Day 19

1. Thank you to the potential landlord for meeting with us and listening to our story. For the first time in months, I feel like we actually have a shot at getting a place. 
2. Thank you to the library for carrying Wise Man's Fear. I've been wanting to read it for awhile, and I've really been wanting to get engrossed in a good book. 
3. Thank you Cartoon Network for making Regular Show and Teen Titans. It's so awesome to have a show that's awesome and funny for kids and parents.
4. Thank you to my wife for encouraging me to start drawing zentangles again. I've sorely missed it. We both need to take time to be creative. 
5. Thank you to me for sticking strong and watching what I eat and losing two pounds! They are the first of many!

Day 18

1. Thank you to the people at Metro Care Ring for being so awesome, helpful and caring.
2. Thank you the woman with the apartment for being understanding when my mother in law couldn't make it and letting us set up another appointment for tomorrow. I'm really hoping this one will work out!
3. Thank you to my wife for searching everywhere to find the charger for her work kindle so I could use it to read library books.
4. Thank you to the library for having such an awesome selection of ebooks. There are so many things I want to read that it's hard to choose!
5. Thank you to the manufacturers of Nuwave oven for making it large enough to fit a 12 inch pizza. Buying it from the store/making our own is the only way we could afford to have pizza right now, and we don't have an oven in the room. Your awesome product has really been helpful to have throughout this whole ordeal.

Day 17

1. Thank you to my family for having a lazy day with me. It's nice to do nothing once in awhile
2. Thank you to my wife for being patient while I looked at endless makeup tutorials. 
3. Thank you to my wife for letting me practice my newfound skills on her face. 
4. Thank you to the internet for helping me find a very promising apartment. We may have a place to live by this weekend!
5. Thank you to our therapist for being so awesome and attentive. You put a lot of time and effort to establish a rapport with our family. I know it's your job to listen, but you always go above and beyond to help us.

Day 16

1. Thank you to the mechanic for getting our car fixed quickly and relatively cheaply. I was really starting to worry about my wife's future employment if we didn't have a car.
2. Thank you to my wife for taking over bed time and giving me a break.
3. Thank you to my wife for helping me plan my awesome temple in Minecraft.
4. Thank you to my son for being so helpful throughout the day and doing extra cleaning.
5. Thank you internet for the recipe for vegan banana "ice cream". It's super good and super healthy. It's definitely going to be a staple in my house this summer.

Day 15

A day late again, but I got stranded without a car! By the time I got home and got the kids in bed, I just wanted to go to sleep myself. So I did.

1. Thank you body for just going to sleep. I know it's usually pretty hard for you to wind down and what not, but yesterday was a long day and I was glad that for once I didn't need to fall asleep with the tv on, or spend time winding down or anything like that. No sleep anxiety, just sleep.
2. Thank you my oldest son for being so awesome at doing your chores! You've gotten so much better in the past couple days and I'm so proud of you!
3. Thank you circumstances or whatever for taking us down the route I had been down and finding the apartments I wanted to call! No vacancies now, but here's hoping we'll have an apartment by the 15th!
4. Thank you hotel for not raising our rates. We saw the new sign outside, and I was panicking a bit. It was nice to know that it was for nothing.
5. Thank you to my mother in law for lending us her car so we could go to the store and get things done while our car was (still) in the shop. 

Day 14

1. Thank you King Soopers for having breakfast sausage on sale! My wife was able to make us a delicious breakfast of pancakes, eggs, and sausage!
2. Thank you Colorado for the gorgeous day!
3. Thank you to my family for being up for a mini adventure today! It was great spending the whole day outside!
4. Thank you nature for the awesome nature sighting day! I saw two water fowl I can't identify, a snake, a ton of cool beetles, squirrels, ants...just a ton of awesome animals. 
5. Thank you to my family for just being awesome. Today was one of the best days I've had  in a long time, and it was amazing to disconnect from tv and phones and spend the day together enjoying each other's company. I love you all so much and I wish every day could be like today. Today was perfect <3

Day 13

1. Thank you to  our out of town friends for being a little late to give me a chance to shake my bad mood so I was able to enjoy the rest of the day.
2. Thank you to Belleview Park for having the coolest children's train. It was a lot of fun to ride with my kids and the new friends they made at the park.
3. Thank you to the lady running the Schwan's booth for letting your son hang out with mine. I think it was helpful to you too since you were working, but it was great for him to have someone his age to play with all day.
4. Thank you to Schwan's lady for giving my son an ice cream on the house! That was very nice of you!
5. Thank you to Dollar Tree for having some really awesome summer toys! What I got would have cost a lot more than $3 anywhere else, but $3 is about what I can afford right now, so it was cool to be able to get my son some cool toys to play with at the park. 

Day 12

I know this is a day late. But yesterday was one of those days that was pretty bad,  and I honestly needed some space from the day to find things to be grateful for (I know, I know.) But this exercise has been really helpful, and after going to bed to clear my head and taking some time to think it over, I did come up with some things to be thankful for.

1. Thank you to my oldest for being patient with me when I'm being grumpy, and for calling me out on it and telling me when I need to come down. I'm so proud of you for being so aware. It takes quite a four year old to realize that it's not you, it's just mommy being a grumpy butt.
2. Thank you to my wife for being patient with me when I was having a bad day, and for not letting me drag you down with me. That made all the difference in improving my mood.
3. Thank you to the car for waiting until after my wife's appointment to break down. It was a really important appointment that she waited a long time to get to, so it really is a good thing that she was able to get there. 
4. Thank you to my wife's friend Katie for lending her the car to get to work, and for going above and beyond and letting us borrow it over night to see our friends from out of town.
5. Thank you Country Buffet for making the yummiest macaroni and cheese. Your food used to be a little yucky, but you've really stepped it up and it's exactly the comfort food I needed last night. 

Day 11

1. Thank you choremonster for getting my son to finally clean up without a fight! He actually asked  to do more chores so he could play the chore game!
2. Thank you Dad for calling to chat. We had a great conversation. We've always been really close, but I feel like our relationship has been getting stronger and stronger lately and I love it.
3. Thank you r/freebies for showing me the recycling website that gets you magazine subscriptions! There are a couple magazines I've been wanting but haven't had money for the subscription and I was able to very quickly earn enough points to get the magazines I wanted
4. Thank you to my schedule or the universe or whoever conspired so I could have a nice lazy day. It's so nice to have a day with no demands on my time!
5. Thank you LeVar Burton for the wonderful AMA! It was so inspiring, especially when you responded to the post of the kid who's teacher gave his spot on Reading Rainbow to someone else because he wasn't a strong reader. I love that you are making his dreams come true 20 years later! Sometimes the internet is such a beautiful place, and reading that story made my day!
6. Bonus Thanks to John Green for another awesome AMA, especially coming of Fault in Our Stars days ago! It was very inspiring to know that you struggle with anxiety as well. Your AMA inspired me to write again!

Day 10

1. Thank you Levar Burton for kickstarting Reading Rainbow! I can't afford an Ipad or a Kindle, and I was pretty sad that my kids had to miss out on the Reading Rainbow app because we can't afford fancy electronics. Now they don't, and I'm so excited to share such a big part of my childhood with them!
2. Thank you to my wife for taking Kevin to work with you so I could get a bit of a break. The baby slept the whole time so I got a chance to watch a movie I've been meaning to watch and just veg out. It was great.
3. Thank you Kevin for having a relatively easy bed time for once! It makes the whole night better for everyone and it's better for you too (even if you think it's not).
4. Thank you to my Dad for the awesome compliment. Knowing that you think I'm "one of the most creative people you know" means a lot to me. 
5. Thank you to my brother in law for trying so hard to get us set up with Verizon, even when you hit roadblock after roadblock. We really appreciate that you keep trying!

Day 9

1. Thank you John Green for writing The Fault in our Stars. It's one of the best books I've ever read. That eulogy sounds a lot like what I'd write for my wife. So thanks for making me cry like a child. But seriously, it's a great book.
2. Thank you to my family for an awesome evening of playing at the park and hiking. There is nothing as restorative to the soul as a great nature hike, except for maybe a good book. 
3. Thank you Dollar Tree for selling popsicle molds for a dollar so we can have all the popsicles!
4. Thank you to my wife for power leveling me in Borderlands! I want to play with Mordecai more, but I've been too lazy to dump hours into leveling when I have a high level Siren already :D
5. Thank you to my wife for taking the cutest picture ever of the kids and I!
   
   

Day 8

1. Thank you Memorial Day for the extra long weekend! 
2. Thank you Metro Legal Assistance for helping us find a low cost bankruptcy lawyer!
3. Thank you mother in law for working so hard to help us find a place to live! Even if living with your friend doesn't work out, you've done more than anyone else to help us out of this situation.
4. Thank you to my wife for watching the baby so I could spend some special time playing outside with Kevin! We haven't had very much mommy and Kevin time lately, and it really made a difference!
5. Thank you to my wife for the incredible sexy times. I know I don't have the highest libido and I'm not always in the mood, but reminding me of last night should do the trick! I love you soooo much!

Day 7

1. Thank you car for making it all the way to Boulder before you died so that my wife wasn't stranded in between
2. Thank you for only needing a jump! We couldn't afford anything else right now. Hang in there little car, we'll get you fixed soon!
3. Thank you EBT for covering formula! My little guy needs to eat until I get my supply back up, and that shit is expensive!!
4. Thank you to my Dad and Step Mom for being so accepting of my wife and I when she came out as trans. It means so much to us to have supportive family, and you two have always been there for us through everything!!
5. Thank you Cherry Cricket and Man vs Food for introducing me to the Goober Burger (hamburger with cheddar cheese, egg and peanut butter). That is going to be my favorite burger till the end of time!

Day 6

1. Thank you library for getting Kick Ass 2 in early. I've been really wanting to see that movie, and it's always nice to get something sooner than you thought!
2. Thank you Natalie and Jude for spending an awesome afternoon at the park with us! It was nice to get out of the house!
3. Thank you whoever made the Beetlejuice DVD for putting episodes of the cartoon in the special features! I haven't seen it in years, and it was a really nice surprise!
4. Thank you to my wife and son for making frozen chocolate bananas, strawberries and blueberries! It was a really awesome treat!
5. Thank you Sid Meier for making Alpha Centauri! It's one of the best games I've ever played. The story line is fantastic!

Sorry for the late post, I was having some connection issues last night!

Day 5

1. Thank you for Kevin for playing quietly when you woke up so you didn't wake up your brother! It's so much easier to ease into the day and then have to immediately start juggling between the demands of both kids!
2. Thank you dad for posting the interesting article on the Tiny House movement. It was a very interesting read, and it's definitely given me something to think about it terms of our future housing situation.
3. Thank you to the God of Good Dental Hygiene for my son's great dentist appointment! No cavities and everything looks great -- hopefully it will stay that way!
4. Thank you library for offering printing services. It would have been really difficult to get all my employment paper work together otherwise, since my printer is currently packed away in another city!
5. Thank you weather for the awesome thunderstorm! I love a good storm, and it feels so much cooler and refreshing outside now that it's rained. It's a beautiful summer evening!

Day 4

1. Thank you to my wife for showing me Alpha Centauri. It's one of the best, most absorbing games I've ever played. 
2. Thank you  to my son's friend  and his family for having a play date with us! It was great watching my son play and have so much fun! He's really missed playing with kids his own age.
3. Thank you to 7cupsoftea.com for being a great place for people to listen and be listened to! Being a listener has been an incredible experience. I really felt like I was in the right place at the right time to help someone who needed my specific knowledge, and it's a wonderful feeling. I hope I truly helped them!
4. Thank you to my wife for knowing me so well! I woke up in a really grumpy mood, and you knew to not only approach me delicately, but how to help me turn my day around! I love you so much, every single day with you is a gift. I couldn't imagine a better partner.
5. Thank you to my new friend for reaching out and making a connection! It's hard for me to make friends, and I almost never chat with strangers. You were just so friendly and funny and interesting that for once, it was easy. For the first time in a long time I feel like I've made a new friend! I can't wait to keep talking and hanging out with you!

Day3

1. Thank you my oldest son for suggesting we make strawberry pancakes for breakfast. They were amazing, and a great way to start the day!
2. Thank you my youngest son for making a little more progress breastfeeding today. I was starting to get really disheartened and thinking I might have to give up, but today you did a much better job! Now I'm optimistic again, and ready to get you back to breastfeeding full time. Let's get rid of that formula!
3. Thank you to my wife for your quick thinking putting out the fire I started in the kitchen! I don't know what I'd do without you! (Side note, it was just a small fire. I was heating some oil in the pan and went to do something else. It flashed, and caught on fire and my wife put it out immediately before it could cause any damage).
4. Thank you brother in law for getting an order in for our new phones! I've had this piece of crap excuse for a phone for too long. It will also be nice to switch carriers. I'm not a big fan of Sprint, and having to go through my step-dad for everything was difficult to say the least
5. Thank you William Goldman for writing the best movie of all time. I ADORE Princess Bride, and I'm so happy that I was able to share it with my son. Now he LOVES it! He wants to be Wesley for Halloween! There is nothing better than sharing special bits of your childhood with your children and having them love them as much as you did! 

Day 2

1. Thank you to my wife for getting up early and making the most delicious french toast and coffee for breakfast. It was a wonderful start to the day!
2. Thank you to my wife for cleaning and organizing the whole place!
3. Thank you to the library for the awesome story time. It was a great way to have some special time with just me and my oldest son. The two of us haven't been able to do something with just the two of us in a long time! It was wonderful to snuggle up and listen to stories and do crafts together. 
4. Thank you weather for the hail storm! It was fun to snuggle up and watch Star Trek with the family, and it was a lot of fun to go outside after the storm and look at the pieces of hail with the kids. We got to sneak in a little science lesson about how rain and hail are made, and I love surprise science!
5. Thank you cherry kool-aid for being so delicious!

Day 1

• Thank you my little baby for sleeping through the night so I could get a decent amount of sleep
• Thank you to the helpful friend who lent us money to help out with our rent for the week. It's great to know we have some support throughout this ordeal.
• Thank you /u/engraced for gifting me an awesome book so I had something to read while waiting for SO to finish up her class
• Thank you Target for having giant Charleston Chews on sale so I could have an awesome treat
• Thank you world for the gorgeous day. It was lovely having a picnic at the park for dinner and taking pictures of baby guy playing with his big brother at the park for the first time.

A less dramatic introduction

Greetings! I am the Yeti, and my mantra is happiness. You've stumbled upon my happiness blog! This blog is partially in response to a Reddit contest from RAoA, but it's been something I've been considering for quite some time. Each day for the next month (and hopefully into the future following the contest!) I will write about something that made me happy that day. This should lead a perspective shift -- instead of focusing on the negatives in life and seeing where things go wrong, I should begin to focus on the positives, leading to more happiness overall. So, without further ado I bring you the Yeti's new mantra: Happiness. :D

The Mantra Sounds

Picture a peaceful village, situated in a mountain valley. A soft covering of snow blankets the ground. It's late, and the activities of the village have come to a close for the day. A few of the windows are still lit with the soft light of fires in the hearth, warming the villagers as they ready for bed. A soft breeze rustles through the pines. Suddenly, the silence is broken by a rhythmic chanting coming from the mountains above. The villagers turn their heads towards the mountains, nonplussed. It is simply that time of the night, the time when the Yeti's mantra rings down the valley. I am the Yeti, and this is my mantra.