Laughing Your Way through Raising Kids and Running a Business
KAY'S FAVORITE THINGS
My Favorite Story
What makes something a "favorite thing"?
Is it something you enjoy for a moment or something that you can enjoy over and over? I think it must be both!
The photo above is of me and one of my nieces, Ava.
I have 3 other nieces, Tamra, Emma, and Leah.
One of my most favorite things is spending time with my girls!
And really, my family is my most favorite thing ~ but I can't share them with you (insert giggle giggle).
So, I am going to share some of my "other" favorite things to do, to use, to gift or share, to eat, or maybe just to admire or to be inspired....
(with, of course, a little story to go along)...
I have become obsessed, as the young people say, with smoothies. Up until 2 months ago, I had never had a smoothie. For some reason, I decided to stop one day at Smoothie King, why I have no idea, and that was it! My favorite is either the Angel Food or Berry Blast. Just like Starbucks intimidates me, I stick to these two, never adding the millions of things you can add. I was stopping so often at Smoothie King, I decided to start making my own. My Aunt Dot years ago, gave me a Magic Bullet that I had never used, so I got it out, bought an organic smoothie mix at Costco and I'm complete. So if you are a smoothie virgin, I urge you to give it a try!
*Kay's Snack Mix: in a large zip-lock bag (2 gallon) mix a bag each of Fritos, Bugles, Doritos, Cheetos (I use crunchy), Chex Mix of your choice, a small can of nuts (of your choice and optional) and M&Ms or Reeces Pieces (your choice and optional). Mix thoroughly and start nibbling. I made each family member a "sack" of this mix one Christmas and it started a tradition of Kay's Favorite Thing each year!
Publix Brand Premium Breaded Chicken Tenderloins
A sweet story: one day while working at my brother's hardware store, an adorable older lady came in to get a cooler. She was driving to Savannah to see her grandchildren and one of them had requested that she bring this item (since he couldn't get it in Savannah). Of course, being a wonderful grandmother, she was bringing him a cooler full! I went out to her car to see her stash of these chicken tenders so that I would be sure to get the right ones! Ever since then, our family COULD NOT exist without this item in our freezer for a variety of ways we use it for family meals (as a meat and vegetable meal, cut up in a salad, especially a Caesar salad, or as a sandwich and fries meal). I almost didn't share this with you all (insert giggle giggle) because they are getting harder and harder to find due to the supply shortages. So if you find them - stock up!
The same goes for Kroger's brand of Vegetable Fried Rice - delicious!*
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I have two favorite body creams to share.
Since I am approaching 63 years old, creams have become more and more important (insert giggle giggle!).
Gold Bond Crepe Corrector Body Lotion. It's a wonder creme!
The other creme I love is Nivea Creme in the 13.5 ounce glass jar.
Something about that heavy glass jar just feels so ritzy to me OR medicinal - I can't decide which!
*Neither of these items are easy to find in a store, so I order from Amazon with no problem*
But before I leave the world of cremes and body lotions, I must give you my 2 favorite face creams......
Peter Thomas Roth Potent C Power Serum and Estee Lauder DayWear.
The beautiful scent of the Estee DayWear is indescribable and my husband tells me every time I wear it how fresh and
pretty I smell ~ so I wear it every night (insert giggle giggle!).
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To continue to borrow from Oprah, my next favorite thing is a piece of luggage that she gave out one year during her Favorite Things show. It was funny because I had seen this particular piece a couple of times in airports while traveling but couldn't get close enough to see the brand. But, here it was on Oprah!
The company name is lug and the bag is called Puddle Jumper Tote.
There are so many compartments you will forget where you put your things - but in a good way!
Another favorite luggage piece is the
lululemon City Adventurer Large Duffle.
After receiving this is a gift, I gave one to Felicia (my best friend) for her 60th birthday.
And oh yeah....
lululemon has a fabulous little fanny pack
I gave one to each of my nieces, Emma and Ava, to use when they each went to Europe for a study-abroad semester. Those little "fannies" went all over Europe...and the packs did too...insert giggle giggle!!
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A couple of Christmases ago, William's girlfriend gave Steve and I an
Of all things.....well, what do you know ~ we can't live without it! If you don't have an air fryer, get one - today! One of my favorite things to cook in an air fryer is chicken wings. Here's my recipe: Fresh wings, sprinkle a lot of lemon pepper and cook until done (for my fryer it takes my wings about 25 minutes).
Be sure to shake them up several times so they are crispy all around.
I also do BBQ wings by tossing the fresh wings in a bowl of BBQ sauce and cooking as above.
Both wings make a pretty big mess in the fryer, but well worth it!
Thanks McKenzie for the "gift we didn't know we needed".....her saying and so true (insert giggle giggle!).
I will share some other favorite foods of my family later, but right now I have to leave and take William to the airport. You would think one of my favorite things to do is go back and forth to the airport since my boys travel so much~~~!!
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This is sort of random, but I love to wear skorts. You know, skirts that have sort of a loose compression short under it. I feel sporty yet a little dressed up more than if I had on a pair of shorts and more "covered up" than if I had on a skirt. And I'm not talking about a little tennis-style skirt....those are certainly cute but I'm just a little out of age (in my opinion) to wear that around and I don't play tennis so......and I'm not saying women my age shouldn't wear a
tennis-style skirt around, I just prefer the little bit longer version, so a skort fits the bill.
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Back to cremes and lotions....I have had 3 MOHS surgeries on my face so, unlike in my youth, I now wear sunscreen religiously. I went through a lot of sunscreens to find one that I could wear on a run and that when I sweat, didn't
run into my eyes and burn. So, I found
Neutrogena pure & free baby sunscreen (SPF 50).
What I didn't count on is that this very thick and white sunscreen creates a matte finish on my face that gives my makeup a nice look. Be careful - a little goes a long way and you have to give it a minute to "soak in" and the whiteness to dissipate a little so that you can actually apply your foundation. But give it a try!
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Now for something I hate, sorry....this is not what this tab is about....BUT, I had to stop writing and fold a load of clothes and this always happens...small pads from my bras coming out the little slits on the sides - even my running bras. Am I buying cheap bras?! It's a pain in the pootukus to get them back in correctly *#*#*!
Does this happen to anyone but me?!?!?!
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Purses: I LOVE purses. I have been very fortunate over 43 years of marriage to receive so many beautiful purses from Steve. When we moved into our current home about 3 years ago, I took our (out-of-style)
china cabinet and put it in our bedroom to display my purses.
Instead of housing (never used) china, this cabinet now beautifully displays my purse collection
(I even turn on the cabinet lights when we have guests...you know, to "show them off" a little....insert giggle giggle!). Not only is this beautiful, but it protects the purses as well as makes each of them readily available to me to switch out and use each of them more than I used to.
Maybe you have an old china cabinet that could be used in any number of new ways!
And to share another "purse" thing as well as a time saver.....I have (what I call)
a Purse In A Purse.
What this is, is an oversize cosmetic-sort-of bag that I put EVERYTHING in except my wallet.
This PIP (Steve and I call it),
allows me to switch out purses quickly and easily as well as it allows me access to all "my stuff" more easily than scrambling about inside my purse.
It has made my purse obsession go so much smoother!
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Do you like croissants? I LOVE them! What I don't like about croissants is that if you toast them (which is my prefered way), they make a flaky crumbly mess! So I'm in Whole Foods one day and I see
La Boulangerie Croissant Toast
The best croissant you will ever have! You can toast it and no crumbles.
Enjoy as a sandwich bread or as a piece of toast for breakfast.
Bon appetit!
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Another Kay's Favorite Thing Christmas idea:
Photos of your family members
I printed 5x7 photos of my family members off my phone - got a $1 gold frame -
and everyone opened at the same time! I told you my family is my most favorite thing!
They loved these touching photos and I had so much fun compiling and wrapping these gifts!
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One day while McKenzie (William's girlfriend) was visiting, I called her downstairs to tell her something and she had a little egg-shaped sponge in her hand. "What in the world is that?", I asked her.....
McKenzie is a beautiful girl and has been a makeup stylist herself to friends and others.....
Beauty Blender Pro Makeup Sponge
is the one I bought at Sephora. There appears to be less expensive brands you can buy, but this one is awesome. How did I go my whole adult life blending my foundation with my fingers!
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So, I am having lunch this week with a group of fabulously fun friends and as I am leaving, two of them ask me about my "cute" shoes.....
I have the white/silver pair. In fact, I have 2 pair (1 for work and 1 I keep "nice" to wear "out"....like with the little swingy skirt I had on for lunch...insert giggle giggle!). I also have them in black. So, sporty, and sooo comfortable!
Like so much of my stuff, I ordered these shoes from Amazon
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Do you have a favorite perfume? A signature scent? I do.....
It's the silver one in this line. I have worn this perfume for probably the last 15 years exclusively and I am asked A LOT what I'm wearing...I mean from shop clerks to friends to people I am in line with at the grocery store.
~Nothing makes me feel more feminine than someone telling me I smell good~
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I have a fabulously fashion-forward friend, Mickie. She's trendy and could easily be a style coordinator for anyone! She sent me a link to a fun little dress from Target (if you are truly fashionable, you can pull off anything!).
I immediately ordered the dress in 3 colors! One day at my hair salon, I had on the "olive green" one and Julie, my hairdresser, said "Where did you get that dress?!" I told her, sent her the link, and she is now also the proud possessor of one of these cute dresses! Be careful - they run big...I got a small. Thanks Mickie!
Women's Flutter Short Sleeve Woven Dress - Universal Threads - Target.com
*Try next spring/summer ~ it isn't on the site anymore*
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OMG - I went to Costco yesterday to get a few of my favorite things there (more of that to come) and I randomly saw some pajamas. Coincidentally my mom needed some new ones, so I took a look. They looked nice and very soft so I got her 2 pair (small) and 1 pair for me (medium). I am obsessed!... (as the millennials say!)
So comfy and stylish - and the pants have pockets - and $9.99 !!
FN by Flora Nikrooz Short Sleeve & Pant PJ Set - Super Soft Comfortable Fit
I went back to get more for me, they were out, so I had to go to another Costco - well worth the gas money!
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Another favorite food item. If you have read my Giggle Chog "Do You Take Supplements", I admitted that I don't have a very healthy diet. In the morning I like to have something sweet with my coffee.
Mississippi Cheese Straw Company's Original Cinnamon Pecan Straws or Original Lemon Straws
are just the thing. If you live near a Belk's Store (in the South) they have these delicious treats usually 40% off. Otherwise, I order from Amazon. Of course, the Cheese Straws, which the company is actually named for is great in the evening with a glass of wine (insert giggle giggle)!
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You know how I said in the opening paragraph that my most favorite thing is my family. Well, I was just reminded of another favorite person in my life.
My best friend, Felicia.
You can read a lot about her in my book, Insert Giggle Giggle, Laughing Your Way through Raising Kids and Running a Business. She and I are about to celebrate 50 years of friendship, so obviously, we have seen a lot of each other's lives, the good and the not so good. Recently, I have had a very distressing and sad situation going on in my extended family, and once again, she has been there for me every inch of the way. I can tell her the truly ugly in my life and she helps me through it with clear, loving, compassionate, and non-judging advice, or just to listen.
I hope you all have a favorite friend like that...
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I am going to start this off with a huge giggle giggle on myself. If you have read a couple of my Giggle Chogs (Do You Take Supplements & Are You Appealing) you know that I love the magazine FIRST for Women and that I have far too many facial creams and make-up items! However, I stumbled on another suggestion in FIRST for a great anti-aging serum and I have tried it out for the past couple of months before posting as a "Favorite Thing".
But now, I must share.....
Hollywood Pure Sweet Almond Oil
My skin is ultra-dry but this emollient oil soaks in so completely that I think anyone could use it. I started using it on my hands (because that is what the "article" about it was used for), but once I saw great results on my hands, I thought, "what the heck", so I started with my face. Try it, you will be AMAZED!
I have now re-ordered for the third time through Amazon.
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So, you have read my Giggle Chog on "Are You Appealing", right? If not, you have missed out on the enormous amount of facial and make-up products I have (see photo of this absurdity on my Instagram page, at insertgigglegiggle). I am a sucker for almost anything that says it will make me look younger - usually showing a woman in her 20s-30s using the advertised product (insert giggle giggle!). However, I came across a product that is designed by a "mature" super model, for "mature skin", so I, of course, ordered it.
Once I ordered it, it does say it works for any age group, but I discovered it, as stated, for mature skin. I love it! Today was a Sunday that I just needed to run some errands after my run, so after a quick shower, I turned to this make-up alternative. It's 3 sticks, a moisture stick, a color stick, and a highlighting stick. And very interesting, it's the same 3 sticks for any hue of skin that you have - amazing huh? You look very natural, yet polished, with very little effort, and I mean very little effort. I love having this in my make-up arsenal to use when I don't want to, or don't have time to, "make up". Give it a try - any age gal! I, of course, ordered it from Amazon.
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And while I'm at it.....my new favorite thing is Instagram! I don't know how I lived without it! When my book comes out, Insert Giggle Giggle, Laughing Your Way through Raising Kids and Running a Business, you will see throughout the book how proud I always was to not have ANY sort of social media presence. However the editing team of my book, said I MUST have something, so I chose Instagram. The things that I get to see about my friends and family that I didn't know about before - geez, it's amazing that I even knew them before (insert giggle giggle!!!!!!!). My niece, Ava, pictured on the banner of Kay's Favorite Things, is currently in Europe on a study-abroad semester, and I would be so sad not to be seeing her gorgeous posts. Of course, in my book, I state that I relied on the fact that I didn't know what I didn't know, thus I wasn't sad about it - but now that makes no sense to me! Anyway, I have to have a note pad at my side to write down all the recipes I see (and I don't even cook!) and all the things I want to order! Hayden says their inheritance is going right down the drain!!!!! I am gigglying at myself every day! So, follow me on Instagram if you would like....insertgigglegiggle....what else?!
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Another foodie favorite thing!
AVA's Grilled Flatbread Crisps
So, I'm at the grocery store picking up random things after work and I see these chips. For some reason I grabbed a bag and on the way home, I opened them. I don't think I have ever in my life opened a bag of anything to munch on after purchasing from a grocery run...but anyway...
I ate half the bag before I got home (which I was coming from work and my mom's which is about an hour away from my house). I now buy these chips 3-4 bags at a time! There are several different flavors that we've tried, not too keen on them, but these simply salted ones - delicious!
Plus. the name, Ava's, is one of my favorite nieces, pictured with me on this tab!
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OMG! I just found a store-bought sauce that tastes just like Zaxbys Sauce!
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So, to piggyback on the sauce above, I have found the BEST thing to use when you have sauces or maybe something else on your plate that you don't want to get "mingled" in with your other food....
Round Small Plastic Bowls from Dollar Tree
These little bowls, I really don't know what they are intended for, but they are PERFECT for any type of dipping sauce and sometimes I have used them for a vegetable so that the juice from the vegetable doesn't seep into my other food or maybe pickle juice. We have used them when people come over for little desserts, nuts, or candy dishes. They come 12 little bowls for $1...and they are dishwasher safe (for a couple of times at least). Do not put in microwave. I couldn't find them to hyperlink for you, but they are with the party-ware items at Dollar Tree. You will find that you can't live without them!