The Habit of Thankfulness: A Few of My Favorite Things

 Dec 13th- A few of my favorite things...

~Cinnamon rolls baked in a cast iron pan

~Giving to make them icing to give them an extra bit of goodness

~Celebrating St Lucia Day with youngest baker who just keeps on getting bigger

The Habit of Thankfulness: A Few of My Favorite Things

 Nov 9th- A few of my favorite things...

~The magic of mixing very different ingredients into a batter

~The magic of turning batter into mounds of chocolate-chippy goodness

~The magic of the oven turning them into round disks that seem to disappear

The Habit of Thankfulness: A Few of My Favorite Things

June 12th- A few of my favorite things...
~The clinky sound of popcorn kernels in a cup
~Teaching the next generation how to make popcorn right
~Finding the perfect bowl, now labeled "Grandpa's Popcorn Bowl", to share the crunchy goodness

The Habit of Thankfulness: A Few of My Favorite Things

Apr 3rd- A few of my favorite things...
~An apron with chic design
~Swirls of cinnamony goodness
~The elegance of a white orchid blossom

The Habit of Smiling

Smile...

just saying the word is almost spurs a reflexive action

 causing most if not all to smile back.

It is a universal sign of happiness.

Birthday parties, graduations,

 weddings, and births 

are just some of the many reasons that cause us to smile.

One of the first milestones after birth is

"When will s/he first smile?"

It seems to make the little one

real, interactive.
Not just taking...

...but it is the first gift they give back. 

Smiles interact with others on so many levels.

My youngest seems to have the gift of smiling.
Shortly after birth, she gave her first smile.
The nurses could hardly believe it.
They smiled back at her and
she returned the greeting, again.
Maybe it it because her first name means
"Gift of God"
and she literally has "Joy" in the middle.

Like a blessing of old,
her name is a reflection of her being.
She looks for people to smile at...
...to share her gift with.

Her smile has brought sunshine into more souls
than even her little heart can understand.
All she knows is that smiling
 brings smiles to others
in her world.

It lifts them up.
It tells another they are important to notice.
It's like giving a reflection of God
and his goodness,
a reminder
that God is good
and I see His image
in
you.

And because He is Good,
we can smile
and carry on.
Keep sharing your gift little one,
this world needs it!
And if she happens to share it with you,
remember to pass it on.
It might make someone's day :-)

Happy 2nd Birthday,
My Smiley One!