these are a few of my favorite things

adorable commercials

military homecomings

families

watching little kids play or run

trees

flowers

happy movies

fountains 

brightly colored buildings

a child's laughter

sunshine

a baby's smile

thunderstorms

evening walks

red doors

big windows

walking barefoot

warm breezes 

feeling sand between your toes

the sound of water

lighthouses

bridges

transportation

today I am extremely grateful for bus drivers and metro drivers. especially happy ones. public transportation is great. maybe it's not perfect, but when I'm exhausted after a long day of work and class I am more than happy to let  someone else take me where I need to go...namely home. and that it is accessible. thank you Washington metro area transit authority. 

and thanks to Heavenly Father for pointing me in the direction of teaching. I taught a lesson in my class today on maps (we got to choose the topic) and I was in heaven! seriously who knew that anyone could get excited over teaching about maps of Africa....cuz I was like giddy. I didn't want to stop. I was having fun...teaching a lesson...on maps. yep found my calling. Life is good 

summertime

you know summer is here when you see corn on the cob at the grocery store...funny cuz I'm pretty sure that corn is harvested in the fall, but it's become the must have at summer BBQs. so when rach and I saw corn on the cob got excited and just had to get it. so here was last nights dinner: BBQ chicken, baked potatoes, and corn on the cob.mmmmmmm

and now I am SO excited summer is here cuz that means hikes, bikes rides, tubing in the river, BBQs, fresh fruit...and me turning another year older in 26 days. crazy how time flies. and crazy how much I love summer! :)

water

I love water. in every form. I love rivers and lakes and waterfalls and rain and of course the ocean! my sisters and I were known as the fish growing up, I've been swimming since I was 4, lived by an ocean till 14 and the only thing we wanted to do on vacations was go to the pool. I'm not quite sure where or why the strong connection with water, but it definitely brings the warm/peaceful fuzzies. 

simple beauty: water

life

it is amazing to me that you can see life everywhere you look in this world..trees, birds, grass, people. and all of it is cared for by a supreme Being. so today's simple beauty is that life exists, even in a small yet perfect flower

recreation

as I was walking along the mall I glanced over and saw this scene: 

I thought this was simply beautiful-tossing a frisbee. it would be even more beautiful if it is a father and his sons so we'll pretend that we know the are a family. :) simple beauty 

capturing beauty

I read a thing somewhere that said: capture simple beauty every day and share it. so this is my new mantra and goal. today's beauty- after the clouds had dumped their excess moisture in a downpour, the sun broke through and this was the result