Everyday Joy YYC

I love sneakers! Sneakers need to be comfy, sporty, and attractive to wear. These purple Nikes meet the criteria. I have had them for a couple of years and if they could talk they would say they have traveled the world with me.   They have visited nearby provinces, gone overseas to London and Paris, and kept busy in the local parks. In these photographs, I am walking the Jasper Skywalk and shopping at  Galeries Lafayette in Paris. Do you have a pair of sneakers that bring you joy?  Grab a jar and please join me on this journey to discover what brings you  everyday joy !  Thursday

One of my favorite things to do on a Sunday is bake banana bread! Over the years I have tried many recipes to get the perfect moisture, chocolate chip to walnut ratio, and color! What I have discovered is if you add 100 mL of apple sauce to your recipe you will get the flavor, moisture, and you can reduce the amount of sugar you add! Baking bread brings in joy and aromas to your kitchen! It is a good way to get ready for a new week! Every week seems like it gets busier and busier with life tasks and eating freshly baked banana bread is a motivator to jump in and move forward with things. Sometimes I even need to spread a joyful spoon of Nutella to my banana bread slice as an extra boost to the day! What is your "joyful" spread on a snack? Grab a jar and please join me on this journey to discover what brings you  everyday joy !  Banana Bread Recipe - One Bowl & One Loaf Recipe Ingredients: 2-3 very ripe bananas, peeled 1/3 cup melted butter (substitute coconut butter) 1/2

  There is nothing like going walking outdoors to breathe in the fresh air and take in the seasonal nature. I have been walking more in the last couple of months as working from home has reduced my ability to be physically active during the day. Walking in my neighborhood has allowed me to meet connect with my neighbors and check out their gardens and special home improvement projects. Walking can be a solitary activity or can provide an opportunity to connect with friends and family. Depending on the day I will prefer to walk alone and be with my thoughts and ideas on how I can move my learning forward or reflect on the day's activities and see what brought me joy! How can walking bring you joy? Grab a jar and please join me on this journey to discover what brings you  everyday joy !  Thursday

In our quest to grow our own vegetables we planted carrots, corn, sweet peas, tomatoes, and pumpkins. We had an abundance of tomatoes and peas and some carrots and corn. We have one pumpkin on the vine and hoping it will turn orange for Halloween. What did you plant in your garden that brought you joy? Grab a jar and please join me on this journey to discover what brings you  everyday joy !  Tuesday

  Walking through the community I came across this beautiful panda rock. I was filled with joy as I had seen this initiative of artists placing rocks through the city to bring kindness and smiles! On the back of the rock were instructions to post a picture on social media. To my surprise and joy, the artist of the rock responded to my message and was appreciative the rock was found. When was the last time you were on a walk and found something that brought you joy? Grab a jar and please join me on this journey to discover what brings you  everyday joy ! Sunday

  As I have said before making supper is one of my least favorite things to do. However, I have been indulging in making healthier and quicker suppers that I can have for leftovers the next day. This is my pantry pasta salad. I boil whatever pasta I have in the pantry and toss in some vegetables, olives, and roasted red peppers. This is the best way I can use veggies from my fridge and ingredients from my pantry for a delicious meal. What are you making for supper that will bring you joy? Grab a jar and please join me on this journey to discover what brings you  everyday joy ! Thursday

Weather in YYC is unpredictable and unfriendly to growing flowers. We planted pansies in our planter box last year with very little growth. However, this year the pansies have found a space of their own to blossom. I appreciate the pansies' perseverance to lighten up our garden. When was the last time you persevered and it brought you joy? Grab a jar and please join me on this journey to discover what brings you  everyday joy ! Tuesday

  Happy Sunday! I hope you are taking some time today for self-care and doing what brings you joy! I find my mornings are busy running errands to be ready for the upcoming week. However, I am trying to find some time for myself in the afternoons to do something that brings me positive energy! I hope you are using your Jar of Joy to capture moments that bring you everyday joy! Here is what I wrote for today: In my 💛  I know I am ready for the new week!  In my 💛  I feel I have the energy to tackle the unknown tasks that will come in my direction! In my 💛  I wish I had a superpower to freeze time so I could enjoy the moment more! Grab a jar and please join me on this journey to discover what brings you  everyday joy ! Sunday

Everyone needs a picker me upper during the week! I usually keep ingredients or boxed brownie mix to whip some up for those cravings to make it to Friday! My favorite drawer in the kitchen is full of baking supplies including chocolate chips, cocoa powder, icing, cake mix, and sprinkles. There is something about the sweet aroma of homemade baked goods that keep me grounded when it is chaos in other parts of my life. What is your picker me upper? Grab a notebook or jar (see prior post) and please join me on this journey to discover what brings you  everyday joy ! Thursday

Getting lost with characters and in their lives has been a wonderful escape and has brought joyful reading! I opened up this book to discover how Swamp Girl's childhood led her to adulthood. It is always hard to read a story with a character who suffers trauma but at the same time have to hope the character will come out stronger and braver than the beginning. I will not give away the ending but will say if you are interested in reading about courage, friendship, and nature this book might be for you! When is the last time you read a book and the character stayed with you after the last word? Grab a notebook or jar (see prior post) and please join me on this journey to discover what brings you  everyday joy ! Tuesday

  Happy Sunday! I hope you are using your Jar of Joy (see prior post) to capture moments that bring you everyday joy! Here is what I wrote for today: In my 💛  I know I need to go for a daily walk to breathe and be with nature. In my 💛  I feel I am comfortable with wearing a mask and being able to go about doing errands. In my 💛  I wish I could plan my next holiday but it is hard to do during a pandemic. Grab a jar and please join me on this journey to discover what brings you  everyday joy ! Sunday

I like to keep my Jar of Joy on my desk with colored sticky notes. I will fill out a sticky every day. Sometimes I arrive at my desk with a Starbucks and that is what I will be joyful for and other times I will write down I have checked and responded to all my email for the day (this rarely happens so it is definitely a joyful moment for me)!! I am intentional with my words and trying to capture what brought me joy in that conversation or moment or interaction! What I love about my Jar of Joy is that all the words and reflections belong to me and show me how I see the world around me! Moreover, I get to see how I grow in my gratitude journey! If you want to use sentence starters here are a few that will get you started: In my 💛  I know ... In my 💛  I feel ... In my 💛  I wish ... Grab a jar and please join me on this journey to discover what brings you  everyday joy ! Thursday

  This past year, I have been collecting trinkets, cards, and artifacts that brought me joy! Here is my Jar of Joy! I think it is important to have a keepsake jar where you can go to when you need a picker me upper and remember moments that you were present for and bring you a smile when you really need one! Moreover, September is the new January for me as we get ready for Fall and getting back into routines after the summer days! I will be starting a new jar this year and pushing myself to write down memories, jokes, and conversations that bring me joy! In my next post, I will give you ideas to start your own jar! Grab a jar and please join me on this journey to discover what brings you  everyday joy ! Tuesday