I'm currently chilling in my hotel room, listening to podcasts, and sipping coffee. In a few hours, I will catch my flight home. I spent the past few days at a conference full of amazing library marketers. Even with *everything* libraries have hanging over them, this was a joyous conference. I can't wait to come back next year.

Here's what else made me happy:

• My hotel room came with an unexpected view of the Gateway Arch
• I worked ahead before I left so I'm not coming home to a scary to-do list
• Having an impromptu outdoor brunch with my family
• Kiddo saying "I have an idea!" a lot during her playdate
• PJs all day
• The Husband scrolled my website and was impressed with my CV
• FAA restrictions didn't hit my flights
• Attendees stayed for my entire presentation despite it being the last one of the day and the room becoming super hot...
• ... and they asked lots of good questions!
• Taking walks around the Arch to stretch my legs during breaks
• Kiddo "feeding" real acorns to a squirrel statue

I fly out to a work conference next week. I'm keeping my fingers crossed the FAA's decision to limit flights doesn't impact me too greatly. So far, so good...

Here's what made me smile this week:

• Tuesday night's election results
• Family dinner out with an extremely helpful waiter...
• ... and kiddo eating lo mein with one chopstick
• Setting up a book display was quicker than planned
• Visiting my old workplace and talking with colleagues who were still there
• Splurging for a cup of coffee from Starbucks
• Brilliant fall foliage
• Kiddo making art inspired by the Super Moon
• Surprising kiddo as her class mystery reader
• Starting a new fun group chat with my besties

I'm eating a lunch of leftovers from the Indian place we ordered from last night. It makes me absurdly happy how yummy they are. The perfect warming meal on a cold, blustery day.

Here's what else made me smile this week:

• Lots of students saying hello to me on the way to a class
• The leaves are changing color and they're pretty this year
• Had a quiet morning to myself
• New boots!
• Kiddo adored her first football game
• Being able to grab and go lunch from the grocery store across from work
• Kiddo got kudos on her dental hygiene from the dentist
• Did kiss and ride at school for the first time
• The artistic "you've been boo-ed" signs going up in our hall

I had to bust out my winter coat! Thank goodness I switched out the kiddo's clothes yesterday so all the long sleeve stuff and pants were easier to grab. We had to bundle up for the walk to school this morning.

Here's what made me smile this week:

• Lots of questions from students while I was teaching
• *fingers crossed* I'm finished switching everything over to my new bank account
• More transparent communication from work admin than we've had before
• Drinking hot coffee while wearing a soft, fluffy robe
• Unexpected free parking
• A presentation slide deck came together quicker than expected
• Kiddo literally running home with a friend from school
• New plants!
• Making a fun video with a colleague and making people laugh

I'm working from home wrapped in a blanket and considering turning the heat on. Fall is finally here. It feels like we've had teases for weeks but, this week, the mornings have been truly chilly. I welcome the end of humidity season.

Here's what else made me happy:

• Enjoying dinner out with a friend
• Taking my husband's recommendation to order crab lo mein because it was delicious!
• Kiddo's joy in theming our windows while putting up window clings
• The art cabinet I made turned out just as I wanted
• Snuggling under the covers in the morning
• Having some uninterrupted time to work on a presentation
• The fix our car needed was quick (and not too expensive)
• Finally settled into my current read
• Being able to take the bus to events
• Kiddo likes her new grab-and-go breakfast station

Today, I learned that you can schedule an UBER round trip. That's going to come in handy for random things. 

Here's what else made me happy this week:

• The Husband won tickets to opening night of Capitals hockey season...
• ... and our neighborhood was available to babysit
• The weather is finally cool
• Kiddo had a blast during her field trip to the pumpkin patch
• The fantastic goat cheese feta on top of my oregano fries
• The music in Nashville
• Houses in our neighborhood are starting to decorate for Halloween
• Kiddo entertaining the cats in the window across from us with her musical greeting cards
• Getting positive student feedback on my work with them

I'm typing this post up in a quiet hotel where I got to watch the sun rise slowly through the city's buildings. I'm still in the Eastern Time Zone, but I am so far west that the sun didn't rise until 7:30. It was a lovely sight. I sipped my hot coffee and watched the horizon become a riot of warm colors.

Here's what else made me smile this week:

• Doing work in advance to be nice to my future self
• Poke tuna bowls
• Found more books for my display than I thought I would
• Googled "alpaca haircut" and was not disappointed
• Kiddo looked adorable for picture day
• A beautiful Cirque du Soleil show
• Being able to upgrade for flights (one for less than $50 and the other on miles)
• Walking around a new city

I did my future self a kindness by finishing off some work projects before I leave town for a conference next week. I hate coming back to a jammed packed to-do list. So, today, I edited some videos and drafted some content to shorten said to-do list. 

Here's what else made me happy this week:

• Kiddo looked adorable for picture day
• Chatting with some new people at work
• Going through old pictures and sharing them with friends
• Finding an excellent analogy to use in a class
• Leverage: Redemption
• Lazy dinners that require no prep
• Dance workouts - even when I am totally lost
• Kiddo basically running, leaping, and dancing the entire way home
• Starting an adulting project I should have done years ago

In an effort to use up some leave so I don't lose it at the end of the year, I took today off from work. I just finished a delicious baked good for breakfast and, in a few hours, I'm getting a fancy pedicure. Occasionally, it's nice to just treat yourself.

Here's what else made me happy this week:

• Long chats with some of our students
• Having a supportive group chat
• Cleared out of my backlog email newsletters (finally!)
• The husband handled the kiddo's overnight wake up
• Kiddo sang K Pop Demon Hunters songs all the way to school
• Walking around our neighborhood instead of driving
• Randomly visiting an exotic fish store 
• Both of my student appointments showed up (and were on time)

Last night, I broke into a bar of dark chocolate that my colleague brought back from her trip to Ghana. It was so good. It had the smoothness of a creamy milk chocolate but the deep flavor and bitterness of the dark chocolates I love. I had to hold myself back from eating it all in one go.

Here's what else made me happy this week:

• Knocking some "life management" tasks off my list
• Mornings cool enough for a jacket
• Kiddo singing K-Pop Demon Hunters songs during the entire walk to school
• Baking
• Perfect timing on my metro rides
• My new hair mousse has the same aroma as the resort we stayed at in Mexico
• Kiddo excited to do homework with her babysitter
• Sneaking in a date night dinner after a back-to-school night event