Happy things with which to end the week

It's Friday. Sweet, sweet Friday. I have a fun day planned with my first graders and then the entire weekend is stretched out ahead of me {full of report card writing, but still...}

Here are some other things that are making me smile at November's mid-point:

I got the email yesterday to tell me who my partner is this year in Micaela's ornament swap! I'm so excited to be paired up with a girl who loves all things vintage and lives in an old farmhouse in Connecticut! How fabulous is that? I can't wait to go shopping/thrifting for the perfect ornament for her.

After running errands yesterday, I arrived home to discover Kate Morton's brand new hardcover, The Secret Keeper, on my front steps {thank you, Charlotte!} How totally perfect, as I'd only just finished The Distant Hours the night before. Really must finish those report cards, so I can dive headlong into a good book.

Singing and dancing along to the oh-so-wonderful  She & Him Christmas album makes vacuuming so much more fun.

I made my dad a delicious {and dare I say, beautiful?} black forest cake for his birthday. It was a new recipe for me, but it turned out so well, didn't it? And the birthday boy liked it, too.

And a few more things, because I'm feeling rather cheerful at 7 o'clock on a school morning:
* I'm baking with my class this afternoon. We're going to read If You Give a Moose a Muffin and then we're making {you guessed it} muffins. Fun!
* I'm going to a Christmas craft fair after work today {my first this year}. I love a Christmas craft fair, don't you? Can't wait to stock up on pretty paper products.
* Yesterday was payday, which means some sort of takeout for dinner tonight! I'm thinking Noodle Box...
* There's a house down the street that has Christmas lights up! I love the bit of colour and twinkle on a dark, wintry morning.

Happy Friday, friends! Have a good one.
E xo