Smile!

This last week has been rough, so I've been avoiding blogging at the risk of sounding whiney. I am still reading and thoroughly enjoying The Happiness Project. Gretchen Rubin is inspiring in her self-reflection and her structured method to acheiving happiness. I respond to that kind of thing. I do wonder how she can sometimes state facts and studies without actually citing them, but there must be something I am missing. Oh, and if you're looking for a good gym-read, this is it. It's engaging while also being a very light and easy read.

Meanwhile, I am still not shopping, still turning off lights, still encouraging my daughter and my students to recycle and whatnot. I am surprised at how easy this month has progressed in terms of me not shopping. I am liking the quieter weekends sans Old Navy, Target, and Famous Footwear. Things seem slower around here when we're not spending three hours of a perfectly good weekend day shopping for socks for one kid, a sweater for the other, nylons for me, and . . . well, we don't spend a lot of time shopping for Jason. He doesn't want much, and when he does want something, it's usually fast because he runs into Best Buy knowing exactly what game or headphone set he wants.

I am excited that I have a plan for the first charity project of the year for DD and me. We are going to work at The Educator's Closet hanging and organizing clothes. The Educator's Closet serves two functions: They take old office supplies and house them for educators to use, and they also organize clothing drives, coat drives, etc. for local families in need. I think this is a great starting project for the two of us. We'll be doing one a month for 2010.

And for my enviro sharing for the day: Did you know that "[r]ecycling 1 ton of plastic saves 7.4 cubic yards of landfill space?" 'Tis true, according to Earth 911.

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I have a lot to smile about - kisses from my kids, the smell of herbs on my hands, and the approaching three-day weekend. What's making you smile these days?