My Holiday Wish List - Day 12

Well, here it is, my 12th day of Christmas already. The last day always feels exceptionally weighty, like, you can only ask for one more thing. What is the ONE thing you want. Ugh.

Can I name something sort of for my kids, and sort of for me? I'd love to show them the old Super Mario game. Wouldn't that be super fun on the Wii or the Switch? Jack keeps watching videos, and I hear the old song. (Yes, of course it's in my head again now...) I'm not really into the driving games, and I don't even know what this 'Mario Odyssey' thing is he's asking for, but I'm a little nostalgic when I see the videos of the original Super Mario game. So if that's still a thing, I think it would be fun. Or Link. Link was pretty cool too. I want them to see the games I actually liked, so maybe they'll stop thinking I'm so boring. LOL

What was your favorite old-school video game?

My Holiday Wish List - Day 11

I know I already listed work khakis, but I also only have two pair of non-jeggings jeans. I'd love another pair of Kut from the Kloth jeans, in a size 8. These are super cute, but their description says skinnies. I was sold by the cute flowers, but I really like their boyfriend style best.

What jeans have you found that you like? I'm not at all style conscious, and I certainly don't update my wardrobe regularly, so I need some plain-jane, old reliable sort of jeans. I have no booty to speak of, so don't show me anything 'curvy.' LOL

I do like the jeggings I wear regularly with sandals (in summer) or boots (the rest of the year), but I need to wear my white non-slip shoes to work, so when I'm faced with a week and a half of being allowed to wear jeans to work, I need another pair in my collection. And I'm sure they'd get wear out of work too.

My Holiday Wish List - Day 10

 I think these are also something on my list each year. As much as I don't like the cold, I do enjoy keeping my bird feeders filled up and watching my little bird friends. I currently have two shepherd's hooks that can each hold two feeders. And I have two feeders. So I need more feeders! LOL

I love the wooden ones, and will be excited to see who comes to feed on the suet block things on the sides instead of all the wild bird seed I usually put out in the other feeders.


I also think this feeder that sticks to the window would be so much fun for me to get a close look at them, and for the cat to try and make friends. Hahahaha....

No links this time, as I'm really not too picky on specifics. But while you're at it, I always need wild bird seed, and if I get a feeder that uses them, the suet blocks.

Remind me again in the spring - I read that we're usually on a oriole path as well, and I don't have the right type of feeder for them. I'm pretty sure they like fresh fruit and sweet stuff to nibble on, and then they'll sing as the snow leaves and spring comes in!

My Holiday Wish List - Day 9

While I feel a little grumpy adding these to my wish list, I need them. So here they go. I just started a new job at the school, and I've got a uniform/dress code. I have to wear the shirt required, with khaki or black pants, and black or white no-slip shoes. So once I got my start date, I had one whopping day to get ready for work. Target had a pair of pants to get me through, and I've just been wearing them every day. Ew? Maybe a little, but I only work two hours a day, so they have a lot of air out time. LOL

I'd like to get some more suitable pants so I can, you know, change pants some days. These from Old Navy look great, in either the light brown shades or the black, in a size 10 tall (love the talls, then I can worry less about them shrinking if I wash and dry in a hurry).

I have no idea what brand the ones I already got are. Luckily I like them, as I didn't have a lot of option when I had to buy them in a hurry. I laughed in the fitting room, since all the Target associates are required to wear a similar outfit. I asked them on my way out where else to look and they said besides Target, they often get them at Old Navy. Good tip, my fellow khaki-wearing friends.

My Holiday Wish List - Day 8

I still want Zomlings. I've been asking for years, but I still don't own any. Of course I don't 'need' them, but they look like the coolest little guys, and while my kids tolerate my appreciation for zombies, they don't like them enough to collect Zomlings themselves. So I need to ask for my own, apparently.

What toys have you collected? Are they leftover collections from childhood, or things that caught your fancy in adulthood?

My Holiday Wish List - Day 7

This is another classic for my wish list every year. I have one of these fabulous cooling racks, and would love to have another one to stack on top when I'm baking cookies.

Basically, I'm not a fast baker, so inevitably, my baking time overlaps with dinner time, and then usually breakfast time too. If I could take up a bit less space for cooling until they make it to the cookie jar, we'd all be happier. I wouldn't be yelling at people to not bump the cookies, and frequently, the cookies wouldn't end up knocked to the counter or floor because the slightest breeze makes things fall off an over-full cooling rack.

Still on my baking agenda this year - sugar cookies (frosted by the kids and I), the cookie-press spritz cookies, and maybe some crock-pot crack. What are your favorite cookies to bake?

My Holiday Wish List - Day 6

A friend of mine who is local to the artist has been recommending these purses forever. I even got to visit the actual studio/store when we were in town last year.

Holly Aiken bags are mostly vinyl, and super easy to clean and use forever. They say the biggest problem with loving these bags is never actually 'needing' another one since they last so well. I don't know if I've ever had a bag I loved that much, but I'd like to try.

After looking at the site for way too long, I decided I would love to own this Turbo Jr style bag, and the Jade/Orange/Dinosaur color combination is my favorite. It's even orange on the inside! I love a bright inside color on a purse as it makes my stuff so much easier to find.

Have you had a favorite bag or purse that you've carried forever? I find that I just carry what's convenient until I have some reason to change (frequently, needing a backpack for more space).

My Holiday Wish List - Day 5

Hubby and I were chatting the other day that we see a need for more flasks in our life. He mentioned skiing, but I thought of weddings where they don't have my Southern Comfort. Both were deemed occasions requiring a flask. So I thought back to a girls' weekend years ago when I saw some adorable Anne Taintor flasks at a great vintage store, and for whatever reason, did not purchase one right then. I've actually thought back to that a few times - one of my regrets in life, not getting that flask when I had the chance.

Anyway, a flask has finally made it to my holiday wish list. She's designed several great ones to choose from; I'd actually recommend looking over her whole site for some giggles. On looking through them today, I'd definitely choose 'everything matches after four martinis,' but feel free to send me a different one if you really think it would be better for me.

As I said, my flask will usually contain Southern Comfort. While I've gotten bourbon or whiskey plenty of times at a wedding or other occasion for an open bar, the SoCo is always my favorite. What would your flask contain? And what the best reason to carry it?

My Holiday Wish List - Day 4

A month or so ago, I got a couple delicious teas from a vendor I was sharing a room with at an event. But I haven't used them yet. While the teas are delicious, I can't stand dirt in my drinks. So far, every tea strainer I've tried using to make my wonderful hot tea, has left tea crumbs in my cup. This makes me very sad.

For the holidays, I would LOVE an extra fine tea strainer, like this one claims to be. If you're a tea drinker, please let me know your secrets. I've heard I could also use a coffee filter for an additional straining, or a cold-press coffee maker (to be used for nothing but my tea, of course).

I have a beautiful teapot (which is seldom used, but I grew up seeing one on the stove, so I keep one there now...), but I need something to keep the dirt out of my tea. Help!

My Holiday Wish List - Day 3

Speaking of my keep-warm favorites (from yesterday), I got several pairs of Smartwool socks last year that I LOVE. Hubby warned me not to fall in love with the fancy compression ones (too expensive for SOCKS?), they are indeed my favorite. But I have a pair that aren't compression too, and they're still quite cozy.

In the interest of warmth, I don't want those low cut little cold-ankle socks. Bare flesh defeats the purpose. These crew numbers are cute, or they have some knee socks too. And since I don't have anywhere fancy to go, fun prints are always better.

Are you as goofy as me, to have a favorite brand of socks? If so, what are they, and why? I went longer than 40 years before knowing this could be a 'thing.' 

My Holiday Wish List - Day 2

In case you've never read my blog before, I'll tell you (as I've stated many, many times) that I'm usually cold. So my wish list usually includes a new hoodie. I like this one because the red color is still dark and would match a lot of my stuff (who am I kidding - I wear my hoodies with jeans), and I could wear it to volunteer at school because it doesn't have profanity like the other hoodie I've seen that references being cold.

I found this one on Amazon, but I'm really not super-picky about it being this very one. I just saw this one and liked it. Probably in a large. Although now that I look, it doesn't seem to have a pouch to carry stuff. In my experience, most of my beloved hoodies have a pouch. I'm sure I could make it work :)

What are some of your stay-warm secrets? I absolutely love and swear by my heated mattress pad. We leave both sides set to hi after we put the kids to bed, then when we finally make it to bed ourselves, the bed is cozy. Lo is actually warm enough for me once I'm sleeping.

My Holiday Wish List - Day 1

No philanthropy here :D

This is my 12 days of Christmas - a wish list published for my husband and kids (mostly) and anyone else who wants to buy me gifts for the holidays!

I know, you're all excited now! LOL

For my first item on my list in 2017, I'm kind of going for a combo. I ask for eyeliner nearly every year, but I've come to the realization that I can't see my eyes clearly enough to line them. So if you were already counting on me asking for some of my regular make-up, by all means, feel free to get it for me! But I really want to make sure I am putting it on where I intend it on my face, so I am in need of this make-up mirror. I would LOVE a light-up one, but that seems to add $50 to the price. I'm not sure how much everyone likes me, so I'll be sure and shoot a little lower. Necessary features do include the wall mount. There were some great looking light-up mirrors that like suctioned to an existing mirror, but that would leave me way too far away. My old eyes need a close look if I'm going to avoid looking like Pennywise.

My favorite eyeliner for years has been the Make-up Forever Aqua Eyes. While I tried some fun different shades last year (or the year before?), I really gravitate toward the dark ones. Just how I roll ;) I would like to try wearing more fun lip colors, though, so a clear lip liner would be great to help with feathering, and let me color as far as I can on my narrow lips.

In the meantime, if these are things you use and like, or you have another brand/style/whatever to recommend, I'm not much of a make-up guru, so feel to chime in on the comments! I would appreciate it (and so would the people who have to look at me every day...).