Today's Small Pleasures

1) It snowed out Ben's early basketball practice, freeing up the morning.
1a) 5-year old boys when they actually "practice" basketball--hardest I've ever laughed in my life. In. My. Life.
1b) 5-year old boys who think they're awesome at basketball after aforementioned "practice" activities

2) Fleece Rudolph-printed pajama pants

3) The smell of lemon Pledge + gleaming antiques

4) The thank you note I got for making Neeny's pink salad for Thanksgiving--three years after I vowed not to make it again. It is so bittersweet. I can just hear her describing the importance of using the crushed pineapple over the pineapple tidbits. Monologuing through the entire process. Telling me I'd have to remember, so I could make it like hers one day. I cried as I made it. My mom cried when she saw it. My brother's note today made it worth it.

5) The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. My favorite show, ever.

6) Girls' nights

7) Hot cocoa and hot baths following kids' reentry from snow-angel making

8) The student who hugged me yesterday and told me not to be discouraged--it took him more than a week to heal from his surgery, too. And that's OK. Goodness, have I told you that I teach the most amazing little people in the entire world?? Because I do.

9) When Eric asked Ben if he thought Carrie Underwood was pretty, and Ben responded, "Mommy is the only pwetty girl in the world for me."

10) Behr.com paint color virtual painting for choosing paint colors

11) The fact that the people at Young House Love (see sidebar for link) have bought another house and will begin their projects again from the beginning. Hooray!! Joy!!