Smiles for everyone! How do you keep your family happy?

Raising a family is hard enough in this tough economy, keeping everyone happy can be tougher. So how do you keep your family happy? Do you spoil them? Do you give them lots of attention? In my family, its the little things that keep everyone happy.

I have a 3 year old son, his name is Riley. He is my "wild" child. He is constantly moving and does not stop. He can be very sweet, yet very temper-mental (it's the age). I keep him happy by keeping him busy. He enjoys running around outside, so we will go outside and play tag. I walk with him while he rides his bicycle or scooter. He also loved playing hide & seek, so out of nowhere I will start counting and tell him to hide. He laughs when I am looking for him so I always know where he is hiding, but I pretend that I do not see him. I keep "looking" around and he will start laughing and say "Mama, here I am!" It's always great to hear him laughing and smiling.

I also have a 16 month old daughter, Brianna. She is my "cuddle bug". She loves attention and loves to cuddle and kiss. She has a very calm personality. I keep her happy by cuddling and kissing her all the time. She is my little explorer, always saying "that" and pointing. I tell her what it is and she moves on to the next thing.

My fiance is definitely the hardest person to keep happy. He works a lot, which can make him cranky. He is a "jack of all trades". He seriously can do anything that he puts his mind to. He loved to surf, ride his dirt bike and also loves music (he is a drummer at heart but also loves playing all types of guitars). I keep him happy by making his laugh at my corny jokes. I strongly feel that laughter is the key to the heart and making someone laugh can really make their day. I also encourage him to play his drums or check the surf report, pushing him to keep up with his hobbies, keeps him happy.

I also have to make myself happy. Keeping myself happy, keeps my family happy. I always make sure to have a little "me" time. "Me" time includes giving myself a manicure and pedicure, doing a little shopping, and taking time to the things that I enjoy (like blogging). I also get happy from making everyone else happy.

Happiness doesn't cost a dime, it just takes a little time and effort. Wikipedia's definition of happiness is "a mental state of well-being characterized by positive emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy." Happiness to me is seeing my family smile, watching my children learn and develop, and laughing so hard, I cry. So what do you do to keep your family happy?

I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Farm Rich blogging program, for a gift card worth $25. For more information on how you can participate, click here.