I'm 29 today...

In honor of my birthday I offer 29 of my current favorite things. These will be listed in completely random order, stream of consciousness style.

A few (29) of my favorite things:

1. Cashew clusters from Costco. These are a must try. I could probably eat the whole bag by myself in a matter of hours.
2. Sunnyside Deli sandwiches. Best deli ever. Too bad it's in Fresno :(
3. Mike's Pastry Cannoli's.
4. The Sound of Music. I love everything about it. There is seriously no better musical. I especially love watching it with Denise who always likes to tell me how she is going to arrange the furniture in her living room so that it resembles the gazebo benches during the Rolf/Liesl "16 Going on 17" scene. She says that if she has a son she is going to make him dance her around the furniture like Rolf did to Liesl. I would pay good money to see this :)
5. Fabric. I would have never learned to sew if it weren't for all of the amazing fabric I wanted to purchase.
6. Sewing. Sewing is such a great hobby for me. It incorporates math (which I've always loved...except for that semester in college when I took calculus. That I did not love.), color, pattern, and texture. It allows me to be creative and reflective. The hum of the sewing machine is quite a relaxing sound for me (at least when I'm not totally screwing up and ripping out more seams than I keep).
7. My family. I really lucked out in this department. I'm thankful for the family I was born into as well as the family I married into (immediate & extended alike).
8. I love to watch Henry's mind work. It thrills me to see him put puzzle pieces in the correct place or to watch him put away his clean dishes into his cupboard. I won't ever tire of watching him learn & grow.
9. Living near the high school is probably one of my most favorite things about my life. John comes home often, even if it is only for 30 minutes, and it makes such an impact on both Henry and me. I get 30 minutes of time to myself and Henry gets 30 minutes with his daddy. At this point in our lives, I wouldn't trade our proximity to the high school for anything.
10. I love that John is encouraging of my ideas and creative pursuits. He never rolls his eyes when I purchase fabric and he always asks to see what I've made when I finish. I hope Henry observes this in John and treats his wife the same some day.
11. I love to sew with scraps. Large or small I get such a thrill from it.
12. Grilled cheese sandwiches with bacon & apple. Pretty much my favorite lunch right now.
13. Yogurt, Homemade granola, and Penner oranges. I could literally sustain myself on this meal alone during the winter months. Love it.
14. Jill's cupcakes (and really anything Jill makes). Jill is one of the best bakers/cooks I know. Her food is amazing!
15. Flea markets, antique shops, thrift stores. Sifting through old stuff really makes me happy!
16. Children's books. I hadn't been in the children's book section of Barnes & Noble for a really long time, so when John and I went there last weekend I was completely blown away by all of the great titles. I think I might start putting children's book titles on MY Christmas list. So great.
17. I hit the sister jackpot. Seriously, Denise is the best sister ever. She is the only person I will shop for clothes with because she has good taste and I...don't. She always tells me when a shirt I pick out is ugly or when I already have 5 of that same shirt hanging in my closet. I need her. She also drove to Kingsburg this afternoon to watch John's basketball game with me just because she wanted to.
    
18. I love traditions. In general, I love the comfort that a family tradition brings. I love the traditions our families already have, and I am thrilled at the prospect of starting our own family traditions.
19. I love being able to watch John coach. It's great to see him doing what he loves every day. I hope Henry sees how fulfilling it is to be doing what you love. The line between John's career and hobbies can be quite blurry sometimes, but I think that really works for him.
20. A Strawberry Special from Dewar's. Vanilla ice cream, strawberry topping, bananas, almonds...all blended together to form a delicious milkshake. Oh my...probably my favorite non-homemade dessert (well, that and a Mike's Pastry cannoli, of course).
21. Sleeping under a homemade quilt. Doesn't get much better.
22. I love making things for others. I can't make something for every single gift I give, but when I can, I really try to. It seriously makes me feel so good inside to make things for the people who are important to me.
23. The shelf above the beadboard in Henry's room. That little shelf provides me with so much joy, it's crazy. I love being able to lean books and flashcards against it, as well as put up frames and letters.
    
24. My new moccasin slippers from Target. Why have I never owned a pair of these before? Best house shoes ever.
25. Children's museums. It must be the teacher in me, but I seriously love children's museums. They are so fun and educational.
26. A sewing friend who shares an alley with me. So great to have someone to talk to about bias tape, puckered seams, and coordinating fabric (along with whatever else life sends our way:)!
27. Cottage cheese and home canned peaches. So delicious. And yes, I love cottage cheese.
28. Blogs- endless inspiration.
29. My late 20's has been good to me. Probably my best few years on record. I've really come to realize what I love to do, what's important to me, and what I'm good at (as well as what I'm not good at :) I look forward to seeing what this last year of my late-20's will bring.