road leading into the distance and blue cloudy skies
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Remembering the good little things in life

ByEmma

Anyone else given up doing new year’s resolutions already?  Or anyone like me who hasn’t really made any?  I gave up making them after realising a few years ago that after 30 odd years, stopping biting my nails wasn’t really going to happen.  And losing my weight can be done at any time when I’m ready and not ill (I was so ready to start this year and then laryngitis happened and doing a diet is the last thing I want to be doing).

So what I’m planning is just to try and enjoy the little things.  It’s not been going well so far, because, well being ill, and lots going on at work.  But there’s always something good in every day.

Last year, N and I started a little gratitude diary. Well, I was treating it as a way to remember the little things. He was just drawing pictures of what he fancied that day.  We didn’t keep it up but it was a nice thing to do and is something we should really start again.

the little things in life - Bubbablue and me

Here’s my good little things in life:

Feeling fit and healthy – it’s not going well so far, but there’s plenty of time.  People at work have started a little gang to play squash.  I’m not sure my knee will hold up to it, and I know I’m not fit enough to play again yet, but I’d like to give it a gentle go when I’ve lost a bit of weight.

Blue skies – well, any skies other than grey ones, because they can make you smile so much whether it’s a clear blue sky or a pretty sunrise or sunset

road leading into the distance and blue cloudy skies

Flowers – I started buying flowers again towards the end of last year for my flower photography course, and they’re lovely to have in the house. So I shall be buying more, and taking more photos of them.

Photography – N might have said no to photos on the blog, but I can still take photos of him for us to enjoy. I want to go back and do him a video of all the previous Living Arrows shots.  I’ve also signed up for the Year with my camera graduates camera club.  Needless to say I’ve not done either of the first 2 homeworks, but I’d like to try and join in with that a bit, as well as possibly making some of the local meet ups or instawalks.

Friends – hopefully this year I’d like to try and arrange to meet up with at least 1 friend (outside of work) a month.  Time marches on and I never get round to seeing friends, but really must make more effort through the year.

Music – last year I Shazamed a lot of new music, and haven’t got round to buying it.  I need to sort out my itunes to download the library, remove it from my old laptop and get the library onto my new laptop so I can actually safely plug in my ipod again to update it and add new music. I really don’t want to reload 250+ CDs again.  Then I can have some new playlists and rediscover some old favourites.

Dancing – because I love it, and hopefully getting fitter means less aches and pains in ankle and legs and I’ll be able to dance for longer.  I want to get to some bigger freestyles further afield again, and make more of my dance blog What about Dance.

Videos – I might not be allowed to include N in my youtube videos, but I still want to share some of our outings.  So it’s time to look out for different things to film when we’re out and about, and maybe get N in on the filming and directing as well.

And to top it off, chocolate.  Chocolate goes against my getting healthy and losing weight, and I do find that I am an all or nothing person. But I’m not sure I can ever cut out a really good chocolate.

4 boxes of luxury chocolate

What are the little things in life that make you happy?

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292 Comments

  3. Seeing the garden cone back to life after a long wet winter,it,s great to have snowdrops & crocuses adding colour.

  5. I’m really enjoying baking again at the moment, I used to do it loads before the kids came and now after 3 in close succession they are finally getting to the age I am starting to get a bit more time for me.

  7. I enjoy spending time with my little granddaughter. We spend a long weekend each month with our daughter, granddaughter and son-in-law because we live quite far apart and it’s a 5 hour drive each way. We get a big chunk of time with them, and our granddaughter spends the Friday and Monday with us rather than going to nursery. I especially love doing crafts with her – she loves glitter, sequins and glue, and we can then return home with a new piece of art to stick on our fridge.

  12. Little things I’m enjoying at the moment are being able to take half an hour in the evenings to myself and enjoy a hot chocolate 🙂

  13. Spending time with my beautiful granddaughter Harper. Beautiful things cost nothing, but love and happiness xx

  16. Having evenings and weekends with my husband finally. His job meant he has had to work every weekend and 5 nights a week for the last 7 years so just being able to cook and eat together & chill out in front of a film or socialise with friends at weekends feels like a real treat at the moment!

  18. I went for a lovely walk in the sunshine today with a friend and so nice to feel the sun again

  23. Just enjoyed some time off work and it was lovely having some family time during half term break!

  25. smoothies – I’ve even taken to chucking veggies in with them. I struggle to get in my fruit and veg every day but I can easily get in 2 veggies and 4 fruits in one smoothie 😀

  27. I am loving the cauliflower cheese soup I mDe yesterday – going bonkers I can’t stop thinking it.

  29. I just started practising yoga and Im loving it. I feel more subtle more relaxed and I am sleeping better.

  32. I’m really enjoying my cross stitch and watching White Collar on Netflix at the moment in the evenings 🙂

  33. I really enjoy trips to the library with my 5 year old son. It’s our time as his dads not that big into reading and they have their boy time. Both my son and I are massive bookworms and can happily spend hours choosing books. It’s one of the few times my son isn’t distracted by something else like screens and we can have a good conversation about new things he’s learnt or discovered he likes. Then when we get home we snuggle up in his reading corner with all the new books.

  40. I’ve just started getting back into reading books I forgot how enjoyable it is when you get stuck into a good book.

  46. I’m still enjoying chocolate! I’m also enjoying watching the bulbs start to spring to life in the garden 🙂

  53. My 4yr old developing new skills all the time and surprising me with them, eg. Doing buttons on clothes, improved writing and drawing skills, widening food likes.

  57. While my toddler is napping I enjoy a cup of coffee and a chocolate biscuit while watching an episode of “My Crazy Ex Girlfriend” on Netflix.

  72. I’m enjoying the fact that the days are slowly getting longer and it’s sometimes even still light when I get in from work. Best thing is that this will get better and better.

  89. I’m loving my 4 year old grandsons logic, my daughter is having twins & he’s informed there’s only one baby & a mirror.

  92. My friend has become blind and it has really woken me up to how lucky I am. I have always loved reading and I really appreciate it now. But even when bills turn up I’m grateful that at least I can read them and don’t have to wait until a friend turns up to read them to me.

  93. I’ve really got into making homemade soups lately and am really loving them, such a differencec to soup from a can its unreal

  94. Beachcombing… love walking along the beaches near me but more interesting when I find different pieces of driftwood, metals ,and anything I can make into something…,very relaxing

  95. Cooking/baking something different from one of my many cookery books. As it’s been cold I have made soup for my lunch this week

  96. Organising suprise trip overseas to visit my grandad on his birthday and get him to meet his great grandson for the first time

  98. I have just bought a yogurt maker and I have had great fun in making little pots of yogurt. It is so good and easy and I shall use my frozen blackcurrants, red currants, raspberries and blackberries to flavour the yogurt in the future.

  99. Im really enjoying researching my family history. Its my dads 65th birthday this year and hes always wanted to do this but never got round to it. I thought i would join ancestry then put together a family tree in a frame for him. Originally a means to an ends but im loving it! Found a few surprises too but nothing too shocking 😉

  101. The little thing I’m most enjoying at the moment is making time before lunch to read.its hard sometimes to prioritise my own wants when there’s always more important tasks I could do, but making this part of my routine feels lovely.

  102. I have just discovered Cremant so enjoy an occasional glass before dinner with friends but my favourite little thing at this time of year is watching the garden for snowdrops, crocuses and daffs to burst into flower. Lovely!

  105. I am really loving just being able to spend any time I get with loved ones as they always manage to make my smile! Fingers crossed! 🙂

  107. Have been stuck in bed with the flu so have enjoyed catching up watching Eastenders on Iplayer as I never normally get the time.

  113. Dmorbing walks along the beach, cooking with seasonal veg and hunkering down with a good book!

  116. Listening to the increased birdsong as Spring approaches, the fact that the hours of day-light are now longer and reading as many books as I can fit into a month.

  127. I’m enjoying my goodreads challenge as I know I’m gonna beat it by a mile and a half lol!!

  131. Managing to keep up with my New Year’s Resolution of walking to work every day – it’s so refreshing to be outdoors!

  144. Reading the stories that I write for my daughter, gnomes, fairies, unicorns, you name it it is in it!!!

  161. I’m enjoying cosy evenings snuggled up on the sofa with my dogs right now. Stick a film on, nice hot chocolate in hand and I’m set for the night 🙂

  171. A simple thing i enjoy each day in the afternoon is having a cup of coffee while i read my book.

  176. I’m enjoying walks along the beach, as its cold and windy, the beaches are nearly empty and its so peaceful watching the waves 🙂

  177. I’m enjoying a relaxing weekends. Soon we will be back to spending the days in sports fields, and rushing to get everything done afterwards

  179. I’m moving home in the next month or so and surprisingly having fun clearing out the junk 😉

  182. I’m enjoying spending more time reading, it was my new years resolution & I’ve stuck to it. And I’m really enjoying it!

  187. I love the peace and quiet of winter (no lawnmowers, no smelly barbecues or noisy neighbours). I love that nights come early, so I feel cosy and protected indoors….A good book and a hot drink in front of the fireplace is pure bliss!

  190. I am enjoying the woodland walk just behind my house that I have not really noticed in 4 years! My resolution was to start walking everyday no matter the weather and i have explored every bit of wood now 😀

  191. Right now I’m loving that there is a slight stretch in the evenings, and Spring doesn’t feel that far away.

  197. I love the way each day is getting longer, so it’s slightly less dark when I drive to work in the mornings and drive home in the evenings xx

  200. I am loving the fact I recovered from my flu and am enjoying tucking into my favourite cakes and biscuits without feeling blah. I am enjoying listening to the wind howling outside and fussing my cats

  201. Its lovely to wake up and its not dark, snowdrops are starting to flower and daffodils are coming up

  202. I love when both my little ones are asleep for the night and I get to watch whatever I want on TV and put my feet up

  204. On a fair day, there is fabulous winter sunshine streaming through the house and I can fling the windows open for a bit. The nights are getting lighter which is a great feeling. And my New Year’s Resolution to reorganise and declutter the house is progressing nicely.

  206. watching my darling grand daughter discover the simple things in life and working out how they what and what they do

  208. Being able to get up when want No more young babies plus I’m retired through illl health. Hubby still works so nice to have the home to myself but then spoil him when he gets home

  209. At the minute I’m loving watching my 1 year old start to paint- messy but very cute

  215. I’m enjoying walking my dog as he is getting old now so I like to spend as much time with him as I can.

  217. Watching my twin boys play disability football. They get so excited, and it is lovely when they are able to keep up for a change.

  221. The mornings and evenings getting slowly lighter and the shoots now coming through in the garden

  222. I’m enjoying drinking a cup or hot chocolate and relaxing to read a chapter one my book at night

  223. my daughter is 22 months old so every day she learns and does something new and each little thing makes me happy

  228. I loved that it was a little bit sunny today , so could have my French doors open to the garden (even if I did need two jumpers on)
    Sat in my kitchen I loved watching the birds, squirrels and rabbit

  239. I have a gratitude journal that is really getting me through the days at the moment. I’m also decluttering (just 30 minutes a day) and I find that is really improving my mental state!

  240. I’m getting ready to move house so I’m collecting little new bits for my new house and making lists, I really enjoy that part of moving.

  247. the early morning walks to work, its finally getting slightly warmer and the birds are singing!

  253. My son is getting into baking more, so I am loving planning our meals and what we can make together at the weekends.

  256. The greeting I get from my parents’ husky when I visit. He’s such a little sweetie! Maybe he just likes my long nails – perfect for dog tickling.

  259. Spending time with my partner and his kids, takeaways and long talks on the sofa, my 4 month old niece!

  261. Spending quality time with my daughter. We are going through a difficult time with her dad and to cheer me up she picked up my favourite childhood books from the school library so we can read together.

  264. I think we have some of the same goals and likes. I all but abandoned taking photos and I think some kind of club would be fantastic. I do have problems storing by digital music and my iPod seems to have gotten harder to manage, must be an Apple thing.

  275. A lie-in (combine this with breakfast in bed and I’m in heaven), a night out with friends, a stroll on the beach (preferably somewhere warm and sunny), being welcomed home by my dog, hearing my favourite song, looking at family photos, giving or receiving a good hug and hearing my children laugh. They’re all simple but powerful things which never fail to melt my heart and light up my life.

  281. I’ve been enjoying visiting my five year old daughters school on Wednesday afternoons to do work with her, I’ve also been enjoying watchiwa my nearly 11 month old daughter taking little steps learning to walk, and training our puppy we got just before new years eve for my fiancé’s birthday on new years eve xx

  286. I’m enjoying my niece practising for her singing exam,I love to listen to her sing.

  287. I am loving waffles. I got a waffle maker for Christmas. I hadn’t appreciated quite how fun and sociable Waffles for breakfast on a lazy Sunday would be. The kids love them, topping them is great fun.

  289. Pancakes – we don’t usually have them throughout the year but since Shrove Tuesday stocks have landed in the shops, we have been buying and making already – comfort food yummy!

    1. Hello
      As far as resolutions go I am trying to copy my friend and be kind. I am trying to do DEAMOF (Don’t eat anything made of flour) and actually I do feel slightly better and I’m enjoying my Pilates classes more. Also catching up with my friend on twitter, choir starting again and (attempting to) play the piano. And just being outside, hopefully there’ll be some sunshine and we can get cycling too. Playing Connect 4 with my daughter and going to ride the escalators with my son. AND i’ve managed to get my filthy coat cleaned courtesy of Oxi Wizz, it looks brand new. And my lovely friend Linda put it in her tumble drier just to finish it off, I love Linda, she always makes me feel good about myself (except occasionally if she goes into strict piano teacher mode, lol).

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