What are 3 things that bring you joy in life?

1. My puppy, Oscar. He is a 5 year old, 9 lb yorkie & is definitely spoiled rotten! Zeb bought him for me when I fell in love with our friends' yorkie & decided I was *almost* certain I wanted a dog. He surprised me for Valentine's Day in 2011 & I was so scared when we got him. I had no idea how to care for a dog as the only ones I had been around were my brothers' dogs we had in my childhood. But over the past 5 years, he has become one of the greatest joys of my life. He has listened to me, cuddled with me, consoled me, and loved me unconditionally as dogs do and my life is SO enriched because of him.



2. Baking. Before the fall of 2014, I would have just considered my amateur baker tackling the occasional brownies, cookies, box mix concoctions. That fall I enrolled in a cake decorating class at the local community college which just so happened to be taught by the baker who made our wedding cake. It was a fantastic course that really gave me confidence not only in baking/decorating cakes but also in baking in general. Since the course ended I have made the birthday cakes for my mom & dad as well as Z & myself. I've also developed what I'm calling a 'signature cookie' that I bake for all family occasions & as the occasional gift. While I still don't consider myself a professional (as evidenced by the pictures), I can't explain the joy I feel when I complete a cake or know that my friends and family are enjoyed something I created. Baking is a way for me to channel my creativity & also enjoy sweets : )

3. Road trips with Z. We don't make a lot of these any more-not like we did when we lived in Texas-but when we do, we always have fun. Road trips for us are therapeutic & we spend time talking, planning, dreaming while we travel. There's always good music, we pack snacks & stop at our favorite restaurants, and try not to laugh at Oscar too much when he is frustrated at being cooped up in the car. While the preparations & in turn, unpacking are not the most enjoyable tasks, I always look forward to the extra, uninterrupted time with Z.

You can't really tell but this is a picture of the 3 of us holding hands/paws on one of our latest trips. : )