The Twelfth Day of Christmas

I love Sharpie markers. None of this b.s. imitator stuff. Real Sharpie markers. I have a basket devoted to storing my Sharpie collection. My favorites are the old-skool fine-point permanent marker, and the ultra fine-point permanent marker, but there are a lot of other ones that look interesting on their site. Like if I owned some of the twin-tip permanent markers - they have the fine-point on one end and the ultra fine-point on the other! Can you even imagine such bliss??

Sum it up to say, I'd never be disappointed to receive more Sharpie markers as a gift or in my stocking :)

The Eleventh Day of Christmas

Well, the original title of this post was 'The Eleventy Day of Christmas.' It's starting to feel like it ;) Maggie had an on-and-off fever all weekend, including missing school yesterday, then at 5 o'clock this morning Jack coughed so hard he threw up. On me, and the bed we share with daddy. Yeah. Relocate everyone to the living room. Where the biggest guy called the couch, and I didn't sleep very well on the floor. So maybe I'm a bit tired ;) But he's cute (aw, heck - they both are) so I'm not too cranky.

But today's wish list items will be the easiest ever. Just check out my Amazon Wish List! I've got a bit of fiction, quite a few direct selling books that I'm sure I'd find inspirational, and even a couple books to hopefully fire up my creativity.

Do you have recommendations of stuff I should read? Speak up!

The Tenth Day of Christmas

Believe it or not, I've been without slippers for probably most of the year! I desperately need new slippers! And what could be better than bunny slippers? It looks like a medium or large should fit well (I hate being between the sizes they recommend!)

I'm not really all that picky about the bunny, but this is my favorite slipper style. I need to be able to just slip them on while holding baby Jack and 12 other things with my hands.

If you knew me a few years ago, I usually carried slippers with me to other peoples' houses - I just really hate having cold feet!!

The Ninth Day of Christmas

I think this has been on my list before, but I'd still really like tickets to go see Trans-
Siberian Orchestra live.


I go back and forth saying Christmas Canon or Carol of the Bells is my favorite holiday song, but I can't imagine them playing only one or the other at a concert - so I'd get both!

TSO is coming to the venue closest to my house on December 29. I would love to be there!!

The Eighth Day of Christmas

I want a french butter dish. I only know what it's called now because I searched on Etsy and saw the style I wanted, and finally saw its name.

I first saw a french butter dish at my aunt's house a few years ago. I thought it was the coolest thing. See, the butter is essentially in the 'lid' and there's an inch or so of water in the bottom. You can leave it on your counter so the butter is spreadable (at room temperature) but it doesn't get yuckies in it because it's safe with the water not letting every breeze in the room blow across your butter. Sorry, that's as scientific as I get ;)

I want the french butter dish so I can finally ban margarine from my house. Icky stuff, that margarine. And my biggest excuse for using it was spreadability. I use butter in all recipes and cooking stuff. I used margarine to spread on toast and pop tarts. No more!

The Seventh Day of Christmas

So this is a rather unique gift request, but I would love to do another Accountability Project with LoseYourExcuseNow.com. They have one starting in January called 'Success Seekers.' The product description says it is, "..an intermediate- level AP teaching you the value of patience, but not complacence. Success in absolutely anything is attainable if you just learn a few key techniques." Sounds like a bargain at $129 :)

A cute gift as well from them? Their new Confidence Clings. I wouldn't complain to find them in my stocking ;) The variety pack would give me options and let me move them around so there's always some fresh inspiration to catch my eye.

The Sixth Day of Christmas

I NEED a Zombie Solar Shaker Desk Toy. Since I don't have a desk, I'll have to keep him in the living room or something, but that's okay :)

Yes, I still really like zombies. I like to think I liked zombies before they were cool. No, really. And I don't even watch The Walking Dead. Thinking of the things I have and love that are zombie-related makes me think of more decorating type stuff that I need to ask for as holiday gifts. Or maybe just find and re-purpose from around here. Like a shelf for some of my themed decorations and books... I've got some cool stuff. I'd like to be able to see and appreciate it more. Maybe by keeping it all in the living room by the window, so my new solar shaker can dance and shake his zombie money-maker ;)

The Fifth Day of Christmas

I found a fun one for today! I'd love to have nice looking nails again. Since they've come up with at-home gel nail kits, I'm hoping I can sneak enough time to do them at home, since I can't really bring the baby into a nail place every couple of weeks.

I would love more opinions, but in my few minutes of searching, the OPI gelshine kit from Sephora had decent reviews (although it isn't cheap at $159). Some other kits didn't include the light, which you need with the gel set.

After poking around the site for a few minutes, I can see where they say you get a bottle of the colored gel free (which is essentially the part of the polish that shows ;) ), but I couldn't find the polish color selections. If you're so inclined to get me this high-ticket item (or something similar), I like dark colors.

Anyone have experience with any at-home gel polish sets that can chime in? Thanks!

The Fourth Day of Christmas

My mind keeps running to clothes today, but that's so hard to have someone else buy for me! And I hate to ask for gift certificates.

I need dress pants (I'm thinking corduroy pants would be fine for winter shows), jeans (but I want good ones, instead of all my stretched out cheap ones), and some t-shirts that haven't got tiny holes in them from the washer/dryer. The shirts are the easiest, I suppose, but they feel like a lousy investment since I'll be able to get some stuff I really like once I'm done breastfeeding (which could be any time, or could be another year from now).

I definitely need some more trouser socks :) But not a lot, since I generally don't work more than two days a week, if that. How's that for low-maintenance, mom?

The Third Day of Christmas

Chasing the kids around all day, I certainly don't get gussied up much, but eyeliner is sort of a requirement in my world. After a shower, I always put moisturizer (with sunblock) on my face, and apply eyeliner and mascara. Unfortunately, I recently ran out of my favorite eyeliner for a few weeks, and found I was looking like a raccoon by 3 or 4 each afternoon. Not acceptable!

I did get a new eyeliner last Friday, but I don't want to risk running out again, and I wouldn't mind a little variety. I say my 'favorite' eyeliner, but I actually have two. I would love to get more dark colors of either Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Eye Pencil (the last two I've had were Rockstar and Demolition), or Make Up For Ever Aqua Eyes (sorry - the Sephora is further from my house so I don't remember what I got since it's been so long).

The Second Day of Christmas

I've got sort of a thing for organization. I like to know what's happening and when, and I don't like to be late.

Every year around fall I start recognizing a need for a new organizer. Last year I got the Franklin Covey, but it's just too dry for me anymore. A friend recommended this great life planner from Erin Condren, and now I want one.

The picture is sort of representative of what I want, but I prefer the purple and orange, and I want my initials to be B2. Cuz that's how I roll :) I don't need any of the extras, and I want my planner to run from Jan 2013 through Dec 2013.

I wish I could have this right now! Luckily December isn't too busy, so I should be able to keep my life straight until Christmas.

The First Day of Christmas

So much for my big plan to get a couple of these posts pre-done...not so far!

One of the first things on my list is really something I need, but by asking for it as a gift, I may get one a little prettier ;)

I tried searching for more, but I really like this file box called File the Pile from Clever Container. You'll learn that I try to do my shopping (or at least my list making) from other direct selling companies. Of course I love to support the industry, and hope you do too!

If you're looking to fulfill my wishes but don't want to find a consultant or wait for this to ship, here are the main qualities I'm looking for in file boxes (and ideally, I would like two or three of them). I don't want the big ole paper case size ones. This one is just 7 1/2" from side to side. I also like that this holds hanging files. And I don't want boring old plastic. Give me something pretty to look at, since I plan to keep them on my desk where hopefully it will be easier (and more likely) to file things as needed.