If you had to pick 5 things that made you smile, even when you just think about them...what would they be? Do not include dolls in the list...we all know that is one already! hee hee To me it is the simply things and the obvious things.

1. Family

2.Friends

3.helping others

4. snow capped mountains

5. running alone in the woods. Especially after it has snowed and hearing nothing but your footsteps and heartbeat (and constant weezing as you lose all of your oxygen!) This makes me smile everytime I think of it.

Where is your happy place?

Mine is in the mts or in the woods, away from civilization!

Hugs

Elisabeth

I am afraid mine are fairly obvious too.

1 -Family

2- Friends

3 - My dogs then my cat and cockatiel

4 -Making someone happy

5 - Anything to do with nature, best memories apart from family ones, was being on safari very early 5.00 in the morning on a veranda in an elephant camp hearing the bull elephant across the water hole then seeing the mist clear and seeing his silouette - magic.!
When I have not seen my pheasant for days and I get up in the morning and he is on the front lawn waiting for breakfast ( and I know he has not been breakfast for a fox) I had not seen him for a week before Christmas ( I was worrying) and he was there Christmas morning the best start to Christmas morning for me.
Camping in the new forest going out side the caravan late at night to see a herd of deer and a stag deer just three foot away from me face to face for a few seconds frozen til he decided to run and take the herd with him.
Walking in the New forest - we go there every summer.
Standing by a waterfall just watching the never ending flow.
One of my favourite places is a place in Wales we found by accident by a fast flowing wide stream near Builth wells.
.....
crumbs I could go on.
Great topic Elisabeth.

Great question, Elisabeth...

For me it's:

1) Love: I'd love to put "family" here, but let's be honest. There is a reason for the saying "You can choose your friends, but you can't choose your family." This can be a love for a moment, a love for a pet or a love for a person. This can include giving or taking since all relationships should be a balance of both imho.

2) Freedom: I hate being held down. The freedom to speak, the freedom to walk, the freedom to be... that's important to me.

3) Food/Beverages: I love food. New tastes excite me and I enjoy wine as well as beer (in moderation, of course).

4) Horror or Fantasy TV/Movies/Books: I like to be scared and kept on the edge of my seat. I like to be entertained with magical worlds. It's like a way to escape the boredom of reality in a way.

5) Singing: I love to go to karaoke. It is the place at which I can release all my frustrations.

6) Creating Something: I like to create, but at the same time I need to be in a certain frame of mind to do so. I can't create if I feel "stifled", for instance.

7) Yoga. Hiking. Walking. It's all exercise, but it's enjoyable for me.


I'm sure there is more to it than that, but today that is all I can think of...

What makes me happy? That's easy! Spending time together as a family.

1. As a Mom, there is no greater joy than spending time with my kids, laughing and having fun together. Mine are all grown now - ages 30, 27, 26, and 19 - but I still love hearing them talking and laughing in the kitchen on the rare occasions they are all together at home...laughing, poking good-natured fun at each other, and sharing stories. They are all very different, but there is a deep love and respect between them. It's such a blessing to see them as adults and to discover that they actually LIKE each other, too!

2. Spending time with our dear friends. We are SO blessed!

3. Vacations ALONE with DH!

4. Time riding my horse, Annie.

5. Sipping a glass of Pinot Noir with my DH outside on the patio as we enjoy the warmth of a summer sunset.

And those are just a start...


Mary

The 5 things that most make me happy are:

1. Being back in Scotland, yep as crazy as it sound's considering the weather has been terrible since we got back and we left a sunny Cyprus... I am so happy to be back..

2. Spending time with my niece Keirra-Dawn who just turned one at the weekend, she is such a little sweetheart

3. Creating thing's wether it be bears, clothes for my bjd's, doing faceup's etc...I love doing crafty thing's.

4. Milkybar chocolate mmmmm....yummy Since being diagnosed with crohn's when I was 16 it is the only chocolate I can eat without suffering, but hey who is complaining

5. Reading, their is nothing like reading a book that you just can't put down.

Hugs,
Keirra

Hi Ladies,

My top things for making me happy are (excluding family and dogs which mean the world to me)

1. Spring mornings with the sun coming through the trees and that lovely smell of newness in the air.

2. A morning swim with the trees rustling in the wind and birds singing in the trees.

3. Walking along a quiet beach with the surf gentling coming in.

4. Seeing wild rabbits hopping around in the grass.

5. Hearing beautiful classical music whilst reading a good book.

I know they are all a bit tame !!!!! Sorry I am a boring old tart!!!!

Jackie

1.My husband loving me as much as he does makes me happy
The other 4 are all doll related and i can't pick those.

well here we go 5 & not doll's

(1) my kids the funny little things they come out with or just a funny look they give they just do it right when i need them to

(2) nice long talk with family about old things we did as kids

(3) making other happy

(4) my sister's funny little dog trying to walk up the back of my leg

(5) me & my hubby with the kids taking a long trip out back & not knowing were we are going the things you see is so AWESOME

1. My kids, not a day goes by without them doing or saying something that makes me giggle or smile.
2.This place makes me smile, you all always have something to make me smile for, especially Chuckles!!
3.My hubby, if I didn't smile I would be building a new patio with him as a base
4. My memories of family and friends who are sadly gone but leave cherished and happy thoughts behind.
5 Walking in the woods, splashing in the rain, cos no one can see me been a kid when I'm hidden by trees

1. My husband's laugh. He's the quiet, serious type so when he laughs the joy comes all the way from his stomach and out of his mouth... and his eyes get this crinkly look. It's genuine.
2. When my kids "just call" to say hi. They don't want or need anything and they just want to talk.
3. When I come downstairs, wearing shorts and my African Grey parrot, Popeye, whistles and says "nice legs, Mo!" He only does it when I wear shorts. When I say to my dogs, "wanna go to the park, and they jump and bark and "smile." The wiggle of my dogs' tails and they walk in front of me.
4. Happy Endings for animals...when they find loving homes.
5. When Ken and I walk the dogs on a beautiful Colorado day, and he puts out his hand and shakes it; which means "hold my hand, babe."
6. A warm bubblebath, with my hair piled up on my head, a good book tubside, and a glass of wine. That first dip into the bubbles is so soothing.
7. Unexpected phone calls from long, lost friends, who remember me.
8. The scent of Christmas and all the good memories.
9. When I wake up really early in the summer and hear the pond running, see the sun coming up and smell the coffee brewing.
10. The sound of a good belly laugh.
Mo

OH MY OH MY!!! THIS TOPIC CERTAINLY HAS THE FEEL GOOD FACTOR, I LOVE READING THE THINGS THAT MAKE YOU ALL HAPPY, AND JACKIE, YOU ARE NOT BEING BORING AT ALL, I CAN REALLY IMAGINE WHAT YOU HAVE WRITTEN!!!
1. MY BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTERS MAKE ME HAPPY WHEN THEY ARE ALL HAVING A GOOD GIGGLE TOGETHER AND TAKING THE MICK OUT OF EACH OTHER.
2.MY WONDERFUL HUSBAND COS HE LOVES ME WHATEVER!!
3.CHRISTMAS AND ALL THE MEMORIES IT HOLDS.
4. WHEN IT'S SNOWING AND WE ALL RUN OUTSIDE TO DO "FIRST FOOTSTEPS"!!
5.SWIMMING IN THE SEA AND RIDING THE WAVES ON OUR BODY BOARDS(I'LL NEVER GROW UP!!)
HUGS
RACH

definately, A really great sunset or sunrise when my children were growing up if there was a really great one! I would round up the children and show them. X Angela

I'll go Mary Solberg's 1 & a bit of 5!
But only 5? TOOOOO few, so many more things I could list!

1. Indeed, just like Mary! I love to hear my girls & the grandbabies having a fun time. Mine too are VERY different, but all such special people in their own right.
(Considering how they used to half kill each other as children, it's almost a miracle how they are such close friends now!)

2. That lazy evening on the patio, watching the night fall, the cats chasing insects & drinking that wine with good friends.

3. Driving DOWN France, knowing there are 2,3 or 4 weeks of pure paradise to come. Floating on my back, in the pool & hearing those cicadas, & the swifts call as they enjoy their on-the-wing feast. Mmmmmmmmm!

4. A decent snowfall & going outside to enjoy that fresh crispiness & how everything is so different & pretty.....................then coming inside & getting all cosy-toasty again in front of the fire, with a steaming mug of hot OXO.

5. The overwhelming joy I feel when I have helped a woman birth her baby & the way she & her partner greet their baby. Seeing new life emerge & a family begin just blows me away! I am SO lucky!
(Where is that courier man???? I wanna play DOLLIES!)

I read this a while ago and was so unhappy at the time I couldn't post.
But Time moves on and I am so very happy I now feel I can post, though some of what makes me happy hasn't changed.
I was very happy bringing up our kids, but that is the past, you want to know the now

1, Snuggling up with my hubby and waking up next to him.

2, Our new flat, living here, just love it, never been as happy as I am now living in a place as i am now with this place.

3, taking the dogs for a walk while pushing my pram.

4. swimming when the pool is empty.

5 having coffee and cake out with just me and my son.

6 My hubby cracking a joke,

7 My son doesn't mind if I go to the pictures with him and Jason.

8 finding my clothes fall down. ohyh:

9 when my hubby gives physical affection, (no ladies not that sort, just a cuddle or hold hands, not very easy for him to do.)

10 sitting watching Medium with my mum. Love it.

These make me happy.

1;

knowing on a cloudy day...a certain smile can make the sunshine!
2;

The smell of fresh mown grass early morning or late evening.

3;

Knowing 1 true friend is better than 10 bad ones.

4;

finally being content with who i am...where i am in life...and happily with the people i care about most.

5:

remembering how to paint! Cant begin to tell you how distressing that was to forget!
Thanks to some very special customers and of course my wonderful supportive family........i am back doing what i love most. Painting. SHEER BLISS!


The list could go on.......

but what a great thread....a real feel good factor! Thanks!

Hugs,
Caron
x