Favorite Things 2010

1. There are a few things that a girl like me simply has to have out of necessity. One of those things is of course something I could not get by without...My Garmin. If you have lived in the same place for awhile, you may not need one, but if you move often and travel often, they are great to have. So, I would like to extend a toast to the creators of the GPS systems! Here's to you! Without this trusty staple, I would have been lost most of the time.


2. Favorite Things I have done in the past year:
Trip across British Columbia with Earle and the boys to Vancouver
Horseback Riding and Dog Sledding in Banff and Canmore

3. This photo is of a favorite artwork of ours. Earle's co-workers from the plant in Cochrane gave us these three paintings done by a local artist of three different places to see in Alberta. I love it!

4. This little device has opened a whole new world to me! The Cuisinart blending stick purchased last fall. They are only about 30 dollars and blend soups, smoothies, and puree just about anything. There is no transferring required and I love the practicalities of it!

5. A favorite new soup I have made quite a lot of this year is this Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Bisque...I follow the instructions but also add a can of Rotel and some Cajun seasoning.




6. My new favorite Tassimo flavor is the Caramel Latte Macchiato...only about 80 calories!

7. Earle got me this Kitchenaid Stand Mixer for Christmas and I really love it! I had no idea what I was missing out on with the hand mixer.

8. These were inspired by my friend, Nicola Mooney, who got something similar on the T.V. show, My Rona Home last fall. Earle and I were able to find a super sale at best buy when it was time to move and I was excited! Why not have a little 'happy' in your laundry room!

9. Okay, well this is a given. I went for a year while in Calgary without a cell phone...and it was really fine, not torture, but I was plotting for the one I would get upon our return. I have never even had texting on any of our cell phones before. I have to say, I do love it. It is so not a necessity, but boy is it fun to have!

10. A big favorite of mine this past year has been my camera. We had upgraded last year to a Canon Rebel and I really like it! We take so many pictures it was worth spending a little extra on. We find great joy at looking through our pictures and remembering good times that we have spent with our family and friends.

11. Favorite New Store here.... "Charming Charlie" Love this store!!

12. Favorite Epiphany...it has to do with strategies in making friends and getting to know people. I like to analyse things quite a bit, especially with all of the moves we have had. It is sort of like self-evaluation, I guess. It finally dawned on me that it is much easier to invest energy initially in people that you feel comfortable with immediately. You know, like you don't even have to try and conversations flow easily. If you feel nervous or anxious like you are having to try hard to say the right things it is probably not going to be the perfect fit at first. So don't waste the energy. Get to know the ones first that are interested in getting to know you...then some of the others will come over time. Basically stop trying to fit in! To be honest it is pretty freeing!

13. One of my favorite Bible verses this year has been:

Philippians 4:4-7

"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

14. With each move Earle and I are reminded seriously how unimportant our 'stuff' is. I know I have listed lots of "things" above, but to be honest when you have to drop things and go, stuff is pretty annoying and can weigh you down! Don't get me wrong, I love having certain luxuries, but my favorite things are below! I love my boys...even if my favorite time of the day is sometimes their bedtime.

This post is inspired by Michelle Carlson's suggestion...I'm starting here because it seemed like the easiest. When I first thought about it, I was not sure if I had any favorite things that were different from last year, but when I started to think of some little things that made me happy, I could definitely think of a few. By the way, I think Earle looks super handsome in this last picture!

CB