Day 90: Sweetness All Around

The past few days have definitely been full of sweetness. Lots of sweet treats, sweet friends and very sweet moments.

Today, I wanted to hang onto the sweetness just a little bit. We have a lot of leftover chocolate and marshmallows from the smore's station on Saturday. So, I indulged and ate two three squares of a plain old Hershey's chocolate bar. It hit the spot.

I also spent some time this afternoon playing with my new fancy camera. I SO need to take a class or something, but in the meantime, poor Maizey has been blinded by the constant flash.

Day 89: McSteamy

As we get older, it becomes more challenging to buy gifts for everyone in our family. None of us need anything and most of us feel silly making wish lists. This year, I had one thing on my birthday wish list. A hard floor steam cleaner.

This winter has been brutal on my floors. Maizey tracks in more salt and snow than anyone could possibly imagine. Our floors, as lovely as they are, happen to be the very special type of wood that shows every smudge, fleck of dirt and eyelash that falls. Throw me in the mix, and you can imagine how many times Rick has come home to me on all fours scrubbing the floors. I used to make fun of my mother for scrubbing our tile kitchen floors with a toothbrush and bleach. I totally get it now, Mom. Please accept my apologies.

Lucky for me I have some fabulous sisters who so generously bought me this lovely steam cleaner. I was a bit skeptical at first, and I have to say, I still can't really understand how pure steam can sanitize my floors. Nevertheless, my floors were in dire need of a good cleaning yesterday and I decided to put my new present to the test. Literally. I cleaned one half of my floors with my old school rag and bucket of soapy water. The other half was met by the steam machine! I was pretty amazed and see a lot of steaming in my future.

If this supposed blizzard does indeed come through tomorrow, I may spend the day trying to figure out how to use the handy tool to create a steam facial! Or maybe a steamer for wrinkled clothing? Oooh the possibilities!!

Day 88: The 27th Year Begins

**WARNING** Long post with picture overload! 

I'm a big fan of birthdays. I love celebrating one person and making them feel special, and I love a good excuse to get people together to have a good time.

Yesterday was the perfect birthday. It began with a morning snuggle in bed, and Maizey helped me open my very large birthday present from Ricky.

  

What we unwrapped was this:

A brand new, very fancy camera for me to take awesome pictures for the Happiness Blog!

The next few hours were spent reading the owner's manual and snapping some very amateur photos of one of my favorite subjects: 

 

Then it was time for Birthday Brunch with Rick, Allie, Hart, Candy and Iz. We sipped our coffee and I ate eggs for the first time in months as a birthday treat to myself! The fancy new camera had to stay at home so our old little one had to do. 

After brunch, Rick and I took Maizey to her first advanced training class. She met some new friends and she got to show off all her cuteness. Then, Candy and Allie and I ran errands and got ready for the birthday bash of the year!

Rick really went overboard this year. He invited friends over to celebrate the beginning of my late twenties, and they call came ready to party. With sangria poured and tapas catered in, the sound of laughter and chatter filled up the house.  The crack candle burned all night, we played some intense Celebrity and made smore's in the fireplace. New friends mingled with old friends. It was really a perfect way to ring in the 27th year of my life. I feel energized and excited for the year to come. 

Thank you all for making yesterday such a memorable day! 

Day 87: Sister, Sister

When Allie was in college, her roommate told her about a term of endearment she used to call her sisters: "eeeerrrrs." Back then, whatever Allie did, we all wanted to do. So when she began calling us her Eeeerrrs we couldn't resist and the term stuck.

Well one of my favorite eeerrrs came to celebrate my birthday/get her Izzy fill this weekend, and I couldn't be more thrilled. On Friday night, Candy, Allie and I went out to dinner just the three of us. No husbands, no babies, no holding back. The last time we did this was a few months ago when Candy and I "kidnapped" Allie for her first night away from Miss Cuteness. Tonight, Allie wasn't itching to call Hart and check on the temperature of the house. I wasn't checking my phone for a poop report from Rick. We really just enjoyed our time together, drinking and laughing and catching up on the sister stuff that often gets lost in the craziness of everyday life.

I am so lucky to have my eeeerrs. They are the glue that holds me together. They don't judge, they don't lie, and they don't hold grudges. Sister love is the kind of love you don't have to worry about. It's always there. Always.

We missed you, Ash. So, we saved a seat for you at dinner!

Day 86: Spoiled Rotten

Today wasn't as dull as yesterday. There were several fires that needed putting out and too many parent phone calls that needed to be made. But at the end of the day, it became very clear to me that I have the best friends a girl could ask for. And that's all that matters. Really.

Today, I was taken on a very special birthday celebration that left me feeling pampered and tipsy and all around blessed. Adrienne whisked me away to get a mani and pedi after school. With a bottle of wine in hand and wedding magazines to browse through, we soaked up the pampering and giggled liked little girls. And that wasn't all. She took me to dinner at one of the yummiest Mexican restaurants were I sipped on margaritas and she drank her beer (she's way cooler than me) and we stuffed ourselves silly with chips and guac and Mexican goodness.

I know it's so cheesy, but I truly feel so blessed to have found the gems in my life I call my friends. This one in particular is a special one. Thank you, Ades, for an amazing night out and some much needed time just you and me. Love you to bits!

Day 86: Never a Dull Moment

Kind of sums up my life. Nevertheless, today was remarkably dull. There were no fires to be put out in my classroom, no traffic to fight on the way home, and no ridiculous parent phone calls letting me know that their child is brilliant and I should really be aware of it.

Never a Dull Moment is also the name of my very favorite face scrub from Origins that I swear by. This stuff is amazing and truly makes your face feel like a baby's tush. I have been using it for years and can't seem to try anything else. Why fix what ain't broke, right?

I only use it a couple times a week, and I look forward to them (maybe a little too much). The fruity smell and satisfaction of scrubbing away all the yuckiness of the day made me feel a little bit cleaner and a lot more happier today. Yes, double comparatives... it's that good!

Day 85: Caffeine High

I was just saying to Rick the other day, "you know I haven't received my Free Birthday Drink from Starbucks in the mail yet!" Well low and behold, when I picked up the mail yesterday, there it was! I think Starbucks knew that on a random Tuesday in January I would need a good reason to smile. So thank you, Starbucks for making my day! Now, onto the important stuff -- what should I order??

Day 84: The Gift of Giving

I really love giving gifts to people I love. Truly, I do. Don't get me wrong -- I would never send back the Marc Jacobs purse my mom bought me last year or the Judith Ripka earrings I was blessed with this Hanukkah. But, I really love that warm and fuzzy feeling of giving the perfect gift.

Well, yesterday I did some good giving. Really good giving. You see, our area rug has evidence of puppyhood that I'd really rather not remember.  I've been eyeing this new rug for some time now, and have resisted the temptation to purchase it until it was "the right time." Well yesterday just felt like the right time. So, I bought myself an early birthday present. And all I have to say is, Happy Birthday to me!

Day 83: Bear Down

Or shall I say Let Down? I think my blood pressure is finally coming back down to normal, but what a disappointing ending to a decent game. I shouldn't have gotten my hopes up, but a Bears Super Bowl appearance would have really been awesome. I'm impressed with Hanie and his efforts, disappointed in Cutler, and all around sad that tomorrow, the students in my class will be depressed rather than bursting with excitement that their heroes let them down.

So, though right now my head is hung low and my dreams of a Super Bowl 45 Bears win have faded...I had a blast cheering on the boys with our friends, booze and of course, food. There's always next year, right?

Day 82: Go Green!

Don't fret, Rick.. I'm not talking about Michigan State. I'm talking about coming to terms with the fact that chemicals are bad and I need to start cleaning with more safe and healthy products. I have taken a lot of steps to make our home more environmentally friendly -- recycling, replacing light bulbs, buying organic foods, and using less paper goods. But I've had a hard time letting go of my cleaning products.

I can admit that I am a clean freak. I get a sick kick out of scrubbing floors and Windexing windows. I love the smell of clean, but I've known deep down for a long time that that "clean" was pretty harmful. I've tried all natural products before, but my house never felt sanitized and it bothered me. I knew I had a few hours in the house to myself yesterday, so I went to Target and bought some Mrs. Meyers cleaning products that claim to be safe and healthy for your home, but supposedly actually clean as well. I threw out my Pine Sol and Magic Erasers, and after two hours of ceiling to floor cleaning, I am convinced you can actually have a clean home without it smelling like a chemical plant.

Nevertheless, I couldn't come to terms with getting rid of my Windex just yet. I'm just not ready to part with that one of a kind, streak-free shine. Baby steps, right?

Day 81: Nanny and Pop Pop are Here!

Rick's parents came to visit for the weekend and arrived Friday evening. The purpose of their visit was to meet their newest grandson, Reid. We got lucky and got to spend extra time with them as they were staying at our house this trip!

Reid had heart surgery on Friday, and after a tense day of waiting and waiting, we all sighed a big sigh of relief when we got word that the surgery was over and he was doing well in recovery. Rick and I brought some pizzas over to Kate and Andy's/Elliott's house for dinner. Elliott made us all laugh and it was wonderful to all be together catching up and giving lots of love.

Day 80: Frigid Temps = No Traffic

It's been brutally cold here, and I think people are staying inside because of it. I still have to go to work and make my commute, but the others' hibernation has left the roads wide open. It was purely delightful to get home so quickly after a long meeting after school on Thursday, so Adrienne and I celebrated by popping open some wine, letting the dogs romp, and eating carry out from a delish Italian joint. So, while I'm still bitter that I have to live through at least two more months of chilled-to-the-bone weather, here's to looking at the glass half full and hoping people continue to stay off the roads!

Day 79: My Hero

He's made many appearances on the blog in the last 79 days, but he hasn't had his own post dedicated to him and it's about time. There's a lot of reasons why our marriage works. We are complete opposites and balance each other out very well. We have different strengths and weaknesses, and today, Rick's talented ability to take over projects and chores that deal with our finances made me very happy. You see, for the last several weeks he's been working on refinancing our mortgage. When he first asked me my opinion on the matter and wanted my input on how we should proceed, my blank stare was met with a, "want me to handle it?" Yes, please!

Tonight, we signed the papers and Rick did a fantastic job working out all the kinks, as usual. I love him for a lot of reasons, and today, he proved to me again why he's my hero. Thank you, Ricky, for taking charge of the daunting tasks that make my stomach churn. I'll stick to the laundry. :)

Ok this isn't from today, but he looks just so darn handsome! Very heroic, don't you think??

Day 78: Bubbly Bubbly

No I'm not talking about champagne (though, that does sound lovely right now). I'm talking about the most ridiculously bubbly bubble bath I've ever had. I bought myself some $4.99 bubble bath at ULTA this weekend when I decided my life needed more bubble baths and decided to take the stuff for a test drive last night.

Don't bubble baths just ooze happiness? I think about being a kid and making mustaches out of the bubbles and piling them on our heads to make our hair look like Marge Simpson. I also think about how relaxing they look in the movies (ok, and romantic, too). So, in my quest to find more happiness in my day-to-day happenings, I made the executive decision that yesterday would be bath day. With a glass of wine in hand, and an insane pile of bubbles brewing in the tub, I hopped in and soaked. For about 10 minutes. That's about all I could handle of sitting still and looking at the bubbles.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy a good soak in the tub, but I think the problem with my attempt at relaxation last night was my inability to actually relax -- and Maizey's face propped on the ledge of the tub the whole time didn't help much either. So, while I enjoyed my wine and smelled really great afterward, I think I'll save the bubble baths for those rare nights when the house is empty and I can find the "off" button to my very overactive mind.

Day 77: Crackle! Crackle!

It's brutally cold out. Like really, really cold. I don't know if it's because icy nastiness is coming down, but it just seems more miserably cold than it has been in the recent weeks. I have come to terms with the Chicago winters. I've learned to embrace the chunky winter clothing and the salt that ruins all my shoes. I love drinking hot beverages and sipping soup for six months straight. Shivering even seems to burn extra calories, so I can appreciate the frigidness and what it does for my tush.  But, my favorite part of Winter by far is the smell of the fireplace as it warms up the house. So, what better way to spend a day off from work than sitting by the fire and grading papers? 

Unfortunately, I did have a stack of papers to grade that were nearly as tall as me (I know, doesn't seem like a lot... but five feet worth of papers is actually quite a pile!) But, it seemed to go by much quicker and more easily listening to the crackle of the fire in the background. This Winter thing ain't so bad :)

Day 76: Meeting Mr. Reid

Today, Rick and I got to meet our newest nephew, Reid. He's currently residing in the NICU, where he's enjoying a teaspoon of milk a day and a warm snuggle in some cozy blankets. Once we scrubed in like the doctors on Grey's, we got to see him in his safe haven (i.e. incubator). He was sound asleep and looked so peaceful. He's tiny and so sweet, and looks like a little old man who's thinking real hard. I only got to spend a few minutes in there with him, but I fell in love hard. He is one tough little guy, and we are so proud of his accomplishments already. Keep up the good work, Reid. We're cheering for  you!

Day 75: Bed Head

I love Rick the most in the mornings. I've told him this for years, and it's just because he's so darn cute when his eyes are all squinty and he is trying to motivate himself to get up. I also think I appreciate him in the morning because there are only two days a week when I actually get to wake up with him. Perhaps one of the reasons I love my mornings with him so much is his awesome hair. And by awesome, I mean hilarious.

Rick has the best bed head of anyone I know. I think it's gotten wilder and funkier over the years, and I just think it's adorable. Some days are funnier than others, but each one brings a huge smile to my face and a deep chuckle that I can't seem to contain.

Forgive me, honey, but I think it's only fair to share this little piece of happiness with everyone else:

Day 74: Celebrate

There's no doubt that this week was full of emotional ups and downs. Moments of victory met with moments of concern and reflection. Rick got some good news on Friday at work, and we decided we should celebrate his successes, my successes, Reid's surprise birthday, and the simple fact that we indeed have so much to celebrate. So we went on a very impromptu date and drank champagne. We smiled and laughed and focused on the positive.


On a side note: Monica -- I hope you had the most fabulous weekend. I love you to bits!

Day 73: Room 16

Thursday was one of those days where our school day flew by. My kids pulled some "tricky" moves on me that made me laugh the kind of laugh that hurts your stomach because you can't stop. Their mid-year test scores came back and they showed a ton of progress. I was productive all day, putting out fires left and right. It was just one of those days in the classroom where I felt like I could conquer the world. I hope there are more of those in my future... it was pure happiness :)

Day 72: Happy Birthday, Reid!

Wednesday, January 12 was a very eventful and momentous day in the Mathews family. Our newest nephew, Reid Malcolm Mathews, was born. Though he decided to come a little early, we are all so happy he is here. Elliott, on the other hand, isn't sold on the idea of a brother just yet.

Rick and I got to keep Elliott Wednesday night. We watched Toy Story 3, ate pizza and read stories in bed together. Elliott has developed the funniest personality and he makes us laugh nonstop when he's with us. I can't wait to watch Mr. Reid grow and develop his own humor and little personality.

Welcome to the world, Reid! We love you!

Day 71: Feeling Thankful and Blessed

Today was one of those reflecting days. The days where you wake up and your day begins with the thought, "man, how did I get so lucky in life?" I don't know why, but I just felt this overwhelming sense of gratitude today. I'm so grateful that I get to spend my life with my best friend by my side. I feel so blessed that I have such a strong support system. The best family. The greatest friends. I'm healthy, happy, and my worries and stresses are so minute.

If you're reading this blog, I thought of you today. I don't think there was an hour that went by where I couldn't name another person I was so grateful to have in my life.

I think these kinds of days are important. I don't think we take enough time out of our lives to recognize how much we have to be thankful for, and I made a promise to myself today to do it more often. Today, happiness came in the form of memories.

Day 70: Beat It!

All in all, today was a pretty good day. Had a great cup of coffee this morning. A great car ride to school with Ades, and a great day with the kids. No one cried (not even me!), everyone made it home alive, and I even got home before the sun set.

For the past week, I've barely managed to muster the strength to get out of bed, nevermind cook a decent meal. So, poor Rick has been forced to eat frozen dinners or call the local Thai place. Today, I'm finally feeling like myself again (thanks again, Neti Pot!).  I haven't been to the grocery store in nearly two weeks, so when I decided to cook dinner tonight, I rummaged through the pantry, found a few items that looked like they might go together, and VIOLA! Dinner is served.

The "happy" part of my day today -- slamming the meat tenderizer against the chicken breasts. I don't know why, but man I had fun doing that today. I really don't have anything to be angry about, but it just felt good. I probably hit that chicken a few times more than necessary, but I'm pretty sure I just discovered the cheapest therapy known to man.

Dinner didn't turn out too bad, either. So I'm posting my "Pantry Chicken" recipe for you all to try, tweak or disregard.

Gill's Pantry Chicken 

Ingredients: 

2 chicken breasts 

Some oregano

Some basil 

Some grated parmesan cheese

One can of diced tomatoes

One can of artichokes

Olive Oil 

2 garlic cloves

PAM Spray 

Salt

Pepper

Heat oven to 350. 

BEAT chicken breasts until flat. Go crazy and have fun! 

Heat olive oil (maybe a tablespoon?) in a skillet. Add can of tomatoes, artichokes, some basil, some oregano and garlic. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Heat through. Put mixture in bowl and add some parmesan.

Put a few spoonfuls of mixture on flattened chicken breasts, then fold chicken and secure with a toothpick. Spray bottom of baking dish with PAM and place chicken breasts in dish seam-side down. Put a little salt and pepper on chicken, then pour remainder of tomato mixture on top of chicken breasts. Sprinkle with some parmesan cheese. 

Bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes or until fully cooked. 

I'm sure this recipe would have been MUCH better with real tomatoes, fresh basil and oregano, and freshly chopped garlic. But, Pantry Chicken is no fancy chicken :) 

Days 63-69: 'Snot a Very Healthy Week

Perhaps it's cheating for me to lump an entire week's worth of happiness into one post... but forgive me, I'm still sick. I have had a nasty virus for over a week, and I could write a novel detailing the multitude of people and things that have brought me happiness over the past 7 days. But I'll keep it to a top 10 list. Here it goes:

10. Snuggling in bed with Maizey
9. Wearing pajamas for an entire day (or two... or three...)
8. A steamy hot shower to break up the phlegm
7. A good cry from watching way too much sappy T.V.
6. Impromptu sleepovers with best friends
5. Heated floors that are finally working!
4. Surprise emails from sisters who are coming to visit
3. A sweet husband nurse to comfort me
2. Drugs (the legal kind, of course!)
1. My new best friend... the neti pot.

Seriously, if you have never seen a neti pot or tried one, I urge you to go buy one at the pharmacy. It has changed my life and I vow to use it with every cold, sinus infection or allergy attack I encounter. If you want a good laugh... Google "neti pot" and look at the images. Here's to a healthy, snot-free week!

Day 62: Not Feeling So Hot

I'm sick. It doesn't happen often, but I've come down with a head cold that has left me feeling achy, tired and all around poopy. So today, most of my day has been spent in bed, in my new favorite pajama pants. I'm surrounded by kleenex and Tylenol, and I can't decide if I'm hot or cold. So while today is not one of the happiest days, I have found comfort and happiness in Oprah's new network -- OWN. I'm a believer in the statement, "things happen for a reason," and I have no doubt I was meant to be in bed all day today so I could get my fill of Oprah all day long. Thanks for keeping me company today, O!

I feel ya, sista!

Day 61: A Great Start to 2011

Rick and I hosted a hangover brunch for our friends who were able to wake up on New Years Day and make it over to our place in one piece. We all had such a blast on Friday night, that most of us were in bad shape Saturday morning. We made lots of greasy breakfast food to cure our hangovers, and by 12:00 mimosas were being poured and beer was being chugged again. With football on the TV, poker being played at the kitchen table and pizzas being ordered from our favorite pizza joint, the first day of 2011 flew by fast and was nothing short of wonderful.

Homemade monkey bread (recipe available upon request :)

BOO YA! I beat Rick's score on a very addictive iPad game and was flaunting it in his face. Not nice.

Day 60: Happy New Year!

I love new beginnings. They excite me and fill me up with hope and wonder. This year was a fantastic one. I fell in love with a little puppy, gained the most adorable niece, did a lot of soul searching, and found a lot of happiness.

While the thought of going out on New Years Eve typically makes me throw up a little in my mouth, this year, I was excited to ring in the new year with some of our close friends and celebrate a birthday and engagement all at the same time! We had a really fun night out, and when the clock struck midnight, I welcomed the new year with a kiss and hug from the man of my dreams.

I really feel so blessed, and am so thankful for such a wonderful year. I can't wait to see what 2011 has in store. I just know it's going to be a good one!