I was thinking about what makes me happy.
Obviously the first thing on the list is
Obviously the first thing on the list is
family-MyHero, children & spouses,
and grandchildren.
But there are other little things
that I don't think much about
in the day-to-day act of living.
And yet..they are a part of my life
and bring me a bit of joy.
Years ago when my Mother
came to live with me
I brought quite a bit of her "stuff" from
Pennsylvania.
I think I thought having "stuff" from the farm
would help me remember
the farm and family as it was....
because in her state of mind
she was no longer the mother I knew.
When she passed away,
and I gave some of the "stuff"
back to my brother.
My kids, too, have some of the things
and I finally gave my youngest daughter
this treasure.
It is a little cedar "chest".
It is only about 8"x12"x4" high.
It is only about 8"x12"x4" high.
Mother told me once that she gave a man
a ride to Elmira, NY and he gave her
the little carved box as payment.
If you open it you will find
some little treasures....
hankies and an embroidered piece or two.
What else makes me smile when I see it?
These fairy books that my daughter, Mimi,
gave me.
When you open them you will find that....
They are kind of "naughty" fairy books
They are kind of "naughty" fairy books
not the kind I can read to the grandkids.
Whoever knew fairies had boobies?
Well...they do...trust me!
And in front of the books that are
tucked into this little niche
is a rock that my son painted
GOLD
when he was just a child.
He gave it to me for Christmas one year.
He gave it to me for Christmas one year.
That was the year he had $20.
and spent $2.00 on lei's for everyone
(except me-I got the rock)
and the rest on himself.
Yep-He was THAT kid!
Then, Mimi went to a garage sale
and picked up this pearl necklace & earrings
still in their original box.
They have aged to a beautiful cream color.
I researched them online.
They were QUITE the item in their day
I researched them online.They were QUITE the item in their day
and a favorite of Liz Taylor.
Below is another special "box".
This one was given to me by
This one was given to me by
MamasBoy & TheSecretAgent
on my 60th birthday.
If you open the box
you will find 60 "memory slips"
tucked inside.
that I got for my 60th birthday.
Do you think they fear I am losing my mind
and hope these act as gentle reminders
of a time when I knew who I was?
Huh?
Is that what this present is all about?
A random one reads:
And, last but not least..
And, last but not least..
I received this special little box
from 3 very special little girls.
It is a Fairy Catching Kit.
We had many sightings at my house
but never did actually capture one.
They had hoped to outwit them
with this kit.
Just look at all the tools inside!
And to wrap up this little presentation of Joy..
I wore this...
because a special little Miss
wrapped it up in a piece of Kleenex
(which I am hoping wasn't used)
and said it was....
"The bestest present eveah"!
And, indeed...I think it might be!
How about you?
What little things make you happy?
What little joys put a song in your heart?
I hope that your days
I hope that your days
are filled with little joys, too,
because I am finding that..
the older I get..
the more happiness I find
in the little things.
Have a wonderful Sunday!
65 comments:
Yes, I love little treasures like this. I am so glad you shared them with us. You are blessed to have such thoughtful kids...and also that sweet little treasure chest from your mother. I love the hankies, etc., as those are the kinds of things I love to keep as well. This was delightful. Thank you for sharing it with us.I am busily packing for our move in a couple of weeks. I know I should be getting rid of some treasures, but just can't quite do it. Maybe when I unpack I will decide what doesn't fit anywhere and then I will let it go... we shall see...
...back in the mid '60s the local furniture gave all the girls in my wife's class a small Lane cedar box as a graduation gift. She still has it.
I love all of your treasures. You are a rich woman.
So many treasures!
Yes, it's these treasures that bring us joy. I enjoyed all your little things that make you happy, and I smiled at the first carved box. It's so pretty, and when my mom passed away, I got her carved box, which looks very similar to yours. I ended up giving it to a special friend, cause we just can't keep everything, can we? But there are some things, like you, that I can never give away. That Hello Kitty bracelet looks like one of the things you can't part with. Did SweetCheeks give you that? The Fairy Catching Kit is delightful, and I LOVE that gold rock. I would keep that forever. : ) So nice to see all your treasures, Diana, and hear about each one's meaning.
love, ~Sheri
I love your random treasures that you shared with us - made me smile....
especially the fairy-catching kit! Fairies are awfully fast and sneaky!
Hugs.
My goodness girl you do indeed have treasures! I'm kinda liking the fairy book and wondering what kind of fairies are naughty haha, could be a good read and you just might need to keep that fairy kit handy in case those naughty fairies show up!. Your son cracks me up with the gold rock, what a fun gift. I love the box with the notes in it, it's actually a great gift and a lot of thought went into writing those notes. Well all I can say is you have been enriched, your treasures are priceless! I think for me, I'm a picture girl. I cherish pictures and consider them my treasures. I could get lost looking at photographs of family. My motto is, if theres not a picture, it didn't happen so my family has finally succumb to my relentless photo taking whenever we are together. I've even got the grandsons trained now.
Have a great weekend!!
xoxox Saimi
Sweet treasures for dadgummed sure. Loved the small carved chest carved, I think at 80 I still would like to read a naughty Fairy book! ;-)
Yeah, I have a treasure file. a file of all the kids drawings they gave to me, all the way down to the Great grands. I will separate them soon and label them.
But to YOUR post, it was a joy to read and stirred lots of GREAT memories... Love it.
Sherry & jack, she will be by tomorrow!
Your treasures are indeed precious because of the sweet memories they bring. I like having things in my house with stories like yours.
You have such wonderful treasures! I have my mama's little Thoren musical jewelry box... she first showed it to me when I was very young, maybe 6 or 7 years old. It probably cost her all of $2.00 back in the day, and even though my research shows it might only be worth $10-$20 nowadays, it's worth a million dollars to me just because it was hers. It still plays the music when I wind it up, and I have the few peices of jewelry she kept in it, minus the one brooch my dad had the funeral home put on her dress when she died in 1971 (I was 14 years old). The jewelry box has always sat on my dresser ever since she died. Thank you for sharing your sweet treasures with us! Hugs and blessings, Diana! ♥
The little things are the big things.
Oh I so enjoyed the peeks into your treasure boxes. I especially loved the sixty slips of paper...did you really always allow them to keep the pets they found? (Come to think about it, my parents allowed my sister to keep a kitten she found at the town dump. He sure was in rough shape, but became the most regal of cats.) I love how children think! They are absolutely brilliant.
You have so many great little treasures. I think the most important ones to me are my mom's old photo album and my grandmother's funeral book. Inside I found signatures of people long forgotten and a dried rose that is almost 60 years old. I treasure that rose.
Diana, I love this post. It is the little things that mean so much to us as we get older. I have a few things too. Oh actually I have way too many things. LOL. I like looking at my mother's name tag she wore so many years, working at the K-Mart. Some of her rings, she loved rings. I think your pearls are pretty. Blessings to all of you, oxox,love you, Susie
How wonderful the things you have shared here!
Like you, I truly believe that is the little things that mean so much. All the things that my son made when he was little, they mean a great deal to me.
Richard and I have the letters that we wrote to each other for nine years before we met...long before there was email!
And some of my Dad's things...his bandannas that he wore while gardening, his cowboy boot birdhouse, a tiny slip of paper where he wrote my name...I don't have much of his but every single piece means the world to me.
Diana,
I really enjoyed reading this post today!! In fact, this is the second post that i read today where as the author of the previous one said that she was "Thinking out loud" It is for this exact reason why I kept blogging because these are the kind of posts that touch my heart!! Keep them coming my friend!! And thanks so much for taking the time to visit!!
Hugs,
Debbie
Isn't it funny how the things we treasure are not necessarily of the most monetary value. For years and years I carried a cheque my father wrote to me to cover the cost of some groceries I picked up for him and my mom. I never cashed it, but carried it after he died so I still had his signature with me. He had a very distinct way of signing his name.
Good thing you and the girls never caught any fairies, if they were indeed the "naughty" kind! -Jenn
What sweet treasures. They do remind us of happy times. I just saw my first Lightning bugs, fire flies. yesterday evening and they always make me think of little faiiries lighting up the night.
Beautiful treasures and I have some of my own that I love! The memories that go along with them are precious for sure. LOVE those pearls, I wear pearls often:) Enjoy your day dear friend, HUGS!
Fairies with boobies...heeee heee. SUch treasures. Have a wonderful weekend!
I have so many....I like things but thankful that I am letting go of some of them now. However, I will not let go of things that my mom handed down to me a yr or so ago, I think she realized at 80 some odd yrs that life was growing short. She handed down to me joys of the past, family things that were handed to her. Parts of relatives long, long gone, once I never even knew. But there are those parts and pieces that I hold dear cause I did know my great grand, I did know my grandmother....Then...there are the things given to me from my kids and grands, parts and pieces of my life that maybe at some point they will hold dear. Great collection of memories. Sometimes it is the little things like the painted rock. Smiling....
Chuckling aloud about the 'naughty' fairies!
So, so many 'ordinary' articles I've inherited from my parents and my grands. Most evoke memories; others, questions. Like, great-grand's jewelry box containing a host of brittle greeting cards. I'd have loved to witnessed the expressions on her face.
Ya, it's the little things that mean the most.
What a great post. You do have a lot of wonderful treasures! The things that bring me joy are the birds singing, the sun shining and the waves coming ashore when I can get to the beach! That and a hot cup of coffee. Oh and my new old hobby of painting!
Yes, it's definitely the little things which are the richest treasures. A fairy catching kit, how wonderful, such a shame that none were ever caught.
Beautiful treasures and great memories.
I love the memory slips box. That is such a treasure!!!
The small every day things is what brings me joy. Morning walks, living in the woods, rain and sunshine, watching the deer and just living every day.
I can tell you the number one thing that gives me joy and my happiness is
Jesus!! Without Him I would have no joy or happiness.
What a delightful post....so enjoyed this!
This is a glorious and joy-filled post! I loved seeing all of your little treasures! I have a little 'cedar chest' box similar to yours that is one of my little treasures. Thanks for sharing these things with us!
Beautiful.
I love all your posts but I adore this one! I too am a keeper of "treasures". Over the last few years (after cleaning out and down-sizing my MIL's home...what a chore), I have been trying to get rid of the clutter and things that I know won't mean a tinker's #$% (as they say) to my son or anyone else. But there are just some things you can't get rid of!!!! I just may have to "borrow" your idea and share some of my treasures in an upcoming blog post. Thanks for sharing all these sweet things.
I love this post Diana. Reading about your treasures made me smile. I too keep little things like this.
The gold rock made me chuckle. :-)
Love, Carla
Oh, I love all your treasures and I know they must really make you smile,
I have my mothers treasures...still makes me tear up when I touch them...she's been gone since 1996. I was 45....still hurts after all these years. I'm 67 now...never gets easier...just different.
((Hughug))
I truly love the treasures, the pictures of them and coming here to the blog.
I have some treasures. One is a paper gift card that was tied onto a bouquet of flowers my husband got for me... waiting for me when I got home from the hospital after having had my son Erich. The sentiment was dear and I have saved it all of these years.
And I have all the primary teeth of all the boys. They got mixed up thanks to three boys messing in my dresser drawer where they were out away! BUT they are their teeth...so that will do I have a big old pink diaper pin that pinned on the first boy's name and and phone number fr going on the school bus to Kindergarten. Each boy wore the same diaper pin with his ID though the years. I have curls from them...and I'm writing a blog here. I'll quit XX
I think the secret to a happy life is being thankful for the little things. You are very good at that!
I am still lauging over spending $2 on gifts, painting a rock and saving the rest of the money for himself....lol That rock is kind of cool though, it looks like a big hunk of gold.
I'm discovering that the older I get the easier it is to find joy in the things around me.
This was a regular happening in our family life. My dad loved boxes and trinkets. I love the stories that went along with them.
cute bracelet
I used to have a carved chest identical to that...I got it from my grandmother! Hope you are doing well! Love and hugs!
I need to find my pearls - used to wear them all the time. Cheers
Oh, Diana, you think of the most wonderful things to share. I love the box of little memories from your kids. Those things are always so special to me and the fact that they remember them too. Little things do mean a lot and you have sparked a wonderful memory for me of my own little pearl necklace that was a gift for my 8th grade graduation from a favorite aunt. It has long since been gone, don't know where, but it is the memory that counts..Hope you had a Happy 4th..xxoJudy
Wonderful treasures. I say the little things are the best. A movie I love can be on TV and that gets me excited. I never underestimate small things.
Cindy
What a very sweet little walk down memory lane. Your family loves you so much and these little bits and bobs (and fairy boobs) say it loudly. :)
I have little boxes like that with pieces of the past. Also, I have lots of cards; birthday, Christmas, Easter and letters from my Grandma, Brother, Father and Mom that I love to look back at and have a 'moment' with them all. XOXO
Love all these special treasures, Dianna. My hubby has a little cedar chest just like yours where he keeps a few little sentimental treasures. I also cherish little things like this...the memories attached to them are precious. Some of treasures can be found in my kitchen...old aluminum measuring spoons, a pie plate, random silverware that belonged to my mom, just to name a few. They make me happy when I use them because I think of her whenever I do. Thanks for this sweet post!
Oh those treasures! I have a few lying around...
There's the little plate "My Mother, My Friend"...given when my eldest was about 8...
The glass hummingbird...a Christmas present that was an ornament...but it flies where it hangs...which is here and there...(I can't put it away)...
I have more recent gifts too...more utilitarian that I see always....
The rest were put away in a box in what we fondly call..."the Archive"....which houses all my Hubby's pictures from his Grandparents, his parents and ours...(he worked for Kodak so we have LOTS)
I even have some from our Grandson that he has drawn and colored....
They are the best...
Nancy
wildoakdesigns.blogspot.com
Interesting..I have that same red toille box...It was given to me with yarn in it and a pattern that I was to knit I don't remember if I did..I think I used it for something else..
You have lot's of special treasures there..wonderful cedar chest!! Sweet post xoxo
I have my mom's little box (with a broken hinge) which she kept her handkerchiefs in. It's a treasure indeed! If I had the room I'd have kept more of my stuff/treasures when we moved. But now my kids will only have to decide what to do with the bit we kept.....of which probably no one will want!!
So sweet and how precious are those memories :-) I love having special things like this to go back and look over and remember all the happiness they brought.... I hope you are having a great summer and staying cool!
Blessings,
Jill
You are so blessed to have the "little" treasures that makes you happy. I have notes and cards that I keep given to me from my girls and children. When the grands were younger they loved to spend the night and when they had gone home, I would find notes that said, "I love you, Grandma." it's those little things that are big treasures to me and yes I keep them in a drawn and hidden in my heart. Have a blessed day, my friend.
Sylvia
Here's hoping the fairy catcher does the trick!
I'm so glad you have such wonderful treasures! That little kitty bracelet is precious; those are the kind of things that mean so much.
A couple of mine would be a letter Dad wrote to me when I was six and he was stationed in Alaska. Then, there's a poem my Uncle Pete wrote about when I was five that was discovered in another uncle's house when I was well over 50. Ironically, I started looking for it yesterday and I'll keep on 'til I do.
xoxo
Hello Queen Dear,
Yes, the little things are pretty sweet. I think I might have too many, though.
I love that cedar box. I think my granny had one, too.
What special treasures you have with such great memories. Many years ago when my Mom was still alive she gave each of us kids, all 10, all the "items" she had kept on each of us from when we were born. My birth announcement, shoes, pictures, etc. I cherish them.
Thank you for your walk down memory lane which leads me to have my own once again.
I love this post! And your lovely box and all it's special treasures---I love seeing stuff like that. Oh gosh, you know I'm a "pearl girl"...I am loving those pretty pearls! I inherited all my Mom's and I will always love them.
P.S. all of us Senior girls graduating received a Lane Cedar chest small box right before Commencement. I see alot of the other ladies did as well.
I love your box of beautiful treasures! Thank you for sharing them with us...such wonderful memories.
What an adorable post, Diana - and I adore that box of 'memory slips' - that's more special than anything else!!!
It was the best present ever. And a very generous one. How wonderful to have a young one who has finally reached an age where she can appreciate the value of this special gift, not so much in dollars but in heart and love and history.
Dear Diana,
So lovely that you have all the treasures, and helps remind us of our loved ones.
Such a thoughtful and kind gift for your 60th birthday present.
I too love pearls and my husband brought me a lovely necklace for my birthday one year, which I love to sometimes wear when I go out.
Hope you are enjoying summer
hugs
Carolyn
Beautiful treasures !
My grandma's pearl necklace and bracelet would have to be top of my list, I like to just run my fingers over them, knowing her fingers had done likewise...…
Hugs,
~Jo
The memory box is a wonderful gift, as is the tissue wrapped bracelet.
All so sweet I love that box your mom got as payment for helping the person with a ride. What a great memory from a time of pure snd dimple ways to thank someone. Up to my eyeballs in paint this week. Will catch up soon.
Hugs
Kris
What a bunch of precious things, and memories. The pearls are GAWJUS!!!! Liz would've totally worn those. I love the strip of paper saying you always let them keep pets they'd find. Oh dear ... xoxo
I love what you found in your moms box. What treasures and the story about your son, the $20.00 he had for Christmas and the rock made me laugh out loud but the fairy necklace? The "best evah" necklace is the prize piece :)
Amusing Diana....it is all about the little things....
Pretty much along the same ideas as here:) Truly.
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