Favorite Things

Once again, some light to brighten the darkness! I should start by saying, severe insomnia and favorite things do not go hand in hand! Here are a few a ton of my favorite things. I surely didn't realize I had so many until I started listing them ;o]

I was once one who could take coffee, or leave it. That was until my friend came back from Wisconsin with some Berres Brothers coffee in hand. We have been ordering up a storm ever since ;o)

 Uncle Eddies vegan cookies are my very favorite. I hardly ever eat them, because they are bad, and I seriously can take out a whole bag in one sitting. My favorite are the peanut butter chocolate chip.

These were my new Costco find. This is not really my thing, but oh my gosh...they are out of this world. They are Julie's organic strawberry yogurt bars. They are worth every 2.5 grams of fat, 100 calories, and I think 17 grams of sugar. YUM!

 I found this picture on Google images, and laughed, because this is exactly how I feel about them. Bag ripped open. Chip in hand. Face hiding behind, because the bag is almost empty, and no one else is home!  They are baked, and have the added bonus of not having all of the other crap in them that usually goes along with a kind of good for you chip!

When we spent 3 long months in the hospital, I developed a severe addiction to Fruit Mentos. I can eat a roll of these in 1 minute, 24 seconds. I eat the yellow, pink, then act like I am going to leave the rest for someone else, because I am not wild about the leftovers, but end up eating them all as they patiently sit waiting.

If I eat junk like this, which is rare, these are my 'go to.' I love them with all my heart. I use my very same Fruit Mentos methodology with these.

Oh, where do I begin?  Well, I guess at the beginning...my mom ate a ton of Taco Bell when she was pregnant with me. So, I blame her for my tostada, and potato taco fixation!  As you can see, Taco Bell and I go way back. I must admit, it's a love affair, and I don't care!

Can you believe when I was growing up, I used to give my heart away??? I love artichokes so very much, and my roommate/closest friend and I have the very same affection. Dave was dumbfounded the very first time he was at our apartment in Chico, and saw us sit down, and quickly annihilate two perfectly innocent artichokes. 

Some things never change, she came last Monday to pattern with two artichokes in hand. We sat at my table, and it felt just like old times ;o)

I have a picture to share with you, but maybe later. 

Oprah featured this many, many years ago. I wanted one, but never got it. So this year, as I watched her favorite things show, she brought the Breville Panini Press back from the vault. I knew I had to have one. It is the BEST, of the BEST. My favorite is pesto, with havarti cheese. Can you tell I am slipping away from my vegan goal.

The garlic twist is THE BEST garlic device ever in America. It is one stop garlicing. Yeah, that's not a word, but I am leaving it!! Easy like Sunday morning. If you love garlic, you will LOVE this!!

Can you tell I used to be an infomercial junkie??

Ah ha, in an assortment of colors too!! They have put out even more colors than this, too. Yes, I keep up on all garlic twist happenings.

My new love. I have had the Crate and Barrel ceramic bowls for years. Therapy is making me old, and tired, so I don't want to waste my energy lifting a heavy stinkin' bowl. I have been eyeballing these babies for a while. I LOVE how light they are. I love the pour spout. I love the handle. I love the varying sizes. I love how many there are. I love the no slip grip on the bottom of each one. 

The only things holding me back were: the melamine they were made out of, even though they are BPA free, it just felt weird. I also wasn't wild about the fact that you cannot microwave them, you know to melt butter for baking. I took the plunge, and boy am I glad I did. I am in love!

A plain yellow towel, how do I love thee...let me count thy ways. We bought our house 10 years ago (YIKES) and for 9 1/2 I used those cutely decorated seasonal towels from Crate and Barrel. I have two sets for each holiday. Yes, you heard me...I had a sickness. It's not funny. 

Now, my only question is, isn't a towels number one job to absorb?? Those never, ever absorbed any water, and just pushed it back, and forth, and all around. Why did I keep buying them?? The designs called my name, I still have to look the other way when I walk by them ;o(

This is the masterpiece I found at Williams Sonoma. They come in solid, boring colors: a faded red :o( a nice bright, cheery yellow, a yucky blue, and a beautiful stark white, that is until you use it once. I do believe they are a chamois, incognito. They work exactly like one! They are phenomenal!!

Yep, I am a coaster girl. I grew up using coasters. I love all different types, and for some reason I don't feel you can ever have too many. These were a gift from Dave's sister, Dinah. I love all things rustic, so they were the perfect!

Fire in the house? People, pets, pictures, Apple TV. If you are a music lover, you have got to have one of these. This is one the greatest creations ever. Your entire iTunes library coming out your system, and at your fingertips. I thought I had died and gone to heaven, but then the corresponding remote app. came out. I didn't think it could get any better, and it did!! 

The best app. ever?? Shazam. Yes, a music fanatics right hand man. Don't know who that is? Shazam it! You will have all you ever wanted, and more in less than a minute.

One of my favorite books to read when we first brought Aviana home!!

I have every Clifford book, and seriously love every single one!

Frog and Toad. Could there be anything better? I don't think so!!

I love this book to death. It was our most fun book to read Aviana. We all crawl into bed, and read Aviana a book before bed. Dave chose this one, and right when I saw the cover, I wasn't sure I could do it. Too many old memories :o(

I was at my friend Jen's house, and she has one of these for each of her boys. I instantly knew Aviana would love it. It lights up in purple, amber, and our family favorite...green!

It is Aviana's favorite part of going to bed. She moves her head all over looking at the moon, and all the stars on her ceiling. The neat part is, they are real constellations! How cool is that?

I love this girl! Her name is Frankie Stein, and she is a Monster High Doll. I think she is gorgeous! My mom thinks otherwise. I bought her for Aviana, and she likes her too!

So many bows, and no where nice to display them. That was my problem for years. I saw this on Etsy, and immediately ordered one for Avi. 

My new fixation took a slight turn from dog collars to dog tags. I love them so much!

We just got this one in the mail, and I have to say, Rainey wears it well!

This was a huge splurge, but I am SO glad we did it. It was Kama's all time favorite, and now it is Rainey's. The quality is awesome. I am convinced, I will never have to buy another again.

These are Silly Buddy collars, and they are the BEST! We just got this one in the mail. Rainey looks, well...radiant in it!!

Not only do they make the best dog collars, but in my experience they provide THE BEST customer service ever!! That sure is a rarity these days!

What the heck are these?? Deer antlers! I was at the end of my rope with the various animal parts being sold all over. These are naturally shed deer antlers, and are the best chew ever! They are organic. They hold up longer than any other item we have ever had. They are easy on the digestive system. They do not chip or splinter. They are clean, and have no scent either.

My cousin's dog, Cooper is the world's greatest chewer, and it even lasts him a while!

Halloween is my very favorite holiday. I love to decorate, so I am always looking around for the latest, and greatest scary stuff!

I think I am losing steam....Papyrus cards are my favorite. Before the accident I made all of my own cards, so I am really particular.

Oprah had this book on her list this year.  With books, Oprah and I usually have a difference of opinion, but not with this one! So many things that make you go, hmmmm!! 

I have always loved Scrabble, but Scrabble for iPad is the greatest thing ever. I don't have as much time as I wish I did to play, but I love it....big time!

I live in flip flops. They are my life. I love a flip flop with a heel on it, and these are my favorite!

I also live in tank tops. You will see me in them all year long. I run hot, so they are perfect!

Gilly Hicks is one of my new loves. The clothes are great quality, and they are very reasonably priced. They also have huge sales all the time. 

Their shorts are so comfortable, and super soft too!

I LOVE their pajama bottoms more than anything! They are super comfortable, and super cute to boot!

I have always wished I had super straight hair, but sadly, I don't. I have tried, what seems like, every flat iron known to man. For me, this one gets my crazy hair almost, as flat, as flat can be! This beauty is the Ultra Chi. I got it, on sale, at Ulta, with a free gift of a mini Chi. I then had a 20% off coupon too. What a deal!

I used to pride myself on the fact that I never needed to wear make up. Then one day, I woke up and said, "Crap, I think this girl needs a little make up!" I still only wear it out about 20% of the time, but I have become quite obsessed. I sure was missing out on all the fun! 

I usually don't like Mac products because I think their whole goal is to make you look like a street walker, but I do love this. It is their paint pot eyeshadow in Bare Study.

Along the way, I found this eyeshadow palette by Urban Decay. It is called Naked, and has almost everything you need in one spot. 

I have had chronic headaches since the age of 18. So, sunglasses are a must. I wear them rain or shine.

I love headbands so much, and actually have quite the collection. Many times, I will go to buy another, and ask Dave what he thinks of my potential buy, he says, "nice, but when do you think you might start wearing the million you already have?"

Here's the problem. Most squeeze my head like a vice. Even the ones that start off good, end up causing problems. For a person who has constant headaches, that doesn't work.

They also get caught in my sunglass arms, which makes them even more uncomfortable. I usually start with one on my head, and then within about an hour or two, it always finds its way into my purse.

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Okay, this was seriously exhausting. I think I might just be tired now ;o) I wish I could be like Oprah, and give you all one of each of these items, but I can't even come close. If you are still with me, I do want to give away a little something, so here's the deal, if you so choose to play....I will ask a question, and the first person to give the right answer wins!!

To be fair...

Check back in for the question today at 11am California time ;o)