a simple meme... 10 simple pleasures...

I saw this on "Collecting My Thoughts" by Norma and thought I'd give it a shot. Here are 10 very very simple things that make my life slightly easier or bring me a little bit of pleasure -

1. splurging on Seattles Best ground coffee so I can have a good cuppa every day (and occasionally buying a sample size bag of flavored coffee for a Sunday morning special!).

2. Republic of Tea in Ginger Peach.

3. Alka Seltzer Gold (I have issues with portions control...ASG helps me out every so often)

4. Having really cute plastic tumblers with little blue and gold fishies on them for summer time

5. Seeing my kids get wiggly-excited and wave happily when I pull up into the car pool pickup line.

6. Sitting at the dinner table with my family and doing the "what was the best part of your day" routine.

7. The way my house looks and smells after dusting and vacuuming.

8. Driving with my window open.

9. Curling under a fleece blanket on top of my down comforter and taking a little nap with the bedroom window open a crack for fresh air.

10. Petting my cat.

and one more for fun, just cuz it makes me smile to do this...

11. Taking a shower with the lights off and just a dim glow from the bedroom light... very soothing!

Hold me back, I just can't stop!

12. The smell of fresh cut grass.

13. The smell of the summer air at 5 am when you go out to water your flowers or garden bed: wet warm soil, cool crisp air, the scent of the heat to come...

14. Kissing Bears round soft freckled cheek - it's luscious.

15. Holding hands with my husband.

16. Reaching out my foot in the middle of the night to feel my husbands feet - a little "sole" connection just for the sake of being able to.

17. A hot shower

18. Cool fresh clean sheets on the bed

19. Laughing with my daughter.

20. Resting after working hard, feeling good about both things.

Do you make your bed? Everyday?

I was running around this morning making the kids' beds and I was wondering why I bothered. If I let them make their own beds, which I do most days, I end up in there to straighten them out anyway. Both Buddy and Bear seem to kick the top sheet all down to the bottom of the bed and then when they remake it, they leave that top sheet all crunched up and hanging out at the bottom. Buddy is as likely as not to leave dirty clothes under the blankets too. And Bears bed will have two million beanies and stuffed animals and books all spread underneath. Chick only makes her bed when I make her do it because we have company coming. Her bed is such a nest of multiple pillows, fleece blankies and a folded-in-half-queen-down-comforter that it doesn't really look any different when it's made than when it's unmade. So, since she mostly keeps her door shut and lives in the celler anyway, I give her more leeway. But Bear and Buddy... their beds I keep tabs on.

My friend Karen gives me a hard time about the fact that I make my kids have top sheets anyway. She said she doesn't bother because her kids just kick them down to the bottom also. So why do I keep using one? I dunno. It just seems so uncivilized to NOT have a top sheet. Not that my kids are civilized by any means but hey, we make up for it with top sheets. My bed? Oh. Well. See, that's different. Sort of. I do make it but I have a method. I fluff it all and pull the bottom sheet nice and taut, but I fold back the comforter and top sheet all the way in half down to the bottom of the bed. Then the pillows get all plumped and arranged and I think it looks so inviting that way. Sometimes I make it all the way... like when company is coming, but this way the bed also gets all aired out and seems fresh each day. Try it, you might like it!

So what about you? Do you use top sheets? Make your bed everyday? Sleep with your dog (ewww, sorry but...yukk!)? C'mon, spill...