I love Friday posts. I love them because I write them at the end of the day, right after I’ve raised my weekend freak flag (it’s yellow, by the way). I love them because I drink hot tea (cough, cough–beer with lime) while I write, and I play music and open the windows so that the neighbors can dance from their driveways if they feel so inclined. You know what comes wafting out of my office windows on Friday nights? Happy.

Happy: Impromptu sunset ice cream party Wednesday evening

“Do you think I’m too happy?” I recently asked Brett. Which is kind of like asking if there’re too many daisies in an open field of wildflowers or too many shades of red to choose from on a MAC lipstick stand. He just laughed and walked away. I’m taking that as a no.

Happy: She brought a xylophone on our walk today and played and sang along the way. Didn’t even get shy when we crossed paths with other walkers.

It’s not that I’m not fully aware that happiness isn’t a perpetual state of mind. If it was, we wouldn’t realize how great happy is. It’s just that “Am I too happy?” is another way of saying “I’m about to paint some more stuff yellow. You cool with that?” If he doesn’t say no, then the answer’s yes.

Happy: yellow sunburst

There is the kind of “crazy busy” that gives you just enough credibility to say “crazy busy” when someone asks you how you’re doing. And then there’s the crazy busy that really does mean seriously certifiably crazy damn busy. This week has been the latter–keeping up, catching up, promoting the book in a slew of back-to-back radio interviews, appointments, work, house, lather, rinse, repeat, goodnight. And just like mamas learn soon enough with a second child that sleepless nights are a phase, soon replaced with babies who sleep; I tend not to stress much anymore about hectic weeks.

Happy: Slipped away for breakfast with Lainey this morning–just the two of us

I’ve learned there are parts of me that love quiet and calm and relaxed and slow, and there are parts of me that love adrenaline, projects, busy and stimulated. When one part’s up to bat, the other one’s just benched for a bit, getting ready for his turn. I’ve got a great team; we play well with each other.

Happy: Impromptu pool date with Lainey’s friend Aleena. And our new Hatley umbrellas (love the wooden handle)

And the savior for escaping both quiet and too calm or crazy and too busy? Stop, drop and run. Pack up the car and drive somewhere–anywhere–for an hour excursion. Last night, my friend Rebecca answered the “leaving house now” text and showed up at the park with a box of popsicles that slowly melted as we walked through park trails, veering off on a secret path that led to an imaginary gnome village. If I wasn’t sworn to secrecy by the kids, I’d tell you that hundreds of tiny bearded gnomes showed up–in hats–and ran from tree to tree, dodging the kids’ glances.

You could see little sprouts of imagination wildly growing as the kids joined in, describing gnome clothes and hiding spots–where they darted, how they ran.

Want any day to feel like a Friday party? Go for a walk. Find gnomes. Imagine tiny felted hats and polished boots.

Other happies just kind of squeezed their way in this week.

Things like loyal dogs.

A little girl who knows exactly how many days are left until her “hula party” (um, seven).

Funny rear view mirror smiles that pleasantly catch me off guard.

Blue skies.

And Friday Photo Dumps.

Friday Phone Dump photos are taken on the Instagram iPhone app (free) and dropped into a 12×12 collage using a photo editing software (Photoshop Elements works). I am @etst (enjoying the small things) on Instagram if care to follow the feed.

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Come back this weekend to read four moving stories from readers about being transformed by the unexpected. Or read more from the hundreds of personal stories shared on the We Bloom post.

The beach is calling this Mother’s Day weekend.

Thank you to William Morrow for creating this video, and thank you to all of you who are sharing Bloom with others. (Might I suggest a book for a last minute Mother’s Day gift for friends or mamas?) This Mother’s Day, I am more aware, more appreciative and more–well…happy.

(Direct link to video HERE)

Have a happy weekend. Turn up the music.

We traded naps for the beach this afternoon.

Loving this song: “Something Good Can Work” by Two Door Cinema Club

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Friday Photo Dump:


Friday Phone Dump photos are taken on the Instagram iPhone app (free) and dropped into a 12×12 collage using a photo editing software (Photoshop Elements works). I am @etst (enjoying the small things) on Instagram if you want to follow the feed.

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It has been a few months since I made mention of Nella’s 2For2 Fund, a fundraiser for NDSS that we set up in honor of Nella’s 2nd Birthday. The fund logo has remained on my blog and many of you, including sponsors, continue to contribute. Since Nella’s birthday in January, more than $5,000 has been added to the fund. Wow…and thank you.

I raise this point because I was excited to hear about a new online program that NDSS just launched for fundraisers like me. I value all that the Down syndrome community does to raise awareness and funds, especially through special events and campaigns, but I have always been the type to do things on my own time and in my own way. This program is aptly named NDSS Your Way for that very reason. They are seeking independent fundraisers who want to create a customizable web page in one of three categories—Compete (Team NDSS), Celebrate (NDSS Celebrations) and Create (NDSS New Ideas)—no matter which category you choose, your personal page can pay tribute to someone who inspires and motivates you.

Many of you have already taken the extra step – you are also bloggers and you designed your own fundraising campaigns for NDSS in honor of your child, sister, niece or nephew. I admire all of you and I am so happy we are in this together.

As NDSS said in their recent e-news announcement about NDSS Your Way — run a race, host a block party, plan a dance marathon, grow a moustache, climb a mountain – however you choose to do it, do it your way and do it for Down syndrome!

Also, check out the NDSS Your Way Pinterest Board.

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I have a little Mother’s Day contest brewing for Monday. It involves your stories. Stay tuned. Stay classy. Happy Weekend.

Here’s a fun one: In the spirit of Ron Burgundy, if you were a news anchor, what would be your corny sign-off?

Mine? Be kind. Be yourself.

And then I would aim my pointer fingers at the camera and make that clicky gun noise with my tongue.

It is easy to come home from travels and unfairly measure our city against all that I love about where I’ve been. I wish we had street vendors, independent coffee shops on every corner, brownstones with blue front doors and potted flowers on entryway steps. How fantastic it would be to have ships in the harbor, historic monuments, more Greek restaurants and old down town cobblestone streets.

But we have the ocean. And I love the ocean.

And we have all the places to love…right here.

Yesterday, we returned to one of Lainey’s favorite places–a fruit and vegetable market just a couple miles away.

It is an event to her; we have a routine. She picks out everything on her own, bags the fruit herself, remembers to get jalepenos and avacados–Brett’s favorites, samples the watermelon, and pays the clerk with the twenty dollar bill I hand her.

We eat our fruit out front–on the green bench under the big tree, and we end our market experience with a walk to the small nursery that hugs the side of the produce mart. I let the girls loose through rows of jewel toned petunias, potted daisies and a sea of geraniums.

I remind Lainey every time that the bees aren’t out to get her–that calmly shooing them away is a better choice than screaming and running.

We drive by that market almost every day. Lainey never hesitates to announce, “That’s our market.” To her, it belongs to us.

I love the brilliant colors of the market. I love the things that make our town what it is…ours and a place to love.

We brought a little color home, too.

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Friday Photo Dump:

Friday Phone Dump photos are taken on the Instagram iPhone app (free) and dropped into a 12×12 collage using a photo editing software (Photoshop Elements works). I am @etst (enjoying the small things) on Instagram if you want to follow the feed.

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Darlybird $50 giveaway winners:

Comment #546, Kelly Jo: 5 things I’m enjoying: 1. My 9 month old baby boy, 2. Finalizing wedding plans, 3. 70 degree weather in Minnesota, 4. Caribou Coffee, 5. Bloom

and…

Comment #186, Tonya: Enjoying…1. Cool morning breezes, 2. Baby’s breath, 3. My daughter’s eyelashes, 4. A few minutes to myself, 5. Clean towels

Congratulations, Ladies! Please e-mail your contact info to kellehamptonblog@comcast.net with the subject line DARLYBIRD GIVEAWAY.

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Sharing my love for my new sunglasses after the many jokes I’ve made about buying cheap sunglasses, losing them, breaking them, leaving $5 stickers on the lenses. Thanks to my friend Patty who hooked me up with her talented sister Kara of KBL Eyewear, I now sport a fabulous pair of Now Now Now Vintage tortoise shells. I’m hooked.

KBL Eyewear, featured in numerous fashion magazines, is an independent company, offering both Rx and sunglass frames in a wicked selection of styles and colors.

KBL is offering a generous discount for readers. Use code KELLE20 for 20% off your order. And one comment will be randomly selected from this post to win a free pair of sunglasses, courtesy of KBL Eyewear.

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There’s still plenty of weekend to enjoy!