These are a few of my favorite things...

Since I've been slacking on the blogging, and I am doing anything possible to avoid studying for my tests this week (public health and nursing leadership are not what I like about nursing), I thought I'd compile a list of some of my favorite things right now. We haven't had a lot of time to have fun, take lots of pics, etc. but there are some random things that make me happy on a very frequent basis :)

1. Vera Bradley straightener/curling iron cover. Not only are these cute, I think they are seriously one of the most ingenious inventions ever, and I'm upset I did not know about them until about 8 months ago. This has truly "changed" my life (yes, that is probably a bit dramatic, but I love it!) I love this thing for 2 reasons...1) I would get so frustrated having to leave my straightener on the counter in the bathroom every day when I left for school. I'm a bit of a neat freak and like to have my counters clean. It seemed almost worthless to put it away at night when I'd get home and see it there knowing I'd just be getting it out again in the morning and replay this routine all over again. Now I can throw it in this cover immediately after I finish my hair, throw it in my hair bin and put it away for the day. 2) It seemed like every time I went on vacation, I would inevitably have to leave my straightener out of the bag on the drive to the airport to allow it to cool down before putting it in my luggage. Now I can pack it all away as soon as I'm done getting ready. Ok...I think you get the point, but I would highly recommend one if you use a straightener/curling iron on a regular basis. It has a heat proof material on the inside and although it gets a bit warm, will never burn anything.

2. Jelly Belly Sour Brains.
When I saw them at the store I made fun of them. I think making things into weird shapes (like brains) is kind of odd, but after giving it some more thought, I was coerced (by my inner gummy loving self) to buy them. I have a bit of an obsession with Jelly Belly Sour Santas and thought these looked similar so decided to try them. YUM! They are almost identical to the Santas, and I like to eat them while I study as I feel it is giving me extra brain power :) I have a hard time stopping though so I can't keep them on hand for too long.

3. Reusable cup with straw.
This is by far my favorite thing to drink out of. If you don't have one, get one! I can't explain what it is, but this cup is the sole reason I'm not totally dehydrated. Whether it is Cherry Coke Zero (which I know is not the healthiest source of hydration) with ice or chilled water from the refrigerator, I prefer it in this cup! Perfect for in the car, on the go, sitting around the house, etc. One of my favorite features is the double plastic wall that helps prevent "sweating" so the table it is sitting on doesn't get drenched while the ice melts. Love it! Get one! (TJ Maxx, Marshalls, etc have cute ones for the best prices I have found)

4. UK parking permit.
Because Grant's school days consist of mostly patient visits, he is now eligible for an employee parking permit. This makes me happy for many reasons but mainly because we have never had a parking permit for our car at school before-just the scooter. This allows us to park "relatively" close to our buildings and also means when it's too cold outside (for me) to ride the scooter, we can take the car to school! No more snowy days on the scoot :)

I will do my best to make my life more entertaining (mostly for my sake), but also for my blog :) Hopefully a new recipe will be coming soon!