Before I get going with the 5 Favorites, may I ask a favor of you?? Would you please remember Dwija Borobia, the author of House Unseen Life Unscripted, and her family in your prayers? A few days ago, they suffered the loss of their precious unborn baby, Nicholas. Only those who experience the loss of a child can truly understand the pain and grief that accompanies such sorrow. Thank you, my awesome readers, I know I can count on you!
Yesterday, I finally had the opportunity to visit with my sister on the phone. Let me rephrase that. I sat in the bathroom, on the floor, with the vent on trying to ignore the shingle shakin' ruckus that a house full of testosterone can deliver. Fortunately, no blood was shed and no furniture was broken during my one hour of
I miss my sister terribly. She lives in Switzerland, and (sadly) we typically only see one another once a year. During our conversation she opened up her little homesick heart, and as I listened to her worries and longings, I became ever more grateful that I live in America, that I live in the great Midwest of America. So, today's Five Favorites is dedicated to my sis. Here are 5 of my favorite, made in America things. Don't you just love it when you buy something that says "made in the U.S.A." instead of "made in China??" If you're interested in supporting businesses and purchasing products that are made here at home, there are several sites on the web with American product and business directories.
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I'm a Sharpie hoarder. I thought you needed to know that. My favorites are the dual tipped ones - fine at one end and medium at the other. It makes decorating packages that I send over the Atlantic to my sister and her family so much fun! And, the colors, oh the colors - the boys know just how long I can stand in front of the individual sharpie bins at any office supply store and dream of the Sharpie possibilities.
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Before I started running, I thought that all socks were the same. WRONG-O! I could not have made it through marathon training without these socks. They are hands down my favorite! Cushy on the heels and the forefoot with hugging support for the arches. They feel oh-so-good on your feet! Thorlo socks aren't just for running, but for all types of activity and work. This company supports our troops, as well as breast cancer charities which are both close to my heart! BONUS: You can try them for free.
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If you like to cook, but have never cooked with cast-iron, baby you are missing out!! Cast iron has a magical way of making any meat dish taste amazingly savory, and caremlized onions, oh the caremelized onions!! I also love how durable the cast-iron is. It won't break, bend, warp or....well, yes, it will rust, but there are ways to avoid that. And, if you prefer beauty over rustic in the kitchen, the enameled cast-iron skillets and dutch ovens are lovely.
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My husband and I have always dreamed of restoring an old farmhouse, or building a classic two-story white farm house with a wrap-around-porch of our own. It's fun to dream, isn't it? (I keep those little dreams on Pinterest, if you care to browse!) A couple of years ago, I stumbled onto the Barn Light Electric lighting company, and knew I had to bookmark it for future use - you know - just in case. I'm really in love with their new porcelain pendants. Sigh.
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Okay, so this one might be more for the dudes, but ladies, seriously if your husband has any interest at all in hunting or camping and you mention the name "Surefire" you're going to score some serious brownie points with him! I'm not gonna hold back the fact that they're a tad bit expensive, but they are the top-dog of flashlights - military grade, extremely bright and can double as a weapon (I know, isn't every flashlight technically a weapon??). I got my husband one for Christmas a couple of years ago and his eyes still glaze over when he looks at it, I mean me.
{Thank you, Grace, for guest hosting!}
Have a beautiful day, everyone!!
I had no idea Sharpies came in that many forms. This is bad for me :) Thanks for the heads up though! And, I think my husband needs that flashlight!
ReplyDeleteI know! It used to be the red/black/blue/green basic, right? Then, all the colors and forms came and I was hooked!
DeleteMy hubby is going to LOVE your blog even more now that you mentioned Surefire! He's a fan. :)
ReplyDeleteJo, seriously, my husband and my boys are like walking Surefire textbooks. They dream about those things!
DeleteI love this idea for favorites! That lighting is so fun, and Sharpies are a weakness for me. I've had my eye on the clickable ones for ages...
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by, Lisa!
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