The Happy Challenge: Day 93

Day 93 of 100 Happy Days Challenge.

Happy #1: The toddler made me a little present (with some help from Miss Natalie) during craft time today - a "rock" with "Mom Rocks" spelled out on it.

Happy #2: Gluten free brownies (made from Trader Joe's Brownie Baking Mix)! I was only pushed to make it after seeing a chocolate cake posting by one of my friends on Instagram - darned social media! ;)  Thumbs up on this particular mix. I would definitely make it again!

I doctored up the brownies with chocolate chips and chopped almonds. While the brownies were a little sticky right out of the oven, they were quite tasty with ice cold milk! 

The Happy Challenge: Day 92

Day 92 of 100 Happy Days Challenge.

Another full day with a lot of work stuff, but it's been quite productive. By 5 pm, however, I was a little tired, as was the toddler. The happy stuff?

Happy #1 - The toddler's new allergy medicine finally came in! I'm crossing my fingers that it works, because he was pretty miserable today.

Happy #2 - A quick trip to Trader Joe's to get some gluten free treats!

Happy #3 - A quick catnap and cuddle with the toddler because we were both exhausted. Poor kid wanted the one-on-one time too. He asked me if I was happy, and I said, "Yes." Then I asked him if he was happy, and he smiled and enthusiastically answered, "Yes!"

National Doughnut Day!

Courtesy of Peanuts

While I can't really eat doughnuts because the ones I truly love are NOT gluten free, I still love the idea of National Doughnut Day, which is today. My all-time favorite doughnuts? Sugar doughnuts, which I rarely find. I don't mean the glazed ones. I mean ones that are actually rolled in granulated sugar. And I like them when they're fresh.

When I was little, my dad used to go to the bakery early on Saturday mornings just to get a box of these. When I woke up, there used to be a pink bakery box on the kitchen table with these fluffy, fresh sugar doughnuts. I remember my younger brother and I couldn't get enough of them. If only I could get them now. Unfortunately, the closest I find are the twisted ones. While it's the same thing, technically, it just isn't the same. The twisted ones aren't as fluffy and light as I remember.

My other favorite doughnut is a jelly-filled one. I remember Morton's Jelly Doughnuts, which you could find in the freezer section of the grocery store. That was the first time I ever tried a jelly doughnut. It, too, was covered with granulated sugar. (Do you see a theme here? Lol!) But the jelly inside was the yummy part. It was a berry of some sort; I'm not sure what kind. Anyway, they disappeared off the market, and I forgot about them until I went to England for the first time. Completely by accident, I found some in a bakery and decided to try them. O-M-G! That first bite brought back so many memories! It tasted just like the Morton's Jelly Doughnuts that I grew up with! I ended up having at least one every day while I was there. Even the jelly-filled doughnuts I've found since just don't match up. 

If I were feeling a little more energetic, I'd attempt one of these gluten free doughnut recipes. Unfortunately, I don't think they'll live up to what my taste buds are expecting. So go have a doughnut for me!

The Happy Challenge: Day 78

Day 78 of 100 Happy Days Challenge.

Today is National Hamburger Day. For dinner, I made gluten free mini meatloaves. I was really happy with the way they turned out, especially since I mixed both ground beef and pork. Usually I use a mixture of ground beef and turkey, but I found it always turned out a little dry, crumbly, and not very flavorful. This time, they were moist and quite tasty. Very yummy!

My other happy for today - being able to watch an episode of Big Love without being interrupted! ;)

The Happy Challenge: Day 58

Day 58 of 100 Happy Days Challenge.

Happy stuff for today...

#1 - Gluten-free pancakes for breakfast. Not quite like regular ones, but they were still yummy.

#2 - Take-out for dinner from my favorite Vietnamese restaurant. Since we've both been sick, we haven't had big appetites, but the Vietnamese food hit the spot!

#3 - A clean bathroom. Weird, I know, but I've been too sick to clean it until today.

Rise & Shine!

The phrase "Rise & Shine!" reminds me of two different things: (1) the movie Groundhog Day and (2) the children's cartoon Chuggington. In both, the phrase is repeated many times.

However, today's post is all about the new kit "Rise & Shine" from ninigoesdigi! (Click on each image to go directly to the product.)

Rise & Shine elements from ninigoesdigi

Rise & Shine patterned papers from ninigoesdigi

Rise & Shine solid papers from ninigoesdigi

Capture your morning routine (or maybe not so routine, as evidenced in my layout below) with this new release. Rise & Shine coordinates with the rest of the MScraps Memory Mix for May, so you can mix and match as you please! All packs are $2 (or less) this weekend - a bargain!

Using Rise & Shine, I chose to document what I love about breakfast...

CREDITS:

Rise & Shine elements and patterned papers (ninigoesdigi)

Font: PW01 Script

The Happy Challenge: Days 29 and 30

Days 29 and 30 of 100 Happy Days Challenge.

A bit of a crazy day yesterday, not to mention I was getting sick - that's what happens when you're around sick kids!

Happy stuff for Day 29 (April 9):
1.  Excited to be back home, especially when I wasn't feeling so hot.
2.  The toddler slept the entire way home!
3.  Checks in the mail.  :)
4.  Vietnamese food - I love those fresh rolls and lemongrass pork.
5.  Indulged in a little ice cream...

Happy stuff for Day 30  (April 10):
1.  Heard back from a company I applied to a month and a half ago - phone interview scheduled!
2.  The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio happened to be on TV when I finally turned it on. Love this movie!

The Happy Challenge: Day 28

Day 28 of 100 Happy Days Challenge.

Today's big happy - a big "Score!" on gluten free items at Costco! :)  I can't believe I found GF flours at a great price, as well as my Crunchmaster crackers that I love!

Gluten free stuff can be so expensive, so it's great when I can get them for a decent price! There was also a 2-pack of GF breads, but it was so dense, it was like a door stop. Pass... :)

The Happy Challenge: Days 26 and 27

Days 26 and 27 of 100 Happy Days Challenge.

Yesterday was a busy day, so I didn't get a chance to stop by and post, but I do have my happy items...

Happy Stuff for Day 26 (April 6):
1.  Watching the sick boys bond over the iPad.

2.  A very rich dessert - flourless chocolate torte with a dark chocolate filling that exploded the second I put the spoon into it!

Happy Stuff for Day 27 (April 7):

1.  A Chipotle bowl - love these!

2. Watching the toddler smile and laugh while playing on the trampoline. It was a gorgeous day (temps in the 60s!), so I was glad he got a chance to play outside.

The Happy Challenge: Day 15

Day 15 of 100 Happy Days Challenge.

Happy is finding a secret stash of Andes mints during a chocolate craving today.

The Happy Challenge: Day 14

Day 14 of 100 Happy Days Challenge.

Despite a busy day where my plans got tossed out the window due to unanticipated last minute work projects, I do have a couple of happy highlights.

Happy Highlight #1:

While trying to get the work projects completed, the toddler amused himself by playing with all his little race cars and watching episodes of Chuggington and Curious George - and no whining about wanting the tablet!

Happy Highlight #2:

Found the time to make a gluten-free vanilla cake (a mix from Namaste) while cooking dinner so that I could have the cake with strawberries and whipped cream for dessert!

Happy Highlight #3:
I discovered via Facebook that Lauren Graham (from Gilmore Girls and Parenthood) had published a book called Someday, Someday, Maybe: A Novel, which just released today. I had time to read a little of the excerpt on Amazon, and although I won't be purchasing it anytime soon, I would probably read it in the future. What little I read intrigued me enough to want to read more.

So while I know the 100 Days of Happy challenge was to find only one thing a day, I think it's a plus if I find more. After all, the whole idea of the challenge is to have one realize that there are good things in every day and to learn to live a happier life.

I can live with that. ;)

The Happy Challenge: Day 13

Day 13 of 100 Happy Days Challenge.

I forgot that with the coming of spring means that more fruits are available. So when I spotted these at the grocery store on sale, I had to get them!

I'm planning on making a gluten-free vanilla cake, then putting strawberries on top. That will be my version of a strawberry shortcake!

The Happy Challenge: Day 8

Day 8 of 100 Happy Days Challenge.

Finding a happy spot for today was a bit of a challenge. I didn't get a lot of sleep last night, and I am overwhelmed by deadlines at the moment, so I'm a bit stressed out. And being stressed leads to chocolate cravings and headaches for me. I sought solace in a Snickers Almond bar. So sad, but true. I LOVE them!

I'm claiming that as my happy thing for the day!

Oh, wait...I think I'm also happy about the fact I finally got the first draft of the 20-page newsletter done! Woo hoo! Happy dance!