I love you, yeah yeah yeah...

I saw this MeMe over here. I liked it because it was a little different...

What to do:

What I want to know is 10 NEW (not the same old thing) things you've discovered that you can't live without and why.

I'm talking practical, here.

Not Jesus or your family ... that's a given.

I'm talking PRODUCTS ... anything from groceries to toiletries to make-up to shoes. This will help us all discover new things we may want to try.

My list...

1} Method's Pink Grapefruit line of kitchen cleaners.
From soaps to dishsoaps, detergents to all purpose cleaners- i LOVE this stuff. I love the product, I love the smell and I love the scent that lingers in my house!

2} C.O. Bigelow lemon body wash.
Honestly, a shower never smelled more fresh.
(also, side note- I couldn't live without the C.O. Bigelow lip gloss and I LOVE their lemon sugar scrub.)

3} Yogi Teas.
LOVE Them! The Echinacea support, escpecially.
We can't get enough of this tea around here.

4} Room to Write.
This book was given to me by a totally cool friend and I can't say enough good things about it.
It's become my constant companion...

5} Supernatural.
allow me to morph into a fifteen year old for half a second please...
OMG!!!! seriously! When my local Sephora sales associate first pitched this miracle in a jar, to me, I was sceptical. Her tagline was "it's pretty much the same thing as Bare Minerals but easier, more compact and much more affordable."
And, as far as I'm concerned- she's right.

6} Hope in a Jar.
Of course, my blog is no secret to my obsession with this product.
When I blogged, some months ago, that I could no longer afford it and wasn't sure my skin could live without it, my readers sympathized.
My 2 months of other moisturizors and much sadness came to a climactic end on December 25th in the form of Sephora gift cards. (Thank you loving family!) My skin rejoiced and the truth, for me, is that I can't live without this.

7} This...
I know, I know. It probably shouldn't be on the list.
It is though. It goes with me, from house to car. To the gym, to my quiet times... It plugs into my stereo, as well as my car. It's vital to my sanity.

8} These jars.
I've bought them at IKEA, I currently buy them pretty much religiously at World Market.
I store everything in them, from buttons to spices. I make sugar scrubs and homemade soaps to fill them. I love these jars, in all sizes. Scattered about our kitchen they house dried fruits, candied pineapple, cinnimon and sugar (for toast), yogurt covered pretzels and so much more.

9} Sexy Hair Pumpkin Enzyme therapy mist.
I LOVE this product!
I love the way it smells, the way it makes my hair feel. It's flawless...
(I also have the hair mask and am a big fan of it as well!)

10} Goldy's Breakfast Bistro.
Very dear friends of us turned us on to this local treasure. Not only is it so amazing that it's made it's way- multiple times- into national magazines, but the average wait to get in on any given day is 2 hours. It has fantastic character, the MOST amazing food we've ever eaten and the best staff on the planet. If you live anywhere near Boise, and haven't been there- you need to go.
It is our family's FAVORITE spot.

p.s. had I of done this post a week ago, this would have been my number one...

those little girls in green....

I am really annoyed. Annoyed at all things girl scout, actually. So annoyed, in fact, that when they came knocking on my door offering to sell cookies- I did not answer.

That's right, I ignored them...

Oh, the willpower it took.

WASTE OF TIME apparently, because my husband opened the door on their second round through the 'hood and purchased a horde of Samoas.

Other than venting my frustrations to my husband, (and secretly wishing those coconut and caramel replicas of heaven were here so that I could show those girl scouts whose boss) I've pretty much kept my Girl Scout issue to myself.

Until now... I was deep into a project when life jolted me out of concentration and I realized that I needed a break. In normal fashion, I pulled up my reader and saw that one of my favorite bloggers, Darcie had posted about her own Girl Scout issue. It were as though blogger suddenly became my own support group forum. Before, I considered it some unspoken crime to badmouth the Scouts who are girls, (everyone already bad mouths the boys with their popcorn and calendar sales. Poor boys.) but today I saw that I was mistaken...

So.

Issue numero uno-

Several years ago Gen wanted to be in. I went to the orientation meeting and got weaseled into saying i would be willing to help with a new troop. Before I knew it, I had mom's calling me. I was listed as the leader of the new troop. There was no way I had time for that, so I declined gracefully and informed them that if that's what was expected in order for my daughter to be a girl scout, she'd be pulling out as well.

They bid us goodbye.

Fast forward to an entirely new state, and issue numero dos-

Genny wants to be a girl scout. Several mom's give me the number for the head office of troups in this area. I call. And call. For 12 weeks, I call once a week. No one phones me back. Cookie sales begin (in 2008) and I chalk it up to that. It gets pushed to the wayside until School begins, in September. Miraculously I phone them, and get a live person. "We'd love to have her! Print the registration form from our website and mail it in with her registration fee."

The woman was pleasant and I was happy.

I printed. I filled out. I mailed. I waited.

And waited.

And waited.

And on January 4th, a little girl came to our door selling cookies and I blew. Instead of answering the door I called. And called. And then, a few days later the newsletter for girl scouts and their families, in our area, was emailed to me. I replied and got a very nice woman. I explained the situation and she responded immediately. She CC'd me on an email to someone "higher up", saying this should resolve the "mix up".

It's the 21st. Are you as "shocked" as I am that I never heard anything back?

Something from Twilight, or maybe just the Office?

I was horrified, after grocery shopping saturday, to find this in my fridge.
By horrified, I mean that I felt actual horror.

We don't eat red meat and, this looked like blood.

Like a lot of blood...

We couldn't figure it out, as we followed it's heinous trail from the beneath the crisper, up...
we continued disassembling the refrigerator, slowly eliminating the possible culprits. There wasn't an area of this fridge that wasn't tainted...

and then... then we found the top shelf.
And found the source.
Beets.
Dwight would be proud...

Run Away...

If you have a few hours, this weekend, to sneak away for a lighthearted a beautiful escape- i totally and completely recommend Last Chance Harvey. Don't get me wrong, I didn't expect to hate it. I'd practically adore anything Emma is in because I think she is an unbelievably amazing and outstanding human being. That said, however, I didn't exactly think this film would be my thing.
Surprisingly- I loved it.
So, go see it. You deserve the heartwarming break...

Simple Woman's Daybook...

FOR TODAY- Monday, January 12, 2009...

Outside my window... the skies are cloud filled and grey. Our snow is nearly all melted.

I am thinking... of how I can possibly simplify everything, while still accomplishing all that needs to get done.

I am thankful for... friends, new and old. Last night was a night out, with a lot of fun. Just what I needed!

From the kitchen... I am re-establishing my meal plan organization, now that the holidays are over. It's cold enough outside, I'd love to spend the day baking.

I am wearing... grey yoga pants, a black sweatshirt and slip on sneakers.

I am creating... a birthday gift.

I am going... with Bekah, possibly, to get a nose ring. oye...

I am reading... The Journal of Mortifying Moments by Robyn Harding. Just started it last night.

I am hoping... that this week is a successful one, in which a lot of things, in many areas, are accomplished.

I am hearing... Genny write her school work, and the heater kick on. Other than that- silence.

Around the house... there are little bits of cleaning I need to tackle, cards I need to write and school projects we need to organize.

One of my favorite things... my husband's thoughtfulness, in the morning, when he's up hours before the rest of us.

A few plans for the rest of the week: some girlfriend time, school, some small writing goals, laundry, house stuff, a play date and reading...

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

For more, go here

Handmade consequences...

Oh... Some days ago Chicaustin posted, in all of her cleverness, about a flikr group she'd joined. It was chronicling the handmade things they'd created in 2008.
With it being my most handmade year ever, I knew I had to play along...
EXCEPT- Apparently I, she who practically lives with my Canon in front of my face, didn't take pictures. Or at least, many, that is. I made an additional quilt, SOOO many sets of monogrammed stationary, another apron, a children's apron, recipe cards and seriously- just a ton more stuff.
I mean, I flippin' stressed myself out FOR MONTHS, doing this handmade Christmas thing! Then, I was reminded of something KL said to me when she was here. She mentioned me not following through with my Advent thing, on this blog.
And I didn't.
and it was such a cool idea too.
Then I remembered all of the things I vowed to post and never did.

And I realized what my problem is... I stick way too much on my to do list and can't possibly get to it all... Sure, snapping a photo of a project wouldn't take more than a nano second- but when my mind (and to-do list) are racing with seven thousand other things needing my attention- well... I guess it's a little harder.

So this year, in 2009, I vow to change that.
I vow to stop and take deep breaths. I vow to take time to note my progress.
(and here's the big one....)
I vow to not commit to it, if I can't do it.


P.S. I hate flickr.

Images...

I love both of these. I know, they've been seen a million times... But I love them anyway. I try to be a big advocate for the whole "it only takes one person..." mentality...

A change...