Small Joys

Small Joys: Volume 23

Small Joys: Volume 23

All the little things bringing me joy lately:

1. My sister’s wedding! My only sister got married last month, and I’m so happy for her and her new hubby! I actually didn’t take a single photo that day and am anxiously awaiting the professional photos!

2. Christmas cookies! I actually haven’t had a chance to bake any yet. But that hasn’t stopped me from enjoying some store bought gluten free goodies! Really loving Pamela’s Buttery Sugar Cookies and Mi-Del Gingerbread Men.

3. Alexa. Yeah yeah, I know she is spying on us, but I’m honestly cool with it given how convenient she makes our lives this time of year. We can tell her to turn on our Christmas lights and *poof,* the tree is all lit up! I rarely listen to music around the house the rest of the year, but during the holidays I keep Alexa busy with Christmas song requests. I’m grateful for this technology!

4. Honey Bear found her furr-ever home! Y’all may remember me mentioning Honey Bear, our first foster pup, in my last Small Joys post. Honey Bear found her forever family and is incredibly loved! Since then, we’ve also had our second foster dog, Chloe the poodle/Airedale terrier mix, for two days while her long-term foster was out of town. I expect we’ll receive our third foster pup shortly after the holidays!

Yellow Labrador Retriever in fall leaves  |  Fairly Southern
Poodle/Airedale terrier mix giving a hug |  Fairly Southern

5. I (sorta) started consistently going to the gym. I’ve been going to yoga classes 1-2 times per week for the last year, but just recently I’ve started trying to walk on the treadmill once or twice a week as well. I’ve discovered that I can read, watch Instagram stories, or go through emails all while keeping up a pretty brisk power walk on the treadmill. Keeping myself distracted while sneaking in some exercise = winning!

6. Trash. Every year Wes makes a top secret family recipe of snack mix, which they call “trash.” He makes a gluten free batch for me that I don’t have to share with anyone else. I have a tub at home and a tin at work. All the snacking!

7. Parenting Forward episode 52: Trauma Proofing our Kids with Brian Peck. Y’all, I don’t even have kids, but I found this podcast episode incredibly educational and eye-opening! So much good stuff in here about trauma. I learned a lot that was personally really applicable to me as an adult sans kiddos!

8. My happy seal. My work laptop randomly generates lock screen backgrounds. They are typically beautiful photos of landscapes. Last week, this adorable seal popped up! For some reason, he stuck around for a full week…maybe because he knew I needed him! It was impossible for me to have a bad day while looking at this smiling seal!

Seal screensaver  |  Fairly Southern

9. A Christmas Prince: The Royal Baby. The Christmas Prince movies have been mine and Wes’s guilty pleasure the past couple of years. Y’all, these movies are so terrible, I literally laugh out loud sometimes while watching. And yet, they’re so good?? Wes thought this was the best installment yet. Anyone else watched it?

What’s bringing you joy lately, friends?

xoxo Laura

P.S. – This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission (at no cost to you) if you purchase a product using a link from this post. Read more here about my disclaimers/disclosures.

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