I'm "it!"

So in the game of internet tag, I'm "it!" Thanks for the “tag” on you blog, Nicole! I loved reading your responses to your favorite things around your house! In my replies, I had to change a couple from just one thing to plural; after all, how can you pick just one in some cases?

My favorite thing in the kitchen is…the fridge. Not only does it contain many a delicious goody, but it is covered with photos, magnets of places we have been, and lots of other mementos that commemorate fun things from our past.

My favorite things in the bathroom are…my hair straightener and face painting kit (LOL)! I love a polished ‘do, and of course, the makeup case and its contents are right up there, too. Believe it or not (MOM), I actually enjoy having eyebrows, and don’t unless my tools help me out! I wish teenage, pluck-happy Emily would have just listened to her mother…

My favorite thing in the bedroom is…well, I have three. One is the bed, which is so wonderful just to crash on, tickle on, play on, cuddle on, snooze on…the other two are framed photographs on the wall. One is a spontaneous picture taken of Daniel and I the moment we walked out of the church after being married. Daniel looks relieved and I am laughing…and the other is a black and white photograph taken of Olivia with the sunlight bursting in the background behind her. Her middle name is Rae, after Daniel, and is so fitting because she is such a “ray” of sunshine for us.

My favorite things in the bedroom closet are…my shoes. I haven’t gotten a new pair in a while (priorities, priorities), but oh, how I do love shoes. There's just something so feminine about the clickety clack of a cute pair of heels or the comfort of flats…and they're the one thing in the closet that, post baby, still fit exactly the way they did before I had O. Being a girl definitely has its perks!

My favorite thing in the living room is…the picture hanging above the fireplace. It is of this hilly field of red poppies with cypress trees scattered in the background…it is so happy and relaxing all at once. And...it reminds me of Italy, and reminds me that one day, we will go there...

My favorite thing in the pantry is…the shelf of baby food. It serves as a reminder of how blessed we are in so many ways: we are fortunate to have a sweet little baby girl, and have worked so hard in life to be able to provide for her.

My favorite thing in the “office” (in our case, the guest room) is…the window. Olivia loves to stand there and look out…we'll talk about the birds, the trees, the cars, the people we spy on…it's fun!

My favorite thing in our baby’s room is…our artwork. I drew butterflies and flowers on the wall to match the décor. Then Daniel painted them with a steady hand…they are originals that took a lot of time, precision, and teamwork!

Okay, so there you all go! If you have the time and feel like sharing some of your favorite things in your home, I'd love to hear what brings you joy in your surroundings!