things that made me smile and brightened my days. So in no particular order, here are my smiles for October (I'm gonna just start typing)...

• waking up to hear my Scrag singing the alphabet. He is Two Years Old.
• watching my six-year-old clean out my car so she can earn money to buy her brothers Christmas presents - totally her idea. She did an amazing job (and only wanted two dollars!)
• Another facial. Ahhh bliss.
• Putting the daybed in the carport outdoor living room. Hours of relaxing with a book while the kids play outside. Gotta be worth at least 11 smiles, that one.
• Spring sunshine. Spring blossoms. Spring in general.
• Discovering that the choc caramel slice at The Library Cafe is Gluten Free (and to die for)
• telling my hubby I crashed the car and getting nothing but support and love (technically in November but hey, I need a smile today)
• Hearing my nearly eight-year-old tell me that having me on his school trip made him "excited like a birthday"... I felt all kinds of wonderful right then
• Having 70% of my christmas shopping done in October
• Sweet Note from Miss Fab: "I am so sorry for being rude So came pletly"
• Sweet note from my lovely friend Meg... with DVD containing six episodes of the new (not in NZ yet) Greys Anatomy for me to watch. Oh I was smiling so wide my face nearly cracked.
• Submitting my first-ever article to NZ Parenting Magazine (publication in December) and getting an email back from the editor saying, "we are lucky to have you" HUGE GRIN that one

• Asking Scrag if he is ready for bed yet and hearing him say clear as the day, "Not yet, mum..."
• Hearing Scrag talk. He is speaking so well. He can count to ten!
• Watching him look at our family photos with a grin on his face as he points to each of us... "Mummy, Daddy, Doshy, Wubby, Nono and mahmah (grandma)..." He gets such a kick out of it. I can't help but feel all warm and fuzzy (awww look Project Smile is working! I am smiling just remembering him!)
• My husband. Who I have been married to for ten years tomorrow. We seem to be getting closer and closer lately. His arms around me make me feel so safe, which I've really needed. Man I love that guy.
• A Party for no reason. A Mother-Daughter Day. Smiles all round.
• Our Bright Light Party. What a wonderful night. Best Party Ever, I think. All those pretty lights made me smile so much. Warm fuzzies big-time.

Look at that list. What a lot I have to smile about. In spite of the things I've struggled with this month, there is so much to be thankful for in my world.

What did you have to smile about last month? {you can join in with Project Smile over at Alicia's Blog}

Project Smile

Alicia over at "A Beautiful Mess" has started Project Smile, a chance to link up all the things which made us smile in the past month. I love the idea of focusing on the positive, so I am in boots and all. Here are my September Smiles...

That's just some of what made me smile in September. What about you?

You can link up here (it's a blog hop)