Happiness is...

... a six year who FINALLY got to wear her long-sleeved school shirts. (Yes, folks, choref has officially arrived, judging by the number of Israelis in puffy winter coats and sweaters. I did not check the weather on Thursday and sent Yaakov to gan in shorts and a t-shirt, on what turned out to be a chilly, rainy day. Of course, by the afternoon, the sun was out and it was warm again, but still, I felt like a bad mother. So today, pants and long-sleeved shirts. Ariella was so excited last night she had trouble falling asleep.)

... cold and rainy and windy weather. Seriously. I was sooooo tired of hot and sweaty.

... a three year old who has his very own bendable Buzz and Woody dolls. (I've been trying to sneak up on them in an attempt to catch them talking and walking around and stuff, but damn, those toys are GOOD. They're always right where I left them. One day, one day.) Also, I sometimes slip up and call them Wuzz and Boody or Wooz and Buddy.

... Take Out Thursday (for the grown-ups; usually falafel or shwarma, last night we went for Chinese.)

... the Stand On Mommy Then Jump Onto the Couch Game. In case you need more specific directions: Mommy lies on the couch, Yaakov stands on Mommy, spreads his arms, counts to ten, then jumps off onto the couch. Ariella convulses with laughter, and despite the pain and bruising, Mommy laughs also. He is pretty cute.

... popcorn. I just really like popcorn.

... the way the house looks right before Shabbos starts.

... Ariella's face when she received a sticker for good davening.

... Yaakov when he realized it was Chocolate Sandwich Friday.

(We will not go into "unhappiness is... ," such as the way the house looks by the time Shabbos ends, or trying to retrieve bank statements from your bank's website and accidentally spending twenty shekel on a report you didn't want that has information you don't need and when you call the bank in an attempt to cancel the transaction the local branch tells you to call the main number and the main office, of course, tells you you need to speak to the local branch. Bye, bye, twenty shekel. But like I said, we are being happy and positive today.)

Shabbat Shalom!