Favorite Things (and a Christmas Present!)

For those of you still looking for present (or wish list!) ideas, I thought I would list some of my favorite things that I don't know what I would do without anymore.

Cooking/Baking

-KitchenAid scraper beater blade.

This thing has REVOLUTIONIZED my life! I always default to this and really only use the standard blade when the scraper is dirty.(I actually have another on my Christmas list this year!)

-An extra KitchenAid mixer bowl.

On the same KitchenAid note, I love having an extra bowl. It is so nice to not have to stop and wash the bowl between cookie mixes, or between the cake and then frosting.

-Glass storage containers

I use these for everything- leftovers, lunch, etc. I love that they are more sturdy/durable than the plastic, don't stain and I can feel good microwaving in them. Oh and.. dishwasher safe! I have the Pyrex and these Anchor Hocking and both have worked well for me with everything from soup to sloppy joes. My sister in law said her Pyrex leak though.

-Parchment sheets

So nice for lining a pan before baking sweet potato fries, fish, etc. Makes for easy clean up and you don't have to worry about food sticking!

-Tomato Knife

LOVE IT. I always struggled with cutting tomatoes before because they would smush as I tried to cut. This knife slides right through the tomato and makes nice cuts for easy dicing and slices!

Running

-Garmin GPS watch

This was my anniversary present last year and I don't know what I would do without it anymore. I love tracking my average pace, seeing if I need to pick it up, and then afterward plugging it into the computer and seeing the split break down.

-RoadID

I used to carry my phone as a form of ID, but duh, if I get hit by a car the phone will probably break, could fly into the bushes or whatever. I got the Road ID that loops through my shoelaces so I don't have to worry about it rubbing on my arm or leg. I love that I can leave it on my shoes (so I won't forget it) and it has emergency contacts (two), and important medical history.

Random

-iPod touch

I have an old school ipod touch. I love it. A data plan for phones is not in our budget right now and it is so nice to have the ipod as an option for internet when I am out (where there is wifi) or at home instead of using the desktop computer (which is a stinkin dinosaur in computer time).

-Grocery List

I am a super nerd and made a grocery list that I print out and keep on the fridge. This is only nerdy because the list is organized in the typical grocery store layout and the way customers go through the store (produce-> meat-> interior-> dairy, etc.).

A special Christmas present since I love you all:
If you click here you will go to a link to download the printable if you would like.
Just print on 8.5x11 and cut down the middle. I punch holes in the top and loop ribbon through it- hard surface for writing on and checking off items in the store, and multiple sheets together. It will save you time in circling through the store! (Oh.. and I realize that they aren't spaced evenly.. this is just reflective of the amount of items we usually get in each category.)

(In case anyone cares, no one is paying me for this (I WISH!).. these are just some of my favorite things! Most items are linked on Amazon just since they have pretty much everything and you can probably still get everything ordered in time for Christmas!)