happy spring.

i love the brightness that emerges with spring. 

it's time to celebrate!

enjoy the first day of spring and be happy!!

{image via marthastewart}

breakfast with daddy.

i was so happy to see the excitement in sia this morning as jeff took her to school. today was the annual breakfast with daddy event at the preschool. for the past few years, jeff has not been able to attend. so, this was a very happy morning for one little girl.

she's got spirit.

   

i love my sia for all the happiness and love she immensely generates everyday. she is always smiling!! she is my one child that i can honestly says beams of happiness all of the time.

she was so excited today was spirit day at her preschool.  and, in honor of spirit day, we re-fashioned her plain preschool t-shirt with a few cuts and stitches here and there and added some iron-on letters, paint and glitter (which isn't showing in these pictures).

 and, of course, she insisted on wearing preschool logo tattoos too!

sia loves her school and totally thinks it rocks! i think she rocks for showing so much school spirit and being the happiest little girl ever. she can totally brighten any day of mine. i am truly blessed to have such a happy spirited little girl.

 

UPDATE:  Sia came home from school with even more excitement.  She won the Principal's Award for the Most School Spirit... whoo hoo!! Way to go Sia!!

hello monday. hello happy moments.

don't you just love moments when your children seem so extremely happy and content? when even eating an ice cream cone turns into an absolutely hysterical event. lately it seems, my children have been so very silly and giggly together. they love to make one another laugh and love to see who can be the silliest. i love all the laughter. and i love to remember wonderfully happy weekend moments again on monday. hello monday. hello simple happiness.

today, i am happy, happy.

i am very happy today. jeff arrived (and surprised our children) very, very early this morning to spend a week with us while we are vacationing this summer in new jersey! the five of us are together again for a whole week and today i am happy, happy!!

{print via farouche}

happy, happy.

did i mention how happy i am on this very, very gray day?

so, so happy. my husband is coming home today! yes, today!! it's been six weeks and two days since we last said goodbye. i am counting the minutes until he arrives!


p.s. - my kids are very happy and anxious too!

{poster via colorbee}

happy march.

daffodils are blooming everywhere. i am loving the brightness that seems to have emerged almost over night. spring is definitely near. it is indeed a happy first day of march.

what are you loving about today?

time to celebrate!!

can you believe it's been a year?
exactly a year ago today i started this little blog of mine.

i have loved sharing with you some of who i am, some of the thoughts in my mind, details of my days and things that make me really happy and other things that i find inspiring. i hope you have enjoyed this first year and will continue to follow a place called joy!!

it's time to celebrate.... it's been a happy one year!

p.s. here is the very first post i wrote.

image via LoveNandA

little jumping girl.

i love this picture of my little girl sia. i snapped it yesterday as we were heading off to school. just by chance, i had the camera as she jumped when she came running out into the garage.

i absolutely love it!! she looks so happy!

have i mentioned how much she loves to jump? i have pictures of her jumping here and here too!!

sweetness + simple happiness.

i am loving all the quiet moments sia and i have together. i wrote about my smiley girl here. just this morning her sweet little voice said to me, "mommy... when daddy is home and we are all together...our whole family... i mean our whole family... can we go get an ice cream cone together?" how sweet. a simple ice cream cone. family. just being together. i love my sia for her sweetness and simple happiness.

happy monday.

it's the beginning of a great week!
something wonderful is going to happen.

just wait and see...

p.s. this is the fourth week of school and it's still so hot, it feels like we should be at the shore!! it's hard to even think that fall is just around the corner. does anyone else feel the same?

arrived.

last night, jeff arrived.

we are very happy to be together once again. it's been more than three months since our home has been complete with family. since we have been all here together at home. it was so nice to hear laughter and excitement this morning. finally, all sitting down to breakfast and then playing games down in the basement. the kids are more than happy. and as for me... calmness, contentment, and absolute joy now that my husband has arrived home.

thankful.

my little sia is on her way to wellness. we were so happy to hear her blood count had risen since leaving the hospital. and she was happy to have finally taken another ride on the merry go round. it was her one request throughout her stay in the hospital. after leaving the hospital today for a re-check, we drove directly to the nearest carousel where we happily went around and around. she was full of joy. it brought tears to my eyes. so much worry. so much love. so thankful she is well again.

thank you so much for family who were there to help. thank you to the doctors, nurses and hospital staff who gave her so much care. and thank you for all of the thoughts and prayers.

we said goodbye to new york today and the ones we love only to arrive back in new jersey full of happiness.

happy weekend.

What are your plans for the weekend?

We plan to take a ride or two on the carousel circuit here in Binghamton, New York. There are six antique and historical wood-carved merry-go-rounds located in some of the nearby parks. And, like years ago, these magical rides are still "free of charge" to be enjoyed by everyone.

So during this weekend, we will be taking advantage of this great entertainment bargain. I hope you too have a magical weekend that happily goes around and around!