About Me

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I write novels, eat dark chocolate, raise three children, love my husband, scrub toilets, ignore the laundry, and love a good story, but hardly ever in that order.

OPERATION BONNET

STRETCH MARKS

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ACT TWO

BOTTOM LINE

BALANCING ACT

Monday, December 20, 2010

These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things

I'm well aware I'm not Oprah, though I'd appreciate it if people started referring to me only by my first name. Madonna, Cher, Oprah, Kimberly. No, you know, that doesn't work, does it? I need a name that's a bit more unique. Like....Gaga only more wholesome.

Gigi?

GooGoo?

GeeGee?

GollyGolly?

Think about that, will you, and get back to me in 2011?

In the meantime, I, like Oprah, have some favorite things from 2010. Some of them I can't really pass along to you, like the new baskets I have to store all my husband's winter gear. (That is correct: basketS plural.) Or my new earrings that a fantastic girl named Jessica made for me after I stopped by her booth at a craft fair. I would like to share these with you but I cannot because there are only two and I need them to look cute.

But I would like to tell you about a few things I liked this year and that have given me great joy.

NUMERO UNO:
Sara Groves.



I love this woman. I've had the pleasure of meeting her a couple of times and let me assure you, she is all that and at least six bags of chips. If you have not already, please buy her Christmas CD and listen to it without ceasing for the next week. Her voice is beautiful and haunting and human and everything you'd want to hear on any given day.



Also, she sings a hilarious song called "Toy Packaging" that should give all parents everywhere great comfort in these trying days.

NUMERO DOS:
Books. I read them, every now and then I write them and I want to tell you all when I find one that needs to be read. For example, have you read The Help by Kathryn Stockett?



You probably should. I drank it up like a good cup of coffee and was sad when it ended. What about Peace Like A River by Leif Enger? Fabulous. Sarah's Key by de Rosnay and Havah by Tosca Lee were doozys in the best sense of the word. I also ate up Love Focused by the Hughes duo, though I'm warning you to get ready to hunker down. You will probably need a stiff drink by the end when you realize you have a SERIOUS control problem and you have been loving yourself more than all the other people you should love.

There are plenty of others that I loved this year but I will refrain from specific titles as some of them contain naughty words and I don't want to irritate people who don't read naughty words. I DO irritate AND I read naughty words so it's a wonder you're all still here.

NUMERO TRES:

Lindt Lindor Truffles. Marc bought these for me recently and I'm telling you, only one little square in and I was professing my undying love for him. I am suspicious he knew this would happen.



What about you? Favorite things? Hurry! We only have a few days left to influence buying patterns in our homes! What did you love in 2010?

12 comments:

  1. You...and always. :) Merry Christmas.

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  2. 1.) Bacon flavored mayonnaise = Baconaisse
    2.) My Livescribe pen
    3.) Ray LaMontagne's new album "God willin' and the Creek don't rise"
    4.)American Pickers
    5.) The Sex Lives of Cannibals by J. Maarten Troost (funny book would be up your alley, you have similar writing styles)

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  3. 1. Gilmore Girls. I just started watching them (borrowed from Makila) and I'm on the 2nd season. They are so funny!
    2. Breyer's chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream...my new favorite.
    3. Gracelyn's homemade ice cream (birthday) cake. It was soooo good.
    4. The Norwalk park by the library. It's the perfect size for our kids' ages.

    As for the name change, I'd go with GollyGolly. It made me laugh out loud. Maybe that's not a good thing.

    Merry Christmas!!

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  4. Best album I've bought in years - Bobby McFerrin's Vocabularies. No matter how many times I listen, I hear something new, I smile, I get a tear in my eye. Just awesome.

    Living magazine - a gift from my mom. Though I currently am single and live in a small apartment, it makes me dream of what I'll do with my "adult" life.

    $4.99 Riesling wine from Trader Joe's - Mmmmm... I love Friday nights cuz of a good glass of wine.

    Merry Christmas, Kim! I love reading your honest, hilarious thoughts. :)

    (This is Krista Halvorson, by the way!)

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  5. On the Sara Groves note: Noisetrade.com has her doing a Christmas prison tour... she sounds like the real deal. It is definitely worth a listen (and a tip) https://www.noisetrade.com/saragroves

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  6. Groupon.com, my Barnes & Noble nook (though it will never edge out paper books for me), aaaaaaaaaaaaand...oh yeah, smart phones, although I don't have one.

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  7. My newest favorite thing is soy lotion candles! A candle and hand lotion all in one. :) They're made by Isle of Candles in my home state of Georgia.

    Stacy's Simply Naked Pita Chips. Wow. A salty treat. I'm now addicted.

    I also discovered I enjoy reading young adult novels after reading The ABC's of Kissing Boys by Tina Ferraro and then plowing through several more by various authors.

    This blog! Although technically, I think I discovered it in 2009. Thanks for all the laughs! :)

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  8. I love books too, but haven't picked up a print book for at least two years. The last one was yours, "Stretch Marks." Does it count as reading when you listen exclusively to audiobooks? "The Help" was an awesome listen.

    My 2010 favorite things include Moroccanoil shampoo, string-pieced quilts, and two more grandsons. Christmas with three boys under 15 months will be a blast... won't it?

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  9. I think I have visited your site before and told you the story of how Sara Groves was smuggled into prison on Christmas Eve in 1972. I just concluded being a small part of Sara's Christmas Tour by sharing Live on stage in Milwaukee and Springfield, Mo. and the others via telephone live about prison ministry which her grandparents were in for 40 years as well as some of my own testimony. Sara is great, yes she is.

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  10. You people are awesome! These lists will keep me busy for years!

    Scotirish, you have NOT told us the story of Sara smuggled into prison. Please do share.

    Thanks to all for your tips!

    GollyGolly

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  11. As a fan from Switzerland (but former JHS teacher), I can only say your life has been lacking if you're just discovering Lindt (Swiss company!) dark chocolate. For a notch up, go for the lovely truffle balls-- practically a religious experience!

    The Help is a keeper-- have you tried Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese?

    Some of my favorites aren't new this year-- just renewals of admiration:

    Family that continues to surprise and delight me in their love and generosity.

    Friends who appear from nowhere when you need them most.

    Health care that pays my bills (I can't imagine dealing with cancer uninsured)

    Travel to destinations familiar and unfamiliar, and the people associated with those travels, and the sights, sounds, and smells of those destinations.

    Books, books, books-- forever widening horizons

    The blog of a talented, articulate, humorous young woman who keeps many of us smiling-- thanks, Kim!

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  12. I am a little late here--but none-the-less, i can't quite leave my recommendations off the list!

    #1-Sara Groves is AMAZING! she IIIISSS the real deal, like realer than real deal. I met her at a Hearts At Home conference. Her heart towards orphans & third world countries is humbling. She has the Father's heart!!

    #2-Psych on USA network. Laugh out loud, might pee your pants funny. Every episode had my husband & i laughing. Seasons 1-4 are in netflix instant watch.

    #3-my new floors & eat-in kitchen area (thanks to super handy husband!)

    #4-my orginial chandelier that i just made (read: copied) from a website picture (saved myself $1700!)

    you can see #3&4 at my blog www.meredithinprogress.blogspot.com

    I am sure there are about a thousand others!!

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