Smile!

Aside from your kids, pets, your husband, your coffee and your wine…what makes you smile?

When I saw the above writing prompt from Mama Kat this week, I decided to take on the challenge because I would have been tempted to put all those things on my smile list.

I've never been one to walk around with a big ol' smile plastered on my face all the time.  Not that I don't admire those who do, mind you.  I have just never been one who can pull that off.  If you see me smiling, you know it's for real.  I simply cannot pull off a fake smile.  

So here are some things (in no particular order) that never fail to turn my frown upside down...

1. Dachshunds/Wiener Dogs/Dachsies/Doxies/Little Long Dogs/Badger Dogs.  

Via One Kings Lane

Yes, I realize that I was not supposed to say pets but she did say "your pets" and while yes, my two little Longhaired Wieners make me smile on a daily basis, so do ALL the little Dachsies of the world...Seeing one being walked down the street, a photo or video of one online or in a magazine, hanging out of a car window, on t.v....wherever and in whatever form, there ain't no way, no how I can see one without smiling from ear to ear and probably saying, "Aww...Look, a Dachsie!" I even have an entire board on Pinterest devoted to all things Dachshund. There is simply no shame in my wiener dog game. 


2. Shoes.
I realize it's shallow of me but I have always LOVED me some stylish footwear. Somehow Charlie and I were talking about some story the other day about a man he once knew who found out his wife had been embezzling money from his company and using it to buy drugs.  Devin, being the obnoxious age of 13, piped up with, "What if mom is embezzling money from your company?!" Charlie laughed and jokingly said, "Well, if your mom was stealing from me I don't think she'd be using the money to buy drugs. Nope.  She'd buy shoes!"  

Via Boden USA

3. Birds.
There has just always been something about a singing bird perched outside my window that makes me smile but Red Cardinals and Hummingbirds are downright magical for me.  The Cardinals that I simply refer to as redbirds have held very special meaning for me since those early days of grief when they showed up in droves in my front yard. And Hummingbirds?  Well, can anybody watch a Hummingbird at a feeder without smiling?  

4. A baby with a pacifier, especially if the baby is smiling underneath.
I know it's because it reminds me of Devin's baby days (back when he was still sweet!).  He loved him some Bink.  Oops!  I wasn't supposed to talk about my kids, was I?

5. Jumping on a trampoline.
I did this a couple of months back one evening when Charlie was pressure washing the deck and I couldn't get in the back door so I just decided to get a little cardio in on the trampoline.  While it was a whole lot harder than I remembered it being, I could not help but smile like a fool and wave at Charlie in the process.   

6. Dr. Seuss books/quotes/merchandise.
I've never deprived my boys of books (although they don't seem to share my deep love of them) and we have a very healthy collection of Dr. Seuss ones.  Dracen went through a period where Dr. Seuss was the only thing he wanted to read or have read to him. It has to be impossible to read Dr. Seuss without smiling.  He really did make reading fun.  And I get downright giddy inside if I see that a new movie inspired by a Dr. Seuss book is Coming Soon.

7. Those funny ecards clever people make and put on Pinterest.  I have an endless supply of them pinned to my "Now That's Funny" board. Here's a little sample:

Diane via Jessica

Diane via Vicky S.

Diane via Candy

Seriously, I never tire of those things.  


8. Flowers blooming in my yard.
I'm always amazed when I look out the window to see that something I myself planted has actually bloomed!  

9. The way it feels to slip on my comfy sweats or pajama pants. Especially after wearing something all day that felt a little too constricting.  

10. Comments on my blog. Works every time.  

What makes you smile?