Announcement: Today was a fantastic day. And I haven't even had dessert yet. Could giving up my precious drum sticks have made such a huge difference in my life? Ummm, no. I was just busy at a happy place to work, and when I got home my little munchkin was happy, and S is excited that I told the internet he was right and I was wrong, so we've got good vibes going on around here.
So really this post has nothing to do with Maria, but I just didn't want to name it "These are a few of my favorite things" because it's been done. Today though, we are talking about things. Not these things:
 |
| People are creepy. |
Material things. Namely, my two favorite things in each room of a normal house. I had to limit myself to two and mix it up with different rooms. Why are we talking about this? Because I used up a lot of my brain on yesterday's blog and tonight I had whole wheat pasta and meat sauce for dinner. We've all already read about that.
The other thing going on right now is the British Open. Oh, you didn't know that? You mean your husband/father/brother isn't watching it? Call me, I'm coming over for all of the majors. You might think golf isn't a contact sport, but a young Irish chap named Rory just hit someone in the head with a golf ball. If you want to talk golf I'll make a post later about who is cutest (with hats on and hats off), best golf fashion, most sincere interviews, dumbest looking, and drunkest Irishman. Then I'll tell you how stupid the belly putter is. That is where my golf knowledge ends.
Back to things... Here is another REALLY HUGE announcement: I am not Oprah. Although you will get a pie in the mail if you like the Raising Texas Facebook page and share the most posts, you will not all get one of these things. But you can buy them since I provided helpful links.
Kitchen
Salad Spinner
This makes life so easy when it comes to washing veggies for salads. You put it all in here, wash it in here, drain it in there, dry it in there, then you can dump it all into the main bowl and make your salad. All in the same device. It makes healthy eating much easier.
Hand Blender
This is a game changer. It replaces your blender, your food processor, and your hand mixer. It is also much, much lighter than a blender or a food processor. I'm not going to pretend like hand mixers are heavy just for the drama, but it it also lighter than a hand mixer. Note: This is not an infomercial for the Magic Bullet.
Living Room
Coffee Table Books
I love a great stack of pretty books. You can use hard back books all over your house. They are interesting and they just look nice. They say, "I'm super smart and read incredibly giant books." They do, one of mine just told me that. And you can continue to use them in whatever home you live in for the rest of your life. You can also get some great deals at Half Price Books.
Lamps
Lamp light is your friend in every way. Lamps are easy decor and they also give your room the gift of soft lighting. Soft lighting = better looks, better moods, and a more comfortable vibe. I hate overhead lighting and too bright lights. It is all just too much. If I wanted that much brightness in my life I would go outside.
Breakfast/Dining Room
Fruit Bowl
Call me a sucker for classics, but I love a beautiful fruit bowl on a bare table. It's like a standard thing you get to redecorate every week with new fruit. Or sometimes maybe it sits empty while you have an affair with your frozen treat of choice. The thing is it looks good empty or full.
Salt Wells
My mom collects antique silver salt spoons. That sounds better than "old salt spoons." She collects a lot of things. We call her a collector instead of a hoarder. (I love you mom.) She turned me on to salt wells and salt spoons and it is the perfect little accent for a great simple table. Or an elaborate table. This is why it works for everyone. Plus it's a great twist on the traditional shakers.
 | |
| A traditional Shaker. |
Baby Room/Nursery/Play Room
Playskool Poppin' Park Elefun
This toy is the gift that keeps on giving. We got it when L was 8 months old. The noise was a little loud for a few weeks and then the love affair began. And it continues. Six months of love and at every stage she finds some new thing she can do with this toy. It also provides great baby dancing music. It is annoying as hell sometimes, but it will make your child dance and laugh, possibly for six months or longer.
Baby Xylophone
There is a reason that every toddler knows that Xylophone starts with an "X". (and it's not just that "x-ray" isn't a real word). You don't even need a link. Buy a freaking Xylophone. It doesn't matter which one. Give it to your toddler. Then figure out how to play songs on it. Have a name that tune competition. Fun for the whole family.
Bedroom
Get your mind out of the gutter. This isn't THAT kind of blog. But here you go:
You know what you really need when you read your mommy porn? A disguise. Something like:
Amazon Kindle
I love to read and the kindle makes it so easy to get the books you want and get going. I also like the original kindle because the pages read like book pages. It doesn't hurt your eyes. They travel so well, too.
Heavy, Rich Drapes
Our heavy drapes saved me when Landon was first born and I was trying hard to "sleep when the baby sleeps". I really think there is nothing better in a bedroom than great drapes. Maybe great sheets also. Back to the drapes though, please see the following photo tutorial:
Since I limited myself to two per room and didn't really cover all rooms, there is more to come. Two final notes before I go.
1. Every dream home needs a great reading spot. Even if you don't read, it's good for decor and for when I visit.
 |
| I could stay here for a long, long time. In fact... I'm moving in. |
My very favorite things aren't things at all. They are people and moments and those are the things that really make a house a home. In honor of Friday and the weekend, I am sharing one of my very favorite moments with you. Landon's first laugh. Thanks to the iPhone and modern technology, I caught the actual first laugh on video. It's a good thing too, because she didn't laugh again for 3 more weeks. Here is baby Landy in her little baby hip harness laughing for the very first time:
Enjoy your people, enjoy your moments, and enjoy your things! Have a great weekend!
-RT
No comments:
Post a Comment