I just finished a whirlwind day of errands and party prep. Now I'm enjoying a well deserved sit with some fizzy water and ASMR videos. It feels good after being productive for so many hours.

Here's what else made me happy this week:

• Using pictures of my colleague's cat in some work material
• Trying a new pastry at the French bakery
• Little cups of strong coffee
• Visiting a stationery store
• Fresh Christmas tree scent filling our home
• Spent a whole day in comfy clothing
• The extra sparkly trees at this year's Zoo Lights
• Conversational flurries on my drive to Costco
• Kiddo skip walking the entire walk home

I must thank the snow that arrived early this morning for being polite. The timing and forecast had me worried about our school system closing. Luckily, we're being treated to lovely large flakes that stuck to everything but the roads. Schools opened on time, and I got cozy winter vibes with lovely views.

Here's what else made me smile this week:

• The husband and I enjoyed a lovely (and delicious) date night dinner before we flew home from Thanksgiving
• Kiddo narrating the descent of our flight on our trip home
• Shoe shopping with the kiddo
• Making a fun video for work and having it turn out like it did in my head
• Ordering Thai food for dinner on a cold evening
• A shockingly good Hallmark Christmas movie
• Cowl necked sweaters
• Using my penguin mug on WFH days

Right now, there are three open suitcases in our bedroom. We leave super early tomorrow morning for some Thanksgiving travel. I doubt the kiddo will sleep because she's so excited.

Here's what made me smile this week:

• Upgrading myself to First for less than $100
• Family couch rot day
• Met some fun new people at a Friendsgiving
• Finally found myself an advent calendar
• Pub trivia night with friends
• Skipping a pointless meeting
• Cucumber sandwich for lunch
• Kiddo looking like a teenager in her new flare pants
• Cowl necked sweaters

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