A few of my favorite things…

Okay so I know this has probably been done a million times, but my favorite blogger – Anna (from an Inch of Gray) recently wrote about her favorite things and then asked at the end “what are your favorite things?” And I thought what the heck, why not, I will write my favorite things in response to her favorite things.

Now you have to remember as Anna says we are not doing this Oprah handing out new cars and shizzle; we are doing this middle class housewife I got a new coffee pot style.

1. My iPhone with my Otterbox Case

Okay, okay so those are two things, but I am doing the counting here so it counts as one. I love my phone, I can read on it, work on it, talk to Siri on it, play solitaire on it, surf the web on it, watch TED talks on it – it is the greatest thing ever. Notice I didn’t say talk on it – I can do that on it, too, but I don’t actually like to talk on the phone really, so I think that is why I love this phone so much it does so many more things than just allowing you to talk on it. Now, I had to add the Otter box case and this is why. When I went in to upgrade my phone I asked the gentleman helping me (or the 19-year-old college kid) behind the counter what was the best case for a mom of four, who may be a little absent-minded at times and leave her phone on the top of her car or maybe be too frazzled at the grocery store so she lets her two-year-olds play with it and he took his phone off his belt loop and said this is the case for you. And then he proceeded to toss his phone against the wall of the store where it dropped at the feet of another salesman who also threw it against the opposite wall before returning the phone to its owner. Talk about IMPRESSED – I HAD to have that case for my new BELOVED phone. I know it is just a thing, but I have to admit, I kind of LOVE it and you can’t have one without the other .

2. My tomato plants

My husband actually grows them for me (I kill anything plant related; it’s a special gift) and I LOVE them. We get them at Home Depot or Lowe’s and plant them and I eat tomatoes straight off the plant; I eat them with mozzarella, basil and vinaigrette for lunch or dinner. I just love walking outside and picking something straight off the plant and being able to eat it.

3. My uggs

These were a gift from my parents and now they are one of my most favorite things. If you know me; I wear these often. I don’t like to be cold and these just make me warm and cozy all day long. Did I mention I am from California; I know nothing like a California girl putting on a pair of sheepskin boots in 50 degree weather, but I tell you it really makes my day to put these on my feet.

4. My necklace

I have a charm necklace with each of my children’s names engraved on a separate charm, and then paired with the feather from Stella & Dot. I LOVE this piece of jewelry and wear it everyday. I got my daughter’s charm from Posh Mommy and the boys’ charms from an Etsy shop that I can’t remember, and then like I said the feather is Stella & Dot. I love being a mom and this just showcases to the world the best part of me and so it is one of my favorite things.

5. My grandpa’s sign:

This sign was in my grandpa’s house and my mom brought it to me after they cleaned up his things when he passed away and this sign always reminds me of his sense of humor, his love for my grandmother, and not to sweat the small stuff.

6. My We Can Do Hard Things Sign

This sign was a gift and the inspiration for the 25 Days of holiday cheer. I reached out to a dear friend after having a hard day. She listened intently. Made me feel better and then three days later the sign showed up on my door step unannounced. This sign was the beginning of my journey that you have been reading about on this blog. It reminds me that WE CAN DO HARD THINGS – even if the hard things are first world problems like wake the kids up for school or remembering to be vulnerable when I walk out my front door. I love this sign and everything it represents. The one below is from Barn Owl Primatives, but I also made 18 of them myself buying all the supplies at Micheal’s (my friend Janet lovingly made the other 7).

7. My Journal

I am loving my journal. I started it because of the Brene Brown/Oprah Winfrey Lifeclass and I just kind of love it now. It is something that I will keep up in addition to this blog. It has so helped me LIVE OUT LOUD. The journal itself is just something I picked up in the  Art Supplies at Micheal’s. A friend of mine, who is a much better shopper, got hers at Walmart on sale. To have your own journal, you just need to let the creativity flow. Don’t just write in the journal, draw in it, paint in it, doodle in it; stamp in it; make lists; copy song lyrics, copy poems, etc. and  you will really love what shows up on the pages; I know I did and still do.

8. Any Shirt with Thumbholes:

Okay if you have not experienced these yet, you are TOTALLY MISSING OUT! Why I didn’t think of this? I truly don’t know because I have been pulling my sleeves over my hands for like 20+ years. Any way, I like to be warm and well this makes my hands as warm as my feet are in my uggs. So if you don’t know thumbholes yet, basically your shirt sleeves are long enough that there is a little hole for your thumb to fit through and badda-bing your shirt is now a half glove – seriously these things make me so HAPPY. I could be having the crappiest day ever and if I am wearing a shirt with thumbholes, well watch out world because nothing is going to bring me down. I’m just sayin’.

The last two you can probably guess because I kind of love these things a lot and am not afraid to shout it from the rooftops.

9. Starbucks Vanilla Non-Fat Chai Latte.

Just the smell of it makes me happy. Enough said.

10. HOT TAMALES

Again I see a box and the world is a happier, better place, enough said.

And if I could have an 11th favorite thing (I was trying to limit myself to 10) it would be the Justin Timberlake/Jimmy Fallon Hashtag Skit – this always cheers me up: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57dzaMaouXA

#THATSHOWWEDO

And that my friends is a few of my favorite things; what are your favorite things?