Wow. I did not expect to be writing my next Small Joys post to y’all in the midst of a pandemic! This has been a challenging season in a lot of ways, but one of the silver linings for me has been a renewed sense of gratitude. With all of the busy-ness and stress stripped away, I have had a chance to breathe and look around and notice all of the truly good things around me. Here are all of the little things bringing me joy lately:
1. The Internet. Never have I ever been more grateful for the Internet! It has allowed me to continue to do my job at home, to stay connected with others, to be entertained, and to interact with people virtually. All of the great memes going around are saving me.
2. My new irreverent coloring book. Being a little sassy with my coloring brings a big smile to my face. Many thanks to a sweet coworker who sent it to me!
3. Schitt’s Creek. I have never been much of a TV watcher…I just don’t generally have a lot of free time, and if I do have 30 minutes to spare in the evening, I’d much rather spend it on Instagram. But now I have lots of free time! Wes and I have started watching Schitt’s Creek. I’m not going to lie: The first few episodes really annoyed me. I just felt so put off by the characters! But now I’m into it and really appreciate the laughs.
4. Grandmommie’s 100th! Wes’s grandmother turned 100 earlier this month. We couldn’t have the big party we had planned, but we did drive by where she lives with signs and sang “Happy Birthday” while she watched from her balcony. She got so many cards and emails and phone calls and felt very loved! We can’t wait to have an actual party once the pandemic has calmed down.
5. Spring flowers! So boring, I know…but I’ve been so in love with all of the beautiful flowers I’ve spotted out on our (many) walks! The snowball bush in our backyard has been in full bloom, and I love it.
6. The best macaroni and cheese. This recipe turned out to be a keeper! SO creamy and delicious. I haven’t had “real” macaroni and cheese like this since before I developed a gluten intolerance. Obviously, I made it with gluten-free macaroni and gluten-free flour (I just skipped the bread crumbs). And it still felt sorta healthy given the veggies. Sorta.
7. Reading. I’ve been doing a little more reading lately during the stay-at-home orders. Have already finished The Last House Guest, The Gifts of Imperfection, Next Year in Havana, and Cultivate. Currently working on Red, White & Royal Blue! You’ll have to check back at the end of the year for my reviews of each of these books in my annual book recap post.
8. Red Robin. A little embarrassing that RED ROBIN of all things is making my Small Joys list (that’s how boring my life has been lately). But seriously, y’all. I recently discovered that they have amazing gluten-free options, great vegetarian options, and the rarest commodity of them all: options that are both gluten-free AND vegetarian. We’ve been ordering takeout, and I’m in heaven! It’s so rare that I get a good burger, on an actual bun, with fries. My go-to is the veggie burger with sweet potato fries.
What’s been bringing you joy lately, friends?
xoxo Laura
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