Sharin' the Love........

Recently, I have tried some new things that I LOVE! And because I don't want to hoard all the "love-liness", I'm happy to share them with you in the hopes that you might find something new to LOVE too!

1. My name is Jennifer and potato-a-holic. I admit it. I love potatoes in almost any way, shape, or form. My far-and-away favorite, however, is definitely mashed potatoes. But don't give me anything that starts as flakes in a box. I don't care what anyone says, those most definitely are NOT potatoes.

The only drawback to my love for mashed potatoes is actually peeling, boiling, and mashing them. Don't get me wrong, they are definitely worth the work but, I will admit that in recent (very busy!) days, I've gotten a bit lazy. First, we tried the Country Crock mashed potatoes. Those are yummy but two weeks ago, I picked up these little pieces of potato heaven at BJs, and I was hooked. So simple, so fast, and soooo good! Yes, they are a bit spendy, but they are worth every penny in yummy goodness and saved time. If, like me, you could use a 12-Step Program for potato addiction, these are a must try!

2. I was soo excited to get my first iPod touch a few months ago. And I'm sure it's lovely, but honestly, I really haven't had as much time as I'd like to mess around with it and explore all its possibilities. However, I have managed to find one app that I LOVE and would highly recommend.

Let me preface this by saying that I love to read, but I rarely, if ever, buy a book. I am happy to be #498 on the library waiting list, if necessary. I just can't see the sense in spending (a lot of!) money on a book that I'm going to read and never pick up again. Because of this, I am constantly jotting down names of books that I want to request from the library at some point. Yes, I'm the person blocking the aisle in BJs and Borders and Target while I take out my trusty notepad and pencil to add books to my "Must Read" list.

Enter "Next Read". Some very smart soul wrote an app just for book lovers like me and it's amazing! Now, rather than holding up the whole store, I can simply bring up the "Next Read" app, enter the ISBN of the book I'm interested in and, if I have a wireless connection, it will automatically go to Amazon and show the book cover, price, etc. If not, it keeps a running list of the books and I can just request them from the library when I get home. It even has a place for me to enter who recommended the book and what "score" they gave it, what genre it falls into, and a handy search feature too. If you are a bibliophile like me, this app is another must have!

3. Fall is finally here!! And the arrival of fall also means the arrival of Funkins!!! I love to decorate for fall, and I love pumpkins. Jack-o-lanterns not so much, but pumpkins--I'm definitely a fan! If you haven't discovered carvable foam pumpkins yet, you haven't truly experienced the thrill of fall decorating! I actually plan to just draw on mine with a permanent marker but it you are into "carving foam", you go for it! Either way, they're a hit. Go here for more (very creative, ahem.....) ideas. Happy Halloween!

4. And, last but certainly not least, you MUST try Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day Lemon Verbena All-purpose cleaner! Oh, but, it's GOOD!! It seems pricey but it's concentrated, so just grab a spray bottle, add about a fourth cup of cleaner, and fill it up with water. Then you're good to go. It actually keeps my black granite countertops (which, I admit, are pretty much the bane of my very existence--right behind my stainless steel appliances--ack!) streak and spot free! And, it smells yummy! I want to try the countertop spray and the lavender laundry products too--all in good time.

Enjoy! And, I'd love to hear what you've been "loving" lately. Leave a comment and share the love. And if you decide to try one of the things I've listed, please let me know if you "fell in love" too!