35 things

Every year around my birthday I start to think about all the
wonderful things/memories/people/products (you get the idea)
 that have made the previous year super awesome.  
I can't promise this list is going to change your life....
but maybe you'll find something you relate to. 

1.)    Advocare - started in January of 2016 with 
my first 24 day challenge and did another in September.
I love the products (especially that fruit punch spark!
Mostly - I like that being on Advocare has really
reignited my desire to get in better shape.

2.)    Kortni Jean Swimmers - mix and match
bathing suits and tops in the cutest patterns
and colors...perfect for my #mombod

3.)    Tea time at Night with Roobis Tea/Coconut Creamer - 
Starbucks used to carry this Vanilla Roobis tea
(before they switched to the Teavana products)
but I found it in tea bag form at Target. Pour
some Coconut Creamer on...and its a tasty
evening treat (no caffeine for this lady after about 4:00)

4.)    Rae Dunn Clay - started noticing this artist
because of the cute bowls she designed.
Now, I want to give up all my fiesta ware
for the simplicty of her off white dishes.

5.)    Jenny Barnes Photography - this lady

makes the list every year because family photos
are my jam. And she just always hits it out of the
park with our family sessions.

6.)    Loft - I would love for my closet

to be be full of clothing from Loft (the
"younger, hipper cousin to Ann Taylor)

7.)    Oakland Nursery - if my closet is going
to be full of clothes from Loft - my backyard should
be full of plants from this local nursery.  I could kill
an hour or ten in any of their stores just plotting
ways to add more plants to our flowerbeds.

8.)    McAllister Photo - I love photos, but 

I don't always love the way they print at places
like Target or Walgreens.  However, this
local place has a "wet lab" so the photos
are crispier and more true to what I see on my camera.

9.)    Oregon Coast - got a problem? Visit the Oregon
Coast - I swear it resolves everything. Anytime
we are there - I'm rejuvenated by
the trees, beach, and ocean.  It's truly unlike
any other beach.  Someone (Grandpa Jim!) take
me there soon!

10.)    Lavender Fields - Another Oregon
favorite -- the lavender fields! I will forever
remember the smell and sound of buzzing bees!

11.)  Skinny Vanilla Lattes with Soy Milk - 
love Starbucks. love soy milk.
match made in heaven.

12.)    Moving upstairs at work - this happened in Mid
December with the shift of everyone's jobs at
work.  I was hesitant to move from my
beloved ZooKid office...but I love being
back upstairs and have made some new friends!

13.)   Paint with Penguins - this program 

is a collaboration between myself and another
Zoo education person...but it's been wildly
successful and I love being involved.

14.)   Rob - the yin to my yang....the muscle

to my hustle, peanut butter to my jelly, well...
you get the idea. :)

15.)    Max - my best dude. He makes
me laugh, cry, smile, and want to
pull my hair out (all in the span of
ten minutes).

16.)    Supper Club - these monthly dinner

dates with all my gal pals still continue to
be super fun!

17.) Max in ZooKids - it's been 
so fun to have Max in the classroom with
me. I'm able to take him and his friend
Addy - and they are adorable and he
LOVES it. He reports that his favorite
part of ZooKids is "animal visitor".

18.)   Pseudo Sewing - does it count if

I didn't do any of the actual sewing of my
own quilt?  I did the pinning, ironing, and general
fussing over...so that's something :) We are
about two rows shy of having a completed
quilt top. (just need to sew together
the layers, quilt the top, and bind it - so
no biggie) haha!

19.)     Shutterfly - I love all 
forms of memory keeping - digital
and physical - but I'm always pleased
when I take the effort to upload,
arrange, and endlessly pour over
the pages of a shutterfly album.

20.)    Chatbooks - any app 

that makes my photo storage options easy
is a winner in my book.  Basically, after
I post a picture to Instagram, it uploads
automatically into a "Chat Book" - when
it gets full (at 60 pics) - they print it off
and send it to me for $6.99

21.)   Boomerang App - Max and I are
endlessly entertained by making
videos on this app.

22.)  Our Backyard - we added a 

swing set, more flowers, a new shed,
and a new umbrella this summer....and it's
pretty awesome.

23.)  Dryer Balls - did you know that
dryer sheets are full of an insane amount
of chemicals?  Well, they are...so we made
a simple switch out to wool dryer balls
and then add a couple drops of lavendar
or stress away essential oil to each one.

24.)  Funny memes - i love when people
tag me on Facebook or Instagram in
hilarious memes...they are usually
so on point.

25.)  Llamas - I can't quit them!
They are so adorable...give me all
the llama things!!

26.)   Grandparents - they send

the best mail, know exactly the right
thing to say, and are always excited by
the newest details surrounding Max's life.

27.)  Fitness Marshall - check him

out on Instagram.  He choreographs
dance routines to pop music and they are so fun!

 

28.)  Laid Back Beach Music Pandora Station - 
we love having Pandora on in the background
of the kitchen when cooking or even
when playing in the family room.  This
is my favorite station - Dave Matthews,
Zac Brown Band, and Bob Marley
frequently pop up on this station.

29.)  Chilean Sea Bass - Mema and Pops
first prepared this for us this past summer....
and it was delicious.  Fast forward to our
girls trip to Sanibel Island - it's on the menu
at Traders. My mom and I decide to split it -
the waiter misunderstands and brings out
two portions - we don't even care and each
eat the full plate. So good -but

expensive - 
you've been warned.

30.)   #zookidsalways - a new 
hashtag I had to create when I was
making some custom pencils for my
favorite ZooKid ladies.  For some reason,
it wouldn't allow me to have the
number 4 in the hashtag.

31.)  Blow Out Bar - my favorite
place to stop in when I have an
important event or want an extra
boost of confidence.

32.)  Flair Pens - I'm probably the only
one with a favorite pen - but hear me out -
they are like a marker but with a finer
tip.  They write so smooth and never
bleed through the page.

33.)  Summer Concerts - is there anything

better than an outdoor concert in the summer
time?  We made it to two this past year -
Dixie Chicks and Lady Antebellum.

34.)  Bellacinos- hands down my favorite
pizza place...mostly for the Parmesan sticks.
Lucky for us - it's right by Titi's house,
and so we can go there often! It's well
loved by all those in the Hauck/Cloud party.

35.)  New Girl (tv show) - there is nothing

about Jessica Day that I don't like (except
that she's no longer with Nick) - but the
whole cast is super funny.  Hooray for
Tuesday night TV! 

When it comes down to it, looks like I just
need good friends, family, and food...mixed
with some quality television :)
xoxo