Obviously, I love my husband. My son. My family. My friends. And Grin. But there are also things I love. I know, I know. You should not be in love with material possessions. But I am. So there.
There are things that make my life easier. Then, there are those that I’m pretty certain I might run back in for in a fire. This is not limited to household appliances or electronics but also things I use on a regular basis and for which I have a strong affinity. When Oprah unveils her favorite things, people nearly maim one another to get their hands on the coveted items. I’m guessing I’ll have the same effect.
1. Cuisinart Griddler – We’ve had a Griddler for a little over a year and I absolutely heart it. It includes panini plates and griddle plates that can be switched out with the click of a button. We make eggs, bacon and flapjacks on it and of course, delicious grilled sandwiches. The best part: The plates are dishwasher safe. Amazing. Just sad I didn’t think of it.
2. One-Cup Coffee Wonder – Whether you have a Keurig or a Tassimo, I don’t think you’re likely to hear any major haters on these products. I am a one-cup coffee drinker anyway so to make a big pot is a waste for me. And of course, I can never figure out how much water to coffee I should put in my wee little pot we’ve had for the last 5 years and thus, I just banished the brew altogether. We were gifted a Tassimo for Christmas and have an obsession with it already. Revolutionizing caffeine one jolt at a time.
3. Canon PowerShot – As far as point and shoot cameras go, imo, you can’t go wrong with a Canon PowerShot. I’ve tried Nikon, Kodak and the like and these little guys surpass them all in sharpness of snapshots and crispness of color. We’ve had 3 … we lost 1 and Barrett stepped on one… and keep going back. The most recent one we got was on sale for less than 100 bones. What’s not to love about capturing memories…
4. Ojon Rub-Out Dry Cleanser – Whether you are a mom, a college student, a full-time career woman or a lady of leisure, the last thing you want to spend your time doing is getting ready for the day. I hate the amount of time it can take out of my day to really get my do did. I recently purchased dry shampoo and I am absolutely transfixed. It’s truly transformed my week. It sounds disgusting but I only suds up my strands four times in the last two weeks and my hair has managed to not look like it’s been inhabited by a grease monkey. It doesn’t have to be Ojon (which oddly smells a bit like the spray my grandmother used to use to cover up her smoking habit) but buy yourself some sanity and skip the sudsing every once and awhile.
5. Pilot G2 pens – I know that it’s currently all the rage to fly like a G6 but when it comes to my pens, I stick with G2. Anyone who knows me can tell you I am a master doodler. I’ve addressed wedding invites for friends, I’m often asked to write cards and notes for the office… I take great pride in legible penmanship. Pilot G2s have been my go-to pen for quite some time and I prefer to track my thoughts with these inexpensive gel pens. I buy mine at Costco {another one of my favorite things} so I get them even cheaper than cheap. If you are a pen person, I recommend these for the smooth stroke and fine tip.
6. Calmoseptine Ointment – A fellow mother gifted me Calmoseptine Ointment as a baby gift. I had no idea what it was and had no thoughts that I would use it for. Enter Barrett on antibiotics. Probiotics were no match for Barrett’s diaper debacles as an infant and his aversion to milk and soy made for runny, icky, yucky, greeny, sticky, snotlike stools. Which in turn, made his bum a red, rashy, yeasty mess. Calmoseptine Ointment, to this day, is the only match for Barrett’s burning bottom. I swear by it and give it to anyone I know who’s bearing a babe. You generally have to ask for it at your pharmacy as it is likely behind the counter, not with the diaper or calamine lotions.
7. Tweezerman Tweezers – In general, I am in love with Sephora. These just happen to be one of the many wonderful purchases I’ve made at Sephora. I am beyond satisfied with these tweezing demons. I have never been a tweezer of my own eyebrows. I’ve long waxed off my woolies. After Barrett was born, I found myself with far less time for appointments and also drastically less disposable dollars. Tweezing, for me, was somewhat akin to torture. I would cry {okay, my eyes would water}, I would sneeze, my nose would run. If I wanted that, I would run through a cornfield…not beautify my brows. But with a set of Tweezermans, I am able to pluck quite pleasurably. They are so sharp, they whisk the strays away and cause me little heartache. They are a bit spendy for a pair of pinchers but I am told they last forevs. I’ve had mine for 4 months and they are still sharp as a whip.
8. Blogger – I began blogging when I was 14 and a half weeks pregnant with Barrett, or to those who knew him when, Snowball. After some encouragement with three of my favorite Texas ladies, Tiff, Jess and Trisha, I decided I’d try my hand at being a blogger. It’s not that I thought my life was all that fascinating but to be perfectly honest, I thought that my perspective on being preggo with eggo was way funnier than some of the other things I’d read. And of course, much more real and unguarded. So I signed on. Babyonthebrehm is now one of my very favorite things…which I suppose can sound narcissistic…but I really don’t want that. It’s become so many things for me. A baby book {albeit less conventional than the one my mom did for me} for B and Grin. A calming creative outlet. A surprising source of quiet confidence. A respite of sorts, for a woman in flux at times. It’s something that is mine and one thing that I’ve not quit. I have a good feeling that because of these facts, this will remain in my top 10 for some time.
9. Dyson Vacuum – Our vacuum totally sucks. It has been sucking, without fail, for over three years and I have a bit of a love affair with it. We bought it after going through 2 other vacuums in two years and have no regrets regarding this purchase. The best part is the extendable hose. It pops out up to 17 ft and allows me to suck up everything from floor scraps to corner cobwebs.
10. GripStic – My mom stuffed these in our stockings for Christmas and I think they are gold. I am constantly losing those little bag clips from the top of my chip/snack/goody bags and these have been a refreshing find. They can seem a little tricky on first use but once you get the hang of these wonder sticks, they are a fresh-keeping friend.
I could think of a few things for Honorable Mention including the Boppy (in year’s past and in the year ahead), NARS Multiple stick in a hue who’s name makes me blush, Lancome Definicils Mascara, Expressionary Custom Address Stamps and Amazing Grace lotion by Philosophy. While I realize that adding these things completely outs me in regards to my makeup/skincare/overall girliness obsession, I’m okay with that.
So, you should simply remember your fave things and share them with me. Or try out some of mine and let me know what you think!
