simple.green.organic.happy.

Blog

Things I Love Thursday.

Happiness quite unshared can scarcely be called happiness;

it has no taste.

― Charlotte Brontë

Random things making me happy this week.

The intense quality of the light, filtered through the yellowing leaves, as the sun gives its last gasp before disappearing over the horizon.

Gulping down hot soothing soup or lemon pomegranate tea as the evening air grows nippy.

Pumpkin everything.

The growing certainty that running is, in fact, helping my knees not creak so much on a daily basis.

My foam roller, for massaging out my crankier knee on the morning after a hard run.

Talking to my boys about something and having them end the conversation with, “well, that was a nice intellectual discussion.” They’re probably being sarcastic but I don’t care.

Taking my daughter to have her nails and hair did— I had a Groupon and I always feel guilty for maybe depriving her of “girly” things— and having her wanting her hair undone within the hour; nail polish peeled off with 24 hours. That’s my girl.

This picture.

Oh, and this one too.

Those are my sunglasses she has on. They’re Oakley— I think the Necessity— I’m so very super picky about my glasses (much like anything else that goes on my body) and these don’t pinch or give me a headache, they wrap around enough to fully block sun but don’t distort my vision, and they stay put when running or on top of my head. They’re pretty much the holy grail of sunglasses. Necessity indeed.

I love them.

I love this sentence from this article:

“If a spider turns to look at you, it is almost certainly a jumping spider,” Jakob said, adding that they respond to their own mirror images and watch videos showing insects.

I love Joe Biden and all his malarkey.

I love the Beasties app, which is sort of like a fortuneteller only using animal totems. It’s New Age naturalistic silliness, yes, but the first time I asked a question the Badger answered so I’m sold. Anyway, it’s pretty and I like taking a minute or two of my day to meditate on what the BIG QUESTION is for me today.

I love that my husband and I will sit and watch bug happenings on the porch and narrate them. Who needs TV?

I love this post about happiness and the tale of the happy shirt contained within. From Charlotte Anderson.

I love Big Bird.

I love how much my niece looks like me in this photo.

I love the way my Saint Bernard puppy feels the need to sit on the chair next to me several times a day, placing her big paw on my arm so I must cease clackity-clacking on the keyboard, to rest her heavy-ass head on my shoulder and give me hugs.

I love the new Mumford & Sons album.

I love that tomorrow is Friday already.

What do you love this week?

October 18, 2012
Wordless Wednesday: I Did It. Holy Carp

You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience

in which you really stop to look fear in the face.

You are able to say to yourself,

‘I have lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.’

You must do the thing you think you cannot do.

Eleanor Roosevelt

Swimming lessons start 10/29. Ready to do the thing I think I cannot do, but secretly hoping the hardest part was hitting “SUBMIT.”

Encouraging words welcome.

October 17, 2012
Sesame Place Spooktacular!
You’ve never seen a street like Sesame Street before. Everything happens here. You’re gonna love it!
-Gordon

You’ve never seen Sesame Street like this before.

I got to hit Sesame Place for The Count’s Spooktacular… and it was freaking spectacular.

Part of it is getting to be there with kids the right age. I went with my daughter Cassidy, and also with my niece Eva, who’s 2 and sooo into everything Sesame Street. She was beside herself just seeing the decorated water tower and the parking lot signs designated by character.

I loved seeing her face riding the carousel the first time. This is what it’s all about, folks.

The place was all spooked up… but not in any way scary. Just enough to get the kids all excited about Halloween.

Kids were encouraged to come in costume for the fun of the thing, and also for the trick-or-treating stations strewn throughout the park. They gave out candy, but also toothbrushes, juice boxes and non-sugary snacks, which was nice.

The water rides were closed— one day I’ll actually get to go on the water rides— but the other rides were open. I think they enjoyed the non-ride fun more, though: the push-carts, enormous rope wall thing (I have no idea what that is called) (UPDATE: it’s called Nets N Climbs), little playgrounds. No lines, for one thing.

There was also Halloween-specific stuff going on; an Abby Cadabby hay maze, another maze through the Count’s Castle, pumpkin decorating. And face painting. Face painting isn’t Halloween-specific but this seemed a good place to mention it 🙂

My favorite part was being ON Sesame Street itself. This is not new.

And of course getting my picture taken with MY favorite character, BERT.

DRESSED AS A PIGEON.

We had cupcakes with all the other media people invited for the day. Eva yelled at me because I didn’t give her a fork. That girl has manners, y’all.

And then we were lucky enough to have Big Bird, Abby Cadabby, Elmo, the Count, and Cookie Monster come hang out, dance a bit and pose for pictures.

Then we walked the park a bit more for souvenirs and to get ready for the big parade. Photos opps abounded.

FYI: go find a good place for the parade way earlier than you think you need to. We sat a little bit back, and Eva nodded off before it came. Which was a little bit disappointing for us adults, who were totally riding the high of being with a kid at Sesame Place, but OK. Baby girl had a full, happy day.

That’s my baby brother Robbie (I know, blame my parents), and it was his first trip to Sesame Place, too.

If you have the chance, you totally need to get yourself to Sesame Place for some Spooktacular fun! It’s $20 off when you buy your ticket online and totally worth the price of admission; if you’re on a budget I do highly suggest packing a lunch. You can be stamped leaving the park and then return.

Also, good news for those with allergies: Sesame Place now boasts a new line of allergy-friendly dining initiatives, including personalized service and more menu options.

2013 Season Passes to Sesame Place are on sale now!

With a Season Pass you can enjoy unlimited admission in 2013, plus FREE unlimited admission during 2012 The Count’s Halloween Spooktacular.

Season Pass Members enjoy the following benefits (some restrictions do apply):
- 30% off in-park food and merchandise
- Free parking
- Discounts on admission for guests
- Exclusive character Meet and Greets,
- Exclusive Pass Member events
- More!
October 20th and 21st: Abby Cadabby’s Fairy Pumpkin Party

Help everyone’s favorite Sesame Street friends celebrate Abby Cadabby’s birthday with her very own Fairy Birthday Party! This hour long party includes an all‐you‐care‐to eat dinner buffet, singing, and dancing with your Sesame Street friends. What birthday party would be complete without singing Happy Birthday to the Fairy‐in‐Training! Dinner is at 5:00pm and is by reservation only. Children under 2 are free.

October 29th and 30th: The Count’s Halloween Party

Take a break from all of your Halloween fun at The Count’s Halloween Spooktacular and enjoy the new dinner menu at Dine With Me! Celebrate Halloween with a terrific all‐you‐care‐to eat dinner buffet plus singing and dancing with all of your favorite Sesame Street friends at their very own Halloween Party! Dinner is at 5:00pm and is by reservation only. Children under 2 are free.

October 30th: Halloween Costume Contest

Come dressed in a Halloween costume to compete in the annual costume contest at Sesame Place! Registration will begin at 10 a.m. in front of Monster Rock Theater and there will be competitions for boys, girls, and families. All of the contests will take place at Monster Rock Theater and winners will be posted at the Welcome Center. All winners will be invited to be special guests in the Neighborhood Street Party Halloween parade.

More details and ticket info at sesameplace.com.

Disclosure: I received 4 Sesame Place passes free of charge as a representative of the media. All opinions are my own. Also, how adorable is my niece?
October 16, 2012