Favorite Things

I stole this blog idea from one of my new favorite podcasts by Tsh Oxenreider. At the end of each podcast episode, she asks her guest what is making him/her happy. I realized that hearing these is a nice break from reality.  Sometimes I feel consumed by the crazy--by getting kids to where they need to be, by home improvement projects, by work, by helping our kids adjust...I wondered if making a list of what's making me happy, of my favorite things from time to time would help remind me that, among all the crazy, there are a host of "things" I enjoy. So, here goes....my first list of favorite things:


Food: It's embarrassing to write this, but lately I've been addicted to floppy cheese on saltines. Floppy cheese is the kind of cheese that is wrapped in individual plastic wrapping and is often the best for grilled cheese. It's the kind of cheese that' terrible for you--one step up from cheese in a can. It's a snack I often ate as a kid, so maybe I'm drawn to it for it's comfort value (because I'm certainly not drawn to it for its health aspects.

Drink: I've got two this time around---the first is one I drink for breakfast lately: orange juice, vanilla protein powder, and  frozen banana. Think orange dream. It's creamy and still tastes like orange juice...and it packs a whopping 30 grams of protein. The other drink is one I discovered yesterday--I don't often treat myself to fancy coffee drinks (I'm more drawn to black coffee or Americanos...because I'm cheap), but I nailed a presentation at work yesterday and felt like celebrating. I stopped at Starbucks on my way to get one of the kids for counseling and tried a toasted graham latte with half the syrup, and oh my...it was freaking delicious. I only got half syrup so the sweet would be subtle---and it was just perfect.

Podcast: I like to try out podcasts while I run--it's a nice variation from music. After reading Notes from a Blue Bike, earlier this fall, I wanted more Tsh Oxenreider in my life. I stumbled upon her podcast, The Simple Show...it's kept me company on long runs and commutes to work, and has made me think about ways to simplify and streamline my schedule, my parenting, and my daily life.

Book: For a few months a friend has been hassling me to read Wild. Admittedly, I was intimidated by the size (I know English teachers are supposed to love reading, and I do...but big books have always freaked me out). Because it was non-fiction (my favorite genre), I gave it a try...and I loved it. It was honest and sad and reflective and you should read it...before you see the movie :)

Song: "I'm Alive" by Kasey Chambers--it's got a nice folksy feel with the harmonica, guitars, and vamping, but what I really love is the lyrics. It reminds me a lot of my life over the past seven months. Warning: the end has an F-bomb if you are sensitive to those kinds of things.

Scent: I'm dabbling in essential oils for a variety of uses, and I've ran into my fair share of oils that just smell nasty. But the one that I love right now is citrus bliss from Doterra--it's a blend of citrus fruits and smelling it makes me happy and calm.

So, that's my list this time around. If you feel so inclined, leave a comment to share one of your favorite things so I can (as my daughter says whenever she learns something new) expand my schema.