#I got some money for Christmas and ended up buying some cookbooks and book ends | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

kyleknight · 6 years ago

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5: Well, the surprise is ruined now, I guess. Alucard and Trevor and Sypha requested by @redvioletz warnings for discussion of alcohol. and food. have fun with this late christmassy thing :3

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Christmas is the worst time of the year, in Trevor’s opinion. Everyone’s expecting him to spend money of shit he doesn’t want to spend money on, everyone’s busy doing stupid family gatherings or parties at work, and every fucking where he goes, he can’t escape the music.

Sypha won’t leave him alone either, insisting he goes to parties with her and Adrian and “stop lying around the house like a potato, you animal.” Trevor’s perfectly content being a potato. At least he can be a potato in the comfort of his undecorated home with his own fucking music playing.

Well… undecorated until a week before the 25th, when Sypha and Adrian team up to set up the dreadful tree in the living room. And put all their presents under it, which makes Trevor feel bad enough to go out and find things for them.

Today, Trevor managed to get out of Sypha’s family’s party, thanks to Adrian seeming to take pity on him for once.

“It’s not even a Christmas party,” he had complained to Adrian earlier. “None of them are religious. Hell, none of us are religious! Why do we celebrate this?”

“It’s an excuse for them to all drink and eat whatever they want,” Adrian had responded. “And catch up with each other.”

“I don’t want to catch up with her family,” Trevor had groaned. “And I can drink at home, thank you very much.”

So Adrian and Sypha are out. They won’t be back for at least three hours.

Plenty of time for Trevor to make this batch of cookies and have them ready for when Adrian and Sypha come home. It’s not— they’re not Christmas cookies. They’re surprise cookies. The fact that it’s the 24th has absolutely no connection to the cookies. Nope.

He went to buy all the ingredients once Adrian and Sypha left for the party. Now he’s got them all spread out on the counter, looking at the old cookbook he dug out of the box from his parents’ home.

He knows enough about cooking— has watched Adrian in the kitchen enough to know that he has to follow everything exactly. His own culinary expertise might be limited to sticking things on a grill or in a pan and hoping they don’t burn before they’re fully cooked. But the instructions are right there in the book. Seems easy enough.

Preheat the oven. Yeah, he can do that.

“Okay,” he says, looking back at the book. “Sugar, brown sugar, and… butter… wait. Softened?” He opens the package of butter. It’s hard as a rock. Well fuck.

“Should be fine, there can’t be too much of a difference between soft butter and hard butter,” Trevor says to himself. He’s never heard of there being different kinds of butter. The package says unsalted. That’s probably close enough. He measures them all out and sticks them in the bowl to mix.

“Next is… flour… baking soda… eggs… vanilla…” He squints at the list. “T-S-P. That’s uh… a tablespoon, right?” He measures those next ingredients out too and adds them to the mixer one by one. The flour puffs up in a huge cloud, getting all over Trevor’s clothes and everything in the surrounding area. “Fuck!”

He turns off the mixer and wipes everything up. Then he turns the mixer on again. It looks lumpy and not anything like the stuff Adrian’s made.

Fuck.

But… it’ll fix itself while cooking, right? Trevor hopes so. He pours in the two bags of chocolate chips he got— because one bag is never enough— and panics when the mixer starts sounding like it’s about to break.

He pulls the bowl out and looks at the cookie dough.

It looks awful, but then again, everything he makes looks awful. He grabs a spoon to scoop some out to taste it.

Tastes like the stuff in cookie dough ice cream. Alright, he’s fine. He puts the bowl down to find the cookie sheets. Using the spoon, he scoops out lumps of the dough. They start out at what he assumes is a reasonable size, but as he keeps going, they end up getting bigger and bigger. That’s good though; he likes big cookies. So does Sypha.

Trevor fills the cookie sheets with all of the cookie dough, and then sticks them both in the oven. He sets the timer and then steps back.

“That wasn’t too hard,” he says. Then he catches sight of the mess he left. Ugh. He pushes them all into the sink and fills it with water. He can deal with that later.

Trevor sits down in front of the oven and stares through the glass window. The dough is spreading slowly. He leans closer to watch. The cookies are starting to touch… maybe he should have given them a bit more space—

His phone buzzes in his pocket. He looks at it. Text from Adrian.

Party ended early. We’re coming home.

“Oh shit,” Trevor says. He gets up and checks the timer. Six minutes still. That’s fine, they won’t be back before six minutes are up. Oh but— the fucking dishes. Adrian hates when Trevor leaves dishes in the sink, and normally Trevor doesn’t care, but it’ll kind of ruin the niceness of the surprise if he has a mess waiting. Because Adrian is absolutely the kind of person who will ignore the cookies to clean up Trevor’s mess, complaining the whole time.

Trevor pulls the dishes out of the water and sticks them all in the dishwasher.

There. Perfect. He empties the sink of the water and looks back at the timer. Two minutes.

How are the cookies looking?

Oh.

They’re… both sheets are just full of a solid puddle of cookie. Well. Maybe he can use a cookie cutter on them.

Trevor alternates between looking at the timer and looking through the oven window. The cookies aren’t looking great. But that’ll probably be fine; they’ll taste alright. Probably.

When the timer buzzes and Trevor takes the cookies out of the oven, they both look kind of hopeless. He stares at them open-mouthed for a moment, and then gets an idea. He looks around the kitchen for the pizza cutter, and then comes back to cut them all into squares.

Good enough.

No, it actually just looks like a shitty excuse for chocolate chip cookies. If Santa was real and he came down the chimney and saw those, he’d have every right to find the idiot who made them and put him out of his misery.

No, no, they might look awful, but they’ll still taste good, right? Trevor sort of remembers tasting them when his grandfather made them, back when he was a child. He grabs a spatula to pry one of the cookie squares off the pan.

It’s still hot, but he bites into it anyway.

That’s not the taste he remembers. It tastes like a mistake. How? Trevor was so sure he followed the recipe right! Maybe it was the butter. Or the flour.

Trevor’s shoulders slump as he finishes the cookie as punishment.

“Well,” he says to the rest of the cookies sitting on the pans. “The surprise is ruined now, I guess. He brings the pans over to the trash can and empties then.

“Time for Plan B,” he says, heading for the closet to get the bottles he stashed there earlier. Adrian and Sypha will at least enjoy that kind of surprise without asking first if they’re poisoned. Even better that the party ended; they get to get drunk together. As a second thought, he texts Adrian back, asking if he can pick up some food on the way.

Adrian texts back: Everywhere is closed. I’ll make something when I get there.

Yeah, that’ll work. Trevor will just try the cookies again some other time.

#mani playing with words #new years prompt fics #trephacard #I cant believe that is their ship name wtf

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livingmybestfakelife · 6 years ago

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Title: None Summary: Chadwick gives you a gift money can't buy.

You were deep in Christmas spirit all month, so much that you had set up the tree the day after Thanksgiving. Shopping for gifts for friends and family was always an adventure for you, you put a lot of thought into all of them and some of them you didn't swipe your card to get, and that was what Chadwick had semi did for you this year, of course he spoiled you with limited edition jewelry from high end stores, seasonal hand soaps and candles that you like so much. All materialistic things aside, the gift he was most excited to get for you was currently sitting underneath the big green tree ready to be opened, his heart was pounding and he caught himself glancing at it most of the evening. The smile already on your face would only get bigger once you see what he has in store for you, he just knows it. The hours couldn't go by fast enough for him, everyone started to arrive at yours and Chadwick's house around 4:30 and were just hanging out, one of your eldest cousins had brought his bluetooth speakers and played music...music that the elders weren't very fond of "boy turn that mess off, all that cussin!" his mama had yelled from the screen door, after he was made to play some oldies, Chad had came up from behind you and held your waist to turn you around "Dance with me baby", you chuckled and let him wrap you in his arms while Con Funk Shun's Straight from the Heart played, he'd pull back slightly every now and then to give you random kisses on the cheeks and lips "Can't wait till everyone leaves so I can-" you cut him off with a kiss of your own then give him a knowing look "Do you not know how to whisper boy?" he grins before hiding his face into your neck while the rest of the song plays. You've given him so much this year and shared many special moments together, he had asked you to marry him in August, you both brought a house in July, you watched him get honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, this year had been good to the both of you, with too many surprises to count, and he had his own under his sleeve, another one to finish off the year.

And when it was finally time to open the gifts he went back to glancing at the one gift he was the most eager for you to open, and when you finally gotten to it, he couldn't break his concentration of waiting to see your reaction, and when he finally saw it, it was worth the anticipation "what is it baby?" your aunt asks as she tries to get a closer look. It was a cookbook, but not just any cookbook, it was a custom made cookbook with a picture of your late grandmother when she was in her late twenties, you recognized it as one of the very few pictures that she had of herself when she was young, and they were all destroyed in the small fire that happened at your parents house, devastated was an understatement, you were completely crushed, and along with those pictures were a stack of recipes that she had written down of your favorite sweets. Chadwick himself had wished that there was something he could do for a long time to make up for it, he had a guilty feeling even though he didn't do anything, it's not like he started the fire. It wasn't until when you both went back to your hometown to visit your parents for their anniversary when you two were out and about, and went to go to a mom and pop store that Chadwick had gotten the best idea. You had knew the elderly couple that owned the store and they went to high school with your grandmother, while you were off on the other side of the store he had already picked out what he wanted and was waiting for you, and while he was waiting he struck up a conversation with them both, when they begin to talk about your grandmother he had learned about some new details about her that he somehow never knew before, it seemed impossible since you talked about her often. He learned that when she was young she would compete in food competitions, and would win or be in first to second place in nearly all of them, she was pretty locally famous for it, over the years her ribbons that she'd win would eventually be lost, all except for two, one first place ribbon and for the best peach cobbler, those two ribbons were framed at a local soul food restaurant that your grandmother used to be a waitress at when she was younger. He couldn't seem to wipe the smile off of his face after finding out this information, thinking that this could be something that could give you some closure after loosing some items that were the only thing you and your father had left of her since she was his mother.

"Chadwick...what is this?" you held the book to your chest and looked at him teary eyed, and your dad looked on and wiped a stray tear from his face, Chad had told your father about the gift and yesterday he gave him his own early one, that being one of the two ribbons that survived all of these years "That picture wasn't the only one of your granny, it was taken when she was 28, she was at a fair that she won a dessert contest at, she won first place for her peach cobbler" everyone awed as you opened the book to see that it looked like a professional number one selling cookbook, the pages were glossy along with the pictures of the food and sweets that were next to recipes, your grans recipes, the ones that you thought for sure were lost forever. While you were flipping through the pages he explained further "Mama Rachael's restaurant where she used to wait tables at, Mama Rachael's great nephew owns it now, and when I explained the story of the fire he let me have the ribbons and the picture, and the recipes that his great aunt kept in a lock box in the office, your granny and Mama Rachael were close, so close that your granny asked her to keep some of her most prized possessions before she had moved away with your granddaddy, she gotten tired of things being lost every time they moved, she knew Mama Rachael would take good care of it". That's when your dad had nodded and followed with "I completely forgotten about that, the recipes that got lost in the fire weren't the originals, mama had written them down for your mama so that she can know her secrets, she gave it to her after we had gotten married". Your mother was now the one to get teary eyed as she remembered that day, it was a sweet gesture to "welcome her into the family", when Chadwick had gotten a hold of all of this he had the cookbook made for you and gave the original recipes to your parents, after this your dad didn't want to take anymore chances and had bought a waterproof and fireproof safe to put the families sentimental valuables in, some of which included the ribbon and recipes, it made him feel silly that he didn't think to do all of this sooner. You got up to hug him, and you hugged him tight while crying into his chest, he has done a lot for you and given you so much, but this will forever stick with you, this was one of the things in your life that meant the world to you, "Baby baby baby" you whispered then gave him a deep kiss, it was all too much, he put so much work into this, and it made you appreciated him more "and all I got you was a hublot watch" you say and chuckles while caressing your cheek "baby with how much money you payed for that hublot you could've payed a New Yorker’s rent for a year" you laugh and playfully smack his chest, "Oh, you forgot the ribbon” he had moved from your embrace to get the box the cookbook came in to hand you the ribbon that she had won for her peach cobbler “This all too much” you hugged him again, “Only the best for you babe” he whispered in your ear before kissing the back of it, Merry Christmas to you.

#chadwick boseman imagine #chadwick boseman

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thorinds · 7 years ago

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I was tagged by the lovely lady-arryn to answer 20 book questions. Thank you so much, darling! I’m going to be a bit boring and say I’m not tagging anyone in particular right now, but if you want to do it please go ahead. :)

1. Which book has been on your shelves the longest? It would probably be a small box that contains five fairy tales by the Brothers Grimm. Technically it’s a collection of books, but I assume it counts. I got it from my grandfather when I was quite young (I can’t remember how old I was, but probably no more than six years old), and I’m very fond of them.

2. What is your current read, your last read and the book you’ll read next? I’m currently reading Pendragon by Stephen R. Lawhead, and my last read was The Last Battle by C.S. Lewis. I haven’t decided yet which book I’ll be reading next, but I might pick up The Crimson Petal and the White by Michel Faber or Sword at Sunset by Rosemary Sutcliff.

3. Which book does everyone like and you hated? I honestly don’t know. I remember I found Ian McEwan’s Atonement really boring when I read it some nine years ago, but that’s probably the closest I’ll get. Or maybe Sue Townsend’s The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Aged 13 3/4.

4. Which book do you keep telling yourself you’ll read, but you probably won’t? I plan on reading all the books I own (believe it or not), but I don’t think I’ll throw myself into the world of Leo Tolstoy quite yet. I want to read his books, but it’s not going to happen tomorrow to put it like that.

5. Which book are you saving for “retirement?” I pick up books whenever I feel like it. I never save anything for a specific time because I see no reason why you should wait if you want to read something. (When I think about it though, I should probably mention George R.R Martin’s A Dream of Spring because I don’t imagine it’ll be out for another fifty years or something.)

6. Last page: read it first or wait till the end? Always wait till the end.

7. Acknowledgements: waste of ink and paper or interesting aside? I think they’re interesting. It gives you a feeling of what went into the book, and that it is something more than just a work of fiction. Of course, you don’t get the whole story about the writing process, but it gives you a glimpse into the world of the author and the people who made the book possible.

8. Which book character would you switch places with? Probably Lucy Pevensie from The Chronicles of Narnia. I remember wanting to be her when I grew up; she experiences adventures you could never imagine happening on earth, and maybe more importantly she’s able to form very deep connections with others, something I desperately wanted to achieve. She was liked by those around her, and that was something I wanted for myself.

9. Do you have a book that reminds you of something specific in your life (a person, a place, a time)? I think The Magician’s Nephew by C.S. Lewis is one of those books that I’ll always remember because of two things. Firstly, I remember visiting my local library when I was around ten years old and I was looking for Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. However, they didn’t have it so one of the librarians recommended I should try out The Chronicles of Narnia, and I picked up The Magician's Nephew and The Last Battle. Secondly, MN was the very first book I read in English. I was thirteen at the time, and I remember sitting in my bed with one copy in Norwegian, one in English and a dictionary.

10. Name a book you acquired in some interesting way. Definitely Beowulf. It’s a funny story because I kept looking for it for a very long time, but I could not find it anywhere. However, when I was in Vienna with my grandmother, I had a dream where a friend of mine was translating a copy of Beowulf for me. Fast forward to the very next day, and my grandmother and I visited a cafe/bookshop and on one of the shelves I found an English copy of, you guessed it, Beowulf. It was such a weird coincidence and it sounds made up, but that’s genuinely what happened.

11. Have you ever given away a book for a special reason to a special person? No, I don’t think so. I usually just give people books for Christmas, and while I always try to find the right book, it’s never special or anything like that. (However, I did tear out a page from Tolkien’s Tales From the Perilous Realm, wrote something on it, and placed it on his grave.)

12. Which book has been with you to the most places? Probably my copy of The Chronicles of Narnia. I’ve dragged it with me for years, so it’s been here and there.

13. Any “required reading” you hated in high school that wasn’t so bad ten years later? I have not revisited any books from high school. It’s not that I don’t want to, but I haven’t felt the need to re-read any of them.

14. What is the strangest item you’ve ever found in a book? It’s not strange, but I recently found a note in a book at the library stamped 2008, and that note was in perfect condition. So either no one has borrowed that book in nine years, or the the people that did borrow it took care of the note. (My money is on the first theory because it was a pretty obscure book.)

15. Used or brand new? I’d say yes to both, but I prefer to buy books that are brand new, and I always try to keep them in perfect condition even though I’ve read them.

16. Stephen King: Literary genius or opiate of the masses? I have’t read any of his books yet, so I don’t know.

17. Have you ever seen a movie you liked better than the book? I know this is an unpopular opinion, but I think I actually prefer the Hobbit films to the book. Don’t get me wrong; I do love the book, but I absolutely adore the films. If it’s possible to mention series as well, then I have to say I think BBC’s 2004 adaption of Elizabeth Gaskell’s North and South is better than the book.

18. Conversely, which book should NEVER have been introduced to celluloid? The Voyage of the Dawn Treader was such a massive disappointment. It’s without a doubt one of my favourite books, and I even counted the days until the film’s release. However, I only watched it once because it was so, so bad.

19. Have you ever read a book that’s made you hungry, cookbooks being excluded from this question? I wouldn’t say it made me hungry, but A Song of Ice and Fire certainly made me crave lemon cake.

20. Who is the person whose book advice you’ll always take? I never ask for book advice. I’m the sort of person who prefers to figure out things on her own, including which books to read. Of course, if somebody happens to recommend a book I’ll remember it, but it doesn’t mean I’ll listen.

#Personal Stuff #Meme Stuff #I recently turned 23 so there we you go #This was quite fun by the way :)

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passionate-baker · 6 years ago

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Monthly Musings: March

Welcome to another Monthly Musings post, friends!

I hope today finds you extra well rested from the weekend & ready to tackle the week ahead. Boyfriend & I have had a very hectic last few weeks, so I think I speak for the two of us when I say we’re looking forward to the slower pace of March. Our plans for the month include taking it super easy, putting our feet up at any given opportunity, and making sleep a priority again. Listen, we love sleep, and honestly - you don’t want to see either of us running on less than 7 hours, it isn’t pretty.

March’s monthly musings are below, and I hope you find some inspiration hidden within my ramblings.

If you need me, I’ll be over here thinking up something herb-a-licious to make for the monthly Food in Jars Mastery Challenge - I’ll keep you posted.

I’m a bit late to the game, but I’ve finally gotten round to making my own sourdough starter. This is the first step on the journey down the road of sourdough - which I’m sure will be full of frustrations and rage - and I am so excited. We’re still trying to think up an adequately punny name for our starter, and this Food52 article has some excellent suggestions. Any ideas? Side note: I’m following the recipe from my Bouchon cookbook.

In case you missed it, February brought us a new Gifting 101 post - Preserved Lemons! Listen, I’m just here to help build up your homemade gift repertoire & make you look amazing. You’re so welcome!

I found myself a little under the weather this past month, which is terrible for productivity and all things work related, but great for catching up on reading. I worked my way through the entire Detective Erika Foster series and loved every. single. second. Boyfriend has since got me reading the Harry Bosch books by Michael Connelly, so we shall soon find out how addictive they are in comparison.

Are you a green thumb or a black thumb person? I’m working on expanding my gardening skills this year. Enrique, a serrano chilli plant that we grew from a seed, was our first plant baby. He was shortly followed by another chilli plant - Guillermo, who also was grown from seed - and now we finally have a new plant baby! Alvin Cado, a baby avocado tree, has finally sprouted a stem from his pit and we are so excited! Well, I am... Boyfriend is kind of freaked out by him, but I’m sure he’ll come around when Alvin grows some leaves, right? What should I try my hand at next?

Related: I recently stumbled across Rob Greenfield on Instagram and he’s currently undertaking a Food Freedom Project. The idea being that he’s going to grow & forage 100% of the food he eats for an entire year. No food from neighbours or restaurants, nothing processed, just homegrown fruit + vegetables, & homemade items like salt and oil. I love the idea behind it, and reading about it has opened my eyes a little wider... but at the same time, it isn’t a very realistic project for anyone who doesn’t live in the subtropical climate Florida boasts, amiright?

Boyfriend & I have well and truly gone blood orange crazy. There’s a blood orange cake hitting the blog later this week (stay tuned!), Boyfriend is fine tuning his blood orange cocktail skills (my favourite of which was a tequila/aperol concoction), and just yesterday I made a batch of blood orange curd. We never want the season to end!

A recipe we fell for this time three years ago: Curly Carrot Cake. A lightly spiced, perfectly moist carrot cake, lathered with lusciously soft cream cheese frosting, and garnished with candied carrot peels. Basically: the best carrot cake ever.

Ever since becoming the proud owner of my very own shiny red KitchenAid this past Christmas, I’ve been dreaming of buying the pasta roller attachment. I’m reluctant to spend that much money on something I’m not sure I’d use all that much, but I want it so badly! Why are they so bloody expensive?

We’re in that strange period of the year when there aren’t that many new cookbook releases coming out. Well, maybe there are, but none of them have caught my eye. The next book I’m super excited for is Christina Lane’s Dinner Just For Two, but it won’t ship to Ireland until May! Is there anything I’ve missed?

I’m just going to leave this article here in case you feel like you need a good cry: My Wife Was Dying, and We Didn’t Tell Our Children. Listen, we all need a good cry sometimes and this is as good a reason as any. Make sure you have the tissues at the ready.

I hope you have the very best week!

Hugs,

Vicki xo

PREVIOUS MONTHLY MUSINGS:

February / January / December / November

#monthlymusings #march #2019 #monthlymusings2019

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jennyquill · 8 years ago

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some kara/lena headcannons + ramblings

ok this is just for me and for funsies ive got a lot of thoughts and not a lot of people to share them with but we might as well start somewhere.

it’s really long fam

Who’s the cuddler: definitely both? kara really likes closeness in general and lena is an absolute sucker for cuddles and + homegirl’s probs really touched starved too so they probably have major cuddling sessions where nothing really happens they just want to be as close as possible to each other. i’ve also seen some headcannons where kara’s basically a human furnace and i can see lena getting *lovingly* frustrated at her girlfriend’s ridiculous body heat but also consider: lena luthor being a cuddle slut and absolutely adoring kara’s eternal warmth

Who’s the big spoon/little spoon: kara likes to default to big spoon but doesn’t mind when lena takes the reigns. they’re probably switch in this.

Fav. non sexual activity: this is a huge fanon thing and i totally am on the bandwagon for it: lazy sundays. just. an entire day where sluggish, hedonistic desires are met and they close themselves off to the world um yes pls this is very kara/lena. also music. i like the idea of them being well-read in the music world and just going to concerts ranging from mahler to andrew bird to nicki minaj and selena gomez and probably some other hipster bands. sharing each other’s spotify’s and sending each other youtube links of cool obscure bands they find. kara discovering someone’s bandcamp and lena anonymously donating to their page. lena loving the opera and introducing kara to verdi. lena having a guilty pleasure for 21 pilots or smth and kara being ???? ok let’s jam. i just really! love! music! and! kara/lena!! (omg kara teaching lena advanced music theory??? maybe lena was semi trained in her youth but never really went past building chords and one afternoon kara just takes her aside and teaches her part writing and its weird ass rules and lena catching on in an instant bc all music theory is an extension of math and logic. them writing songs together im???)

Who uses all the hot water: KARA her apartment may be big and spacious but that don’t mean her water heater is up to date

Most trivial thing they fight over: shoes. they’re like, a half shoe size a part even though lena’s smaller and maybe with certain styles kara can fit in some of lena’s nice loafers or lena lowkey uses this one specific pair of black heels of kara’s and this leads to the pettiest arguments of “those are my shoes and today is my day no you cannot wear them.” also kara accidentally putting things in hard to reach places bc she’s still getting used to living with someone who can’t just fly up to get the pans on top of the fridge.

Who does the most cleaning: they’re both pretty good at keeping things neat. lena’s not used to kara’s ‘throw this here and pick it up later’ system but they work things out. lena’s also really bad at keeping track of how fast her messes pile up and even though she always cleans after herself sometimes kara comes home and there’s just trails of paper and books and like five computers running and she’s like babe ur home office took over the house. also what’s that saying that really intelligent people are the messiest or smth? smth like “an empty desk is an empty brain” idk. i’m just thinking that even though lena presents herself nicely and clearly has a grip on herself just think about her home office being a small battlefield of stacks and files and prototypes. also lena with a messy closet is pretty believable like she may know how to match her clothes but that doesn’t necessarily mean her closet is in pristine condition idk i present to you: kara, organized closet by color and design and lena, these are my yoga pants and they’re hanging next to my 200$ suit

Who controls Netflix queue: kara is queen of netflix and all things to watch. lena doesn’t know how she manages to afford netflix and amazon prime at the same time but then again she also doesn’t know how kara affords her apartment in the first place.

Who calls the landlord when the heat doesn’t work: lena gets it done faster; kara doesn’t even notice the temperature has dropped 20 degrees until lena puts on her winter coat

Who leaves their stuff around: kara’s constantly dropping her clothes in the most random places bc supergirl reasons. lena finds her tights and button up in the bathroom at the beginning of the week and by the end of the week she’s found her shoes in the potted plant, her pants on the kitchen island, and various shirts smashed between things ranging from the stereo set to the fridge. lena’s one of those people who can always remember where they’ve left their stuff even if they’ve left it in a maze

Who remembers to buy the milk: kara’s shopping lists aren’t always practical but she does remember to buy the milk

Who remembers anniversaries: both. at the start of their relationship ena’s afraid to make it a big deal bc fear of rejection and commitment but kara rubs those fears away by being the most supportive girlfriend. also kara having her own reservations about commitment. kara knowing that relationships ask a lot out of people, that both have to work to make it happen. kara trying, despite her previous relationships to go forward and build something strong for lena and her. kara forging on, ignoring the demon in her head telling her that she can’t have it all, that she’ll never be able to find balance, that no one will truly take her for who she is. lena recognizing and soothing these fears, destroying these fears by staying steadfastly by kara’s side and saying fuck it and falling hard and fast for the girl of steel. lena being a dramatic gay and showering kara with expensive gifts and bringing her as her date to exclusive parties. kara bringing lena gifts from the sea and pretty rocks from mountains that humans can’t climb, kara finding the quiet corners of the world and bringing lena there and they build their world from each other’s strength and their secrets bonding them and told through trust. lena and kara in love and a super and a luthor defying the odds because they can and because they will.

Who cooks normally: i love the headcannons of kara being the cook bc hello it’s kara and this girl’s first love on earth (besides alex) was probably food. but i also like the idea of them both being hopeless in the kitchen? like. imagine them both trying to save money and taking cooking classes or watching baking videos online. going to the library and trying out a different recipe each week. lena making a pinterest of all the breakfast items she wants to try on lazy sundays. together, learning how to cook and messing up and getting distracted by each other so their meals turn out just a little bit burnt. kara trying to make homemade icecream. kara eating half the ingredients before lena has a chance to put the roast in the oven. them making thanksgiving dinner and it’s kind of horrible but mostly alright and eliza makes them promise to let her help them out for christmas dinner. kara and lena slowly learning to cook and turning out to be kitchen moms with a wicked way with the cookbook.

How often they fight: god just they can either have the best arguments or the worst ones. they’re both really good communicators though and they’re respectful and sure things get heated and complicated but they live by the “don’t go to bed angry” rule and it really helps. lena can close herself off, be a little dramatic, maybe be a bit reckless when it comes to her self care and kara’s got a huge heart but she’s also terribly headstrong and sometimes their respective stubbornness blinds them. kara can be extra and make rash decisions. but at the end of the day they talk things through and their similar backgrounds help them reach understandings.

What they do when they’re away from each other: kara can visit lena wherever she is in the world but she’s also got her own job and while she’d gladly visit lena everynight lena knows better than to ask her to, knows that space can be good. if lena’s gone for extended periods of time they’ll arrange call times and kara visits when she can so long distance isn’t a main concern between the two of them. supergirl duties take kara away at really random and sometimes inopportune times but lena’s a patient soul and kara always makes sure she’s communicating to lena, making lena a priority but also lena knows that supergirl is The priority and she loves her hero girlfriend. also distance makes the heart grow fonder so imagine maybe their busy schedules overlapping and them not being able to be together for two weeks to a month and both are just going crazy like. kara wanting to rush off to her girlfriend every chance that she gets but lena’s on the other side of the world and up to her neck in corporate shenanigans so when they finally are able to orbit each other again it’s like a supernova and it’s handsy and desperate but also really nice and they just kinda hold each other for awhile and take their time regrouping after the initial homecoming. also kara/lena + reunion sex. bonus points if the next day is a lazy sunday.

Nicknames: idk? i don’t really see them having nicknames unless it’s the teasing miss luthor/miss danvers. they have pet names tho. lots of babes and darlings and sweethearts.

Who is most likely to pay for dinner: lena.

Who steals the covers at night: kara likes the comfort of being in buried in covers even though she really doesn't need them. lena’s a sheet goblin and probably lowkey hogs the bed. not the kara minds bc that girl sleeps like a log in one place.

What they would get each other for gifts: kinda already answered this but also wanted to add that idk where i saw this and i wish i could find it and link it but i read a really good one somewhere where somebody was like “lena gets kara lingerie and it’s an experience” and um yes??? if someone knows what this is pls tell me and i’ll link it/give proper credit im sorry. also! kara getting lena really practical things or gifts from around the world. lena going full out billionaire baby on kara and just the two of them being high end fashion, high end living, high end everything. but also enjoying the other spectrum of comfort and maybe for kara’s birthday they go on a road trip and stay in crappy motels and eat greasy diner food and have the quintessential american experience and it’s cathartic and slow and totally theirs.

Who kissed who first: i love the idea of kara making the first move and a surprised but delighted lena being like yesss.

Who makes the first move: kara’s the one to make all the first moves i’ve decided this. lena’s always just a lil hesitant, always thinking in strategies and kara’s the one to be like ok let’s do this when and where do we meet and they just progress from there.

Who remembers things: lena’s google calendar gives onlookers heart attacks on the spot. kara balances her duties pretty well but sometimes she can slip up and something will go over her head but she’s always responsive and owns up to her actions. they remember big days and lena’s always the one to follow up on dates or plans and kara’s the one that reminds lena to eat or rest or just take some time to herself.

Who started the relationship: their lunch dates turn to dinner dates that turn to hang out sessions until they’re three months down the road in a muddle of uncharted intimacy and one day alex goes “hey where’s ur gf” and kara’s like ??? oh lena. oh. well she’s probably running late bc i know she had a meeting or smth. and alex is like. ah. and kara’s like. ah? and alex is like “u didn’t question that lena’s ur gf? gay.” and kara’s like “omg” and then shenanigans ensue and long story short they’re dating.

Who curses more: lena luthor is a very attractive curser and kara doesn’t know what to do with this information. also. kara cursing in high stress situations or when something takes her by surprise. bed cursing. also kara whispering ‘fuck’ bc of smth and lena doing the side eye emoji.

What they would do if the other was hurt: lena’s become accustomed to seeing supergirl get whipped around on the tv screen but her heart rate still speeds up everytime kara gets hurt. they learn to trust one another and just build this really lovely relationship where the worst has already happened to them so they know that together they can get through anything. lena staying by kara in her sunbed. lena taking care of her helpless gf when her powers blow out. lena being a shoulder to cry on, lena understanding when kara needs someone to understand what kara doesn’t understand. kara doing the same for lena. kara protecting lena to her last breath. kara defending lena until her voice is hoarse. kara bringing lena food. them giving each other backrubs out of comfort or out of need. both of them being just as protective as the other with just as much concern and love and care and tenderness.

Who is the dirty talker: im blushin thinking about this. lena being the vocal one but also kara being really responsive to her? yes. someone fic this. someone probably already did.

Any headcanons? i’m really into kara and lena going to galas/parties and dressing up idk it’s just the aesthetic that gets me. also the music headcannon. i want kara who sings around her apartment or whenever she’s comfortable or when she’s doing work just singing all these songs and some lena recognizes and others are hymn songs from krypton or songs from her childhood. kara being a theatre nerd and geeking out to lena and lena lowkey understanding all of kara’s references. lena knowing piano and kara knowing like twelve different instruments. idk where that huge “kara loves music and learns to control her powers through it” post is but yeah im all for this mmhmm.

i’d also like to add: cello player kara. strings are a hard discipline to learn and you have to have the right amount of pressure and speed to pull the sound out of these types of instruments. also, the cello is low and kara would probably have perfect intonation with the low rumble of the strings, the orchestra, and her super hearing. kara having an extensive knowledge of baroque music and string quartets and being a nerd and analyzing bach chorales. also choir kid kara! being a voice within many and listening to the counterpoint and changing harmony. kara danvers, not a sports kid in high school, but a fine arts kid. going silly and goofy in the drama club, painting in the art club, being in two orchestras and a band on the side. trying out the glee club (ha) and being put in the top choir bc she’s strangely and inexplicably fast at learning the languages and parts. kara forming her own string quartet with her buddies. kara being in the pep band. KARA BEING IN THE MARCHING BAND. DORKY KARA WITH GLASSES AND A HUGE TROMBONE. MAYBE A TRUMPET IDK. OMG KARA DANVERS, BASSOON PLAYER EXTRAORDINAIRE. kara slaying it at karaoke so hard that she’s not allowed back until she learns that karaoke is for fuNSIES and not for taLENTED PEOple kar a stoppppPPP. kara being That Kid that makes all the statewide festivals and competitions. kara not being in it for the glory but for the discipline, the physical balance and strain it takes her to master her craft and this makes her stand out but not in a bad way but in an inspiring way. kara rising to the top bc she practices for herself, because music is an escape like it is for a lot of kids, but especially for her.

also: kara applying her music theory knowledge from krypton to western styles of music???? im??? is it like atonal music or do they have notes that the human ear can’t pick up? what are the scales like/modes?? i don’t read the comics and i have no knowledge on the superman lore but if someone knows pleaSE SHARE. kara likes atonal music bc it’s fun to follow. kara missing krypton’s instruments and subconsciously choosing her earth instruments based on what she remembers from krypton, what feels familiar. kara liking certain pop songs on the radio because the modes are similar to a hymn she heard when she was little. kara getting lost in the dazzle of theatre bc the storylines about going home and finding one’s true self hit something deep within her. kara and music. kara and the fine arts, finding a different type of strength.

also one last thing for all you music nerds out there: don’t think about how ungodly fast she’d be at part writing and finding errors. or how she’d ace all the aural skills parts of theory exams. kara gets a music minor in college in theory and composition and it’s a breeze ok ok im done this was too much fun omg.

#this is really very long #hmm #supergirl #supergirl headcanons #jenny's party of 1 #supergirl fic #written

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networkingdefinition · 5 years ago

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Birthday Quotes

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• A birthday is just another day where you go to work and people give you love. Age is just a state of mind, and you are as old as you think you are. You have to count your blessings and be happy. – Abhishek Bachchan • A birthday:-and now a day that rose With much of hope, with meaning rife- A thoughtful day from dawn to close: The middle day of human life. – Jean Ingelow • A diplomat is a man who always remembers a woman’s birthday but never remembers her age. – Robert Frost • A friend never defends a husband who gets his wife an electric skillet for her birthday. – Erma Bombeck • All I want for my birthday is another birthday. – Ian Dury • All I watch is the Food Network. I took a cheese making class a few weeks ago, and I told my family and friends to only get me kitchen stuff on my birthday. I’m into every kind of cookbook and anything by Anthony Bourdain. I’d love to own a restaurant if I could find the right chef. – Jesse McCartney • All the world is birthday cake, so take a piece, but not too much. – George Harrison • And for the city’s birthday, we will host events in every neighborhood of the city, inviting all of our residents to share in the celebration of Boston’s great epic – the story of neighbors who support one another where it matters most. • Any time women come together with a collective intention, it’s a powerful thing. Whether it’s sitting down making a quilt, in a kitchen preparing a meal, in a club reading the same book, or around the table playing cards, or planning a birthday party, when women come together with a collective intention, magic happens. – Phylicia Rashad • At 50, don’t let aging get you down. It’s too hard to get back up. Happy 50th birthday. – H. H. Asquith • At her birthday, my seven-year-old daughter will say that she wants these big cakes and certain expensive toys as presents, and I can’t say no to her. It would just break my heart. But when I was little, for birthdays we just played outside and we were happy if we got any cake. – Goran Ivanisevic • Because the birthday of my life Is come, my love is come to me. – Christina Rossetti • Because time itself is like a spiral, something special happens on your birthday each year: The same energy that God invested in you at birth is present once again. – Menachem Mendel Schneerson • Believing hear, what you deserve to hear: Your birthday as my own to me is dear… But yours gives most; for mine did only lend Me to the world; yours gave to me a friend. – Martial • Birthdays? yes, in a general way; For the most if not for the best of men: You were born (I suppose) on a certain day: So was I: or perhaps in the night: what then? – James Kenneth Stephen • Brilliantly lit from stem to stern, she looked like a sagging birthday cake. – Walter Lord • Every year on your birthday, you get a chance to start new. – Sammy Hagar • Everyday is a birthday; every moment of it is new to us; we are born again, renewed for fresh work and endeavor. – Isaac Watts • Except ye become as little children, except you can wake on your fiftieth birthday with the same forward-looking excitement and interest in life that you enjoyed when you were five, “ye cannot enter the kingdom of God.” One must not only die daily, but every day we must be born again. – Dorothy L. Sayers • Fly free and happy beyond birthdays and across forever, and we’ll meet now and then when we wish, in the midst of the one celebration that never can end. – Richard Bach • For my birthday I got a humidifier and a de-humidifier… I put them in the same room and let them fight it out. – Steven Wright • For my birthday this year, my girlfriends – who knew I’d just inherited my dad’s turntable – gave me a carton of albums like “Blue Kentucky Girl,” by Emmylou Harris, and “Off the Wall,” by Michael Jackson. It’s all stuff we grew up with. I mean, you can’t have a music collection without Prince’s “Purple Rain” – it just can’t be done! – Connie Britton • From our birthday, until we die, Is but the winking of an eye. – William Butler Yeats • Happy birthday greetings and warmest wishes, too May today, tomorrow, everyday Be truly happy for you. – Margaret Brown • I binge when I’m happy. When everything is going really well, every day is like I’m at a birthday party. – Kirstie Alley • I crashed my boyfriend’s birthday when I was 12 years old. He didn’t invite me and so I showed up. – Isla Fisher • I had arranged a birthday party for him and my children, who are all Aquarians. Instead, we got married. I ran out of excuses. It was just us and my children. – Diane von Furstenberg • I love having my birthday at Australia Zoo. – Bindi Irwin • I love photography. My boyfriend’s got a great camera, which I bought for his birthday. – Sarah Sutton • I love the big fresh starts, the clean slates like birthdays and new years, but I also really like the idea that we can get up every morning and start over. – Kristin Armstrong • I remember when the candle shop burned down. Everyone stood around singing ‘Happy Birthday.’ – Steven Wright • I was fired by ‘America’s Next Top Model’ on my birthday. – Paulina Porizkova • If I have the power to post ‘Happy Birthday’ on someone’s Facebook page and make them feel really good, it feels really good to make other people feel really good. I love it. I’m a huge Facebook and Twitter person. And I love talking to my fans. It’s fun. – Rebecca Mader • If there’s one thing I really want for my birthday, that is for the mining company not to mine my daddy’s reserve. – Bindi Irwin • If we celebrate Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday at a time of presidential inaugurals, this is thanks to Ronald Reagan who created the holiday, and not to the Democratic Congress of the Carter years, which rejected it. – David Horowitz • I’m a summer baby, so I usually have my birthday as a good summer memory. – Sloane Crosley • In 1993 my birthday present was a star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame. – Annette Funicello • In childhood, we yearn to be grown-ups. In old age, we yearn to be kids. It just seems that all would be wonderful if we didn’t have to celebrate our birthdays in chronological order. – Robert Breault • It does not seem a year Since last we sent to you Our wishes for your special day And all that you would do. And once again we wish you All joyous things and more A day that’s filled with happiness And memories to store. Then when you think in years to come Of Birthdays long ago You may remember fondly How much we love you so. So have a day of pleasure Do things that make you smile For ………….. you are treasured Today and all the while. – Janet Horne • It is lovely, when I forget all birthdays, including my own, to find that somebody remembers me. – Ellen Glasgow • It’s odd the things that people remember. Parents will arrange a birthday party, certain it will stick in your mind forever. You’ll have a nice time, then two years later you’ll be like, ‘There was a pony there? Really? And a clown with one leg?’ – David Sedaris • Mattresses! Beautiful! Let’s go buy a couple of mattresses. Give ’em to people for their birthday. – Lawrence Tierney • May the moments of today become fond memories for tomorrow. Happy Birthday – Rob Jackson • Most of us can remember a time when a birthday – especially if it was one’s own – brightened the world as if a second sun has risen. – Robert – Staughton Lynd • My brother got a .22 for his 12th birthday; I got a .22. He got a hunting knife; I got a hunting knife. – Stephanie Cutter • My first recognition of age setting in was exactly on my 36th birthday. I have no idea why, on this day of all days, I looked in the mirror and realized my face no longer looked young. – Paulina Porizkova • Nicole will come up in conversations where it’s in a part of the conversation. Or we may be somewhere and I would tell some story about their mother and I. You know, we always honor her birthday. – O. J. Simpson • On a royal birthday every house must fly a flag, or the owner would be dragged to a police station and be fined twenty-five rubles. – Mary Antin • Our birthdays are feathers in the broad wing of time. – Jean Paul • Pleas’d look forward, pleas’d to look behind,And count each birthday with a grateful mind. – Alexander Pope • Success is like reaching an important birthday and finding you’re exactly the same. – Audrey Hepburn • The best birthdays of all are those that haven’t arrived yet. – Robert Orben • The best way to remember your wife’s birthday is to forget it once. – Herbert V. Prochnow • The day which we fear as our last is but the birthday of eternity. – Seneca the Younger • The return of my birthday, if I remember it, fills me with thoughts which it seems to be the general care of humanity to escape. – Samuel Johnson • The summer of 2002 at the Wilson birthday party I met Van Dyke again and I made plans to have dinner with him. – Matthew Sweet • The turning point was when I hit my 30th birthday. I thought, if really want to write, it’s time to start. I picked up the book How to Write a Novel in 90 Days. The author said to just write three pages a day, and I figured, I can do this. I never got past Page 3 of that book. – James Rollins • The way I see it, you should live everyday like its your birthday. – Paris Hilton • Then when you think in years to come Of Birthdays long ago You may remember fondly How much we love you so. – Janet Horne • There are three hundred and sixty-four days when you might get un-birthday presents, and only one for birthday presents, you know. – Lewis Carroll • There is still no cure for the common birthday. – John Glenn

• We didn’t have a whole lot of money when I was growing up either. I would always ask for magic books or magic tricks for my birthday or for Christmas and the rest of the year I either had to mow lawns or find part time jobs to help supplement the cost of doing magic. – Lance Burton • Well, birthdays are merely symbolic of how another year has gone by and how little we’ve grown. No matter how desperate we are that someday a better self will emerge, with each flicker of the candles on the cake, we know it’s not to be, that for the rest of our sad, wretched pathetic lives, this is who we are to the bitter end. Inevitably, irrevocably; happy birthday? No such thing. – Jerry Seinfeld • We’re sending you best wishes And hope your day goes well And that you’ll find some memories With stories you can tell Of how you had a marvelous time And those around you too With fun and lots of laughter And all this just for you.. Have a Very Happy Birthday – Janet Horne • When I was little I thought, isn’t it nice that everybody celebrates on my birthday? Because it’s July 4th. – Gloria Stuart • When I was young and it was someone’s birthday, I didn’t have the money to buy nice presents so I would take my mom’s camera and make a movie parody for whoever’s birthday it was. When I’d show it them, they’d die laughing. That reaction was a high for me, and I loved that feeling. – David Henrie • With a recent birthday, I’ve been acting now for twenty years. – Thayer David • You’re birthday reminds me of the old Chinese scholar….. Yung No Mo – Dana Rosemary Scallon [clickbank-storefront-bestselling]

jQuery(document).ready(function($) var data = action: 'polyxgo_products_search', type: 'Product', keywords: 'a', orderby: 'rand', order: 'DESC', template: '1', limit: '4', columns: '4', viewall:'Shop All', ; jQuery.post(spyr_params.ajaxurl,data, function(response) var obj = jQuery.parseJSON(response); jQuery('#thelovesof_a').html(obj); jQuery('#thelovesof_a img.swiper-lazy:not(.swiper-lazy-loaded)' ).each(function () var img = jQuery(this); img.attr("src",img.data('src')); img.addClass( 'swiper-lazy-loaded' ); img.removeAttr('data-src'); ); ); );

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jQuery(document).ready(function($) var data = action: 'polyxgo_products_search', type: 'Product', keywords: 'i', orderby: 'rand', order: 'DESC', template: '1', limit: '4', columns: '4', viewall:'Shop All', ; jQuery.post(spyr_params.ajaxurl,data, function(response) var obj = jQuery.parseJSON(response); jQuery('#thelovesof_i').html(obj); jQuery('#thelovesof_i img.swiper-lazy:not(.swiper-lazy-loaded)' ).each(function () var img = jQuery(this); img.attr("src",img.data('src')); img.addClass( 'swiper-lazy-loaded' ); img.removeAttr('data-src'); ); ); );

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jQuery(document).ready(function($) var data = action: 'polyxgo_products_search', type: 'Product', keywords: 'u', orderby: 'rand', order: 'DESC', template: '1', limit: '4', columns: '4', viewall:'Shop All', ; jQuery.post(spyr_params.ajaxurl,data, function(response) var obj = jQuery.parseJSON(response); jQuery('#thelovesof_u').html(obj); jQuery('#thelovesof_u img.swiper-lazy:not(.swiper-lazy-loaded)' ).each(function () var img = jQuery(this); img.attr("src",img.data('src')); img.addClass( 'swiper-lazy-loaded' ); img.removeAttr('data-src'); ); ); );

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equitiesstocks · 5 years ago

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Birthday Quotes

Official Website: Birthday Quotes

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gethealthy18-blog · 6 years ago

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2018 Ultimate Holiday Gift Giving Guide (For Everyone on Your List!)

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2018 Ultimate Holiday Gift Giving Guide (For Everyone on Your List!)

I don’t know about you, but this time of year can be a little hectic for me! With Thanksgiving, Christmas, and several family birthdays, there is a lot to plan and a lot of gifts to wrap. We try to stick to experiences instead of stuff as much as possible (here are some of my best ideas), especially with our own kids, but also usually give one physical gift per family member.

Also, for extended family and close friends that we don’t live close enough to share experiences with, we send small gifts as well. I know it seems early, but I try to get my shopping done now so that I can savor and enjoy the holidays while knowing gifts are already wrapped!

This holiday gift guide is a compilation of the best gifts we’ve ever received and the ones that are favorites to give. As much as possible, all these gifts are eco-friendly and limit plastic whenever possible. They are also natural, organic, and health-promoting.

My Natural + Eco-Friendly Gift Giving Guide!

I’ve included my favorite gifts for every member of the family, age group, and interest level, so keep scrolling if you need ideas for a specific family member. They go in rough age order (adults down to babies) and then special interest gift ideas are below that (for the chef, the grandparents, white elephant gifts, etc).

Important: Please note that many of the links in this guide are affiliate links. This means that if you purchase through these links, the price will be the same for you and I’ll receive a small commission that helps support my blog and my family. Many thanks!

Gifts for Mom (That She Won’t Just Pretend She Loves)

As a kid, we always got my mom new kitchen gear and equipment as gifts. I remember feeling a little guilty because my brother and I got toys and fun gifts, and I always thought she got the short end of the stick just getting kitchen items that she used for us. Then, I became a mom myself and developed a love for cooking, and now I get just as excited about new kitchen essentials. This list includes some of the best practical gifts for moms, as well as some pampering and relaxing ones!

Amazon Prime Membership – Get free 2-day shipping on many items, plus free streaming music and movies.

or Real Plans Membership – My biggest time saver – this plans all of my meals and shopping lists and can handle allergies, bulk prep day and more!

Shiatsu Massage Pillow – Seriously rivals an actual massage for half the price!

Hydroflask Water Bottle – The water bottle I use that keeps water cool (or hot) for days!

Complete Facial Kit – Amazing facial oil with the highest quality ingredients and no junk!

RTIC Tumbler – Great for hot or cold drinks.

Wake-up Light Gentle Alarm Clock – Wake up gently to gradual light and sound

Himalayan Salt Lamp – Soothing warm orange glow at night from these beautiful lamps.

Blue Blocker Glasses – I wear these after dark for better sleep (some studies show that avoiding blue light after dark helps melatonin levels).

Sleep Master Sleep Mask – Great for travel – a sleep mask that is actually comfortable!

10,000 Lux Happy Light – Feel blue in the winter? I use this super-bright light to keep my cortisol levels healthy.

Anything Le Creuset – Incredible (but pricey) dishes. I’ve been collecting a few pieces over the years and resisting the urge to buy it all!

Microwaveable Slippers – Does someone you love always get cold? These slippers have microwaveable pads that stay warm.

Dry Brush – Brushing isn’t just for hair and teeth. Brushing skin can help it stay smooth, supple, and may improve collagen.

Low EMF Hair Dryer – Did you know that hairdryers produce a lot of EMFs?

French Press Coffee Maker – Make wonderful coffee with this classic method.

Instant Pot – Revolutionize dinner! This electric pressure cooker makes roasts in about an hour and turns tough cuts of meat into deliciously tender meals.

Grown-up Coloring Book and Markers – Coloring isn’t for kids anymore and studies show it may reduce stress levels. Try a “grown-up coloring book.”

Kokomo Cream Organic Deodorant – This natural deodorant smells like the tropics and lasts for months.

A good book – Just off the top of my head… maybe The Wellness Mama 5-Step Lifestyle Detox or The Wellness Mama Cookbook? 🙂 Ok, I’m biased, but it’s a great way to have all of the best recipes and health hacks on the site at your fingertips.

Blackout Curtains – Even a little light can interfere with sleep quality. We use blackout curtains to keep our room really dark.

Wine Bottle Tiki Torch – Upcycle old wine bottles with these adorable tiki-torch kits.

Gifts for Dad (No Ties or PJs on This List)

I’ve always had the most difficult time finding good gifts for the men in my life, especially my husband. He has incredibly high standards for products and prefers really high-quality items that last forever. These have been some of his favorite gifts in recent years and they might be perfect for the guys on your list too. (Also, check the lists below for more specific ideas for dads who travel a lot or who love the outdoors!)

Magnetic Wrist Band – Holds nails and screws for the handyman!

Fire Starter Kit – Useful tool to start fires without matches or a lighter.

Blue Blocking Glasses -These glasses help reduce eye fatigue from computers and reduce blue light for better sleep.

Lifestraw or Sawyer Water Filter – Survival water filter that fits in your pocket.

Comfy Slippers – My husband loves these slippers he got a couple of years ago.

Heat Proof BBQ Gloves – For the man who likes to grill, these gloves will protect his hands.

Smart Wool Socks – Warm but not sweaty and they keep feet dry. Great for hiking or everyday use.

Surefire Flashlight – High quality and super bright pocket flashlight.

Wine Aerator – Pour wine through this to improve flavor.

30-day Lantern for Camping – A really long lasting lantern for the outdoorsman who loves to camp.

Esse 3 Knife – Really high-quality multi-use knife.

Saddleback Leather Wallet – This wallet has a 100-year warranty!! (yes, really!)

Quality Shaving Kit OR Beard Oil– Great options for the clean-shaven or bearded man in your life!

RTIC Insulated Tumbler – This insulated large mug keeps things cold for up to 24 hours and hot for up to 12.

Hydroflask Insulated Water Bottle – Insulated water bottle that keeps water cold for days.

Backjoy Seat – Does your guy sit a lot? This may help improve posture and alleviate tension in the back.

Defender Phone Case or Tablet Case – Protect him from EMFs when using electronics.

Tactical Pen – More than just a pen, it works in all conditions and can break a car window if a person is trapped.

ENO Hammock – Portable hammock that fits in a small bag and is great for travel and camping.

Tactical Backpack – For the outdoorsman, this bag holds everything he could need.

Tool Pen – Available in hex and mini-tools for easy use.

Whiskey Stones – Freeze these rocks to use in place of ice in drinks “on the rocks.”

Gifts for Older Kids & Teens

My older kids have gotten harder to shop for, but these gifts all got their seal of approval!

Buddha Board – A relaxing way to paint with just water (it evaporates and you can paint again).

Leather Journal – A beautiful leather journal for sketching or journaling.

Japanese Puzzle Box – These beautiful puzzle boxes are a unique way for older kids to keep valuable items safe and fun to learn.

Rubix Cube (or Giant Rubix Cube) – The 1980s called, but we told it we are keeping the Rubix Cube. Older kids love learning to solve this.

Star Wars Legos – Popular among big kids and teens with dozens to choose from.

Build Your Own Programmable Robot Kit – A favorite with my oldest. Build a robot and program it!

Grown-Up Coloring Books – Coloring isn’t just for little kids anymore. These “adult coloring books” are very detailed and studies show that coloring is relaxing.

Boogie Board – Reusable board that encourages doodling and drawing.

Kindle Fire – An affordable tablet with a lot of capabilities.

Runaway Alarm Clock – Does your teen have trouble waking up? This alarm clock runs away and keeps making noise until caught!

Natural Makeup Brushes – If your teen is old enough to wear makeup, these natural brushes are great!

Power Cube Wall Adapter – Surge protector and charges multiple devices at once.

Collapsible Duffel Bag – Great bag for short trips that collapses to a tiny size.

Minnetonka Chrissy Boots (for teenage girls) – Super comfy boots!

Cash inside a Money Maze Puzzle Box – Give money so they can get what they like, but make it fun by hiding it inside this puzzle cube.

No Crease Ponytail Holders – These are really popular right now. They are gentle on hair and don’t leave a crease!

Travel Hammock – Have an outdoorsy teen? These travel hammocks collapse small and are awesome.

Pocket Strings Guitar – A fun way to learn guitar! Fits easily in a backpack.

Gift Ideas for Younger Kids

There are certainly the most options to choose from when looking for gifts for children, but I’ve found that many are lower-quality plastic items that break easily and release harmful endocrine disrupting chemicals into the home or that only facilitate one activity. These are a few of the gifts I’ve found in recent years that have survived the durability test of our house and that the children have enjoyed the most:

Gym 1 Indoor Doorway Gym – Our kids’ favorite Christmas gift of all time. It is a gym that mounts in a door frame and they use it every day.

Snap Circuits – Really neat kit that lets kids learn about electricity by building different types of basic machines like a fan, a radio, etc.

Art Kit – A favorite among our girls. This kit contains markers, paints, colored pencils, and more.

Seedling Wooden People kit – Kids can create mini wooden people.

Mini Trampoline for Indoor Play – We’ve had a trampoline in our house for years and it is great for cold or rainy days. Rebounding (bouncing) is also great for adults!

Wooden Twig Colored Pencils – Wooden colored pencils made from twigs. Good size for younger kids just learning to write and draw.

Wooden People and Craft Supplies – Our kids loved making their own little wooden dolls with these.

Plasma Car – Our little kids love these and they are great for kids of all sizes.

Natural Paints – Made from natural earth pigments.

Design Your Own Superhero Cape – A fun activity that encourages creativity and is great for imaginative play.

Microscope Kit – My oldest loved looking at hair, dirt, and all kind of other things in this microscope.

Crayon Rocks – Portable and fun for littles who still have trouble with regular crayons.

Or Beeswax Crayons – Triangular crayons made of natural beeswax.

Doll House – Fits Barbie size dolls and other smaller dolls.

Stainless Steel Play Kitchen Pots and Pans – My daughters play kitchen with these for hours!

Beginner Piano Keyboard (and free Hoffman Academy Lessons) – These are a great way to get the kids started with music.

Boogie Board – A reusable writing tablet that encourages creativity.

Sun Art – Fun educational craft idea that kids love.

Kendama Game – Fun interactive game that encourages movement.

Gifts for Babies (and Expecting Parents)

There are literally thousands of options for gifts for babies, but many of them contain endocrine disrupting plastics or will just never get used. With over a decade of parenting and six kids, these are the gifts, toys, and gear that made the cut for us.

Pregnancy Affirmation Cards – I love these sweet cards that encourage pregnant moms!

Organic Mattress Cover – Protect baby from mold and allergens in mattresses.

Organic Cotton Crib Sheet – Soft organic sheet for crib.

Organic Muslin Swaddling Blankets – My favorite blankets that are perfect for swaddling or nursing.

Snot Sucker – Not as gross as it sounds and a lifesaver if baby is sick!

Baby Bouncer – This bouncer actually bounces! Rock with a foot to keep baby asleep.

Food Grade Silicone Fruit Teethers – A favorite with my 9-month-old!

Hape Wooden Toys – I love these high-quality wooden toys!

Ergo Organic Baby Carrier – A great organic baby carrier that is comfortable for mom or dad too!

Sophie the Giraffe – This teething toy has a passionate following with the under-one-year crowd!

Fleece Newborn Booties – Babies always manage to lose socks, but these stay on and keep toes warm!

Manhattan Toys Rattle and Clutching Toy – Little ones love this engaging wooden toy.

Natural Rubber Orthodontic Pacifier – For babies who will take a pacifier, try this natural rubber option.

Baltic Amber Teething Necklace – May help soothe teething pain.

Manhattan Toys Circle Toy – A beautiful and fun toy that baby love to play with.

Natural Rubber Teething Toy – The only toy my baby prefers to my finger when teething gets bad.

Organic Cotton Teether – An organic cotton and wood teething toy option.

Shea Moisture Baby Wash and Lotion – Fabulous smelling baby wash and lotion without the junk!

Animalz Wooden Animal Toys – Adorable and durable wooden animal toys.

Gifts for the Chef or Foodie

Does someone in your life love to cook (or eat)? These gifts make spending time in the kitchen so much fun!

Stainless Steel Coffee Percolator – No plastic, no junk, just awesome coffee that stays warm for hours in this all-stainless percolator.

Blendtec or Vitamix – both are amazing blenders that will last for years!

Stainless Steel Immersion Blender – Great for sauces, smoothies, blending things in a pot or pan and so much more.

Yogurt Maker – Homemade yogurt tastes so much better than store bought and is simple to make.

Ice Cream Maker – Make any kind of ice cream: dairy-free, sugar-free, etc.

Lead-free Crock Pot – A great slow cooker with a lead-free crock.

Instant Pot – This electric pressure cooker has almost replaced our slow cooker and I use it at least three times a week.

Crinkle Cutter – So the kids can help cut food for meals.

Stainless Steel Bowls – Great for mixing, serving, and storage.

Spiral Slicer – Make vegetables into noodles with this spiral slicer.

Stainless Steel Straws – Replace disposable straws forever with these steel straws.

Huck Towels – Similar to the towels they use in emergency rooms… these towels are super absorbent, great for cleaning and easy to wash.

Mason Jars + Cuppow Lids + Sprouting Lids – Use mason jars for cups and the opportunities are endless.

Kombucha Brewing Supplies – Do you drink kombucha? If so, do you make your own? It is so much better and the flavors are endless.

Dehydrator – Preserve foods with a stainless steel dehydrator.

Xtrema Cookware – Scratch-proof ceramic pans.

Bamboo Utensils – These inexpensive bamboo utensils are great for cooking.

Stainless Steel Large Baking Dish – These have been a lifesaver when cooking for large get-togethers with family and friends.

Glass Electric Tea Kettle – Make tea in seconds with this glass electric tea kettle.

Salt Block for Cooking – I love cooking fish, meat and even baked goods on a salt block for amazing flavor.

Premium Milk Frother – If you want to spring for an unusual (and more pricey) gift, this milk frother makes coffee shop worthy froth for coffee.

Organic Spice Set – These super high-quality organic spices (from my favorite olive oil makers) are beautifully packaged and come in ready-made blends like Smoky, Tex-Mex, Savory, Taco, Bagel, and more to make flavorful cooking easy.

Gift Ideas for the Grandparents

Our parents both live nearby and are involved in our kids’ lives. I always struggle with what to get them that somehow says “thanks for everything you did for me all of those years and thanks for being just as awesome with my kids.” We usually give them something handmade from the grandkids, but these are some other ideas that have been a hit. (Some of these are also ideas for this year, so Mom, if you’re reading this … don’t read past here. 😉 )

Amazon Prime Membership – What my parents are getting this year (don’t tell them!). This gives them free 2-day shipping on many items and free streaming of many movie and music.

Photo Frame – This photo frame was a hit a few years ago with our parents. No fancy motion detectors, wi-fi, bluetooth or anything else that can stop working.

Kindle Fire – My brother got my mom a Kindle a couple of years ago and she uses it quite a bit.

Terracotta Plant Waterer – Perhaps not the most fancy of gifts, but very practical for anyone with house plants (I just ordered some). It upcycles a glass bottle to water a plant for weeks.

Wine Subscription – If your parents are wine-drinkers, they will love this wine subscription box of organic biodynamic wines.

Royally Flawless Face Oil – Ditch all the overpriced anti-aging creams out there. This oil uses high-quality ingredients for real results.

Shiatsu Massage Pillow – I got this for my mom last Christmas and she uses it all the time.

Glass Electric Tea Kettle – For tea-drinkers, this electric glass tea kettle makes tea available almost on demand.

Instant Pot – The grandparents love it for all the reasons we love it- faster and more nutritious meals!

The Grandparent Book Journal – A sweet way to encourage kids and grandparents to spend time together and a beautiful keepsake of family history.

Or anything on the lists above that they will love!

“Just in Case” Gifts

These inexpensive gifts are great to have on hand for when someone drops by with a gift or to take to party hosts. I keep several of these wrapped to give when someone brings a gift by unexpectedly:

Electric Wine Bottle Opener – A fun way to open up a bottle of wine.

RTIC Tumbler – Great for keeping drinks hot or cold while on the go.

Bottle of Wine – We have a subscription to these delicious biodynamic wines, so I always have an extra bottle on hand.

Grocery Bag Carrying Handles – They make carrying all those bags of groceries a lot easier!

Bag of Organic Coffee – Who doesn’t love coffee, especially when it’s organic and fair trade?

Hario Mizudashi Cold Brew Iced Coffee Pot/Maker – I’m a big fan of cold brew coffee and this is a great way to make it.

Car Diffuser – Keep the car smelling great all year long!

Mason Jar Solar Light – Add some beautiful ambiance to any room with these solar lights.

Mason Jar with Drinking Lid – Ditch the plastic and drink out of old-school mason jars!

Funny Gifts for Dirty Santa and Gift Exchanges

These are some of my favorite funny gift ideas for dirty santa or white elephant gift exchanges. Sure to get lots of laughs!

Toilet Light – For those night time bathroom trips.

Nap Sack Prank Box – Take a nap anywhere with this hood.

Prank Pack Crib Dribbler – A fun prank for baby someone with a baby.

iDrive Prank Pack – This is just hilarious!

“You Parked Like An Idiot” Cards – I think my husband would actually use these!

Slipper Genie Mopping Slipper – This might actually get my kids to help sweep the floor more often.

The Obsessive Chef Cutting Board – For the OCD chef.

Pooping Pooch Calendar – Yep, it’s exactly what you picture… perfect (or awful?!) for the dog lover in your family!

Banana Slicer – If you’re going to eat bananas, why not slice it correctly?

Cards Against Humanity – These are incredibly irreverent, but will have you on the floor laughing for hours.

Maybe Swearing Will Help Coloring Book and Markers – For the potty mouth (or clean mouth?) in your life 🙂

Family Gifts & Outdoor Fun Gifts

If you’re like us and often choose family gifts that the whole family can enjoy (or enjoy better health because of), you might love these options. This list also includes outdoor activity gifts that we use and love.

Sauna – This is one gift that will have long-lasting health benefits. It isn’t an inexpensive gift, but one that family can enjoy all year.

Joovv Light – Like the sauna, this gift also brings the benefit of boosting health. Red light therapy is well-studied for its skin and mitochondria benefits and this is one of my favorite parts of my daily routine.

Rapid Release – Like a chiropractor and a massage therapist built into one. This device is designed to release muscle tension and it works! I love this thing.

Myobuddy – A percussive heated massager that targets muscle and fascia. A lot of people use this for cellulite, I just use it for relaxation and fascia massage.

Wholetones Music Subscription – Uses soothing music with targeted sound frequencies to induce health benefits like stress reduction, focus, sleep… and yes, it works even for kids! I love this one too because it isn’t a physical item to store around the house.

Organic & Natural Mattresses – This was our gift to each other one year and we love our mattress. We have an Intellibed and love it, but My Green Mattress is also a great option and not as pricey.

Natural Cookware – I got some of this cookware for Christmas years ago and have been using it since then!

Matching Organic Jammies – Switching to organic PJs is one way to reduce chemical exposure from clothing by half and these organic jammies are our favorites.

A Year of Wine – I love wine, but most wine is contaminated with chemicals and additives. Hubby and I give each other natural wine from Dry Farm Wines.

Trampoline – Not just for kids when you consider the lymphatic benefits of jumping!

Swing – Our kids love this backyard swing and they can all fit on it!

Slackline – Like a balance beam and trampoline in one. It encourages balance and coordinating and is hours of fun.

Ninjaline – Like monkey bars but tougher. A lot of people use these for Ninja Warrior training, but our kids just think it is fun!

Natural Beauty & Home Gifts (Ones to Buy or DIY)

Home & Beauty to DIY

I love receiving homemade gifts and making them for others. I have hundreds of DIY recipes and tutorials on the blog, but the ones on this list make the best gifts. These are especially perfect for stocking stuffers!

Home & Beauty to Buy

If you aren’t into the DIY options, here are some great store-bought alternatives:

Lotion Bars – If you’d like lotion bars similar to my recipes, but that you don’t have to make yourself, check out Made On, a small, family-owned company that makes all kinds of lotion bars, soaps, natural baby products, and hair products that are up to my standards. If you use the code WELLNESSMAMA, you’ll get a 15% discount on your order!

Alitura Skincare – Alitura uses organic botanicals and superfood ingredients to nourish the skin. This is serious skincare with the works: clay masks, intensive moisturizers, derma rollers, and more. Use the code WELLNESS for 20% off!

Toups Organics (Makeup & Beauty) – Heather of Mommypotamus introduced me to this line and they have an incredible line of clean cosmetics, lotions, and even a baking-soda free deodorant for sensitive types.

Crunchy Betty Facial Serum & Natural Deodorant: Mentioned before, but I can’t say enough about them.

Branch Basics Cleaners – I know I’d be happy to find some all-natural cleaning products (I don’t have to make) under the Christmas tree.

Vibrant Blue Oils – Wildcrafted and organic essential oil blends made to support specific health conditions. Use the code WELLNESSMAMA10 to get 10% off through December 31st.

Magnesium Oil – Spray on for relaxation, detox support, even deodorant!

Homebiotic Spray – Like a probiotic for your home, this freshens air by targeting the source of bad smells… bacteria and mold.

Genexa OTC Medicines – So much of what goes in children’s medicine is just flavors, dyes, preservatives, and fillers. Genexa is the first to come up with a line of over the counter and homeopathic medications completely free of all unnecessary additives. I give these to my kids for colds, coughs, fevers, or even just a bad night of sleep, and they’ve worked great for us.

Kid-Safe Essential Oil Roll-Ons – For sleep, headaches, cold relief, and more, without having to worry about negative side effects.

There’s probably a lot more that could be added to this list, but these are my current favorites. If you still haven’t found the perfect gift on this list, Heather shares all of her favorite natural gifts here.

What is on your Christmas list this year? What are you getting for friends and family?

Source: https://wellnessmama.com/25195/gift-giving-guide/

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morrisbrokaw · 6 years ago

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A Love Letter to All the Little Apartments that Saved Our Lives

This is my love letter to all of the tiny apartments that have saved our lives.

I moved into my first apartment alone when I was twenty-four.

She was 400-square feet, nearly the size of a walk-in fridge, and when I opened her battered front door, I had six steps to crawl into my bed and cry (I did a lot of random crying when I lived alone, sue me). She was old, charmed with white crown molding and held me up with her well-loved chestnut wood floor. She housed a clawfoot bathtub I loved and white, heavy kitchen cabinets. The windows were pushed up against dozens of old oak trees and the birds were so loud some summer mornings, they woke me from my deepest of slumbers.

I had lived with a roommate my entire life, so being alone made me feel vulnerable like an open wound. But that’s just the thing about my little apartment. I was never lonely. The hurting was the healing kind. My apartment and my aloneness held each other just right.

When I moved in, I was single. I was entering a period in my life where I didn’t really know what to do with it (the singleness and my life). My career had recently taken a desperate pivot and I was barely making any money, searching for that inner rose quartz glow in my heart (a pretty way to refer to “life purpose”). My friends were getting married and promoted. Some were buying their first homes and spending money on expensive cocktails and puppies and wedding bands and vacations. I was in no hurry. I couldn’t spend too much money and didn’t feel too overwhelmed by saving it. I could barely take care of myself and didn’t need a dog. My general existence had a dull feeling. I couldn’t see ahead of my life very far. I wanted companionship but dated bad men. I wanted to write but couldn’t find a subject I was passionate enough about. I desperately craved a reason for being; as I learned how to live inside my tiny, matchbox apartment, I also learned how to live inside my tiny, matchbox self.

One thing I noticed initially about living alone was that I began to love certain things about my apartment first. A corner in the living area became a place for my collection of tiny and vintage things: a tree with snow in a mason jar, my address book, a blue glass lamp with no shade and tulle tied around its shade wires, and many books. Because of this, I fell in love with thrifting and filling my space with shabby chic flair. I started to congregate things for the first time in my life. Things that were all mine; things I could pack in boxes and pass along to my children someday. I found comfort in sitting on my old, gold couch, drinking wine, and writing on my laptop. I loved the sound of the local news while I cooked in my kitchen or (let’s be realistic) mowing down Punch pizza in bed with a blended red. I loved Sunday mornings and watching steam from my coffee mug that read. “Damn, I’m good.” The little apartment slowed me down and carefully let me observe the world.

I created a routine in my home. I never ate dinner on the tiny table in my kitchen, painted pill yellow with tiny pink flowers on its corners. I ate dinner in bed and didn’t care; making my own rules as I went. I never made my bed and made peace with being disorganized in certain places. I fell in deep love with the hardware store down the street, walking through it on a bad day and smelling its insides: something between fertilizer and tires. On Christmas, they would deck their entrance with spruce trees and opaque, multicolor string lights and I bought those lights and decked them around my bed frame so I could sleep in the same glow.

I started to make time to “set the mood” for myself. I realized I was an advocate for good lighting and a clean home. It was also then that I realized I was my mother. I hated jackets hanging on chairs when I had guests and found peace in ensuring the sink didn’t have any dishes before crawling into bed. I fell in love with coming home and knowing the mess in the apartment was my mess. I tested out being naked in open space. I tried sleeping naked for the first time (didn’t much like it). On one occasion, I drank an entire glass of wine naked in front of the mirror, staring at myself, for the mere delight that I could.

By making it my own, my little apartment became a part of me. I was proud of what I made it, and began examining myself along the way. I learned I loved to host a little wine night with my girlfriends as equally as I loved my private time. I discovered I was sometimes messy and disgusting (hello tiny corners in bathrooms and basically any closet). I learned that I loved any pleasure in the mundane: the morning news while I got ready for work, a quick piece of toast for breakfast on the run, collecting cookbooks from the sixties, and the frosted baby blue paint on the walls. I was basic and simple, appreciated the nostalgia within the things I kept, and found such life in learning about what I truly loved and enjoyed about myself.

The apartment taught me the fundamentals of being alone. And there is something so goddamn beautiful about that. The apartment taught me how to take control of my circumstances and live with them, in the midst of all my loneliness and fear. I learned how to create a hospitable environment, cultivate hobbies that kept me inside, and find joy in doing nothing. It taught me how to create my own sanctuary and learn my deepest pleasures, desires, and dislikes. It taught me how to say “no” and become brave within my aloneness and (gasp!) cancel plans. I became to love myself more, a practice I will always wonder could have taken a back seat if my little apartment had been someone else’s – and I hadn’t lived alone at all. Most of all, it became apparent that I should never, never let myself feel that anybody ought to find anything for me, especially happiness. I owed it to myself to find that, myself and the loyal walls of my little apartment.

This ‘little apartment battle cry’ makes the call for many women in my life. A close friend of mine lived alone for the first time after ending her engagement and relationship. I visited her tiny apartment many days and nights, and I watched it slowly become her own as she healed. Everything she loved came slowly out of cardboard boxes and reached for the walls of her new home. When she bought the first thing for her kitchen, a bright red sign that said “EAT”, I felt the change shift. She was moving on, learning how to love herself again and make a space her own, surrounding herself with her favorite things. When she moved out two years later, we stood on her lawn with all of her things and she looked up at her window on the third floor, “I went through a lot here,” she told me. And the dark, dusty corners of her now empty little apartment would always be, somehow, within her.

Another friend of mine spent a large chunk of her twenties traveling and living in other countries. When she came home, back to the snow and routine, it was hard. When she got her solo apartment, it took her a long while to hang photos and find closeness in loving it as a home and finding a normalcy and sense of peace within herself. We change so much when we leave a place, and coming back festers so much shift deep down within the core of our being. One day, when I visited her, all of her photos were framed and hung, including her crochet dish towels and curtains. More importantly, she had created a green succulent garden out of ashtrays, seashells, and teacups – all nurtured and growing limbs in her kitchen nook. Small signs that life was moving forward. Even if just a bit, the little apartment was working its magic.

In Marjorie Hillis’ 1936 book Live Alone and Like It: The Classic Guide for the Single Woman, she so perfectly sums up the amplitude and power of living alone. She writes: “When you start to live alone, defiance is not a bad quality to have handy. There will be moments when you’ll need it, especially if you’ve been somebody’s petted darling in the past. But you will soon find that independence, more truthfully than virtue, is its own reward. It gives you a grand feeling. Standing on your own feet is extraordinarily exhilarating, and being able to do very well (when it’s necessary) without your friends, relatives, and beaux, not mention your enemies, makes you feel surprisingly benign towards all of them.”

Thank you little apartments, you are the healing kind.

Brittany Chaffee is an avid storyteller, professional empath, and author. On the daily, she gets paid to strategize and create content for brands. Off work hours, it’s all about a well-lit place, warm bread, and good company. She lives in St.Paul with her 80-year-old cat, Butch. Read more about her latest book, Borderline, and go hug your mother.

The post A Love Letter to All the Little Apartments that Saved Our Lives appeared first on Wit & Delight.

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paharvey99 · 7 years ago

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No Waitrose October 4

Day 29

You know how last Sunday I made a failed attempt to visit the smallest church in Sussex? Well, today - and look away now if you’re trying to avoid spoilers – I made a successful attempt to visit the smallest church in Sussex.

Ok, the spoiler averse are okay to start reading again from here.

The clocks went back in the night, and parents complaining on social media about children getting up at the wrong time is A Thing, so I was prepared for something bad to happen involving time. What actually happened was that our daughter slept in and we got up happily at the right time. I put this down to just being a bloody great pair of parents.

This Sunday was remarkably similar to last Sunday, in that the person I live with had loads of work to do and so I got to take our daughter out for the whole day, which was ace. The person I live with was not happy about having loads of work to do and not getting to have fun with our daughter, which was fair enough really, but it couldn’t be helped.

I set off in the car with my daughter in the back and a general idea of going back to make a second attempt to visit the smallest church in Sussex. It was still quite early, because of the clocks, and I’d been hoping to time my daughter’s nap with the long bit of driving to the church. If I was going to do that, I needed to do something else for an hour and a bit, so I pulled into the 24 hour Asda and we went to pick up some stuff for tea.

The new Nigella cookbook has a recipe for sausages, apples and onions in it that felt suited to the first day of early nights, so I got some sausages. Nigella calls for Cumberland rings, but Asda doesn’t stock them, as Asda doesn’t stock anything nice whatsoever. I bought my daughter some new tops, as the person I live with had said she needed some new tops, so we found some inoffensive tops in Asda’s otherwise offensively poor range of baby clothes. Seriously, I hate Asda.

Back at the car, the sun was bright and highlighting just how dirty and covered in poo my car actually was, so I decided to take it to the car wash. Asda’s petrol station had a little do it yourself car wash thing, so I checked I had some change (by some miracle I did) and we went and drove round to the car wash bit. There was a man there already washing his car, so I parked up and waited for him to finish. If I was in his situation, I’d have got flustered and hurried up to get out of the way as soon as possible, but this man was not as flappable as I am. He was quite happy to take his time going through all the settings on the car wash to get his car to the exact level of clean he demanded from himself. He was waxing, pressure washing, foaming – everything. We were there about 20 minutes waiting for him to finish.

About 10 minutes in I noticed he had an EU OUT sticker on his bumper, at which point I thought some uncharitable things that I am choosing not to record.

Eventually he buggered off and I got my turn. As soon as I’d put the money in a man pulled up in a car where I had just been parked, waiting for a go on the car wash. I got flustered and hurried up to get out of the way as soon as possible, giving the car only the most cursory of goings over. I hate holding people up, even if it means driving round in a car that is still semi-covered in poo.

No wonder Remain lost.

After that we drove over to Lullington, where the smallest church in Sussex is to be found. My daughter fell asleep on the way, so I parked up and sat for a bit until she woke up. Then we walked up to the church, which is on the top of a hill but completely hidden from view on all sides, weirdly. It really is a very small church; it’s about the size of an average living room inside and it seats about 20 people theatre style, or 10 cabaret style. In truth though, it’s just the zhuzhed-up leftovers of a once much bigger church. You can see the remains of the old walls outside, from when it was a normal-sized church.

This was a bit of a disappointing realisation, but it’s still an interesting place to visit. I signed the visitors book and bought a postcard and set off back to the car.

By this time it was around 12, which is my daughter’s lunchtime, and mine too, I suppose. I drove the mile or so to Alfriston and parked up in the same car park as I had last week, and this time I actually managed to get out of the car, as my daughter was awake.

I put her in the sling and went in search of some lunch. Alfriston has an old post office that serves as a general store, selling plenty of stuff, including freshly-baked gammon and leek pasties, as it turned out, so I got one of those and a bottle of pop and headed off to find somewhere to have a picnic. There’s a big old church at Alfriston on a kind of village green, which is called the Tye, I think, and it has benches all around. We sat on a bench and I fed my daughter a pouch of Ella’s Kitchen Bang Bang Bangers + Mash. She eats real food these days as a rule, but she is teething and not happy about chewing at the moment, so those pouches of mush come in handy. I ate my pasty at the same time and we both got covered in food, just at the point that the church was kicking out and a load of churchgoers walked past and looked a bit horrified by the state of the pair of us.

After lunch, I cleaned us both up and discovered that we were literally 50 yards from a National Trust house I had forgotten existed, Alfriston Clergy House. Being members, it would have been rude not to nip in for a quick look, so we did. It’s a 14th century timber-framed house, mainly famous as the first house the National Trust ever bought, back in 1896. It has a nice garden, but is largely uninteresting otherwise. I bought a Christmas present in the shop from the sale, National Trust shops are good for things like that.

I nipped in a few more shops trying to get some Christmas present inspiration, but the only idea I came up with was to buy my dad a fancy comb. I’m not sure if he uses a comb, but if I bought him a comb that was fancy enough, he might do. I don’t think I’m going to buy him a comb though.

Sensing that it was time to leave Alfriston, we left Alfriston. I drove out of town a different way to usual, heading south past a vineyard and up and up until we emerged, to my surprise, on the top of the South Downs. It was beautifully sunny and I thought it would be a nice place to stop and have a look and then, happily, a car park appeared. The car park was called High and Over car park, which I thought sounded more like a category on X Factor than a car park, but we stopped and followed some signposts to a viewpoint.

The Cuckmere valley was spread out all below us, with Cuckmere Haven off in the middle distance and the sea glinting in the sun. My daughter gave an appreciative “oooh” from her sling as she looked down at the meandering River Cuckmere. I’m not sure she’s ever been that high up before, but she seemed to like it, which is good news.

After that my daughter was tired, so I headed back to the car. I somehow got chatting to a man in the car park who was walking his dog and he was quite taken with my daughter, which might sound creepy but was actually nice. He liked her name, which is good. Her name is Dory, which is short for Dorothy. However, when the car park man asked her name, I said it was Dorothy, as I could see he wouldn’t understand the name Dory. He was an older man, and whenever older people find out her name is Dory they haven’t heard of the name Dory and so think we’ve said Doreen or just get confused. This has resulted in a policy where it’s safer to say she’s called Dorothy to certain audiences, because they understand it.

Anyway he liked the name and revealed that he had named all his daughters after plants, and then reeled off a list of about six names including Ophelia and Cicely, both of which I have never heard of as plants. It made me think he must be either a really enthusiastic gardener or an idiot. I liked him though, so I don’t want to look up whether Ophelia and Cicely are plants or not.

After that I drove home, with the intention that my daughter would sleep most of the way. Unfortunately, this was not her intention, as it turned out. I started singing 10 Green Bottles, which has got her off to sleep in the past, but to no avail. She got bored of the repetition, I think, so I decided to sing something less repetitive. It’s difficult thinking of songs that you know all the words to, until I remembered that I am in a band and I know all the words to most of our songs.

I started singing one of our songs and, as the band isn’t very active anymore, I hadn’t sung it in a while. I enjoyed singing it though, as it’s a good song and I like it, and I got a bit into it. At the end I checked on my daughter and she was fast asleep. Result. It made me think we could remarket the band as a sleeping aid for babies and make an absolute fortune. There’s about 200 vinyl copies of our album hanging about somewhere that need shifting, so it’s got to be worth a pop.

We got home and had a play with the person I live with and told her all we’d been up to, before the inevitable teatime, bathtime, storytime, bedtime ritual kicked in. I then made sausage, apple, onion and potato for tea, which went down quite well. Then we watched an episode of the new series of Stranger Things. I quite enjoyed the first series, but since then I have seen new episodes of Twin Peaks, and in comparison to that Stranger Things just doesn’t cut it anymore.

After that I had a bowl of yoghurt and honey, which the person I live with stole most of. The theft was something of a surprise, as the person I live with doesn’t like yoghurt and honey. This yoghurt theft episode was stranger than anything in Stranger Things, to be honest. More updates as we get them.

Didn’t go to Waitrose.

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