Some Favorite Things

I've been really feeling the urge to get back into (regular) writing again. No better way to ease into it than a short and simple, light-hearted post on a few of my recent (very random) favorite things.

1. My Camelback waterbottle.
I've had a few of these over the last couple years, but they keep getting left behind somewhere stolen. I even had a sweet friend buy me one for my birthday just days after I lost my favorite one at a large event. I left that one somewhere stupid only 2 weeks later. So mad at myself. I wouldn't buy another one on the principle of the matter (waste of money, just gonna get lost again, etc.) until I had a gift card after Christmas and passed the aisle in Target. Y'all (all 2 of you...Hi, Mom!), this thing lives by my side. Maybe it's the super dry weather we've been having lately, but I feel like I'm sucking down water at a record speed. And I love it so much because it's insulated (i.e. no drops of condensation EVERYWHERE). Also, it's just so much more fun to drink out of a Camelback than anything else.

2. Yardley of London Body Wash - Honey Almond Scent.
This smells so wonderful. I have nothing in particular to say about how it feels on my skin when I bathe. I'm sure it's just really pouring extra moisture and whatever into my pores, but I truly couldn't care less. I just LOVE the way it smells. Simple and sweet, but not too sweet that it makes me wanna barf early in the morning. Just lovely. And the whole "Yardley of London" thing totally makes me think of my Gran who has used their soaps/lotions for as long as I can remember. 

3. Kirklands Dried Apples.
These look like the most boring food ever. They truly look like more powdery versions of packing peanuts. And even when you first bite into them, it's kinda off-putting. But if you just kinda suck on them for a minute and let some hydration get back in, they taste JUST like a really delicious apple. And they are so easy. Y'all, I'm the laziest fruit-eater ever. I really only eat bananas because there's not intensive peeling, slicing, cutting involved. I have to slice apple up to eat them (something about peel getting stuck in between my two front teeth), grapes have to be washed, oranges have to be peeled and are too juicy, and all the really good fruits (melons, mangoes, kiwi, etc.) are just too complicated. But these apples are SO GREAT! Just stick in my purse or Josiah's backpack and we've got a yummy, healthy snack. I think I'll have some right now.

4. Old Navy Floral Top.
I bought this on sale with a Christmas gift card a few weeks ago and I wish I had gotten one in every print. I honestly want to wear it every day. And depending on who I'm seeing that day, I actually do wear it every day. (There have been a few overlaps, but they didn't seem to notice...or kindly just didn't say anything.) But it's a perfect weight for this indecisive Houston weather (cold in the morning, hot in the afternoon, cold again in the evening/nighttime). And the perfect amount of "flow" to it to hide some less-than-ideal bumps, if ya know what I mean. It's also the perfect level of casual while also being more put-together than a college t-shirt and hoodie.

5. Bath and Body Works Candle - Marshmallow Fireside
I LOVE several of their seasonal candles. Autumn, Leaves, Cranberry Woods, but this Marshmallow one is totally giving my nostrils a little post-Christmas, winter party. I'm so not a fan of most of the foodie candles. No vanilla cupcake, thankyouverymuch. But this one has only a slight hint of sweet smell and then this wonderful (almost a little masculine) fire-y scent. It's just...mmmm. Warm and cozy and...s'mores would be nice right now.


6. HMDX Speaker.
Y'all. My husband is surprisingly one of the best, most thoughtful gift-givers I know. I have wanted (since we got married) a little, portable speaker like a docking station or whatever for an iPhone. I listen to music every morning while in the shower and getting ready and I usually just stick my phone in a mug because it's kinda hard to hear over the shower running. This thing is so perfect because it has a great sound quality for being so small and is rechargeable on the computer. Basically, we can also take it the car and play music off our phones (we lost the tape-adapter and never bought another one). I can plug this little speaker-guy into my phone in one room of the house and hear it (without the volume being turned all the way up) throughout the rest of the house. (Mine is black.)

 7. Trader Joe's Facial Moisturizer
I don't necessarily have the MOST complicated skin ever in the world, but I certainly don't have the easiest set of skins. I've always had a tough time with cleansers and moisturizers. That is, until my sweet mother-in-law got my skin hooked on some pretty pricey Lancome stuff. I've been using it for the last couple years, but it was really starting to stifle our budget (and my husband doesn't readily understand all the intricacies of a woman's facial routine. God bless him, he grew up with a bunch of brothers.) There was a moment a few months back where I was one day shy of being completely out (I have to order it on Amazon) and I knew I needed something. We were grocery shopping at our beloved TJ's and I just took a deep breath and grabbed something that I thought might hold me over until I could order the other stuff. I was preparing for a really bad break-out and shiny, slick skin. I mean, certainly something that costs less than 3 or 4 bucks is gonna make my face freak out. But I have yet to order that fancy-shmancy stuff. It's so light-weight, but is totally getting me through the super dry, winter season. I should've known better than to second-guess Joe's. And the best part is that I've barely made a dent in this huge bottle over 2 month's time. Three or four bucks, what, once a year as opposed to twenty bucks every 3 months? I think I can do that.

8. And of course, This Guy.
Although, I'm not loving his new, too-big-for-his-britches haircut. I like it, alright. And I'm sure it'll grow on me soon enough. I'm just a little weepy at the thought of not seeing his crazy, bouncy, messy bed-hair every morning. *tear*