Find your happiness

I've been under a bit of stress lately with teaching our oldest to drive and having a bit of cabin fever at home with a houseful of wild kids :) If you're a mom you know what I mean! I love the kids, even the ones who aren't mine and I'd be lost without them of course, but I needed to refind (spell check says this isn't a word) my happiness. Here are a few ways I've been doing just that, try some yourself:
~First, visit Andrea, she's enough to brighten anyone's day!
~Paint the living room or bedroom a new color (one year I painted it the color of sunshine), it really works.
~Leave little love notes on the mirrors or windows with lipstick for the kids and your better half.
~Count your blessings, this should have been first on the list.
~Make a date with yourself and keep it, even if you ask your best friend to watch the kids for only an hour or two, you can exchange the favor later for her.
~Make tiny little notes with uplifting sayings to secretly leave behind on the park bench or restaurant table, who knows you might brighten someone else's day, that always puts a smile on my face just thinking about it and gives me a little giggle to do something sneaky.
Years ago when my boys were small their school teacher put together a little box filled for the boys to fill with reasons they're thankful for me (it was for mother's day) and if everything else fails to cheer me up and make me smile, picking a little note out of that box always works. Be easy on yourself, be good to yourself always.
Have your little cherubs fill an empty box, can or jar with kind words on what they're thankful for daily and teaching them to add little love notes for you or your husband everyday will foster them to count their blessings as well. And don't forget to make one for them to fill their well.