project: small joys

So, when you're working full time and you have a two-year-old, the drudgery of life sometimes seems like it has no end. When said two-year-old is treating bathtime like you are dipping her in boiling acid, it's easy to see why, by the end of the day, I'm feeling bruised and battered. It's go, go, go from 5 a.m. until bedtime - wiping butts, wiping noses, wiping up messes, cleaning the dog's ever-infected ears, cleaning up toys, doing laundry, yardwork, blah blah blah until you find yourself asking your spouse, "Where's the joy?"

Which is not to say there is no joy in my life. Quite the opposite. I just don't think I take the time to appreciate it, because I'm too preoccupied with what the next chore on the list is. It's not good. Sure, this is probably the most complicated and responsibility-laden portion of my life so far, but there's lots of positive stuff to appreciate. So I've decided to stop and smell the proverbial roses - to start this occasional series called "project: small joys." This isn't about the major, obvious joys - this is about the little things that make your day brighter. That you look forward to. That put a smile on your face.

And with that, my first small joy is Starbucks' Caramel Frappuccino Light. I have found an excuse to have one of these every day this week. I'm a wee bit obsessed. I also found myself getting pissed when the girl forgot to drizzle the caramel on the one I had on Wednesday - or was it Tuesday? Oh, it's so delicious and happy-making. Frappuccinos are one of the things that define summer for me - and summer is definitely here, what with the 90+ degree weather we've had for the past week.

Silly, I know. But it's a small joy. What's yours?