if you're happy and you know it

Four days in Tofino have been a great way to unwind from the week in San Diego. Sounds ridiculous, but I really did need a vacation after my vacation. The first day in Tofino was a tough one. J was sick, literally puking and not able to participate, and I was stuck on a beach in the rain with extreme wave warnings and two kids with no sense of safety. A2 fell in the water trying to outrun a wave and we all got soaked trying to rescue her - I was frustrated and tired by lunchtime. The rest of the trip was much better though. The weather didn't change, nor did the kids, but I did. What's the saying? Happy wife, happy life? Seems true to some extent - I think happy, then become happy and everyone else seems to follow suit. I feel more peaceful and the kids had more fun. Win, win. I'm also beginning to realise that with 4 people in a family there is a high probability every day that at least one person is going to be feeling grumpy. Reason enough not to expand the family any more!

Tofino was magic. We spent every day on the beach, rain or shine. We all look so healthy now with our rosy cheeks and bright eyes - that non-polluted air was good for clearing the cobwebs.

I thought a lot about what makes me feel happy during this little mini-trip. I'm fortunate in that I do feel happy most of the time, but there are degrees. Being outside and being "free" are my happiest moments. Being a loving and supportive mother, wife, friend, etc. makes me happy. Learning new skills or ideas makes me happy. These are all such simple thinsg and yet sometimes I lose track of how simple my life can realy be. I tend to get bogged down in a lot of useless crap that doesn't really matter.