What Little Things Do You Love?

The way my little daughter says „Mamamaa“
Sitting on our garden bench in the evening sun with my husband, enjoying the light and the warmth with an Apperitivo
The smell of warm summer air at the Mediterranean Sea
The first day of every year when it’s finally warm enough to not wear socks
Cooking and/or baking without being interrupted
Watching my daughter dance
Kissing my older daughter good night when I check in her before I go to bed (and she is fast asleep looking ever so sweet)
my husbands laugh lines

Could keep this going on forever❤️

Little kitty toe stretches
The smell of my cat’s fur warmed from the sun
Taut round furry kitty belly to hold in the hands like a cantaloupe
Apparently this is an Ode to my Cat.

Picking calendula flowers from my garden and letting them dry in the sun (the smell, the velvety touch, the vibrant orange).

Going into a bookstore just to look at gorgeous book covers (wish I could afford more books).

That sound the cinnamon makes when I sprinkle it on the foam in my coffee cup.

When my 3 year old calls me back at bedtime with “I forgot something”—she has a hug and kiss waiting
My husband’s Ted Lasso stache and eye crinkles and how swoony he is after a gin and tonic
Monarch butterflies—drifting like blossoms in fall
Sis, Mom, and all Girl Time
Kissing my 1 year old in that perfect bend over the bridge of his nose
Thank you for this and the lovely comments, COJ!

I love school drop off. The good byes, the last minute frantic parents rushing their kids out of the car, the kids running to the gate. I miss that most of elementary drop off.

– A book so intensely good it keeps you up at night and late to work in the morning
-A crisp, cold icy glass of fizzy water
– Sourdough toast dripping with butter
– Finding a piece of sea glass
– Candlelight

When my twin toddlers FINALLY both fall asleep for nap!

Yes smell of sunscreen!
I love that first fall crisp morning in September.

-when my 4 week old latches on perfectly (ahh!)
-my husband’s hands
-going to the coffee shop with my little family
-coming home to a clean house
-laughing really hard with my 4yr old daughter
-swimming in the ocean and then showering outside!
-dinner al fresco with chilled white wine
-my mom friends (one of my absolute favorite parts of having kids)

a cup of coffe in the morning and blogging … to write

The way my 14 month old says ‘ I’ prompting me to say to her, I love you
Scrolling airbnb to find the perfect place, even when there are no immediate plans to go
Stopping to buy flowers
When my husband chooses the perfect matching clothes for my baby. He always takes an extra second to see if the top and bottom go well together.

The rare occasion when my husband sings when he thinks nobody is listening
My daughter first smiles in the morning and how she lets me snuggle her
That first sip of coffee and the quiet of the early morning

This morning as I stand waiting for my tram, at downtown Lisbon, there was a man sweeping the street and he was whistling. I don’t know what music he was whistling, but it was a very beautiful tune. And at the same time people were rushing along the streets, the usual traffic and city noises. But I could only hear the tune. It was a simple but very special moment.

Amen, on the two-bite brownies! And also, the feel of the sun on my skin, the smell of the sea, and the sound of cicadas in the evening.

– children’s book illustrations.
– warm baths on cold days with the bathroom window open.
– listening to my 4 year old son talk about something he loves as his breath can’t catch up to all the things he wants to say.
– my husbands deodorant smell (while wearing, not from the tube).
– a surprise coffee.
– the smell of my grandma, her home, her things. Always smell of patchouli and sandalwood. Also, the way she says “Love you madly.” After every phone conversation.
– going to the beach in the fall and winter.
– lamps.

-when the dough rises like it was supposed to
-kissing my cat’s soft little forehead
-when you take a bunch of leftovers and turn them into something wonderful and delicious – leftover potatoes, tomatoes and zucchini, various cheese, a slice of bread, and some herbs just became a gratin and I feel like the fanciest adult.

-Seeing the flowers pop in summer
-The way my children say “I love you”
-Sub sandwiches and chips after swimming
-When the air gets crisp in fall
-Getting into bed after a hot shower

I love the moment when I’m just waking up in the morning, I open my eyes and am seeing my cute cat that is sitting next to my bed and waiting when I wake up to jump under my blanket 😊

The smell of my dog, odd, I guess. She smells like a pomme dauphine (oven baked mashed potato trapped in a chou pastry)
Realizing I am falling asleep at night
Teen birds trying their own voices
Being efficient
Cutting off sugar and carbs intake for my health
Sharing 16 year old private jokes with my partner
My cat’s head bumps when she comes home
Meeting new pupils at school and the opportunity to reinvent myself as a teacher
Finding out there’s a new post on CoJ ❤️

Golden hour in every season.
The sound of the kitchen vent being shut off when you’ve finished cooking.
That feeling of fresh air filling your lungs when you step out of the house in the morning.

– seeing my women friends with their long, gray hair shining so bright after all this time spent at home
– my little dogs paws on my legs because he wants to be picked up and have his belly rubbed
– the cool crisp mornings that signal fall is on it’s way
– laughing with friends until I cry
– a crisp, perfect fit white t-shirt
– falling in love with a book
– freshly shaved legs and clean sheets on the bed
– the smell of coffee, the ocean, and memories of the smell of certain lovers
– words used smartly and sweetly
– finding a new musician who I can sing in harmony with
– the prospect that each new day brings new joys and ways to love
– hearing “please” and “thank you”

I keep a list of things that I love and a list of things that I hate in my phone. I know that the hate list sounds unhealthy but it’s really not! It’s sort of a purge that helps me know myself, and when I read it, I can’t stop laughing for some reason.

Onto gratitude!

-chips and salsa
– when my son laughs really hard, all of his teeth showing
-Gladys Knight singing midnight train to Georgia
-a warm flaky almond croissant with almond paste inside
-warm rain
-bright moonlight in a living room
-a perfect margarita, frozen or on the rocks, Salt on the rim
-crisp thin tortilla chips and fresh salsa
-gnarled short apple and cherry trees
-train stations
-long wild branches in a vase
-door open on warm rainy day or evening
-Kevin Bacon, especially smiling or singing

* smelling the blossom on my mandarin tree
* the fragrance of jasmine – and spring – in the air
* laughing with a friend
* feeling warm and cosy in bed
* unexpectedly hearing a favourite song

– first sip of a G & T …..bonus if I’m with my sister
– getting a tiny whiff of jasmine when out on my walk
– the tiny little changes in nature I notice when I walk each day
– sunrise
– laughing my socks off until it hurts
– reflection time
– making Spotify playlists that make me feel like I’m transported somewhere else and giving them quirky names…..Banksy and Bellinis, Chagall and Canapés, Big Cozy Sweater Day, Summer on the Riviera…..I never tire of this
– curling up in my armchair with a new book
– cooking and singing
– CoJ with my CoJ on a morning :) bonus to smile with Grace Farris

Sound of my kids laughing, birds chirping, music, rooster crows.

The way my cat smashes her face into my leg when she lays next to me on the couch and purrs softly, birds flocking to our freshly filled feeders in the winter, when the soil is just wet enough that weeds pull out perfectly but without any muddy clumps, walks though old neighborhoods with my partner when we point out or favorite houses and gardens, early mornings at the farmers market, the screams of “Aunt Sara!” when I first walk through the door to visit my nieces, the malty air of Edinburgh, the first trip to a plant nursery after a long, dark winter, the sounds of summer at a public pool- laughter, splashing, bad radio, and whistle blows, a midi skirt with a little spin.

I’m a lover of seasons (thank goodness Chicago excels at them).
-crunch of snow beneath my feet in the winter; stepping on frosty puddles turned to ice.
-first buds on the trees in spring.
-smell of freshly cut grass mixed with the faint scent of lawn mower oil.
-leaves slowly transitioning from green to fiery red.

– when my kids say I love you
– the smell of fresh cut grass
– spotting fireflies
– reminiscing while looking through old photos
– the first sip of soda
– the first swim of the season
– the last campfire
– laughing until I cry
– crying until I laugh
– holding hands with my husband

I love the sentiment, but having just heard a “Stuff You Missed in History” podcast episode about Josephine Nivison Hopper and how Edward Hopper tried to crush his wife’s artistic impulses and career while also abusing her…mention of him made me cringe.

– Hearing my husband sing in the shower
– The smell of sunscreen too, ha!
– Reading the perfect poem
– A toasted bagel with cream cheese, lox, and capers
– When my pup licks my feet

My 18 month old loves deep physical touch and will wrap herself around me at bedtime and bury her hands in my hair on the back of my head and neck. She strokes my hair and wraps it in her hands as she drifts to sleep. Soaking up every minute. Also, my son saying “I super love you, mommy”. The crispness in the air this morning, a reminder fall is coming. The feeling when I first crawl into bed wt night and the anticipation of opening my book.

Warm fall sunshine on my face.
The sound of my grandma’s voice.
The smell of fresh coffee brewing.
Rainfall on my tin room at night as I drift off to sleep.
Warm snuggles from my twin sister.

-A new Spelling Bee and good cup of coffee every morning.
-When I estimate the tupperware size for leftovers perfectly.
-The fact that my dog’s feet smell like Fritos, and that when she’s gotten a bath she smells like roast chicken.
-Petrichor, obviously.
-A perfect avocado (you never know until you’ve cut it open and it’s too late).
-Getting into bed with freshly laundered sheets.
-The smell of rice cooking. Reminds me of my childhood.

The feeling of turning off notifications before a long weekend!

When my daughter reaches for my hand
That first sip of coffee in the morning
Climbing into a bed with fresh linen
End of the day mug of tea with my love
Laughing so hard that I have to cross my legs
When our cats knead their paws on my leg
Crisp autumn air on a sunny day
Time spent in person with friends

I love reading all the comments, it reminds me of how much beauty is around us and how many wonderful things we take for granted. Thank you for this <3

– my 1yr old‘s first kisses
– cuddling and reading a book with my suddenly very grown-up but still so little 5 year old
– that cosy smell of freshly baked muffins/cake/bread in my oven
– a sunny day with that smell of spring in the air, promising longer days
– warming up inside after a walk in the cold rain
– listening to kids laughing and giggling
– drying in the hot sun after a swim in the sea
– the smell of my parent’s house who I have been missing so much during the pandemic

Eating pb &j sandwiches at the beach.
My cat’s deep purr when I brush the top of her head.
My husband’s corny ‘dad’ jokes.
Hugging our adult daughters whenever I can.
Baking cookies, and sharing the bounty!

All the words my kids mispronounce.
Afternoon thunderstorms.
Riding bikes.
When my husband brings me tea.
My moms hugs.
Eating ice cream cones with my dad.
Sunrise.
When my kids make each other laugh.

Watching our new sapling (a Japanese Katsura) grow in our backyard. I’m so looking forward to the fall when the heart shaped leaves turn a yellow/peach color and smell like burnt sugar! Sadly we lost a perfectly healthy, mature maple tree to a microburst and the new one arrived on Mother’s Day. I can’t think of a lovelier present.

Going to the beach, and the moment you hit the sand, the temperature is just right. The taste of a pumpkin drink, changing leaves, when my cat opens her mouth to meow, but only air escapes.