Sweet stuff

I love this vacuum.  I love seeing the dirt and dust fill up the in the container.  So gross.  It is a little hard on the carpets, but other than that... 5 stars!

Happiness comes from within

So I saw that Mackenzie-Childs was having a post holidays sale.  So I took a look.  So I went a little crazy.  So the UPS man could barely carry the box.  So what?

Totally not creepy that I took a picture of the UPS man out my window.  I was just a little excited about the contents of that box!

I just LOVE their stuff.  Kevin doesn't get it.  I tell him it is pretty and it makes me happy.  Now I understand that happiness can only come from within and all that enlightened nonsense, but how can you look at this and not smile? 

Yes, I know it is just a canister.  But a flowery canister with a big jeweled knob on top!

I was asking the kids what to put in it.  Andrew said coffee.  Grace said Mae's pacifiers.  I am thinking tootsie rolls.  Or I could just fill the whole thing up with wine and use it as a glass.  That would make me really happy. 

Sweet Stuff - Sonicare

So Kevin and I have bad teeth.  Our dentist suggested looking into automatic toothbrushes.  We did.  And ended up getting the Sonicare Essence.  It is awesome. 

Kevin said to me, "Bridget you need to put this on your blog.  Very rarely does anything actually EXCEED your expectations."  Fair enough. 

Why does this get my glowing recommendation?
1. Your teeth will feel ridiculously clean.
2. I noticed my teeth seemed whiter.  I thought I was crazy but amazon says...."Removes 80% of coffee and tobacco stains in just 28 days."  See I am not crazy, just perceptive.
3. Holds a charge very well.  I think I charge mine overnight about once a month.
4. It makes just enough noise to drown out your children that are whining/fighting/calling you from the other room.  Two minutes of bliss.

I want to note a few things.
1. The first time you use it you will not like it.  Just keep at it.
2. Wipe it off with a towel after you rinse it, otherwise water seeps into the joint where the head screws on and you will get some funkiness growing on the inside (no where near the part you put in your mouth). 
3.  There are much more expensive versions, which we obviously did not try.  This one does the job.  And there are usually rebates/coupons you can find online for another $5 or $10 off.

Sweet Stuff: Amazon Prime

You don't know what you've got until its gone, right?  Well our subscription to Amazon Prime recently expired and we are missing it so, so much.  If you join, you get free 2 day shipping on a good percentage of the items offered on Amazon.  It is like $75 for a year or something.

Now you are thinking, wow Bridget, can't believe you paid that much!  Uh, have you met my husband?  I most certainly did not.  We had it for about 2 years and never paid the membership fee.  We bought so much stuff that they just kept extending it for free.  Which is not exactly a good thing.  For us.  For Amazon, it was worth it.

Amazon Prime allowed me to have discussions with myself that go a little something like this, "I need a cake pan for this weekend.  Am I going to go to Target this week?  No.  Okay, I will order it on Amazon." 

OR

"Darn it!  I keep forgetting to buy coffee filters at the grocery store.  Oh I know!  I will order them online! I am so darn smart.  Thank goodness for Amazon Prime."  I realize it is really not smart (or "green") to have coffee filters shipped to your house.  Don't judge me.

This past Christmas I did most of my shopping on Amazon.  Which was fabulous.

A side benefit is you get to know your UPS man really well.  Probably too well.  When he sees you on a walk a mile from your house and waves, that may be a bad sign.  I tell myself it is because he thinks I am just so cute.  But I know he loves that I give him job security.

Sweet Stuff: Cooking Light Magazine

Full of really great ideas and info on healthy food and cooking. 

Sweet Stuff: Lands End Canvas

Martha Stewart has her "Good Things"
Oprah has her "Favorite Things"

Well, I am going to do it too.  I mean I probably should, right?  Since I am in the same ballpark as they are.  Really.

I will call my series, "Sweet Stuff".  Classy ring to it, huh?    Not "sweet" like candy is sweet.  Not "sweet" like little girls are sweet. 

But sweet, like Napolean Dynamite sweet. 

Here we go....

I am a huge fan of Lands Ends new-ish line called Canvas.  It is Lands End quality with a little more modern look.  I think it is how JCrew and Banana Republic used to be, you know before they got a crazy trendy with their skinny jeans and tight shirts for men. 

I recently bought a couple of the bathing suits and LOVE them.  Great quality, good prices. I am also happy that they have size XXS for shirts.  The Lands End ones were always so boxy.  But take this for what it is worth - I am a mom.  I dress like a mom. 

Plus, you get the excellent Lands End customer service.  I have been pleased.  And I am hard to please.

Check it out.