Sometimes it's the little things...

[Avery]

that really make your day.

About 8-9 years ago, back arond the start of the 2000s, I started to have issues with dairy. At first it was stomachaches after a glass of milk, o more. Then I started having to take lactaid pills with every dairy product. About a year ago it got so bad that even 4 pills wouldn't work on small things, and ever since then I've been completely dairy-free.

It's not as bad as most people think, really; soy milk can be weird, but I like almond milk, and I've bonded to Soy Delicious and Tofutti ice creams, and I have options for nondairy butter and a bunch of other stuff. But some things just can't be replicated- like pancakes. I can bake great desserts, but I always burn pancakes. (Or I undercook them, have to put them back on, and...guess what? Burned.)

yesterday while we were at Wegman's, the boyfriend showed me a box of Van's Apple Cinnamon Waffles :D Van's makes several dairy-free lines! So I wound up taking home waffles. And today I had waffles...covered in maple syrup...slathered in fake butter. And it felt like the best thing ever :D

So, to make this relevant to anyone not me... sometimes the smallest things you don't know you miss- or don't know you want till you have them- are the things that bring a surprising amount of joy. What are some of YOUR little things?

[emma]

I love toffutti ice cream

[Amanda N]

When I'm in the bedroom and Kurt has gone to get the children and I hear them all interacting and laughing...so precious.

[AprilHolland]

When I've had a stressful day and I've just finished yelling at my step daught for something or other. My sweet maniac of a cat comes up and cuddles close to my face as if to say it's okay. Having an eleven ear old that insists she has to act like a baby when she is deffinatly able to act her age can be rather stressful. My oreo seems to always know and comes to calm me so I can look at it all from a different point of veiw.

[Yvonne]

Mmmm... being able to cook. Every time I come home from travelling, the ability to go to the grocery store, choose my ingredients, and then take them home to make a meal is the best thing in the world. I'm planning on making a butternut squash dish tonight with snow peas and red peppers, and I just need to think up something to go with it...

...and toast. The ability to make toast, and a cup of tea whenever I want... it's just so comforting!