These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things

I spend a lot of time sharing with you all the shit I really don't like. A lot of time. Perhaps you have wondered what I do like? Perhaps not. I'm in no way assuming my favorites list will get your panties wet the way Oprah's does, but maybe you will find something new to love or another reason to hate me. I will admit that I have never been a purse whore, make up whore or clothing whore. I have no taste when it comes to expensive shit and I will never understand $5,000 purses or $300 flats. Sorry. Brand names mean nothing to me and I usually pretend to know what people are talking about when it comes to designers, then Google their name and realize that I would never buy their ugly shit. I shop at the thrift store. I get most of my make up at Walmart or on Amazon. I buy purses at Target, usually on sale. I'm thrifty by nature and have little interest in expensive shit. You won't find designer handbags or pricey jewelry on this list. I am no food critic either, but I know what is good in my mouth. I have things that I love to use, love to buy and would not be happy living without.

Here are my faves...from food to drinks to lotion and a few other gems. (This is not sponsored by any company and no one gave me free shit to pick there product.)

1. Aveeno Positively Radiant Moisturizer with SPF 15. This stuff is the tits for oily/combo skin that tends to look like an Exxon Valdez spill by afternoon. It clears up red areas I have from acne scars and uneven skin tone and looks smooth under make up. I know, it's not a $500 lotion, but you can always donate the $490 you'll save to someone who is in need. Find it at your local drug store.

2. Coffee Lip Balm by Ellen Bee Farms. I have been a lip balm girl my whole life and I know good lip shit when I find it. Red lipstick makes me look like Ronald McDonald and everything else looks orange on my skin, so I skip color and go for moisture. This favorite smells like coffee brewing in the morning and makes my lips feel soft all day. They offer many other flavors including my daughter's fave Wild Cherry. While I am related to the peeps who make this yummer stuff, I endorse it on my own accord not because I know them but because they make great lip balm. Find it at ellenbeesoaps.com

3. Aveda Control Paste. I am a freak about my hair. It's curly, short, graying, course, thick and on most days, completely unmanageable. I was introduced to this little gem when I started seeing my fave stylist, Scott. It's great for men or women and gives my hair that piecey look without being porcupine stiff. A little goes a long way, so even though it's costs a bit up front it lasts through many crazy hair days. Great in humidity and for little dudes with faux hawks. I wish my son still had one...so adorable. Find it at your local Aveda salon or online. Duh.

4. Guinness and Baba. If this is news, you haven't been here very long. Dark beer is my boyfriend. I love dark, smooth, heavy, delicious stout. The darker, the more head, the better. (You are disgusting...I am talking about beer). There is nothing better than a pint of Guinness at the pub, but now that they have it available in cans and bottles, I can stay in my yoga pants and drink at home. Baba is a fantastic brew from Uinta that is available in an industrial size at Costco. Dark and delicious, this is my beer for BBQ's, house parties and afternoon reading sessions on my porch. Get some in your mouth. Now.

5. Camper's Soap from Ellen Bee Farms. I promise, I am not being paid by anyone. I gave up body wash when I started running because it left a nasty film. While it doesn't make sense to my brain, I feel cleaner after using bar soap. Any who, I bought a few different brands from the devil big box store, but my  one true love came as a sample around Christmas last year. It smells like every yummy summer event, musky and sweet with all natural goodies so it never dries my skin. Our other family favorite is Monkey Farts, which smells better in the shower than an actual fart. Check them out this summer at the Farmer's Market Downtown or at ellenbeesoaps.com

6. Trader Joe's Angel Food Cake. New favorite as of this week, but don't let that throw you off, this stuff is the shit. Ate it with strawberries, cream, and finally straight out of the container with my fingers. I have never eaten cake that tasted like heaven, but now the name makes perfect sense. You know where to get this one, right?

7. Athleta Hannah Running Shorts. Here is where my thriftiness flies out the window. I am a sucker for exercise clothing, there is more of that in my closet than anything else. It's comfortable, lightweight and gives people the impression that I have put in hours at the gym even when I haven't. These shorts are the perfect length, light enough to sweat in and versatile enough to wear to the grocery store. Here is the kicker: built in underwear. If you are a runner, you know how fabulous this is. I have given up wearing underwear when I work out but these built in numbers are a blessing from baby Jesus because they don't ride up my crack while I'm hitting the pavement. Find these at athleta.com

8. Clean and Clear Deep Action Scrub. I still have acne. I don't know how common this is in women in their 30's but I really thought I would be done with it by this point. The breakouts I was having were not clearing up with my regular face wash so I grabbed this little gem in desperation. I have tried hundreds of scrubs, face washes, and mail order acne treatments and this is the best. I use it 3-4 times a week in combination with Clean and Clear Daily Cleanser and my skin looks better than it has in years. Find it on amazon.com or your local drug store.

It's no Oprah list and no one is getting a free car. Yeah, that pretty much covers it, no free car, no surprise under you seat, but you also didn't have to stand in line or know someone famous to get in. Bonus.

I'm interested in your favorite things. Use the comment section and tell me what you shove in your mouth, put on your face or rub yourself down with in the shower. Skip the naughty bits.

The Summer List

I love taking pictures out of moving vehicles. I feel like a movie star, wearing my floppy straw hat, my bare feet on the dashboard and a camera to capture every moment. This summer I feel blessed to have a job which will allow me to make my own hours and spend lots of time with my kids. I want to make this summer memorable and enjoy parts of our state that we haven't explored yet. We will be picking one new excursion a week from the list below, packing the car with snacks and taking lots of pictures. I want to sleep in kitschy motels and experience summer the way it's meant to be experienced, with wide eyes and no fear. I challenge you to make a summer bucket list, even if it has just five new things, you can greet Fall with the knowledge that you didn't waste your summer waiting for the ice cream truck to come down your street. You went out and found an adventure.

I am taking some ideas from this great book I bought a couple of years ago called Utah Curiosities: Quirky Characters, Roadside Oddities & Other Offbeat Stuff (Curiosities Series) by Brandon Griggs. If you live in Utah, I highly recommend this fantastic travel guide. I have lived here my whole life and 80% of these places were a mystery to me. Happy Travels!!!

*Dinosaur Land, Vernal, Utah
I can't believe this is so close and I've never been!! My kids are going to either love it or roll their eyes for an entire weekend. Either way, we are checking it out.

*Hill Air Force Base Museum.
One hour away and completely free....why haven't I seen this?

*This Is The Place State Park.
We tried this for my son's field trip two years ago, but it was a fucking downpour and we weren't able to enjoy it, so we are headed back. Yes, I just dropped the F bomb in the same paragraph as Brigham Young's famous saying. I'm a dick like that.

*Dog Lake Hiking Trail
I printed off the directions to this kid friendly hike two years ago and stuck a pin in it, literally. When I found it on the cork board among the other papers I never signed or sent back, I knew it was time to commit.

*Yuba Lake
Once again, I have never been to this lake. I've driven past it thousands of time on my way to Southern Utah and always wanted to stop and see what all the fuss was about. I may have to suck it up and let the kiddos camp out for a night. That's true love.

*City Creek, Trax ride and Downtown Shenanigans.
As I have shared with others, I was completely against this shopping center for a number of reasons. Then I went there. I fell in love and have been working on forgiving the church for taking business away from Gateway ever since. My kids haven't been yet and because we live in suburbia and are forced to ride in cars everywhere, they love taking public transportation. This is one of those excursions that is a must...it's close and cheap.

*Donut Falls
Not sure where this is, but I have heard rave reviews from other locals. We love packing picnics and eating on a blanket, so this will be another inexpensive and nifty day trip.

*Salt Flats/Cement Tree. Wendover, Utah.
I have some sketchy memories of living in a trailer park in Wendover when I was young, but I'm putting on my big girl panties and taking a trip down memory lane. Open land where the kids can run and I can take candid pics....you bet your sweet ass we are going. I hate that tree, but everyone should have the experience of seeing art at it's worst.

*Flaming Gorge
I know what you are saying and I have no answers for you. Never been. I hear how beautiful, close and fantastic this place is and I have yet to see it. I hate camping so ISO: a cheap motel with pool.

*Glendale, Utah
Where? Yeah, it's a little sneeze of a town in Central Utah where, word has it, I am related to everyone in town, including those in the cemetery. The last time I visited I was a kid and my Great Grandma Maxwell lived in a little house on Main Street, where she was formerly the Postmaster. Super cool lady. We are going on family history expedition.

*Mirror Lake, Uinta Mountain Range.
We grew up camping at this breathtaking lake and while I may not be up for a week of shitting in a port-a-potty, I can make it through a night. My kids have never been, so once the snow melts we are headed that way.

So there it it, the summer list. Do you have a favorite place in Utah? Share it in the comments and feel free to  use this list for your own summer adventures.

Gratititude

Why gratitude? There are thousands of thoughts, ideas and hilarious quips I could share with you today but I feel gratitude deserves a little time in the spotlight. It may seem insignificant to say out loud what you are grateful for and sometimes it is even easier to berate yourself and others. We spend so much time talking about what is wrong in our lives, what we wish would change, or what others have done to fuck it all up for us. The truth is easy to profess and hard to hear. When you are grateful, the universe provides exactly what you need.
When I started my GratiTuesday lists, it was challenging to find more that a couple things I was grateful for. I felt irritated about what I didn't have, who didn't love me and where my life wasn't going. I would angrily post a couple things and then backspace through all of it. Why should I be grateful? Bad things had happened, people left and I didn't have room on my credit card for those yoga pants I really wanted. Petty? Yes. But that was my truth. As the weeks went on, I had more and more to be grateful for even when life was hard. I was more willing to empathize and I suddenly needed less in my life to feel grateful.
We all have something to be grateful for. Start with being on this planet as a one of a kind human being. No one else looks, laughs, hugs, sings, farts or breathes exactly like you. That is pretty amazing! Begin with that and keep going. There are Tuesdays I am grateful for people I love and blessings I have in my life while other weeks find me grateful for sleep and a good, stiff drink. Let it take you where it will.
We are also working to instill this beautiful ideal into our children. Once a month, sometimes more and sometimes less, we go around the dinner table and share what we are grateful for. You will be amazed at what you hear. My kids, who like normal offspring, beg for video games and throw fits about not seeing their friends, are the most grateful people I know. They talk about their gratitude for our president, for having two happy parents, and for yummy food that mommy is home to make for them. I cry at these dinners, usually more than once. Try a gratitude dinner at your house tonight. It's a looking glass into the hearts of the people who love you the most.

GratiTuesday: My husband; who works extremely hard to provide for our family, free time, coffee, Costco tortillas, people who read my blog (YES, YOU!!), great books, laughing fits, and dying Easter eggs.

My heart is full and I know the Universe has wonderful things in store for me. They may not all be pleasurable but I am grateful to be here to experience them. What are you grateful for today?