When the kiddo and I stepped outside this morning, she immediately covered her nose and mouth and declared the air "disgusting." The Canadian wildfire smoke has smothered our area in a smoky haze. It is unpleasant. I'm grateful that our kiddo's camp has alternative stuff planned in case the air quality gets even worse. I would completely understand if this outdoor camp opted to close for the day, but I'm glad they have options.

Here's what else made me happy:

• Reading in the shade at the pool
• Rewatching Project Hail Mary
• Kiddo has been artfully arranging her stuffies while making her bed every morning
• The campus bus arrived early most days
• I opted to workout while watching the rerun of that day's Tour de France stage
• An easy return drop off
• Kiddo yelled "Go, Red!" every time Norway touched the ball during their last World Cup match
• Knowing I have a week off next week

I love it when work provides food. At lunch time, I'll be tabling at a new student orientation. Unlike previous orientations, I remembered that there is food for me! Since I have to run from orientation to running a webinar, I will be eating while chatting with all of our news students. I'm looking forward to the chips I know will be there.

Here's what else made me happy this week:

• Having the option to drive when we need it
• Buying a dress to try simply because it intrigues me
• Kiddo had the forethought to save the fabric strap for me to fix her broken lunch box clip
• Facilities responded to the leak in the library quickly
• Texting with my brother about the Tour de France...
• ... and second screening each day's stage while I was working
• A big salad for lunch
• Kiddo squeaking with joy when a friend showed up at gymnastics

The kiddo has camp today. The husband and I both have the day off. This is a rare occurrence. We're not doing much thanks to the heat dome. But this is a nice moment to just breathe and putter.

Here's what else made me smile:

• Bought a pinwheel for the kiddo, but it delighted me
• Trying a new restaurant (and loving the food)
• Wine flights
• Kiddo tried to sell us her homemade bracelets for $10 a pop
• Cold showers after being outside
• Baking a new treat for a party
• Shopping with the bestie (even if we didn't find anything)
• Refreshing mocktails
• Kiddo yelled "Lantern fly!" before stomping on it with all her might

Friday is usually a work from home day, but I had to come into the office to do some tabling at an orientation event. I love talking to incoming students! Their excitement is infectious. It's a great way to end the work week.

Here's what else made me happy:

• Kiddo's pure joy of going to summer camp
• Nabbed the last spot in our lot on a crazy neighborhood parking day
• Chatting with another librarian while our kid's were at gymnastics
• Season 5 of Clarkson's Farm
• Finally got to sleep in a bit on a week day
• Squeezed in a workout while listening to a work training
• Kiddo getting to play with her friends at the pool
• Tomato cucumber salads

It's a holiday for me, and kiddo wrapped up her last day of school yesterday. We just got back from having breakfast at one of my favorite local places. On the way home, we picked up stuff to eat a "snack lunch" at the pool later. Right now, kiddo is working on a craft project. It's been a good day and it's just after 10am.

Here's what else made me happy this week:

• Two families hosting an end of school year bash in their backyard (with a bounce house!)
• Metro having first aid kits in their station booths (I tripped on the escalator and got a gnarly cut on my toe. I'm fine. It was just scarier than it looked.)
• Knocked an annoying cleaning project off my to-do list
• Really good restaurant coffee
• My preferred candidates won their DC races
• Supporting a friend when she needed it
• Perfect day of weather
• Kiddo ran a full morning of errands with me (with no complaints!)
• A fresh haircut

I walked the kiddo to school this morning and, my goodness, it was humid out. I'm happy today is a WFH day because I didn't have to walk another mile to get to the office. I would have been dripping with sweat. Instead, I came home and stood in front of my air conditioner for a few moments. 

Here's what else made me happy:

• Kiddo complementing my dress
• Hazelnut flavored coffee
• Chatting with my University's Admissions team about how they can "sell" the library to prospective students
• Kiddo celebrated her summer birthday at school and came home with a huge poster of compliments from her classmates 
• We (finally!) had a successful Tea Around Town trip
• Watched a few documentaries we could chat about
• Passing on some of our kiddo's things to a neighbor
• Kiddo adored sitting in the "big" part of the grocery cart and decide to do math in her new journal
• Neighborhood events

Our general education team selected Lost in the City as the common read for 2026-2027. Every year, I read the book so I can make a reference guide. Knowing the text also makes it easier to help students when they come to the library with projects related to the book. Unlike some previous titles, I'm enjoying this one. It makes this part of my job a lot easier to do.

Here's what else was good this week:

• A beautiful few days of weather
• Big bushes of hydrangeas
• Went to the theater! For a date night!
• Getting my hands dirty repotting a plant
• Kiddo giving away some headbands she decorated to her friends
• Skipped a meeting I didn't need to be in
• Kiddo left a note for her dad so he wouldn't forget to bring her a treat
• Knocking several nagging small projects off my to-do list

Just now, I randomly decided to make some visual changes to my Content Prompt newsletter. It shouldn't be too much work moving forward and I think it will bring some visual interest to my page. 

Here's what else made me happy this week:

• Giving the kiddo a "new" hairstyle for school
• Dinner with the girls
• Finally getting back to the pickle bar!
• Enjoyed a lavender latte
• Saw squirrels, a chipmunk, a bunny, and a kitty on a walk
• Knocking out more needle projects than planned
• Beautiful blue skies after many days of rain
• Kiddo being thrilled to buy a toy with her tooth fairy money

It's raining right now. It's going to rain for most of they day. I'm grateful that I don't have to go outside today (unless I want to). I'm also grateful for this rain. First, it broke our first heat wave. Second, we're in a drought and we really really really need it.

Here's what else made me smile this week:

• Watching the kiddo crush it in her school dance performance
• Non-alcoholic fizzy water that tastes like a cocktail
• Knocking some items off my adulting list
• Flowers on the dining room table
• Visiting the zoo as a family
• Baby elephant!
• Having fun putting together a video for work
• Tasty lunch meal prep
• Checking out a random book from the library display

Last night, I got to see two of my colleagues honored at our annual faculty awards gala. They both deserve all the accolades. Even better, everyone else in the room recognized it too. There were lots of cheers and applause. It was also joyful to hear everyone's speeches.

Here's what else made me happy this week:

• Cooler weather allowing us to keep the windows open
• Kiddo said I looked really pretty before I left for an event
• Drinks with the bestie (that ended up being comped because our dinner order took longer than it should have)
• Hot black coffee
• Rewatching the video of our kiddo losing her first tooth
• The shoe game at my University's commencement
• Going to the ballet with my favorite neighbor
• Hearing about a friend's trip to Bangkok
• Kiddo asked for a "nose kiss"