Things that Make Amanda Happy - Officially Unofficial

I've been one hot mess of flu the past few days between taking care of a husband with it, who then passed it down to the two boys who eventually passed it right along to me. Unfortunately, that means that I really don't have much to report as far as the blogosphere is concerned, and since Marisa was kind enough to tag me I suppose I should get on with it .... even if it is only a meager attempt to update my blog with something new.

So, without further hesitation, here is the 2010 Official List of Things That Make Me Happy.
All choices are subject to change and are in no particular order.

1. Reading.


I'm not a television watcher and any and all televisions in our house are generally playing some form of children's programming so even if I was an avid tv watcher I would be out of luck. I prefer to read where I can imagine everything as I see fit and not only relax and get lost in a world other than my own but I can use my brain while I do it.

My favorite books are:
Eat, Pray, Love - Elizabeth Gilbert (cannot wait for the movie of this!)
Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas - James Patterson
The Bell Jar - Silvia Plath
Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen
A Mighty Heart - Marianne Pearl

2. Gardening.

There is nothing better then eating something that you grew and nurtured from the ground. You know exactly where its been, whose hands have touched it, and something about fresh herbs and gardens grown in my own backyard just tastes so much better than the stuff in the grocery store.

3. Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup.

It's my go to comfort food. Yum!

4. Alan Rickman.


Ok, I have a seriously unhealthy love for all British, most of all movies. But in some small way they all seem to come back to Alan Rickman.... I don't know. I just adore him. Whether he's Prof Snape in the HP movies, riding a horse and being all charming as Col Brandon in the Sense and Sensibility movie, or the jerk cheating husband in Love Actually I just absolutely love him. My husband is ok with this because I will willingly watch Die Hard with him ... even if it is just to see the terrorist version of Mr. Rickman.

5. Flip Flops.

Seriously, I live in them. I wear them in the snow (if it's not super deep that is). I have a weird aversion to having anything on my feet; shoes, sock, whatever. I attribute that to growing up in Virginia Beach. I am DEFINITELY not one of those shoe-a-holic type girls. Just give me a ratty pair of flip flops and I'm happy.

6. Clean Children.


As a mother of two boys, I can say with a certain affinity that they are never clean for very long and I relish in the smell of a freshly washed kiddo or two.

7. My iPod.


I admit that I am probably the last person of the face of the planet to own one of these things. I was (and still am to a degree) anti-iPod for a very long time. They are ridiciously expensive, and seriously, when the heck do I ever have a chance to let my guard down enough to actually put in ear buds? But knowing that Spring is around the corner and wanting to get out and get healthier and start walking I finally bit the bullet and bought one. Now the thing never leaves my side (even if iTunes is confuses the heck out of me). The picture up there is the fun little cozy I got for it from spidercamp.

... wow I must be a really negative person because I'm having a hard time coming up with 3 more things ...

8. Naps.

I'm a crappy napper. I usually wake up feeling worse than I did when I laid down in the first place. I take looooong naps and no amount of trying to wake me up any earlier than when my body tells me to really works. But I love them just the same. I also love the 1000 thread count sheets on my comfy-ass bed that make those naps all that much more enjoyable.

9. Stupid Humor.


Really, it doesn't take much to entertain me and to make me laugh. These guys are proof to that.

10. Yoga Pants.

More comfortable than jeans but not as frumpy as pajama pants and perfectly acceptable to wear out in public. Oh yes, the inventor of yoga pants seriously changed my entire life.

That's the end folks! And I'm tagging.......

no one. Deal with it.