My wonderful friend and fellow blogger Sarah at PersonalFaves.com asked me to participate in this blog-chain-mail thing called “10 Things That Make Me Happy.” It is a really fun exercise, and I think if everyone did this (either in the privacy of their own home or on a blog) we’d all quickly realize just how blessed and fortunate we really are. There are so many things to feel sad and distressed about, so every now and then its nice to reflect on what makes us feel good.

So, here’s my list:

1. My Little Family of Three (almost four!). My husband makes me laugh and always seems to see the sunny side of life. He is genuinely kind and lighthearted. Our little daugther Evelyn is so full of joy and cheer and happiness – I can’t help but beam every time I look at her. I am so excited to meet the fourth member of our little family – what will he or she be like??? And, my sisters and brother and parents are so much fun to be with and always so supportive. I am truly blessed to have such a wonderful and ever-growing family.

2. Cooking and Baking. Anyone who reads this blog knows that I spend a lot of time in the kitchen. It is how I relax and connect with my family.

3. Doing a crossword puzzle every night in bed. Thanks to The Red Eye, a quirky free news publication, I have access to a challenging yet easily finished crossword every day.

4. Summer! For me, a true simple pleasure includes wearing flip-flops and a little summer dress. Even though I grew up in this bitter tundra known as Chicago, I really really really hate cold weather. Summer in this city is so awesome, though, that I manage to tolerate too many cold months a year.

5. Planning vacations. I think I take as much pleasure out of planning a trip as I do actually taking it! I love putting together an itinerary, imagining what the vacation will be like, and then actually going away! My goal is to visit every finalist for the New Seven Wonders of the World. Out of the 21 finalists, I’ve been to seven, so I have quite a bit of traveling ahead of me!

6. Dancing with Evelyn. We listen to lots of music in our house, and nothing makes me laugh harder than dancing with my little 19 month old. She TOTALLY gets into it and her enthusiasm is contagious. She was born with a remarkable sense of rhythm!

7. Reading magazines. I genuinely love reading magazines, especially since Evelyn was born and I’m not left with much time to devote to books. Magazines offer managble, bite-sized quips on what I need and want to know. My favorite reads are The Week, Body & Soul and People.

8. Going out to eat. Although I love home cooked meals, I also really enjoy trying new restaurants. We are now living on a pretty strict budget so any meal out is a real treat. I always feel so lucky and special when we splurge on a fun lunch or dinner. One of the best things about living in such a big city is the restaurant selection – we can literally get any cuisine from any country within a 10 minute drive of our home.

9. College football. I graduated from Notre Dame and my husband owns GamedayHousing.com, so college football is a very, very big deal in our household. Good thing I love it so much!! I get excited when the end of August rolls around…and I love tailgating…and ESPN’s College Gameday is a great way to start any Saturday…and wondering how the whole season will turn out…its just too much fun!

10. Watching crap reality shows on Bravo. I can’t get enough of “Real Housewives of Whatever City,” “Flipping Out,” and “Project Runway” (which is now on Lifetime), etc. The perfect way to unwind at the end of the day!

I’m supposed to ask 10 fellow bloggers to post their lists, but I don’t think I know 10. So, here are a few people who I know will have fabulous top 10’s.

Kendee
Monique at Divas Can Cook
Daily Thread
Paige at Kinsey & Company
Michal at Kindling The Fire