Wednesday, November 5, 2008

A Few of my Favorite Things

It has occurred to me that there are certain simple things in my life that brings me a great deal of joy, disproportionate to their apparent worth or actual value.  Now I am not talking about joy as compared to the joy of relationships with my family and friends or my Lord and Savior.   More like everyday kind of pleasure in using something that is just right for the job or that adds beauty to everyday life.  Do you have those things, too?  For example, I love my handheld stick blender.  Really, really love it!  It is almost silly - but I love how small it is, taking up little space, I love the way it purees tomatoes right in the can before I add them to cheese dip or chili which makes my non tomato eating child very happy, I love the way it makes a protein shake for me mixing the powder, ice, peanut butter and 1 splenda perfectly smooth like a yummy milkshake in one easy non messy step.  This blender is my favorite gift to give, along with recipes for what it is good for.  
Anyway, my blender love has inspired me to take note of the every day things that bring me joy.  It has also moved me to consider how many "things" I have in my home that DO NOT bring any joy, but rather are robbing me of peace because of the excess.  What if our home only contained  things that we either love or need - that either bring beauty or function? Can you imagine the order... the peace?  All that could be passed along to those who need it?  Time for more questions, isn't it?  (Do I use it, need it, love it?)  

Anyway here is my list..my L list.. a work in progress: (note: this is a list of THINGS, favorites regarding people would be a different and much longer list)

Hand held Immersion Blender which inspired this post(function)
McCarty Popcorn bowls (not used for popcorn, but used for EVERYTHING else)(beauty and function)
McCarty  Tumblers (beauty and function)
Crock Pot Liners (function) Extreme joy when I remember to use one, now I store them IN the crock pot
Stainless Steel Crock Pot with attached lid and removable crock (function)(this one items brings more peace to my home than a week at a spa)
Pampered Chef paring and chef knives, heavy and sharp (function)
Woven straw floral mat, purchased w/ Cameron in the Bahamian straw market that perfectly fits our Lazy Susan. (beauty and function and good memories)
Said Lazy Susan, referred to as the "round thing", still (function)

The pearls Phil gave me for our 14th Anniversary, a significant year in our marriage (beauty)

The Pachelbel Cd that I play when I need a sense of peace as I restore an unorderly house to order in our small and amazing Bose system; that CD never fails to invite said peace. (beauty and function)

My cup of sharpened pencils

The bookshelves, floor to ceiling, in our study and all they contain (function... some beauty)

Mrs. Myers Clean Day Lavender and Lemon Verbena laundry products (function beautiful smells)

additions and photos to follow
I'd love to hear about your favorites ... 
at least the first one off the top of your head....
ready, set, comment!


14 comments:

thecastonfamily said...

1)McCarty bud vase with something snatched out of the back yard placed inside, red currant Votivo(sp?) candle(lit), and a large glass of sweet tea....aaaahhhh the small things in life

2)my Light Wedge book light for reading in bed

3) Red Kitchen Aid mixer..changed my life :0)

4)Southern Living Slow Cooker Cookbook

5)Bag of tealights from Wal-mart kept in kitchen drawer...instant centerpiece ambiance whatever the container may be....

This is fun..

Much love,
Kristy Caston

by Laurie Newman said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Carrie said...

I like this too...
1. ipod with speaker thingy that Matt set up in the kitchen - complete with pre-selected playlists (tea time, play time, Mama's favorites etc). It isn't beautiful, but it is small, and before it, I didn't play music throughout the day as often because of the hassle. I love being able to play "just the right song" for whatever we are doing.

2. Keurig coffee pot - Now it is NOT as good as a brewed pot, but I love the simplicity and lack of mess for mornings when I am the only one drinking coffee...

3. Amazingly soft white robe that my mom bought me just before I had Will. So wonderful because it makes me think of waiting for him and it helps keep our thermostat lower. (The kids are in their snuggly warm pjs, so I'm not freezing them...) The greatest thing about it is that Sophie adores it and wants to snuggle whenever I wear it.

4. Cleaning products scented with essential oils. So far I've bought them, but I'm thinking of venturing into making my own. They make me smile while I clean...

I really think there are lots more... So fun to think about!

thecastonfamily said...

I have a replica of an old wooden sugar mold. It is long and narrow with 12 holes in the top.It is my favorite thing to use as a centerpiece;For Christmas...greenery, holly berries and candles or just simple colored glass balls;for spring...bright green moss, speckled robin's eggs( from Hobby Lobby-they look very real), and McCarty blue-birds; in summer I like to put little sprigs of Mondo grass in several of the holes and fill the rest with fresh flowers.It is definitely a favorite.Old ones can be expensive, but mine was not. A store in MS created replicas for a fraction of what the antique ones cost.:0)

2) Pampered chef mini spatula..I wish that I owned 10 of them.

3) Pampered chef hand chopper-chops 1 medium onion for many recipes in a matter of minutes with no smell and no tears!

4) my baking stones- Yeah! No more burned cookies on the bottom!!

I would love to know if anyone loves the silicon mats that fit in cookie sheets...they can be quite an investment...but it looks like they might be worth it- any suggestions?
5) mini marshmellows-- during the holidays especially, we love to sprinkle them on anything... from hot chocolate to sweet potato casserole..and everything in between!
Just a few more late-night thoughts.:0)
Kristy

by Laurie Newman said...

oh I love doing this, I wish I had the list of all my dear friends. It is a real glimpse into your lives! How precious! Love you both...

Carrie said...

Kristy - I agree with all three of your Pampered Chef products and the Kitchen Aid Mixer (though mine is blue :)) I also do truly love my silpat. (My sister gave me one the Christmas she worked at Williams-Sonoma). I don't know if the less expensive ones are as useful... We must be kindred spirits because I also love Votivo red currant candles!

I would also add that I love silver frames with my family pictures, especially my children's pictures.

I also adore a new bookshelf that we bought for Sophie's room. It is beautiful and oh-so-practical. On that line, I love baskets of books. We keep them all over the living room, kitchen and in all of the bedrooms. I love books that are wonderful reads and beautiful to leave out as well.

I love this post and the comments. So many good ideas!

by Laurie Newman said...

Guess what you two Votivo red current candles fans, you both live in Atlanta! And both of your husbands are in ministry! Just thought you should know:)

mjb said...

1. My crock pit liners-no mess!

2. My Chicago Cuterly kitchen scissors- The cut everything from chicken to the net around fruits.

3.My top loader washing machine. I went too many years with a washing machine with a small "drum"

4. My twenty something photo albums that I have pictures in on a bookshelf in our den. They have pictures in them from the last 17 years.

5.Lysol wipes. I can clean and throw away.

I have no Pampered Chef products. I feel I must be missing something!

Michele

mjb said...

1. Crock pot liners- no mess

2. My Chicago cutlery scissors-They cut everything from chicken to bags in the kitchen.

3.My twenty-something photo albums on a bookcase in our den: 17 year of my life on that shelf.

4. Lysol Wipes- I love to clean and then throw away.

5. My Top loader washing machine- I went Many Many years with a small drum washing machine.

mjb said...

After reading post- spellcheck is one of my favorite things. I should use it more often.

Michele

Anonymous said...

I wanted to ask you about the immersion blender . . . I found out yesterday that PCA has several large bags of cappuccino mix and no machine. The instructions read that you can make it with just pouring hot water over the mix, but after reading your note, I thought that a little whirl with the blender would make it better. What do you think? I might have to get one for the concession stand!

by Laurie Newman said...

Oh yes, I'll bet the immersion blender would do a fine cappuccino! And Michele, Iiked the crock pit liners, too, but I love spell check more. It should be on my list!

Laura Lee said...

Oh, Laurie! I wish you lived in Hattiesburg. I miss you and your thoughts so much and am so glad to be back in touch. I love thinking about this subject of "favorite things"! In fact, a friend of mind and I thought about starting a Favorite Things Club that would meet once a month and we would all bring and talk about our favorite things! (Sortof sounds like first grade show and tell in retrospect!)

A couple of my favorites...

My commercial-weight jelly roll pan from Williams-Sonoma.

My atomic clock from Levenger which is always right.

Like others, my Pampered Chef tiny spatula.

My Calphalon roasting pan that I got for a wedding gift.

Tervis Tumblers.

My Narnian shield keychain with Aslan's prophecy on the back. ("Wrong will be right when Aslan comes in sight...")

The new really thin Sharpie pens that don't bleed through paper.

Nutella.

My 10-year-old Gail Pittman Christmas mug.

(The bad thing about seeing everyone else's lists is that now I have a shopping list!)

Thanks so much, Laurie. Always inspiring.

Love, Laura Lee

thecastonfamily said...

Laurie,
I have a quick question about the Lazy Susan...is it used for salt, pepper, cream, sugar,dressings and/or can you also serve side dishes from it like green beans and potatoes.I saw a large one in Costco last week that had white serving dishes that fit around the center...I wondered if that was how you use yours...
Blessings,
Kristy Caston