Favorite Things

It's been a while since I shared some of my favorite things.  My favorite things change on a daily basis but here are five things I love right now.

1.  TOMS...I just bought a new pair of ash color TOMS for the summer.  I love the gray because I can wear them with anything.  I used to be a flip flop girl but I can honestly say that I have not one pair of flip flops in my closet for this summer.  I will probably wear holes in my TOMS and throw them out at the end of the summer. 

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2.  Hanna Andersson...I hesitated in sharing this with you because I am a bit snobbish about my children's clothes.  I don't like them to have the same things as everyone else.  However, I have ordered from them so many times and haven't been disappointed yet so I'm telling you about my go to store...especially for J.  I even have a few Hanna dresses.  My favorite dress right now is this gray maxi dress. 

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I also love their cotton shorts.  J has had several pairs of these and they wear SO well.  They are so soft. 

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J also has several Hanna t-shirts.  They are great because they don't have writing all over them (which I don't really like and it's all I can find elsewhere), and they are soft and wash well.  I think he has one blue shirt that is finally fading after nearly six months of washing.  He wore it a lot too!

3.  Magic Milk Straws...These are such a treat for my kids.  They are so much better for them than syrups and have several flavors.  This is how I got K to start drinking milk.  She drinks it plain now but likes a straw every now and then. 

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4.  Jack Johnson...I have three of his albums--To the Sea, Sleep in the Static, and Curious George-- and they are always playing in my car.  I think To the Sea is my favorite.  It is my go to album when K is fussy in the car.  Blake gets tired of them but I get tired of the Chipmunk's!

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5.  Pick Your Plum...This is a daily deal website that offers one new thing every day.  I have ordered some really neat things from them and the service is great!  All of the personalized ribbon and stamps I used for the holiday came from Pick Your Plum.  I have also gotten ribbon, vinyl, paper straws, and baking cups.  They have had everything from crafting supplies to earrings and scarves to plate stands(I ordered those too!)  The best part...with each order they throw in a Laffy Taffy.  Now, who wouldn't want to get a Laffy Taffy in the mail!?!?

**You can click on the favorite thing link to go the main sites or click on the "source" below each picture to go to the individual product.

A Sweet Beginning

Chocolate chip pancakes

Long fluttering eyelashes

Chubby little hands

Using a fork all by herself

Pursed lips

Big, brown eyes

A beautiful smile

A perfect way to start the day!

I Love Autumn!

This is my favorite time of year!  Where we live it doesn't last long either.  I love the cool breezes and falling leaves.  I love the feel of new flannel sheets on the bed and the heaviness of extra blankets.  I love putting a onesie underneath my sweet girl's clothes and seeing cute socks on her precious feet.  I love the colors of the leaves and watching them change from day to day.  I love the smell of smoke coming from chimneys when I step outside.  I love soup and hot cocoa and the smell of warm coffee at mom and dad's.  Everything about this season makes me happy! 
This is the time for pumpkins and apples and baking.  It's when we get out the holiday music even though we love Halloween and Thanksgiving.  We just like to listen to Bing sing White Christmas for more than one month.  It's a time for crafts and painting and learning new things.  J can't wait to gather fall leaves, examine them, and make things from them. 
It's the most wonderful time of the year! 


Delicious autumn!  My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking successive autumns.  ~George Eliot

August Favorites

I forgot to post my fab five on Friday.  It was my top five tv shows but I decided to make a new list for this month.  Happy Tuesday!

1.  Tom's and Bob's shoes...Last summer I had the cutest pair of Tom's.  I wore them every day and by the end of the summer they had holes in them!  They were the most comfortable shoes I have ever worn and they went with everything.  This summer, I found some Bob's which are equally comfortable but I'm not in love with the color.  They are natural and don't really match everything and they get dirty.  I just got a pair of Tom's wedges and I can't wait to wear them.  They are super cute!  However, the cutest things ever are the silver sparkle Tiny Tom's that we got for K.  I wish you could see them on her little fat feet!  They will be perfect first walking shoes.  I'm SO excited for her to wear them!

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2.  Bentley Drinkware...I actually have a set of Terrazza glasses but Bentley drinkware is made in Arkansas.  They have tons of colors to choose from, three different glass sizes, platters, plates, pitchers, and a couple of other items available.  They don't sweat like glass drinkware, they are very hard to break (unless you let your three year old have one as a bath toy!), and they go in the dishwasher.  I have two different sizes and that is all we use.  J uses the juice size now that he is moving away from sippy cups. 

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3.  Shop Sweet Lulu...With all of the party planning going on around here, I have found a ton of useful websites.  This one has some of the cutest party supplies.  Paper straws, ice cream cups, candles, sacks, milk bottles, even berry baskets.  I have so many things picked out!  I ordered paper straws for J's party and they came very quickly.  They even threw in a piece of salt water taffy which is my favorite!  What a treat! 

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4.  My new dryer...I don't even know what brand it is.  I walked in the store and told Price I needed the cheapest dryer that turned on.  I am just so, so happy that I can walk out to my dryer and find dry clothes and know that when I push start it comes on without a hitch.  I love the things that make my day to day efforts a little easier!

5.  My First Anywhere Chair by Pottery Barn...J got one of these for Christmas when he was one.  He still sits in it to watch television, read, eat his snacks, etc.  It is the perfect size for little ones.  It comes apart so you can wash the slipcover so you don't have to worry if it gets dirty.  Now K crawls all over it and I don't worry if she falls off of it or out of it because it is so low to the ground she won't get hurt.  It is the perfect gift for little ones.  And you can have it monogrammed!

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"If you think you can, you will.  If you think you can't, you won't"  ~The Little Engine that Could, the movie

Fab Five Friday: Movie Edition

This month's fabulous five is all about movies.  This one was almost as hard as the books but I'm keeping it to five.  Only movies though.  I'll have to do musicals some other time. 

1.  Anne of Green Gables...Just about every life situation can be related to this movie.  I have seen it so many times that sometimes I put it in while I'm doing other things just to listen to it.  I can see the pictures in my head.  At least once a week something will happen and a quote from Anne will pop into my head.  I love it!  It's quirky and smart.  It's one of the best family films ever.  If you haven't seen it, your life isn't complete!

2.  Gone with the Wind...I've seen it a million times.  I can quote it.  If my head isn't throwing around quotes from Anne Shirley, it's giving my "I'll think about that tomorrow."  It's a classic!  Everyone must see it at least once.

3.  Little Women...The one with Winona Ryder not Katharine Hepburn.  (It is most like the book.)  This movie has the all time best marriage proposal ever!  Not to mention that Christian Bale is lovely and I will name my next son Lawrence after this movie because he will be just as beautiful as Christian and will be able to pull it off.  Am I vain?  Yes!  And, no, I'm NOT expecting that next son now, I'm just planning ahead.

4.  Love Actually...Hugh Grant, Colin Firth, Emma Thompson, Keira Knightley, Liam Neeson, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Laura Linney, Thomas Sangster, Alan Rickman...Need I say more!?!?  The first two had me at hello. 

5.  Harry Potter series...I know it's a series but I love them all and you can't have one without the other.  I read all of the books and the movies got better and better.  I've seen every one in the theater and plan on seeing the last one (boo hoo) in July for a belated anniversary date with Blake.  But I will say that if you've only seen the movies and haven't read the books, you are missing out. 

Marmee: Feminine weaknesses and fainting spells are the direct result of our confining young girls to the house, bent over their needlework, and restrictive corsets.

Picnik

I'm sure that you all know about Picnik but because I am behind in the world of technology, I am just now using it.  Picnik makes editing photos easy and fun!  I am just using the free version right now but if I get a new camera this summer, I may be tempted to pay a little so I can do more with it.  Here are some of the things you can do with the free version:

And this is just the basic stuff.  You can whiten teeth, make yourself look thinner, add stars to your eyes, and so much more. 

Fabulous Five

Here are some my new favorite things.

1.  Munchkin Easy Squeezy Spoon...I love this thing!  I can put the baby food in it before we leave the house and not have to worry about taking anything else.  It works great and is a great conversation starter.  I got mine at Babies R Us but I have seen them at Wal Mart.  The only drawback is it leaks a little if not upright when the baby food is very thin but when I put cereal in it I had to make sure there were no clumps or it got clogged.  Boon also makes one but it is harder to find.

2.  Lush Tea Tree Water Toner...I ordered this about a month ago and I love it.  I haven't always used a toner but I thought since I'm getting wrinkles I better try something new.  I spray it on my face before putting on my moisturizer and it makes my skin feel so soft.  It's light and airy and smells great.  

3.  Fisher Price Space Saver High Chair...I got this when I had J and I love it.  It reclines so it's great for little babies to be at the table with the family even before they can eat.  It sits up tall for big kids.  It has a tray that is removable and straps that keep the baby in the chair.  We use it almost every day.  I got a Bumbo a few weeks ago so that we would have something to travel with and use at Mom and Dad's but I'm taking it back.  I feel like K is going to fall out of it and I don't want to sit on the floor during meal times.  The space saver is perfect because it is a real high chair but it's not so big it looks like a space ship!

4.  Williams-Sonoma Chocolate Fondue Chips...Yum!  We had chocolate fondue Sunday night for dessert.  It was wonderful!  These chips are dark chocolate.  You add cream to make the fondue smooth and creamy.  You can also add a flavor but we like it plain.  Marshmallow cream would also make a great addition.  We ate our fondue with bananas, marshmallows, and rice krispie treats.  We had strawberries but they weren't very good.  The Melting Pot serves all these things as well as brownies and cheesecake.  I love fondue nights!

5.  Elmer's Rubber Cement...I don't know why but I have always loved rubber cement.  And it's not because of the smell.  It's just fun!  It sticks things together but you can take them apart if you mess up.  You can roll it into a ball.  It's just a fun crafting supply.  Everyone should have some!

Disclaimer:  LUSH is a supporter of "marriage equality" and gay rights.  I found this out when finding pictures to go with my favorite things.  So, I am in search of a new favorite moisturizer, toner, exfoliant, soap, body wash, etc.  I'm so sad!  It really stinks because I love their products. You can send them an email to express your own disappointment at marriageequality@lush.com. 
Also, fondue chips are no longer available at Williams-Sonoma.  Maybe that's just a Christmas thing.  Sorry!

Pretty Piggies

K has officially entered the world of girly girl!  She has painted toe nails.  I knew I would want to paint her precious little piggies but I didn't want to use regular polish with all of the yucky stuff in it.  So I researched natural, baby safe polish and found Piggy Paint.
        

"Finally, a kid-friendly polish without the accompanying drawbacks of traditional polishes.  It is free of formaldehyde, toluene, phthalates, biphenyl A, ethyl acetate and acetone... and made in the USA!"  ~Melanie Hurley, founder of Piggy Paint

They have a super color selection.  I ordered the "Toe Tally Fancy Gift Set."  It included three shades of pink.  I also ordered the polish remover and the top coat.  The remover doesn't work quite as well as acetone but it is acetone free and doesn't stink.  I noticed that they have some new gift sets available now that include the toe separater, stickers, and file.  They have colors appropriate for teens and mommies as well.  Although, since we have three colors, I am just sharing with K.  I'm pretty sure she won't use it all this summer! 
Not only is it baby safe, made in the USA, but it is made in Arkansas.  All of the bottles I have say either Rogers or Springdale.  (I didn't know that until tonight.)  I love supporting retailers that are US based and especially Arkansas based. 
The website offers free shipping for orders over $40 and you can use the coupon code: Safbaby to get another 10% off your entire order including sale items. 
Happy polishing!

"Say good-bye to harsh, smelly chemicals and hello to Piggy Paint

…it’s as Natural as Mud®!"

Fabulous Five Foods

This month I am sharing my five favorite store bought snacks.  Some of these are for me and some are for J.  He likes snacks as much as me! 

1.  Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate with Caramel...The absolute best chocolate I've ever tasted is the dark chocolate French truffle from the Wright Square Cafe` in Savannah, Georgia.  However, the only way I can get it is to have it shipped.  I can buy Ghirardelli chocolate squares locally and these are a close second.  The salty caramel in the middle mixed with the bitter chocolate makes me weak in the knees.  Yum!

2.  Haagen-Dazs Dulce de Leche Ice Cream...Wow!  This is the best store bought ice cream ever.  I love that I can taste sweetened condensed milk and real sugar in every bite.  I love the swirl of caramel that runs through the ice cream.  I love, love, love this ice cream!

3.  Haagen-Dazs Five Chocolate Ice Cream...This ice cream is my second most favorite store bought ice cream ever.  It has five ingredients--milk, egg yolks, sugar, cream, and cocoa.  I think that the fewer ingredients in something the better it is.  The fact that I know what all five things are makes it even better.  J loves ice cream so this is what I buy for him.  I like knowing that what is in it is what I would put in it at home.  And it tastes great! 

4.  Chocolate Pocky...Found in the Asian food section, these chocolate covered biscuit sticks are great!  Mom bought them first and I love them because the chocolate is dark but J REALLY likes them.  He calls them chocolate sticks and he could eat the whole package at one time but we don't let him.  They are actually a good alternative to a candy bar because they have fewer calories, lower fat and lower sugar.  There are other flavors too but you can't get them where we live.

5.  Milky Way Midnight Bar...As far as a basic candy bar goes, this is my top pick.  I love dark chocolate and I'm not a fan of nuts in my food.  I like nuts just not mixed in with anything else.  So, Milky Way Midnight is my favorite. 

I'm sure your sweet tooth is calling by now!  Have a great weekend.


"...I simply remember my favorite things, and then I don't feel so bad!."  ~Sound of Music

April is...

National Turn off the T.V. and Read month.  So, I am having an extra Fabulous Five list this month.  Here are my five favorite books in several categories.  I couldn't narrow it down to five total so I'm cheating!

Favorite Adult Books (There is a reason these are adult books.  Go to Shelfari to get a more in depth synopsis of each book if you want to know why.)
1.  Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett...A spellbinding epic tale of ambition, anarchy, and absolute power set against the sprawling medieval canvas of twelfth-century England, this is Ken Follett's historical masterpiece.
2.  Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen...Set during the early part of the Great Depression, this book tells a love story that happens while working for the circus. 
3.  Night by Elie Wiesel...Night is Elie Wiesel's masterpiece, a candid, horrific, and deeply poignant autobiographical account of his survival as a teenager in the Nazi death camps.
4.  Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt...The luminous memoir of Frank McCourt, born in Depression-era Brooklyn to recent Irish immigrants and raised in the slums of Limerick, Ireland.  Wearing rags for diapers, begging a pig's head for Christmas dinner and gathering coal from the roadside to light a fire, Frank endures poverty, near-starvation and the casual cruelty of relatives and neighbors -- yet lives to tell his tale with eloquence, exuberance and remarkable forgiveness.
5.  North and South by John Jakes...In the years before the Civil War, the Mains and Hazards achieve their triumphs and suffer their tragedies against the panorama of American history.

Favorite Young Adult Novels
1.  Jacob Have I Loved by Katherine Paterson
2.  Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
3.  Kate's Book by Mary Francis Shura
4.  The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton
5.  Pictures of Hollis Woods by Patricia Reilly Giff

Favorite Series'
1.  Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
2.  Harry Potter by J. K. Rowling
3.  Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella
4.  Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
5.  Mortal Instuments by Cassandra Clare

Favorite Children's Books (I'm really cheating on this one! This list could go on and on and on.)
1.  Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon by Patty Lovell
2.  Our Tree Named Steve by Alan Zwiebel
3.  Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey
4.  Snowflake Bentley by Jacqueline Briggs Martin
5.  The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg
6.  The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton
7.  The Tale of Peter Rabbit  by Beatrix Potter
8.  Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey
9.  The Hat by Jan Brett
10. The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear by Don and Audrey Wood

Favorite Book of All Time.....To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

I got the summaries for the adult books from Shelfari.  I love this website!  I can add my favorite books or any books I've read or am reading now to my bookshelf.  My friends can look at my shelf to see the books I liked or didn't like and see which ones they might like to read.  It's a really great tool for teachers to use with their students. 

So turn your television off and read!


"Until I feared I would lose it, I never loved to read.  One does not love breathing."
     ~Scout, To Kill a Mockingbird

"I don't know what it means and I don't care because it is Shakespeare and it's like having jewels in my mouth when I say the words."  ~Angela's Ashes

Fab 5 Friday

1.  Easter Egg Dye...I know this is weird but since Easter is Sunday I thought I would throw this in.  The smell of vinegar and the fizzle of that little pill reminds me of my childhood!  I remember going to my great aunt Mary Lou's every Saturday before Easter and dying eggs.  The egg dye would be put in all kinds of containers from plastic butter bowls to KFC styrofoam mashed potato containers.  The table was covered in newspaper and the dye was set out and we would get to work dying Easter eggs.  My Gramps always made one for Gram with their names or the date or some other little message or picture on it.  Now we go to Gram's every year to continue the egg dying tradition.  There are fewer kids and Gramps isn't with us anymore but we still have fun.  I'm glad J and K are getting to experience some of the same things I did as a child.

2.  Ici Silicone Spoon...I have three of these and that is not near enough.  It is the first thing I grab when I'm cooking.  I use this spoon for everything from stirring the sugar into to my tea to making brownies to browning hamburger meat.  The silicone is heat resistant up to 600 degrees so I don't have to worry if I accidently leave it in the pot while I'm cooking.  It is wonderful! 

3.  Space Saver Underbed Tote...Leanne introduced me to these things.  I love organization!  I also love Rubbermaid tubs.  I have a tub, basket, box for everything in my house.  I think I go a little overboard on the organization but it makes me feel good!  I had J's clothes in clear plastic tubs.  I consolidated and fit two tubs of clothes in one of these handy dandy space saver bags.  The beauty of these is that they fit into canvas totes that stack neatly in the closet.  Now I have room for girl clothes!

4. Crib Bedding by Javis Davis...Brandie ordered her crib bedding from this website and I loved it.  The website was so much fun.  You could pick the fabrics you liked and mix and match the patterns to create your own custom crib bedding.  Of course, when I was pregnant with K we didn't find out if she was a boy or girl so I just picked out a girl pattern I liked thinking I might get it after she was born.  I was planning on using J's bedding if we had another boy.  My mom surprised me by ordering the bumpers and a crib sheet just in case because the fabric was so wonderful!  (We had ordered swatches to play with.)  Mom made the crib skirt just like we designed on the website.  I love the bedding!  However, I'm sad to report that Javis Davis no longer designs crib bedding.  I checked the website to find a picture for this post and she is moving on to other things.  Sad!!! 

5.  Cutter Bee Scissors...I have had the same pair of Cutter Bee scissors for at least 6 years.  I only use them for scrapbooking.  They are little so I can cut out tiny things and they are super sharp!  They are the best scissors I have ever had.  I will never use another brand for scrapbooking as long as they make these.  They are the best!

"In the book of life, the answers aren't in the back."  ~Charlie Brown

Fab 5 Friday

It's that time again.  I think I will use one Friday a month for sharing some of my favorite things.  I would love to hear some of yours.  I would love comments in general!  These are just five more things that I love.
1.  Duck Mobile...This mobile was mine when I was a baby.  My mom kept so many things that she had for my brothers and me.  The mobile still works and we use it on a regular basis.  J loved laying in his crib watching the ducks go around and around.  Now K loves doing the same thing.  It is in great shape.  I recovered the motor box before I had J but other than that it is exactly as it was nearly 30 years ago.  I am so glad my mom kept it so I can share it with my children.  I hope my brothers will want to do the same.

2.  "Mom" made carseat cover...My mom has discovered surfing the net.  Having another baby has inspired her to make a ton of new things.  She found this great carseat cover on the web and used some of her leftover blanket fabric to make one for K's carseat.  It is too cute!  Now I don't have to carry an extra huge blanket to cover her up when it's raining or cold or she is sleeping.  It has a fancy pocket and two windows that roll up and tie if I need to find a pacifier or K wants to look out.  I get comments on it everywhere I take it.  Thank you Mom!

Here is the fancy pocket...

And here is the front with the window tied open...

And here is the back with the window closed.  Notice the handle has an opening at the top.

3.  Kirsten, my American girl doll...I can't remember how old I was when I finally got her but I was old enough that she hasn't had a hair cut, been drawn on, been dragged around until her clothes and body are threadbare, etc.  I won't be letting J or K play with her until they are much older!  Brittany and I went to the American Girl Store in Chicago and both of us were amazed.  The company has come a long way in 20 years.  Our dolls are now retired.  She has Samantha.  Ashley has Molly.  You can still buy Molly.  We got them because they looked most like us.  Now you can custom order a doll that looks just like you.  They have hospitals, beauty salons, restaurants, and so much more for these dolls and their girls.  One day, K. One day!

4. Smocked dresses...I love that my mom is so talented and learned to smock when I was a baby.  She started making dresses for me when I was one year old and continued until I was probably 12 or 13.  I still have a lot of them and I plan on putting them on K.  I'm so glad my mom saved them so that I can pass them on to my daughter.  Thank you Mom!

5.  Scrapbooking...This has been the best hobby for me.  I have always kept things that are important to me and kept scrapbooks when I was younger but it has become an art!  I love that I had a group of friends in Vilonia who invited me to scrapbook with them.  I learned so much, spent way too much money on scrapbooking supplies, and spent one night a month with a wonderful group of friends doing something we love.  I miss scrapping with a group of friends but I still enjoy spending time in my "paper room", as J calls it, putting my children's memories into a book. 

Have a great weekend!  Enjoy the things you love. 

"Where we love is home, home that our feet may leave, but not our hearts."
    -Oliver Wendell Holmes

Fab Five Friday

One of the blogs I follow will on the occasional Friday share five things she loves. To take a break from sharing stories of my children, I thought I would share five things I love. Just remember that these are just material things.

1. Netflix...I just love getting movies in the mail.  It makes those bills that show up in the mailbox with them so much better looking!  Right now I am catching up on a show I started watching around the time I had J...Army Wives.  We haven't had cable or satellite since we moved her in 2008 so unless I recorded in at the pool house and watched it while B was traveling, I have had to miss many of the shows I used to watch.  I love adding movies to my queue and being surprised when I open that red envelope.  It is so much fun!


2.  Pampered Chef Baking Stones...I don't have near enough of these little beauties!  I have a round pizza stone that I cook everything from biscuits to cookies to stuffed chicken parmesian.  I also have a 12 muffin stone and a large baking dish.  The more I use them the better they get.  I recommend preheating them with the oven.  I think they cook better that way.

3.  Pottery Barn Bassinet...I know that a bassinet is a bassinet but this one is so pretty!  I have the brown wicker bassinet with the white and brown bedding.  It is lovely in our bedroom and K actually sleeps in it which is a huge plus!  J never slept in his (this could be because I got up every ten minutes to make sure something wasn't wrong and eventually just let him sleep next to me.)  However, my favorite thing about this bassinet is the basket lifts out and can be used like a Moses basket.  It is sturdy and much bigger than the average Moses basket.  I love it!

4.  Vanishing Cream Moisturizer by Lush...I have the weirdest skin.  It can't decide if it is dry or oily so it is usually both at the same time.  I have tried many skin products and this is by far my favorite.  It is very light and soaks right into my skin so I don't feel greasy after using it.  It smells great and is packed with all kinds of natural stuff!  It is made in Canada and they make it fresh when you order it.  The only downside is I have to order it online because no stores in Arkansas carry Lush...that I know of.  But that just means that when I run out of moisturizer and have to pay shipping, I can just stock up on some of the other great products that Lush carries.  I have never been disappointed with them!

5.  Morgan and Milo Shoes...J has the same style shoe in two different colors we like them so much.  He has the widest, thickest, flattest foot (thanks to me!) and we have a hard time finding shoes that fit.  These are too cute and fit great!  I just checked out their spring line and they have some really neat shoes that I can't wait to try on my little J's feet!  The girls' shoes are cute too and I am sure that we will be buying them for K very soon. 



I will be thinking of five more things I love for the next "Fab 5 Friday."

"There are as many forms of love as there are moments in time."