SUNSHINE, LOLLIPOPS AND RAINBOWS - WHAT'S MAKING ME HAPPY #2

In times of uncertainty it's good to focus our thoughts on the things that bring joy and remind us of how blessed we are.

IT'S TIME TO BE HAPPY

Last month I decided to change my end of month catch-up from a virtual cuppa to sharing some  "Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows" ..... Sunshine - what's been happening to make me happy, Lollipops - silly things and memes that gave me a smile, and Rainbows - what I'm grateful for this month. So without further ado - here we go with September's Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows.

SUNSHINE/HAPPINESS

There's been lots to be happy about this month and first and foremost is always family - followed by a few other pleasures - like blogging, walking, coffee dates, tai chi, and more.

FAMILY

We had a wonderful time with a visit from our son, daughter-in-law and two grandgirls. Having them staying with us for a few days is always lovely (exhausting but lovely) and it's a great excuse to try out new playgrounds, go shopping, go adventuring, or just to sit at home and talk and enjoy the vibrancy of having a fuller nest.

family visit

BLOGGING

It's been a steady month here on the blog - with a couple of added extras - I shared a collaboration with a company that makes gorgeous canvas wall prints, and added a super easy muffin recipe for those of us who aren't about to become Master Chef contestants. I also shared a guest post over on Marsha's blog on why I chose SYMPHONY as my word of the year and how it's been playing out so far.

If you missed any of my posts this month, I've added them at the end of today's post - feel free to check them out, and I'd love you to click on over for a read.

LOLLIPOPS/MAKING ME SMILE

Our daughter and son-in-law have been doing some weekend camping trips. On one of them she posed for a photo on an emu in honour of the epic Singapore "Aslan the Lion Rider" photo her dad had posed for a few years ago. It made me smile to think she remembered the original photo and wanted to add her version as a Father's Day gift. I thought I'd share them here as well.

epic fantasy riders in our family

And I had to include a few memes from the month that gave me a smile....

Some great September memes

RAINBOWS/GRATITUDE

What are you grateful for currently? I've loved that the seasons are starting to change. Here in Western Australia, we're finally emerging from Winter and the days vary from rainy, to cloudy, to sunny - always something different, but it's definitely getting warmer and I'm looking forward to getting out of the woollies and into less layers soon.

I'm also hugely grateful for the time I have every day to do things at my own pace. It was SO nice to be able to be available when the kids and grandgirls stayed, and then to be able to relax when the family went home, instead of rushing off to work the next day. I can't believe how much I love not working and not being tied to a rigid timetable each week. Every time I'm tempted to look at a job advertisement I stop and think about what I'd be losing - and I've never once thought that a potential job looked better than what I have now.

WHAT ABOUT YOU?

Do you have some highlights this month that are making you smile and count your blessings? Is life in general treating you well or are you getting swamped with the dismal state our world seems to be in right now? I hope you're choosing joy where you can and that there's some sunshine in your day.

ALL MY SEPTEMBER POSTS


In times of uncertainty it's good to focus our thoughts on the things that bring joy and remind us of how blessed we are.

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27 comments

  1. Hi Leanne, I am happy to hear there has been lots to be happy about. I agree with you how family always comes first. I like your word “vibrancy.” It fits perfectly for the fuller nest. I love the photos of the grandgirls! Your daughter and son-in-law made me smile. I am grateful for many highlights this month. I look forward to reading your guest post on Marsha’s blog.xx

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    1. Hi Erica - I think "vibrancy" is a lovely euphamism for all the noise, clutter, joy, and mild mayhem that fills our nest when the family arrives. I love it when they come and I also love it when it's just us again - I guess that's a good sign that we're living a pretty perfect life atm x

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  2. Your time with family looks fabulous Leanne. I’ve probably said it before but I’m hanging out for the borders to open so I can see my son and his boys in Qld. The highlight of life at the moment for me, is the transition from winter to spring. Still having cold days but getting a sneak peak at the sunshine to come is beautiful

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    1. Hi Jennifer - I can imagine how desperate you are to see your son and grandsons - when they closed the zones in WA it broke my heart to be cut off from our kids and grandgirls. Hopefully things will improve further and numbers will continue to drop so that you can go visit. And yes - bring on Spring and the warmer weather!

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  3. Don't the grandbabies just add exuberance to our lives?? I tell Lucia how much joy she brings me. And nothing beats snuggling Cami to sleep. I miss my oldest granddaughter so much...she lives 500 miles away and I don't get nearly enough time with her.

    The photos of your daughter and husband on their animal statues are priceless. Great memory-making.

    I missed the canvas post so checking it out next. Can't wait to see what you ordered.

    Hope you continue to stay well and find a multitude of ways to enjoy sunshine, lollipop and rainbow moments.

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    1. Hi Leslie - the emu riding pic from our daughter made my day (and my husband laughed at the fact he'd inspired it). And yes, visits from our grandgirls just make my heart sing. They're coming again in a couple of weeks and I'm already in preparation mode. Thanks for popping over to the canvas post too - they are a great company.

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  4. Hi, Leanne - How cute are those grandgirls?!! Absolutely gorgeous.
    I agree that there is nothing better than quality time with family. I can totally see why this has topped your list!
    Love the positivity - Shared on my SM!

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    1. Hi Donna - NOTHING beats family for me - I'm not sure if any of us could say that there was something material that we'd choose over time with our kids or grandkids. And thanks so much for sharing - sharers are carers xx

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  5. Fabulous memes, I giggled out loud at the emu photo and overall plenty to smile about here.

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    1. I laughed at the emu shot too Jo - the riding stance was such a take off of her dad's Aslan moment - it's like one of those kids' fantasy battle books where they ride mystical beasts into battle :)

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  6. Leanne, I love your sunshine, lollipops and rainbows idea! What a great way to put a positive spin on your wrap-up.

    Those visits from the grandkids are fun but exhausting, aren't they? I usually feel like I need to put my feet up with a glass of wine when they leave! :)

    Love the photos of your hubby and daughter. He must have loved his Father's Day gift!

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    1. Hi Laurie - yes the grandgirls' visits are an absolute joy, but they do wear me out. I think it's the constant motion and the constant talking! One of the nice things about not working is that I have the rest of the week to relax and recover :)

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  7. Must be such a joy to spend time with the grandchildren, Leanne. They look so pretty in pink!
    I love both the pictures of your husband and daughter! They seem to share the same sense of humour too. Isn't it amazing how family bonds on 'inside' jokes! Thanks for letting us share your sunshine, lollipops and rainbows - here's to many more such in the days ahead.

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    1. Hi Corinne - it's funny because I would have said my daughter was much more like me than like my husband, but as time has gone along I can see there are a lot of similarities in their sense of the ridiculous and their willingness to do silly things - I love it. And yes those little girls make my heart very happy whenever they visit.

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  8. Leanne, I'm glad to hear there has been lots to be happy about. I read two of your blog posts but missed the muffin recipe so will take a look. The memes make me laugh. Have a wonderful week! #lifethisweek

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    1. Hi Natalie - it was my first attempt at a recipe post - I'm not the world's greatest cook, but I thought there was room for a super easy recipe or two for those who were like me and didn't have a pantry full of unusual ingredients. I hope you like them.

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  9. I am enjoying your 'new' monthly posts Leanne, very creative :). I also laughed at the photo of the lion and emu, that's something I would do and probably have in the past! The grand-girls are adorable and I can only imagine the joy the bring when they visit, such fun! Those memes are good too especially the black lab one :). Have pinned this post to share with others. Enjoy the month ahead, they are rushing by at the moment aren't they?

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    1. Hi Deb - I loved the black lab post - it gave me a little snort of surprise at the end. And yes, the year is racing towards Christmas - with the decorations popping up for sale in all the shops this week - crazy stuff! Thanks for sharing my post too x

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  10. Love the premise and theme for your posts. And the song title is very familiar of course. We just had a morning with our son and his four kids yesterday and I MISS them so much but...I am also needing to pace myself more as I am ageing, as does my husband and whilst we love them dearly, we can no longer do sleepovers. They stopped in 2016 - we had 3 kids and it was a bit much on us both. But, we have the most amazing memories of caring for them at our house when they were pre-schoolers and we were younger!!
    Thanks for linking up for #lifethisweek. Next week the optional prompt is 40/51 Share Your Snaps #8 5.10.2020 Hope to see you there too. Denyse

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    1. Hi Denyse - any time spent with our children and grandchildren is precious - and even more so since we had covid restrictions layered on top. I think knowing your limits is a good thing - better to have a visit that everyone enjoyed, rather than overdoing it and not being able to look forward to visits that sap too much out of you. I'm making the most of the years now while they're little and we're still young enough to run around after them (and they're great sleepers - which makes a world of difference!)

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  11. Hi Leanne, I always love your photos - they're so great! And oh wow - you're revelation meme photo is just brilliant. I definitely feel like that most days. haha. I'll confess that it's a tough week this week though as my dog passed away yesterday but I am SO grateful for my other dog. And I'm grateful for the years I had with the dog who passed away. Thank you for helping me remember that xx

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    1. Hi Anne - I remember reading that your dog wasn't doing well - so sorry to hear that you lost him. It's never easy to lose anyone we love and dogs certainly hold a special place in our hearts - especially during these difficult times when they are who we've been giving the majority of our hugs to xx

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  12. Thank you Leanne for sharing your sunshine, lollipops, and rainbows. They made me smile. Also, I tried your muffin recipe. Mine didn't look as pretty as yours, but they tasted good!

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    1. Mine rarely look that pretty Christie - but the taste is what counts and I love how fresh and zesty they are - you can't beat that can you? xx

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  13. Hi Leanne, don't you wish you knew years ago the kind of contentedness you would find with your time freedom. I had no idea how much I would love being able to take things at my own pace until I quit my job. I guess you don't miss what you don't know!

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    1. It's a bit like becoming a grandmother Michele - you see other people doing it and think it looks nice but it'd probably not be all that great, then you find out when it happens to you that it's the BEST thing ever and you wish you'd known sooner. I'm truly loving my life right now, and you can't ask for much more than that can you? x

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  14. Hahahaha. Love the lion and emu photos. That's very cool :)

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