These are a few of my favorite things...

My Nightstand. 

More specifically, my new charging station that looks like grass (it makes me wish there was a stronger word for love), my elephant ring holder (purchased on my honeymoon), the jewelry stand holding all my new Sabika jewelry (I'm a new addict), the cutest Buddha ever (who conveniently holds my spare change in his tummy), my blue dog-shaped back-knot-getter-outer-thingy, the box with clay turtles crawling all over it my brother brought back for me from my dad in Costa Rica, and the lime green baby duster for the night stand that I believe was evilly magnetically built to attract every piece of dust in the air. 

My Patent Leather Heels.

Especially the ones in bright colors. I have a patent leather addiction, passed down from my mother who can't resist its shiny seduction either. I think I only own one pair of heels that isn't patent leather- and those are sparkly.

The Mickey Mouse Camera Stap.

My grandfather, who died when I was young, had one just like it that he wore all the time and I was absolutely in love with it as a child (or just loved my grandpa that much). It was willed down to my Aunt Lisa but I still always talk about it so my Mother being the ebay-savvy woman she is found me one that looks just like it online. I imagine I will get a lot of looks when I use my camera, but the sentiment means that much to me I could care less.

Surprises.  

1. I LOVE surprises. I LOVE unexpected gifts, or just-because I thought you would like it gifts, or this-made-me-think-of-you gifts. Or notes... but those are a lot harder to come by these days. Anyway- surprises, especially when you have absolutely no idea are coming, are the best. I don't know anyone who would disagree with me, but I feel like I have a special love for them- probably because I'm a random gifter myself. I am horrible at giving gifts on actual holidays because if I don't think you'll love it, I find it hard for me to commit myself to buying it for you. I don't want to just get you a gift, I want to get you THE GIFT! I am rambling now.... but random gifts just seem so thoughtful. 2. It's hard to surprise me, I usually know what I am getting before I get it (or in some cases, don't get it) or I can typically tell when someone is thinking about surprising me. So true surprises, the best!

The bag above came in the mail one day in a flat envelope (the bag is the quality of those earth-friendly grocery bags that are everywhere now so it folds up super easy). It was addressed to me by the company who sent it with no receipt inside, no note as to where it came from, absolutely nothing- just the bag. The company's name was even something really general like CDE which with google gets you nowhere-or everywhere depending on how you look at it. After checking it for suspicious, deadly powdery drugs, and/or a bugging device- I settled my pondering who, what, when, whys, and wheres? on that I must have signed up for something or taken a survey at some time to get it free- but it was still a cool surprise. 

The Mitt Romney T-Shirt came to my work the next day in a flat envelope too with nothing but a tag from the company it was purchased from- which really freaked me out. I mean, what are the chances of getting TWO seemingly-free, cool things in the mail in a 2 day period?? Upon closer review, and an AH-HA! moment, I found where the tag had a tiny little print note on it saying it was from one of the field reps in our southern region. Liz, who made an appearance in the previous post, "Florida Fast Forward", sent it to me after we bonded in Florida over our comMITTment to Romney in the 2012 presidential run. When I saw the gift and who it was from I was ecstatic- it was completely unexpected and made my day! Liz and I both LOVE (LOVE, LOVE, LOVE) Mitt Romney- (his politics people!) she even had a picture of her and him when she saw him speak at a recent event. I was super jelly, but was glad I found someone who shared in my enthusiasm for him to win in 2012 as well!

My Waterproof Nook Case. 

On Christmas break I tagged along with Husband as he visited with a bunch of his high school friends at one of their former teacher's house- a ritual he strictly adheres to every time he is back for the holidays. I decided to come this time and while we were there one of his friends mentioned that her mother loves her ereader and even double wraps it in a plastic bag so she can float around in the pool with hers. I thought that was brilliant because I love reading in the tub. I think I even started doing it the next night while we were on vacation. But it quickly became tiresome after the first two or three times- messing with the bags was a pain and I was still terrified of dropping it. I thought, "someone should make some more permanent form of waterproof case for these things." And like all my great ideas, someone had already thought of it and I easily found one on Amazon. One birthday later, and strict instructions for Husband to purchase it for me, and I was the proud owner of the waterproof nook case you gaze upon above. Unfortunately, Husband would not let me take a picture of me with it in the tub- prude.

I had some more emotionally-centered things to list here. The post above makes me look a little materialistic (Which isn't too far fetched I am sure. I like things to look pretty.), but I think I will make this type of post a reoccurring one and next time I will list all those wonderful intangible niceties that make me all warm in fuzzy inside. You know, like raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens, bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens...........   ;)