<p>That magic minute or so when the fall sky in Manhattan is a greenish royal blue–just before total darkness. The contrast with all of the city lights is gorgeous.
My chihuahua heaving a big sigh next to me in bed.
Foliage season…NJ. There are usually one or two days of perfection.
A recent cruise I went on with my remaining family–3 siblings. We had just lost 2 parents and a brother and were feeling the need to bond. We sailed into a gale in the Gulf of Mexico. The 4 of us spent a giddy hour sloshing back and forth in the pool with the violent rocking of the boat–laughing our heads off!
Watching my kids perform. I love to hear them sing. I can’t get enough of it!</p>
<p>awww tanya…that’s good stuff. 
(I can relate to the chihuahua sighs and 4 ‘kids’ missing a lost parent…)</p>
<p>Friday night at the high school football game when the cool crsip night air is fairly crackling with excitement, the band plays the National anthem as silence falls over the crowd (goosebumps every time), the big roar when our team rushes through the tunnel, seeing my boy leading the pack, hearing his name called over the PA after sacking the QB, seeing him bouncing across the field after the play with sweat and blood (cleat cuts, nothing bad) running down his arms but the biggest grin I’ve ever seen on his face.</p>
<p>That’s as good as it gets this time of the year.</p>
<p>I like this thread a lot. My happy moment is sitting in a really cool old library and getting lost in a book. After reading for hours I’m most happy looking up and coming out of my concentration to realize it’s time for dinner! Of course this is the best during the fall/winter months when everything seems to be more cozy.</p>
<p>On a whim I just asked my boyfriend what his happy moment is. Here is a direct quote:</p>
<p>probably when i poop
right as the first big one comes out
its like a great release
a dropping of my burdens</p>
<p>Wow - he’d probably kill me for posting that but I thought it was hilarious. Enjoy!</p>
<p>Omg --^^</p>
<p>marry that man! And if you watch his fiber intake, he will be happy every day.</p>
<p>With editing, that could make a pretty decent haiku…</p>
<p>Happiness was watching the joy on my daughter’s face about 20 minutes ago as she learned that she was admitted to her favorite college (for 2008 already, on rolling admissions).</p>
<p>I have lots of ‘happy moments’ but today’s was sitting out on my deck with a cup of coffee and a nanaimo bar (my one treat of the week now that I’m trying to lose some weight!), and watching my dogs chase each other around the backyard. It puts a smile on my face every time. It’s like they’re playing tag, and when they finally tire, they come trotting up onto the deck and all try to sit with me on my lounge chair. I do adore my pups!</p>
<p>seiclan: Wow! Way to go. Senior year? Piece of cake.</p>
<p>Happiness is watching someone I love doing something they enjoy and doing it well. </p>
<p>Watching my daughter dancing on stage with a huge smile; or on the sports field, in the heat of a close, intense game, grinning from ear to ear because she’s playing well. Knowing that she’s growing up in an era where she’s allowed to dance and play sports and both are equally acceptable.</p>
<p>Watching my husband and son ski. They love it, and the joy comes through.</p>
<p>For me; happiness is a beautiful sunny day. For some reason the weather really affects my moods. Maybe I should move to the Bahamas; I’d be happy all the time!</p>
<p>Happiness for me is being on a cruise ship in the middle of the ocean with no land in sight. No cell, no email, no dishes or laundry, … just relaxation.</p>
<p>I’m happy that this thread got resurrected!</p>
<p>I had a quick bout of happiness this afternoon when a family of sand hill cranes flew over my head (I thought I was going to get dive bombed for a moment), squawking and gobbling. Don’t ask me why- heck, I get a kick out of my own shadow sometimes.</p>
<p>The first cold, crip morning of fall.</p>
<p>Retiring a pair of jeans because they are now too big.</p>
<p>Hearing my W tell me of this amazing thing she did in yoga for the first time.</p>
<p>Watching my dogs scratching their backs on the carpet.</p>
<p>Seeing my bald eagle perched on a nearby tree</p>
<p>Watching a pack of pterodactyl like great blue herons come swooping in to roost in that same cherished nearby tree.</p>
<p>Watching D play well in her sport- what an adrenalin rush</p>
<p>Watching my Ds share an inside joke, laughing together- probably at me ;)</p>
<p>Hearing the laughter of any of my children.</p>
<p>Doing an amazing new thing in yoga!</p>
<p>Waking up with a cat sleeping on my chest purring (DH does not find contenment in this one!)</p>
<p>Hey- congrats seiclan!! Where is she in??</p>
<p>For me, happiness is sitting on a 4 person ski chairlift with the whole family, having a great family vacation. When they brought along friends, and we knew we could make it an enjoyable time for all, that is a particularly warm feeling.</p>
<p>jym- The University of Central Florida (in Orlando). Another happy thing about this is that it is a public, instate college and we have the Florida Prepaid Tuition plan. Fifteen years ago we paid about $5000 dollars upfront and now we get back 4 years (120 credits) of college tuition plus one year of dormitory fees covered!!! To add icing to the cake, she will receive an additional merit scholarship from the state of Florida (called Bright Futures) for 75% of the tuition cost which she will get to pocket and use for expenses (since the prepaid tuition plan takes care of the tuition/dorm). This will amount to about $1200 each semester being deposited into her personal checking account…how sweet it is!</p>
<p>Congrats,seiclan!! Doing the happy dance for you!</p>
<p>Awesome seiclan, I’ve heard great things from kids who are going to UCF. </p>
<p>Elton John is going to be over there at the new UCF Arena on Nov. 10th !!</p>
<p>Are you going to the concert DP?? Sounds like fun!!
I will never forget one year, many yrs ago (like 15 maybe?), my h’s company had 2 christmas parties–one for the marketing side (the side with money) and one for the Finance/IT side (the one without). The Marketing side’s xmas party had Elton John as their entertainment!! We had the Suzuki childrens choir! One of my h’s friends wore a button that said “we want Elton”. I said that if I wanted to hear screaming children I’d have stayed home!</p>