one of my favorite new blogging friends, Mrs. G, has suggested a post for today where you list some of the items you simply can’t live without!!

there are many people and items I feel I must have in my daily life so that I can carry on with breathing but here are some that keep my crazy world afloat.

Avon’s Le Cirque body spray.
my mom is an Avon Sales Rep. and has been since I was a baby. I get all my cosmetics from her at a sickeningly low price tag (ahem, free.)
in the early 90’s, they had my absolute favorite fragrance. and only a couple years after that, they stopped making it.
I actually have to buy this relic on ebay now. but it’s worth it. I love it that much!


Calrose White Rice.
my father is half Japanese and I was raised on white rice.
for breakfast with milk, cinnamon and sugar,
wrapped up in seaweed, and underneath just about every food I ate.
it was a staple in our house and to this day I have to buy a restaurant size bag so that I always have it on hand.

Ghirardelli Sweet Ground White Chocolate.
I am a coffee freak! so much so, that my hubbie bought me an at home industrial model espresso machine so that I could enjoy my happy addiction whenever it suits me.
my favorite drink is a white chocolate mocha.
hmmmmmm.
Ghirardelli is the only brand I have found that doesn’t taste like crap. it’s thick, rich and creamy. it also makes a rock’n white hot chocolate!

my Kitchen-Aid.

I use mine at least two or three times a day. I got my very first one for a wedding present from my MIL 7 years ago and I truly believe that it’s the reason I started baking.
if there was ever a fire in my home, I would probably rescue that puppy before anything else. well……maybe after I grabbed,

my Nikon D40.
I haven’t even had it a year yet and I’ve taken over 26,000 pictures.
yes, I’m a bit of a shutter big. just a bit.
if you look at my flickr photostream, you’ll see just how over heels I am in love with taking pictures. it’s an addiction, really. but an esthetically pleasing one.

Adobe PhotoShop.
I inherited little PhotoShop when he was just a wee lad when I married my husband. he was well taken care of but I decided to take him under my wing.
we’ve had long, torrid nights alone together tweaking, cropping and adjusting pictures until they look just right.
I’ve learned so much using PhotoShop and I think it’s even made me a better photographer.

legos!
these things entertain my boys for hours and hours and do a fine job of warding off crayon attacks on my walls and personal scissor craft time with every book in the kids playroom.
I also think they are the greatest creative outlet I could give my boys. they are going to become prestigous architects like Frank Loyd Wright and make lots of money and pay for mom and dad’s early retirement!

the most important item on my list is my family.
I wait on them hand and foot, they’re annoying, messy, loud and obnoxious.
they drive me nuts on a daily basis.
but without them, this blog would be extremely boring and I really need good writing material.
oh, and they also happen to be the reason I love my life.
the reason I am so happy and content with where I am at.
the reason I am who I am. they’ve made me a better mother, woman and person.
without them, I wouldn’t be me.
I also wouldn’t have stretch marks, saddle bags, saggy boobs and thinning hair.
but what’s family for?!!