On Saturdays, I share three simple things that brought me happiness during the week. These posts may grow or change as time passes. Please feel free to share your own simple joys in the comments section!

November 17-23
Family Visits
My cousin and cousin-in-law drove from the West Coast to visit their East Coast family for a couple of weeks (you read that right–they were in the car for 41 hours!). On Sunday afternoon, we meandered through my small hometown, laughed a lot, and ate more ice cream than we needed.
Also this week, my brother made the shorter drive from the Northeast to NC. As always, he overflowed with jokes.
Aimless Shopping
Wednesday morning, I realized that I had no afternoon obligations. For the first time in months, I wandered through stores with no agenda. The shopping trip was incredibly relaxing!

The Day After Thanksgiving
With the belief that we could endure sub-freezing temperatures, my family planned a Blue Ridge Parkway trip for yesterday. As we entered the Parkway, heavy fog shielded any gorgeous views. Nonetheless, we had a great day (I’ll post photos early next week), and we ate great burgers at the Come Back Shack.