Happiness is....

So I got up early today. I planned on waking up at 9 am anyway so I could maybe go to the gym with Kristyn, but at 830, I just popped up outta bed, grabbed a cup of coffee and am now sitting on my deck, looking at the gigantc expanse of my backyard. For some reason, this makes me happy. Something as simple as basking in the sunshine in the middle of nowhere in Missouri makes me smile. And that got me thinking. What truly makes me happy? Of course the obvious comes to mind: shopping, boys, friends etc.... but as I type this I'm slowly getting a specific list. And this list is pretty random too! But here we go....

-When my entire family comes over for dinner. There's a dozen of us, including my neices and nephew, and I love how we're all loud and talk over each other and eat way too much because my mom cooked way too much.

-Driving into Branson on my way to hang out with my friends. I crank up some music, roll down my window, and just know epic things are going to happen that night/day. And they do happen!

-Wandering around Branson on my off period during school. I go down to the Landing with a book, and sit by the water and read. Or, I catch Kristyn at the right time and go have lunch with her!

-Trying on dresses and skirts and heels at Maurices. I LOVE being girly sometimes and I wish I could afford their stuff because I can actually pull some of it off! I just bought a skirt there tho!

-Knowing that I have an entire group of people that will listen if I want to talk. And then give me advice.

-2 words: Kristyn Pair.

-When I find a new cd/band and completely fall in love with it/them. I get a tad obsessive tho...!

-sweettangerine.net I love all my boardie friends on this The Hush Sound fansite. We need to all meet in real life sometime.

-Putting iTunes on shuffle, and playing an old favorite song, which you promptly become obsessed with yet again.

-Passing a guy on the Landing or wherever, and they smile at you. It's A. a confidence booster and B. you can't help but smile back.

-Going out with my friends to a club or a bar and being the "crazy" one even though I'm sober!

-Persuading Kristyn out onto the dancefloor by going out alone for a couple songs and having creepy guys come up to me... that gets her out there with me really fast!!!

-learning a new song on piano. I just love music. Period.

-Getting in that intense writing period at 2 am and cranking out a decent song in ten minutes.

-The fact that even though my dad is 53, he never gave up on his dream, which is to write sings for a living/ play professionally like he used to.

-No matter how much I screw up or how far I go, I can always come home.

-Going to the lake and putting my feet in the water and just sitting. Thinking. Soaking it all in.

-Getting described as "Crazy, blonde, and my bff" (Thank you Kristyn!)

-Sunday mornings at aeropostale. I go in at 9am, and sweep and mop and have about an hour to myself, and the rest of my shift goes much faster :)

-When amazing things come from unexpected places.

-Knowing this summer will be amazing, because I will make it that way.

So there you go. I didn't mean to make it so long, so if you got bored reading it, I apologize. I just think we need to be happy with the small things. I'm happy about 99% of the time not because a lot of hugely good things happen to me, but because I know how to string together the little things to make one huge happy thing. (Does that make sense?!) I'm just saying having the newest car, or the best clothes isn't happiness, it's emptiness. You'll tire of those things and buy new ones. Things like friends and family that last forever are what bring you true happiness. Those moments of elation when you can't stop smiling, or when you laugh so hard Mike's Hard Lemonade comes out of your nose (yes that happened to me!) are true moments of happiness. You know, I can remember exactly what happened that night, but I can't remember what the hell I wore!
Revel in beauty, fall in love, and bring happiness.

xoxo
Kelsi

PS- I encourage you to write your own list of things that make you happy. I want to read some!