Favorite Things List

There are a few things I've come across in my life that sometimes, in fear of them suddenly disappearing, I buy 3 of. I love favorite things. My own, and others. So I here's my current list:

1. St. Ives Green Tea Scrub

This stuff is everything I want it to be. It has natural ingredients, it's blemish fighting, it is an exfoliant with FINE exfoliators, and it is reasonably priced but not cheap. I love it, so so much.

2. Arizona Tea: Arnold Palmer

Yes, I like tea. Yes, I like lemonade. Thank you, Arnold for eliminating the "mixing" step.

I started drinking these a lot when I "quit" carbonation for awhile.. they are a good substitute.

3. SpongeBob Collapse

SpongeBob Collapse Use jellyfish, stars and colored bubbles to match squares before they pile to the top.

I discovered this game about 7 years ago, it is so mindlessly fun. My mom was playing it yesterday and reminded me that I introduced it to her while we were in London. And though it kills me to imagine myself in the center of that amazing city, inside a flat hovered over a computer playing SpongeBob... strangely, I'm OK with it.

4. Cover Girl NatureLuxe Gloss

We all know I have a "thing" for lip products.. but truly these are at the top of my list. My favorite (and the one I bought 5 of... just in case..) is "Marble." They are light, chapsticky, but have a great hint of color.

5. How About Orange (.com)

This website is so fun to look at, it is a feast for the eyes.

6. Salt Lake County/City Library

Jack and I go to the library every week, and sometimes after karate we hit the SL City Library downtown to play in the "ice cave" and the "attic" they have in the Children's Library there. They are fun places to take a bunch of books, huddle down in a corner and read together. But really, our Holladay Library is replacing CABLE, and Jack LOVES picking out books and movies there. It's so great.

7. The "hide" button on Facebook.

I've hidden most everyone on facebook, aside from my family members. When I realized how much TIME I spent each morning checking the news feed, reading through status after status I was appalled at how many wasted minutes went by. I've decided (in normal human manor) that if I want to know what someone is up to, I'll go to their page to find out. (Or call them..) My facebook time has been cut dramatically, and I'm still surprised how when I check the wall I'm done under a minute since there is so much less to read.

8. Belt Conditioner

Our car was making a horrible noise at the beginning of the winter. Every time we pulled out of our street the Sentra would send an echoing SQUEAL through our neighborhood. After using this... squeal has been gone. We aren't embarrassed anymore.

9. Slacklining

This isn't exactly what I mean. But my friend Jen introduced us to slacklining. You string up a belt between two trees and it is typically about 2 ft from the ground, and you challenge yourself to balance across. It is HARD. But that's what makes it so addicting. You KNOW you can do it. It just takes practice.

10. Krusteaz Crumb Cake Mix

I took this mix, added a 1/2 cup of applesauce, 1/2 cup of old fashioned oats and a cup of chopped apples, and made the yummiest apple cake ever. Seriously.

And that's a wrap. I love favorite things. Make me a list of yours.

Hair Cuts.

When I was about 12 or 13, I needed a hair cut. This is the earliest haircut I remember, though when I was eight (despite my extremely naturally curly hair...) I got a perm. I still don't understand why that happened. But this hair cut as a pre-teen, I remember well, because my mom took me to Fantastic Sam's on Fort Union. Out of all the Super Cuts, Sport Clips and other "get the job done" places, I'm not sure why she chose Fantastic Sam's.

I remember them treating me like an adult, asking me if there was anything I'd like to read while I was getting my hair done. They made small chit-chat about school while I was being shampooed and rinsed. I felt very special like I was at the "Salon" now, where it wasn't just about getting your hair cut but about the whole experience, and walking away feeling like new. I began to really like it.

When the cut was finished- this is where everything halted in slow motion, my confusion set in, and knew I would never return to Fantastic Sam's again. They asked me to step off the chair, then bend down and pick up a lock of my hair that had just been chopped. Then, they led me to a wall with a tiny little door, with a knob, and told me to put the hair in it. Totally grossed out and concerned about why I was cleaning up my own mess, I put the hair in and heard a sound. They all looked at me with excitement and I suddenly felt like I was 6 as they motioned for me to open the door back up. Inside was a lime green, plastic bracelet. Not hiding my complete disappointment and resentment that the people that had made me feel so grown-up were turning their backs on me to make me feel like an infant, rewarding my "good behavior" with a cheap prize, I picked up the bracelet and went home.

Since then I've spoiled myself in this department. I have spent exorbitant amounts of money on my hair, only for a small allotted time in my life. The result were good, but certainly not worth the money. The hip music, products, and hair styles of the stylists themselves were enough to make me feel good about opening up my wallet.

Nowadays, I have settled in with a good friend who cuts my hair. The thing I like most about her is that her cuts and colors get better with age. I get more compliments a few weeks out from my cuts and colors, rather than right after I get them. They are long lasting... and well worth any money or effort. That's hard to find.

Jack is my new worry. I've been taking him to Cookie Cutters where they go way out of their way to make the kids happy, with movies, fun automobiles to sit in and balloons and candy. But Jack has past the point of needing to be pleased/distracted while he gets his hair cut. I'm hoping I can just take him to the Sport Clips next to Quizno's and get the pieces he's cut with his safety scissors evened out- for around $6. I don't feel bad about the price, and they certainly won't be asking him to pick up his gross, severed hair off the ground to redeem it for something. Perhaps I can learn how to cut his hair myself...

I'll google it later.