Wednesday, August 31, 2011

My Picks

These are some of my favorite things...I thought I'd share.

True Lemon packets
Brandi and Tris introduced me to these little satchels of joy. It's basically dried/crystalized lemons. I think one packet is the equivalent of one lemon and it's so fresh and delicious. You can cook with it, use it in dressings, or just put it in a drink. I pour it straight into water. I'm trying to be extra good about drinking plenty of water, because usually I don't. And having this stuff really helps. It doesn't make it sweet or lemonade-y, but gives it a nice, refreshing flavor. And lemon helps detox your body, so...that's good. They also have orange, grapefruit and lime. They do have lemonade packets, too, sweetened with Splenda. I don't know if you'll be as happy as the girl in the picture, but this stuff is really great. If you order from their website, you can get all four regular flavors in 32 count boxes for $14...free shipping...booyah!

Handmade sock animals
Looking for a super cute and unique baby gift? Go to Jocelyn's website...The Nesting Spot...and wander in awe at the adorableness. Everything is homemade and very high-quality...a.k.a. durable. I ordered two of the unicorns for the girls and they LOVE them. You can customize colors, too! Hey, Shane, I bet she could make Finn a shark.

Fruit Buddies
The brand is actually Buddy Fruits, but for some reason, we've always said Fruit Buddies. Lots of different companies make these now. Sprout, Happy Baby, GoGo Squeez, and a few others. There are vegetable and fruit mixtures, just veggies, just fruit. All of them have no sugar added, no preservatives, no nothing but fruit or vegetables. Sometimes, it's the only way to get vegetables into your kids. But, these are great because they can hold them themselves without making a mess. They're perfect for car trips or if you're out shopping and they need a little snack. We take them everywhere. I always have several in their bag.

Chocolate
Just chocolate.

Tom's Linen Pinstripe Botas
THE most comfortable shoes you will ever wear.

Autoslash.com
Renting a car somewhere? Go to this website and rent through them. They have the exact same rental agencies as Travelocity or Priceline, but you book through them and if the price ever goes down, they'll rebook you at the lower price. They'll keep doing that until you actually pick up your car. We've already saved $30 for a rental in October.

Noise-cancelling Headphones
They come in handy.

Jell-O Mousse Temptations in Mint Chocolate
If you're trying to be good, like I've been trying to be, these things do the trick. After supper, I want something rich. These suckers have 60 calories, but they're filling and oh, so yummy. The mint chocolate is my favorite, but they have other flavors, too.

Soft Lips
These things do what they say. They're small enough to carry in your pocket. They have SPF and the "flavors" aren't gross or fruity, very mild. I've used this stuff for years. Love it!


David Babaii Hairspray
I don't use a lot of hairspray, because I think I use too much and it makes it look like my hair's been starched. But, when I do need something in the summer humidity, this is the best stuff I've ever used. I found it at a Sally's on sale and thought I'd give it a try. It's so light and it's like there's nothing in your hair. And it doesn't smell bad. And my heavy trigger finger doesn't phase it. Now, I've tried the shampoo and conditioner, too, and I gotta say...it smells weird to me. But this hairspray is nice.

Sound Machine
If you're a light sleeper like me, having some constant ambient noise helps drown out the random night noises. I started using one in high school and all through college. David knew it was coming when he married me, but he never had a problem adapting at all. The girls have their own. There's just one wall that separates their room from the living room, so I think it helps with that some, too. We don't turn ours on really loud at night, but just enough to have something steady. When we're on vacation or if the girls aren't with us, we turn that sucker up. Thank goodness for the burglar alarm because someone could totally sneak in, steal everything, kill us, and I'd totally be oblivious. In a deep, happy, sleep.

Brookstone Nap Blanket
The only blanket/snuggler you'll ever need. Period. It's so soft and cozy, but not heavy. I would like an entire bed made out of this, please. And carpets. And walls. Hmm...that sounds like a place for crazy people. Or people who appreciate comfort.

I have other favorite things, but someone in Florida is calling my cell phone and I have to ignore it because I don't recognize it. Busy, busy day!

Monday, August 29, 2011

An Afternoon in Black and White

Well, first of all, I was very happy to hear that all of my East Coast friends were spared Irene's wrath and I hope your power comes back on soon.

Ahh...this weekend was WONDERFUL. This was the first weekend in a long time that we've either not been out of town or been home with no plans. Saturday morning until mid-afternoon, sweet Davey watched the girls and I cleaned the whole house. It was so invigorating. It was peaceful and quiet, no one was tugging on me. If you know me, you know I love to clean. David and I are huge Friends fans and we've always said he was Chandler and I was Monica. It's so very true. And yes, I do have one of those closets in the hallway where she puts everything that doesn't have a place. It's called the garage.

Sadly, the house hasn't been this clean for awhile. I do keep it neat and mostly clean, but not up to par with my regular Ruth-standard clean. It's gotten harder to do that with kids, obviously. In our pre-natal class, the two best pieces of advice the teacher gave us were 1. don't have a rigid birthing plan because anything can change and 2. after the babies come, clean as you go. And that's been my motto for 20 months and it's worked well so far. However, it is really nice to do a "deep clean." I had to empty the vacuum twice. Sad. But, it's so sparkly and shiny and fresh in here now!

Yesterday afternoon, the girls had a water day. Have you noticed the coolness at night...what whaaaaat! Fall is in the air. Well, a hint of a hint of a hint of Fall, but still...getting closer. But the temps during the day are still in the upper 90's. We have a lot of water days.



Gettin' my cool on...

How do they look? Straight? Good? We good? Good.

Daywalker (that's a vampire that can walk around during the day)

This is my favorite picture of all time, ever. She was chasing me and I happened to catch her mid-step. It's amazing how pliable your face is.