10 Favorite Things

I have never done this before

even though it is very popular in the blogosphere

you know, to list some of my favorite things.

Not Oprah style

I am not giving anything away.

Although, that is popular in blogland too--giveaways.

If you have actual sponsors

and more than 20 people who follow your blog.

But quite frankly,

I usually just hit delete when I see a post about a giveaway.

I don't have the storage and/or counter space for an orange Kraftmaid mixer

and as much fun as I think I could have with a Silhouette machine,

my practical side says,

"You don't need that."

Funny though,

my practical side was pretty quiet when I recently purchased 

1) a rusty old food scale

(see how I transitioned right into my 10 favorite things without getting too far down the rabbit trail?)

L-O-V-E!

  and 2) 5 silver spoons and 5 silver forks.

It was important to me at the time.

I found these treasures at this great little shop by my girlfriend's house. They have an AMAZING collection of vintage dresses labeled by decade.

80s

Ellie looking a little
"Toddlers and Tiaras".

Then she got stuck in another 80s beauty:

Ellie didn't panic so she doesn't take
after me.

Luckily, my friend Sumita was there to help because I was too busy laughing

and taking pictures.

 The 60s are alive and well at this store.

I LOVE this on McDaniel because:
1) It fits like a glove.
2) That peacock color is awesome.
3) It is LONG enough for her 6 foot tall(ness).
 Can you hear
the "Hallelujah" chorus?

Too bad the dress was $125.

I know! 

I found this scene in progress.

Apparently trying on vintage dresses makes one overheated.

3) Going to vintage shops with friends and family DEFINITELY counts as one of my favorite things.

McDaniel bought an old milk bottle with her own money.

Love that!

We went around the yard in the rain clipping flowers from our yard to fill it with

which she put together into this:

She thought it looked like her hair which is
why she is hamming up that face.

The bouquet included tulips, lilacs, some white blooms from a bush that I have never been able to identify, and then spider grass.

Which transitions nicely into my next favorite thing:

 4) This is my dwarf lilac tree that Monte brought home for me 7 or so years ago. 

Isn't it adorable? 

Can't you smell them? 

Lilacs always remind me of my grandmother.

She'd always cover her lilac bush with a sheet 

whenever there was a cold snap in the spring.

(Hello, it is the Midwest. 

There is ALWAYS a cold snap in the spring.)

5) This is my phlox in bloom. 

I bought them in a clearance section of a garden store years ago half-dead. 

I am so happy they could be nursed back to life.

They are coming!!!

6) My peonies are budding and the ants are doing their job eating away the layers so they can bloom.

Can't. Wait.

Peonies always remind me of my grandmother too.

I have pink and white peonies.

But only the white are fragrant.
(Are you yawning yet? This is getting boring. Sorry.)

A white-pinkish viburnum at church.

Smelled amazing.

A Korean spice viburnum at my friend Beth's house.

Smelled a lot like a lilac.

It was on her patio by this fragrant bush 
that she introduced me to another fave:

7)

Oh. 

My. 

Word.

The fun we have had with this little iPhone app!

It changes your voice to sound like you have been sucking on helium

or turned into one of the Chipmunks.

It is ridiculous and hysterical.

I can't figure out how to get some of our videos uploaded on this post.

 So I am going to need you to imagine what Monte and I sound like singing

  "Close To You" by The Carpenters

and 

"Muskrat Love" by Captain and Tennille

but as Simon, Theodore and Alvin.

Beth also introduced me to another iPhone app called Heads Ups.

8)

It is a cross between 25,000 Pyramid and Charades.

You use your phone to give clues to others whose job it is to get you to guess the right answer.

The kicker is, they are being videoed by the phone you are holding up to your head.

Pretty funny stuff.

Especially when my family was trying 

to get me to guess flying squirrel. 

I can't wait to play this with a big group.

9) Pear Chobani Greek yogurt. 

You guys, there are actual pear chunks in the yogurt! It is so good.

("You guys" or just "guys", is the Midwestern version of "y'all".)

10)

Sparkly Green Earrings by Melanie Shankle is just fantastic!

The best book I've read in a while and the kind that I didn't want to end.

I laughed out loud yet teared up with the sweetness of how she writes about being a mother. This girl has a writing style that makes you feel like you are talking to her on the phone.

She has a blog called The Big Mama Blog, which I enjoy very much as well.

So go get this book! I am giving away copies for Mother's Day.

Wait. When I say "giving away" I don't mean "giveaway". 

Happy Mother's Day!