I'm happy. And I know it. Now I think I'll clap my hands.

You know how I love a good meme. (Um, why is it called that again?)

Heather left it open for anyone to tag themselves and participate...

10 Things That Make Me Happy

1.) Peace and quiet. (But not to be confused with "world peace" with the whole up-on-yer'-soapbox and elbow-elbow-wrist-wrist-wrist thing goin' on. You know, just in case that was a little confusing.) Believe it or not, I actually keep things super quiet in the house when I am by myself. Although I am a huge music connoisseur, most of the time I prefer things quiet. Like really quiet. Maybe because my profession in life is that of a musician? Who knows. All I know is, I love me some peace and quiet.

2.) Tulsa. I don't know what it is lately, but I've been experiencing a surge of civic pride. My jobs have had me darting in and around the downtown and northwest part of our little city over the past two weeks, and it has just made me realize even further what a fantastic little corner of the world I live in.



my own photo, taken during the "Top of the Town" fundraiser last summer where we got to go up to the top of several downtown buildings

3.) Clean sheets. I know what you're thinking. Well, duh, Valerie, who wants to sleep on dirty sheets? But really, what I mean is that first night after the bed has been made with freshly laundered sheets that are still crisp and warm and smell like the laundry detergent (or whatever you use). I always sleep the very best that first night after the sheets are changed. I love it so much I try and wash my sheets pretty frequently, probably more often than the norm.



unbelievably gorgeous photo borrowed from here: it reminds me of my grandmother's house and how we used to run in and out of the sheets drying on the clothesline in her backyard. There ain't nothin' like sheets dried in the sunshine. One of these days I will have myself a clothesline in the backyard.

4.) Country Living Magazine. I pretty much thought the world ended when Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion Magazine folded a while back, but Country Living has saved the day and rocked my world ever since. In fact, if that was the only style of decorating out there as an option, I'd be perfectly content. And if you're not already familiar with it, it's really not all that country like you might think. Now I just need an old farmhouse with a big covered porch to makeover with all of the ideas stewing in my head...





images via Country Living

5.) Roller skating. My 30th birthday party a few years ago {ahem} was a roller skating soiree, and it was one of the most fun afternoons of my life. Now that I am the parent of an almost school-aged kid, I've had the pleasure of taking him to a couple of roller skating parties where the parents were allowed to skate as well (thankyouverymuch), and boy howdy, have I had the time of my life flying around the roller rink. I may not be able to skate backwards or do any fancy moves, but I can skate forwards with the best of 'em. I {heart} roller skating. Who wants to invite me to go with them next?



image found here

6.) Making new friends. I don't know about you, but I get downright giddy when I get to make new friends. It's just as exciting to me now as it was when I was a little kid and made a new buddy. This past week, I got the opportunity to meet up with some super cool gals that share a common interest -- quilting! We had our first meetup of the Tulsa Modern Quilt Guild (part of the national organization), and I can't tell you how exciting it was to meet more girls in the flesh that shared the same love of quilting. I have made lots of friends out in BlogLand that like to quilt, but I really haven't met too many in my real life, so this was just super exciting for me. We all sat around and chatted it up about fabrics, favorite sewing blogs, favorite designers -- and no one made fun of us or called us grannies! Ha!



We bring the cool to quilting. Haha. From left: Meredith, Lauren, myself, and Sydney

7.) My scooter. My poor neglected scooter. I hope to get out on her pretty soon here, now that the gorgeous weather is upon us, and Lady Spring is just around the corner. I sure do love that feeling of the wind in my hair, the hilarious looks I get from passing cars, and the feeling of sheer freedom. And speed. {Ahem}.




No, my hair isn't that short anymore. Shows you how long it's been since my poor scooter and I were last acquainted. {Sigh.} And not to worry -- I always wear my helmet when I ride, just not in pictures.

8.) Little boys who bend down to blow air on their Mama's toes after she painted them with pretty nail polish. Ha!

9.) Indie music. Ya'll already know of my fascination with the lesser known artists out there, trying to break into the industry. I'm telling ya', that's where the gems are found. So much great music out there!

10.) Senior citizens. Love 'em. To pieces. No matter how crotchety. This is probably due to the fact that I grew up with four grandparents (a grandmother, another grandmother, a grandfather, and a great-grandmother) in my life up through my college years, all within my same city, and all of whom I saw on a very regular basis. They've all passed on, and I miss them dearly, and I do not take it for granted that I was fortunate enough to have so many great people in my life. Just being around senior citizens makes me thrilled. To hear their voices, to hear their stories, to see them shuffle slowly across a parking lot, to smell their familiar smells (haha, even the mothballs) -- I'll take all of it. So, that being said, who wants to adopt me as their honorary grandkid? I'll even quilt and play Skip-Bo with ya'!

Okay, kids, you know how this works. Tag yourself if you want to play along! Be sure and mention it in the comments so I can read your list, too.