These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things... Part III

I haven't done one of these in awhile and thought it might be a nice way to end the year.

I present to you some of my (our) favorite finds of 2010...

1. Gap Tuxedo blazer. It's cute, it's comfortable, and it's cheap. I wear mine all of the time with a casual top, dark jeans, and heels (or flats). I believe I will be wearing it tomorrow when the clock strikes midnight!


2. Method "Refresh Mint" soap. I originally purchased it because it matched our dish towels (leave me alone). Now I'm hooked--I adore the scent. The last few times we've shopped at Target I've noticed their lime green scent is now cucumber and while that might be fine for some people, I need Refresh Mint. I will always support good soap with a clever name.


3. Penguin Classic books. Michael and I were wandering around Anthropologie earlier this year and noticed these books. They were a bit expensive so we left them at the store but Michael found them online for a great price and started our collection. We now have 20 and are expecting another 4 to arrive in a few months. Our goal is to actually read (or re-read) all of them.


4. Keurig Single Cup Coffee Maker. My coffee addiction has reached new heights with this glorious masterpiece. Since Michael has yet to jump on the coffee wagon, this is perfect for us. Makes one cup of coffee for me and hot chocolate or hot tea for him. Overpriced? Yes. Life-changing? Yes.


5. Photography (10th edition). I was going to include my camera on this list but since I've already mentioned it (*if you're looking to buy one, I highly recommend a Canon Rebel t2i) I'll include this incredible book. It's actually a text book but it's perfect if you're really wanting to learn more about your camera and lens.


6. Madewell Rail Straight Cords. Everyone knows Madewell's sister store, J. Crew, but Madewell is a hidden gem that deserves its own accolades. I was on the hunt for some straight or skinny cords and had tried all of the typical places. I have relatively small legs so I thought it would be a quick search but I really struggled. Strangely enough, J. Crew's cords looked the absolute worst on me. I put them on and my legs doubled in size. I stopped in Madewell to try these and loved them. Bought a pair that day and ordered another pair a few weeks ago!
7. Victoria's Secret Incredible Bra. I tend to avoid Victoria's Secret because I know I'll spend a lot of money if I walk into the store. I decided it was time to buy some new bras and right now they have the "buy one get one 50% off" sale. They no longer carry my favorite (Ipex) so I thought I'd try this one. GLOOOORIOUS! Super comfortable. Highly recommend. And in case you don't know what a bra looks like, here it is:


8. Aveeno Positively Smooth Shave Gel. I've used the same brand of shave gel for 15+ years (Skintimate). It worked well so I never considered anything else. Michael went to the store a few weeks ago and I asked him to grab some for me. He couldn't remember what I used so he grabbed this--and I am so glad he did. I'm not sure I buy the whole "shave less often" guarantee but I like it and it smells good.
9. Mad Men on AMC. Michael and I caught up on all of the seasons and we're hooked. It is one of my favorite shows of all time. I know it's not to everyone's taste, but if you hate the show just mute it and spend the hour looking at their clothes. Or Don Draper. Or Betty Draper. I have a crush on both.


And I figure I might as well share my must-have item for 2011....

Canon 50mm f/1.4 lens. I'm already counting down the days to my birthday--this will be my gift. Whether Michael gives it to me or I give it to myself, it will be in attendance on my 29th birthday. :)



I think that about sums it up. 2010 was great but I am ready for 2011.

Happy New Year!

Breaking The First Rule Of Fight Club

If I had to guess, I'd say Michael and I agree on any particular issue 93% of the time. You know how they say opposites attract? We don't really fit that mold.

However.

A few months ago we discovered there is one small thing on which we vehemently disagree. It is not life-changing, nor is it newsworthy, but it shocked me how strongly we felt about this particular issue.

In fact, it caused (what I believe to be) the first outright lie in the Haynes household. We were about to leave for Tulsa and I asked Michael to add a certain song to the iPod so we could listen to it on the drive. He agreed to do so and moments later let me know the song had been added. On a whim, I decided to play the newly added gem to accompany us while we packed. I opened up iTunes and scanned the list until I reached the song. Except, there was no song.

I looked a few more places before it hit me... he never downloaded it. I had this vision of us being halfway to Tulsa before realizing the song was missing from the playlist and Michael grinning whilst letting me in on his terrible lie. At that moment he walked up the stairs and we made eye-contact. My eyes narrowed and then his eyes narrowed (keep in mind we both have very squinty eyes so when our eyes narrow it is REALLY difficult to see). I pointed in his general direction (vision was limited) and said, "You LIED to me. YOU lied to me. You lied to ME." After emphasizing each word in my short statement, he simply said, "I hate that song."

Our biggest disagreement of 2010--hell, quite possibly the biggest disagreement of our 6-year romance. And since this is my blog and I've written 300 entries to his three, I shall post this glorious song so it will be a part of us forever.

Such a tumultuous life we lead.

(Sidenote--I am not a fan of her voice, especially the first 30-seconds. But this song? THIS SONG IS AMAZING. Especially in the car.)

(Sidenote II--I was NOT this kind of teenager.)



And if one version wasn't enough...

12.23.10

I've learned a lot of things this December. The first is quite simple: If you aren't home much, your Christmas decorations have fun without you.



This has been, by far, the most interesting Christmas season I've ever experienced. As I've mentioned before, Michael and I are not "Christmas before Thanksgiving" people. We like to enjoy one holiday at a time and let's face it, neither of us are fantastic multi-taskers. But something was different this year. Thanksgiving came and went and I still wasn't ready for Christmas.

We bought a tree. It stood naked (well, as naked as something with 5 billion pine needles can be) for about a week. Finally Michael convinced us to decorate the tree and the rest of our home. We purchased all of our Christmas presents months ago so we had no shopping to do. Last and certainly least, work was so crazy that I simply couldn't find the Christmas spirit.

Yesterday we finished busy season. I'd told the group my goal was to complete everything before we left for the holidays and at 3:57 we finished. At 4 pm, the office closed for Christmas.

Honestly? It was my (work-related) proudest moment to date. I would have screamed and run up and down the halls if I knew my proudest moment wouldn't end with "you're fired." So instead, I smiled, stretched out my legs, and felt 6 weeks of pure anxiety, nerves, and 3 am panic attacks leave my body.

It weighed at least 4 pounds.

As I walked to my car I was hit with this MASSIVE surge of Christmas spirit. It had been building up inside of me, hiding somewhere (my ankles, perhaps?), aching to get out. So with a grin on my face, I let it consume me.

It came in the knick of time since Christmas is a mere 2 days away. I can't say it's better than having an entire month of Christmas cheer, but there is something to be said about that much build-up hitting you all at once. I think I understand how Scrooge felt when he woke up from that crazy dream.

So with that said, I'm back! Thank you so much for your sweet comments and encouraging emails. They meant the world to me and always came when I needed them most. This blog has been such a blessing to me. I am so grateful for the people I have met along the way and for re-discovering the absolute joy of writing.

I hope you've found your joy this year, whether it be your family, friends, faith, a new hobby...


Or a delicious Sprinkles cupcake.


If I've learned anything this Christmas, it's that it is NEVER too late to celebrate the blessings you've been given from the One who created you.


From our family to yours, Merry Christmas.

Love - Scrooge Haynes

:)

"Whenever I get gloomy with the state of the world, I think about the arrivals gate at Heathrow Airport. General opinion's starting to make out that we live in a world of hatred and greed, but I don't see that. It seems to me that love is everywhere. Often it's not particularly dignified or newsworthy, but it's always there – fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, husbands and wives, boyfriends, girlfriends, old friends. When the planes hit the Twin Towers, as far as I know none of the phone calls from the people on board were messages of hate or revenge – they were all messages of love. If you look for it, I've got a sneaky feeling you'll find that love actually is all around."

-Love Actually

The Countdown Begins...

This time next week I'm a free woman! I just made an appointment for a one-hour massage so not only will I be free but also RELAXED!

Until then, enjoy this lovely Christmas montage played to one of my very favorite Christmas carols:



"Then He smiled at me..." Makes me tear up every time.

Hope you're all enjoying the holidays!

2010 Status Updates on Facebook

Because any post is more exciting than no post at all. (Or is it...?)