LoVe

We recently got some photos done because I wanted some shots of our family before the arrival of the new baby. Since moving to this apartment, our walls have been bare, which makes it feel less "homey" to me. All the pictures we have are packed away in a box somewhere in the storage unit. So I got some cheap frames and mirrors and made a little wall collage. I looked and looked everywhere for some wooden lettering that I could incorporate, but wasn't able to find what I wanted anywhere. Finally I went to check out what Bed, Bath, and Beyond had. So I asked an associate to help me find some letters, but they didn't have what I was looking for either. "But wait a second....that box there...." said the associate. It was a boxed set of frames and letters that spelled "love." I said, "that would be perfect, but I don't need the frames. Especially for a set with with a $50 price tag." The associate then proceeded to open the box (without any persuasion from me) pull out the letters and say, "here, I will sell you just the letters." "Really? You can do that?" I asked. She said, "I'll do it for you. Let me just get my manager's approval." "Well, what will you do with the rest of the set?" I asked curiously. "Oh, we'll just put a clearance sticker on it that says AS IS." Manager approved the idea (without any persuasion from either of us.) I was sort of in shock. In all my jobs of working retail, that kind of thing was never allowed. Never. I would've never even given a customer the option. But as the consumer this time, I wasn't about to complain. That gal totally brightened my day, and I walked out of the store paying 9 bucks for the word "love." I think it turned out pretty cute.

My Love

Stuff I Love

My First Words
Touch and Feel Picture Cards

I got these cards for my son when he was about 16 months old. I thought they'd be perfect for long car rides or to keep him entertained at church. These cards are made of sturdy board so they hold up to toddler abuse quite nicely. My son has yet so bend or tear one of these cards. The case they come in is also very durable so you don't end up with a broken, flattened box after a few weeks of carrying them around in your bag. My son enjoys taking the cards out of the box and putting them back in again. He is so entertained by such a simple activity! I love that every card gives the child a sensory experience. The pictures each have a specific section for the child to touch and explore. The dog has actual fur, the corn on the cob is wonderfully textured, and the jelly even has a sticky spot on it. The cards are organized by color so that as the child gets older they can categorize each picture by animal, food, toy, vehicle, etc. The back of each card also suggests games or teaching methods. It wasn't long before my son was able to identify with and say every word in the deck. These cards have been a great entertaining and teaching resource and I'd recommend them to any mom with young children.

Stuff I Love

Mike and I have been eating a large amount of protein these days since we started P90X. As snacks we started eating Clif Builder Bars. They were all right, and then Mike found these. Snickers Marathon Protein Bars. I was skeptical at first. Is it going to be healthy? Well I compared the labels.

Yeah, there's sugar in there, but its not fake sugar so at least your body recognizes it and knows how to break it down. Plus, if you've just done a P90X workout, you need the carbs, proteins, and sugars to help your body recover.

I thought this bar tasted great and had a great texture. Since I love candy, this bar tricked me into thinking I was indulging a little. The bar is full of vitamins, proteins, and other good stuff. One thing I liked about the Clif bars is that they are made with organic all natural ingredients. These however, aren't as good in that department. Oh well, you win some, you lose some.

Stuff I Love

Have you ever had a pair of pants that you absolutely loved? I have. And here they are. I have a hard time finding pants that fit me well in every area while still making me look somewhat fashionable and non-fat. It seems like the pant makers of the world think that if you have a larger waist, you must have longer legs. Well, let me tell you folks, that ain't true. Almost every pair of pants I have are too long and drag on the ground. So I either have raggedy bottoms from the sidewalks or I have to cut them and they become frayed anyway. But not these pants. These are the perfect length. Not high-waters but not dragging on the ground either. The waist fits perfectly. Not riding low on my hip but not up to my belly button either. I don't have to wear long shirts to hide my undies with these pants. No plumbers crack here. Nice fit all around and they make me look slimmer than I really am. I think the pockets are cute and the color is the perfect blue. Ahhh, I love these pants. I wish I had 100 more pairs just like 'em. Thank you Mr. Klein.

Stuff I Love

I just fell in love with this chocolate bar. Who thought chilies & cherries would make dark chocolate actually taste good?! The chilies give this chocolate a little heat, which is interesting and the cherries make it nice and sweet. Check out Chocolove to see what other delectable flavors they have!

Stuff I Love

Flat Earth Fruit and Vegetable Crisps http://www.flatearth.com/








Rocky Mountain
Chocolate Factory
http://www.rmcf.com/

These are 2 of my new favorite snacks lately. While I was at the grocery store they were having a sale on these Flat Earth fruit snacks so I picked some up. Those sales, they always suck me in. I really like to munch on crunchy, fruity food so these snacks hit the spot for me. They come in a variety of flavors including Apple Cinnamon Grove, Garlic and Herb Field, Peach Mango Paradise, and Tangy Tomato Ranch. I have only tried the Wild Berry Patch so far though. They have actual fruit in them, and the package says they contain no artificial flavors or preservatives, so that's a good thing. Granted, eating a piece of fruit would be better for you, but I thought these were a good alternative to something like potato chips.

The next snack comes from the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory. I really love this season because you can find caramel and candied apples. But RMCF takes it a bit further. They have concocted a variety of dipped apples to satisfy your sweet tooth. A few days ago our friends dropped by and got us a couple of these delicious apples. One was dipped in caramel, then white chocolate, then covered in oreo crumbles. The other was dipped in caramel, white chocolate, and brown sugar & cinnamon. They were both SO good. Unfortunately they're a little over $4 for each one, so if you really want to splurge I say go for it. I don't know if I can justify paying that much for an apple, but they are seriously tasty.

Stuff I Love

CANDY COATED FENNEL SEEDS

If we had to pick, Mike and I would probably say our favorite genre of food is Indian. The first time I tried these sugar coated fennel seeds was at the Indian restaurant New Delhi Palace in Sandy. (An excellent place by the way.) These candy coated fennel seeds are eaten after a meal to aid in digestion and freshen breath. They remind me of eating "Good and Plenty" candies. I picked some up at the mid-eastern market but you might be able to find them in a specialty aisle at your local grocery store.