Five Things to Be Happy About Friday (#3)

Thank Goodness It's Friday!  There were summers, when my kids were small, when I barely noticed the weekends.  The days all had the same feel to them and everything ran together.  As the girls have gotten older an involved in more things, and as I've started to become involved in some week day happenings, myself, the summer weekends have become more noticeable.  And more cherished.  This year, I am not taking any tutoring students on Fridays (I'm working with 7 kids this summer, some for 2 or 3 hours a week, totaling about 20 hours a week of tutoring, prep and follow up correspondence with parents.  It started a few years ago as something easy to earn some cash and turned into a part time summer job!).  

So, this summer, by the time Friday rolls around, I am tired, and ready for a day to relax and have fun!  A whole day with no obligations outside of our home.  TGIF, indeed!  

Again this week, I've been so grateful for Five Things To Be Happy About Friday hosted by Amanda at Gypsy Moon Quilt Co.  When life gets a bit crazy and I'm feeling a bit unbalanced, it really helps to look for the good, you know?  So, here are my Five Things for the week, with a bit of an explanation, and a glimpse into our crazy, busy, fun week.

Aren't they so fun, stacked up like that?  These are my heart blocks for #Quiltsforpulse.  I will do a post on these next week, but but it sure made me happy to carve out some time to work on these this week.  And I am over the moon happy to see all quilts, blocks and support for this project pouring in on Instagram.  I'm sure you've seen it too, but you can check out the information page for the project, organized by the Orlando Modern Quilt Guild, here.

Books!  A good book never fails to make me happy.  And the best books make me a bit sad, too.  Here's the stack that's being read in my house this week.  I LOVE having three Readers-with-a-capital-R in the house.  While this stack in all YA, two of them are actually my reads for the week.  Have you read Wonder?  Oh, my.  If you haven't please do.  It's a quick read, and everyone should get to know Auggie, the hero.  I'm almost done with Auggie&Me, the companion stories.  The gem on the top of the stack is shared read out loud that my daughter and I are doing.  It's getting its own post, soon.  There's a quilting connection, I promise.  What are you reading?

These girls. Happiness. I just love them, so.  I was minding my own business on the deck (reading!) and suddenly realized they were doing a hand-clap rhyme I haven't heard them do for years.  They were just so sweet together.  I snuck some pictures and *almost* got away without them catching me.  A bit later, they were in their childhood sandbox together.  Just look at their faces in the top pictures.  You can see how much they love each other.  And that is the happiest thing of all for this mama.

Our little local swimming hole.  Like the Library I posted last week, it's not much to look at, but it's a hub of social life in our little town.  It's a man made pond, with a sandy bottom,  It's clean, well maintained, and only costs $3 to get in.  You can stay all day, even get a hand stamp to come back later in the day.  It's a deal!  We took advantage of a near 90 degree day and cooled off at our little beach.

And this girl.  That's my oldest, Isabelle, whom I have referred to as SingAndDance, sometimes, on my blog.  She was so excited to get to perform with her show-choir type group at Summerfest.  Summerfest is a big deal here in southeastern Wisconsin.  A really big deal.  Her group perfoms a few shows on the children's stage every year,  Usually, its the older kids in the group that perform, and this year...she is one of the older kids.  She looks so grown up here, that it makes me a little sad.  Where's my little girl?  She just shines on that stage.  I smile like a crazy person watching her.  She makes me so proud, in so many ways.

Thanks for checking out my smiles this week.  What's got you grinning and grateful?  Join in the fun and link your post to Five Things To Be Happy About Friday.  Be sure to visit the others who are participating and leave them some comments!  Enjoy your weekend, and to those in the US, Happy 4th!