This was my weekend to spend with Kristian and we had alot planned for the weekend.  A family birthday party on Saturday and a family brunch Sunday.  My oldest brothers girlfriend’s birthday was last Thursday and he wanted to have a family brunch to celebrate; he asked for my mother and myself to prepare the meal –  me doing a breakfast casserole, shrimp and grits, and a small Red Velvet Cheesecake for her to have for her own personal pleasure – and my parents prepared hashbrowns, eggs, sausage, bacon, baked tilapia, chicken drummettes, and two versions of breakfast rice.  My parents love to entertain as much as I do and we take pride in having plenty for everyone to eat and making sure that we have a complete spread for everyone to enjoy. 

Saturday….Kristian and I went to the grocery store(s) early and made our way back home to hang out and chill until we needed to go the birthday party.  I knew that I had to make cheesecakes (in addition to the Red Velvet Cheesecake, I was also making two Strawberry/Chocolate cheesecakes  – one small for my mother and a larger one for the house) that night and I wanted to put the breakfast casseroles together so that I only had to bake them Sunday morning.  While I worked on my pricing worksheet (I’d have to talk about that later); Kristian got into the cleaning mood.  She started out straightening up my coffee table.  When she finished she went into her room….and an hour later I was overjoyed to see that she had cleaned her room!!!  Oh joy of joys, my baby girl cleaned her room…I mean REALLY cleaned her room…and I didn’t have to threaten or conjole her into it. 

Kristian has not received an allowance in quite awhile because she has not done her job – clean her room.  The room usually gets straightened up when I can’t take it anymore and wind up cleaning it myself – because of this she wouldn’t get her allowance.   We’ve discussed her allowance many times and she always gets excited about the prospect, but she never felt the need to actually do the work required to get her allowance.  So my first spot of happiness began when I walked into “my babydolls” room and see that she had made up the bed, cleaned out her chair, put her clothes away, cleaned off her toilettries (Kristian has begun to collect perfumes like I’ve begun collecting glass perfume bottles) table.  Happiness pure and simple is seeing  your offspring clean up the pigstye that is their room clean without telling them to clean it or else and them not expecting anything in return.  🙂 Kristian was completly surprised when I presented her with her $1 allowance.     

I started making the cheesecakes – which required me to make chocolate cakes first – and completely forgot about the birthday party until my mother called to ask if we wanted to ride to the event with them.  I was in the middle of making cheesecakes…the cheesecakes baking time is a total of 115 minutes.  I was just starting the process…I couldn’t leave.  I missed the party. 😦

Sunday we got up and went to church.  Another spot of pure happiness…our pastor has been speaking about relationships and the messages have been so enlightening and uplifting.  Happiness. 🙂  When we got home I placed the preped casseroles in the oven and finished up my cheesecakes and Kristian cleaned Tiny (the hamster) cage without my help.  HAPPINESS!!!  She cleaned the cage and vacuumed around the stand and the area where she had worked too.  HAPPINESS!!!

Happiness is hanging out with your family and eating great food.     Brunch was a bounty of wonderful and loved ones.  Crossaints with honey butter smeared on top.  MMMMmmmm!

Stan had left for Chicago Sunday morning to do a site visit for Chicago Public Schools on Monday, so he wasn’t around and he was missed by all.  But he’s bringing me back some Apple Hibiscus tea from Argo Teas and Garrett’s Popcorn, so I guess the seperation was worth it.  Apple Hibiscus tea and Garrett’s Popcorn…HAPPINESS.  🙂 

Happiness is registering for RomCon at the discounted price with an extra $20 discount to boot.  YEP FOLKS…I’m going to Denver in August to hang out with other lovers of Romance novels and Romance authors.  It is going to be awesome!  I’m not ashamed of my Romance novel love, these wonderful books have come such a long way from the original Harlequin novels your mother read.  And this year I’m going to two events to celebrate them – Lori Fosters Author Readers Weekend in Cincinnati and the Borders sponsored RomCon in Denver.  HAPPINESS! 

Finally, we were too tired and full to eat any of the cheesecake Sunday, but that was not the case last night.  I sliced into that beautiful creation and took a few pics.  Kristian had he piece and sung its praises loud and clear.  I just love when a new dessert comes together wonderfully.  Look at this cheesecake – layers of strawberry cheesecake and chocolate cake – nothing but pure happiness.   

Can a person expire from too much happiness?  What’s your happiness?