100 things that make me happy {besides money}

from my 43things.com goal of identifying 100 things that make me happy besides money. here we go…

1) cuddling with my cat:)

2) Spending time with my brother and his wife:)

3) learning something new about people I have known for a long time

4) learning new recipes

5) going for walks at strange times (like at 3 or 4 am) in the summer

6) playing my guitar

7) making a new jewelry design:)

8) talking to an old friend after a year of being to busy and it being like we never missed a beat:)

9) sprinkle cinnamon and nutmeg on my coffee grounds before brewing

10) sitting by the lake and watching the moon rise

11) spending the day at the beach (and not getting burned)

12) flying a kite

13) Going on nature hikes

14) donating time to volunteering (like at the museum)

15) teaching some one something new

16) learning from teaching

17) playing fetch with my cat (yes she brings back her toys)

18) making some one else feel better

19) trying something new

20) sitting down to a big home cooked meal (the kind that makes you feel really warm and cozy inside and out)

21) learning a new song

22) playing cards with people I hardly know and feeling like I have always known them

23) when the first snow of the year falls from the early evening through the night (collecting about 3ft.) and seeing how it covers everything so neatly before anyone has walked or driven through it.

24) staying in and drinking hot chocolate on snowy days

25) the way the air smells in the beginning of the summer

26) the sound of walking through crunchy leaves in the fall

27) taking a long trip on a train and meeting new people

28) taking my time getting to places but still getting there on time:)

29) rum raisin ice cream

30) listening for the wind blowing through the trees and thunder on a stormy night

31) making lists

32) completing the lists

33) learning a new game

34) getting up really early

35) and going to bed late

36) sleeping on freshly washed sheets

37) big cozy comforters

38) getting a really good back rub (the kind you just fall asleep right there)

39) the way I feel when I actually remember to stretch first thing in the morning

40) a good work out

41) chili or stew in the winter

42) eating strawberries, bread and cheese for dinner in the summer

43) Sometimes I like how I feel after a long day of work

44) Watching old black and white horror flicks

45) Chocolate

46) halloween

47) reading celtic mythology

48) watching the flame of a candle flicker