Category Archives: Nicole’s Favourite Things

Nicole’s Favourite Things: Sears Wish Book Edition, Part 1

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Every year – generally, these days, in August – I receive my own hard copy of the Sears Wish Book and every year it brings me much joy and happiness. When I was a kid I would circle all the amazing things I wanted in the Wish Book in order to make my list for Santa; I was equally mesmerized by the extensive doll selection near the back and the “Gifts” section near the front. Flash forward a few decades and I’m still mesmerized by the “Gifts” section.

I actually really, really love the Sears catalogue – and not just the Wish Book, no – every year I order Sorel boots for the kids; they always have the sizes I need at good prices and I don’t have to drag the boys to every shoe store in the mall only to find they DON’T have any boots for boys except in size tiny and gigantic. I order flannel sheets from Sears and the very best pajamas in the world are from Sears:

 
SNOOPY!
 
Did you know there are only five weeks until Christmas?

Totally. And although I wanted to write this post back in August when I received the Sears Wish Book, I held off out of respect for you, dear reader. But I cannot hold out any longer. Here is Nicole’s Favourite Things: Sears Wish Book Edition, Part 1. Yes, dear reader, there will be more than one part. It’s a series! A series of Wish Book awesomeness. Let’s start with the “Gifts”, shall we?

Retro Gifts

I love these things. Didn’t we all have them when we were kids? I know I had that record player and the telephone. I clearly recall playing Clare de Lune over and over, and also having amazing pretend conversations on my chatter phone. However, I kind of think that if you’re looking to give these to your kids as gifts…well, let’s just say it might be more of a gift for yourself, you know? I’m not totally sure children would really love the chatter phone all that much, although, who knows? Maybe they like to pretend they’re living in the dark ages when we all had rotary phones. Actually I think my parents just got rid of their flesh coloured rotary phone recently. Not to mention my in-laws have my husband’s original TV radio and it still works; the kids used to listen to The Farmer in the Dell on it over and over when they were smaller. I’m not sure what I think of the $99 Coca Cola fridge. It seems a little bossy. Have a Coke – NOW. I don’t even like Coke. I haven’t had one in probably 30 years.

I don’t remember Hello Kitty being a thing when I was a kid. Everything on this page makes the practical side of me say this is landfill garbage; probably would break after one or two uses. The impractical, pink-deprived side of me says squeeeeee I need a Hello Kitty Cotton Candy Maker! Also, how cute is that dollhouse? Moving on.

 Dog Related Items


There is something amazing about a mug that says “I Like Big Mutts and I Cannot Lie”. Digression: if you had to have a theme song that would play every time you walked into a room – i.e., like Darth Vader – what would it be? Mine would be Baby Got Back. I think that would be epic.

Questionable Stocking Stuffers

Stocking stuffers for everyone on your list, says the caption, but I actually question this. Cake pop pans – MAYBE. But “Trendy Top” which is supposed to “Cover your waist, belly, and rear view” and then shows a picture of someone bending over and okay, there is probably a better way to tell someone that you can totally see their panties when they bend over and maybe they should cover up that belly, too, than putting such an item in their Christmas stocking. That said, I do think it’s a good idea, but maybe not for a gift? And do you see the white drill-like thing at the bottom? That’s an ear wax remover. Now, I just took Jake into the doctor to get his own severely impacted ear wax removed, and it was simultaneously revolting and fascinating, but I’m not sure that an Wax Vac Ear Cleaner would be well received as a present. Nor, maybe, an Expanding Hose and Hanger or a set of Sham-Wows. Or an Aaahh Bra, unless you knew that person very well and they requested it. I did buy one of those Hot Buns things from my hair salon, and it’s pretty cool, so maybe that would be a nice stocking stuffer.

Canadiana


A snowball maker and thrower, all in one! I haven’t really made snowballs in a long time but that seems fun, as does the Canada Beverage Survival Belt. I would totally buy one of those for my father-in-law; he would love it. The parrot corkscrew is kind of cute in a creepy-kitchy way.

File Under Hmmmm

For $29.99 a giant keyboard seems like a steal, although it’s lots smaller than the one from the FAO Schwartz in the movie Big. The tutu/ blanket set would be good although the sizing says “One Size Fits Most Girls”. That’s pretty gender specific, Sears. Hey, an Agent P clock radio! Say goodbye to your clock radio.

Probably Not

I have seen these hoodies on kids, and fine. Creepy, but fine. If I saw this on a grown man I’d dial 9-1- and then wait to be attacked. Sorry, grown men who are fans of skeleton hoodies that go over your face. These are not appropriate to wear while out and about unless you want people to profile you a certain unflattering way, the best case scenario being a guy who lives in his mom’s basement making youtube videos of his X-box cheat codes.

Nicole’s Favourite Things – FALLing in Love Edition

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There seems to be two types of people in the world: people who have hearts in their eyes when they think about autumn, and everyone else. Me, I like autumn just fine. I’m not someone who counts down the days of summer, just waiting for pumpkin spice lattes to return or anything – I find pumpkin spice anything to be a teensy bit vile, if I’m being honest here, and while I’m at it on controversial subjects, I don’t like ANY pie but pumpkin seems to me to be the worst – but autumn and I are on good terms.

It’s been a while since I’ve done a Nicole’s Favourite Things, and so today, in honour of the season, I will tell you all about the things I love about fall. Some of these things might be products, but I am not being compensated by any company to write this post, and I received nothing for free.

With that disclaimer out of the way, and without further ado, I give you….

Nicole’s Favourite Things: FALLing in Love Edition

Thick Cozy Sweaters and Tall Boots

Much as I love spending the summer season in tank tops and skirts, there is just something so cozy about wrapping up in a big thick sweater. I love the trend towards long, flowy sweaters – they are so much more forgiving than the ones that graze your waistband and ride up, should you sit down and reveal the ravages of Thanksgiving dinner, or worse, your panties. Most of my sweaters are, of course, black, which makes mixing and matching very easy. However, this is what I’m wearing today.

It’s red! A red sweater! I feel like a big show-off – look at me in my red sweater! – but it’s all part of my gradual plan to add colour to my life. At this rate, when I’m 80 I’ll be in nothing but jewel tones. Changing the world, one sweater at a time. The above sweater is from the Gap, and I do love how they have online sales frequently, since the thought of actually going to the Gap and scrounging through piles of clothing to find the right size, and then standing in line for twenty minutes…well, it’s not appealing. Give me online shopping any day. The black cardigan is from Jacob, my all-time favourite store. Here’s a shopping hint: Jacob has killer Boxing Week deals, and yes, you can shop online. They also clear out all their sweaters in the spring, and it’s a great way to stock up on cozy (black) sweaters.

And boots! I have little ankle boots that I love, but tall boots are my favourite. As someone who is chronically cold, I like to be covered as much as possible as soon as the weather turns to “brisk” or “fresh” as they say in the fall. I wrote an entire post on boots, which I won’t repeat, but you can read it here. As an aside, every time I put on a certain pair of boots, I think of the fabulous salesman who told me I was “Puss in Boots”. It makes me stand a little taller, you know? Puss. In Boots.

Scarves

My mother-in-law quit smoking and as a result she pretty much knits all day long, which is to say I benefit from this. She knit me this scarf – which is one of six that she has made for me. I wore it today for the first time. Cozy!

Hmm. That’s not the greatest picture of it. I swear, I don’t look like Marie Antoinette in it. Or maybe I do, in which case, how fabulous. Who doesn’t like cake?

Speaking of cake…

Apples and Grapes, Oh My

My husband’s birthday is coming up and I’m going to be making this recipe, except as a layer cake, and with creamy chocolate frosting. Mmmm. What I should make for him, though, is apple crisp, since I have sixty pounds of apples and forty pounds of grapes in my cold storage room.

I brought these babies home from the Okanagan this weekend, and I have big plans. Ever since I got my food dehydrator back in March, I’ve been promising Jake that I would make grape fruit leather, come fall. The time has come. I’ve borrowed a friend’s juicer (thanks Rebecca!) and this weekend, it is going to be dehydration nation in the Boyhouse. I’m also straight up eating all the Concord grapes I can, which is leaving me with sore lips from all the acidity. But it’s worth it!

If you too have a plethora of apples, give this caramel sauce a try – or just read about the disaster that was my attempt at making caramel apples.

Decorative Gourds, Motherfucker

I cannot help it. I see a bag of cute decorative gourds in the supermarket, and I must have them. IT’S FALL, FUCKFACES. Too bad I don’t have a horn shaped bowl.

It’s not just the decorative ones, I love edible gourds as well. It’s all about pumpkin and butternut squash soups, and baked squash. Yum. My mom makes this baked butternut squash and sweet potato dish that is to die for.
Decorative gourds, though. They’re so cute! Speaking of cute…
Death of a Scarecrow
Remember my terrifying scarecrow? I opened the drapes the other morning to see this:
Carnage!
Colours
I live in a neighbourhood with mature trees that turn beautiful colours in the fall. Relatively speaking, of course. This IS Calgary, after all. We have to savour the beauty of fall while it lasts, because as of today at least half of the leaves have been blown off, revealing the bare branches that will be our landscape for the next several months. At least I got some pictures!
There you have it – my favourite things for the season. What are yours?

Nicole’s Favourite Things: Summer Loving Had Me A Blast Edition

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My roses are blooming, and that is not a euphemism of any kind.

Well, maybe it’s a bit of a euphemism. I came across this hilarious piece about ludicrous things said by yoga teachers, and thank goodness none of them have ever been said to me, because “Let your anus blossom” is something no one should hear, ever.

Do I look like a flower? A blossoming one?

When I was a kid, I loved the book Eight Cousins by Louisa May Alcott, and the follow up book, Rose in Bloom. I still love it – it’s a charming picture of a privileged 19th century New England family – except there is one teensy onion in the ointment, a wedding between two first cousins. Ew. Still, I like to gloss over that part in my head. Lalalala. I can’t hear you!

This is probably a strange segue into Nicole’s Favourite Things – Summer Edition. Incest! Blossoming anuses! Let’s move on!

Nicole’s Favourite Things: Summer Edition

For those of you new to the Boy House, I like to periodically talk about some of my favourite things, things that are making me feel happy these days. This is not sponsored and I have not received anything free for writing these posts – I’m just sharing the love for things I think are fabulous.

My Garden

We had a tree taken out this year, and in its place my husband planted grass seeds. I’ve been carefully watering the little patch, which I refer to as “his grass”. It’s “his grass” and “my flowers” and every year I dig out a little more of “his grass” to make room for “my flowers”.

The rose bush that I planted a few years ago is now covered in blooms, and is very popular with my neighbour’s bees:

Bzzzzz….look at those bees go! My neighbour’s bees are also responsible for the most delicious honey I have ever tasted.

I know I should pull it out, but I find it charming how this one sprig of yarrow has found its way into the blue sage.

Colour Me Beautiful

This may shock and stun some of you, but I’m trying to add colour to my wardrobe. Colour! To my wardrobe! And not just to keep the mosquitoes away – most of the radioactive mosquitoes in Calgary seem to have died off, happily – but because I find I get a startling number of compliments when I wear colours. I guess I’m a whore for compliments, but I have to think maybe they are on to something. Don’t get me wrong; black is still my go-to, but I’m trying here, people. I’m trying.

Yes, this is a recent picture. Sweater, jeans, scarf. Summer in Calgary!

Beauty Products

I’ve recently discovered Organix hair products, and I’m in love. My hair – my overprocessed, heat styled, sad sack hair – really loves the Coconut Milk and Biotin and Collagen lines. I highly recommend them if you have a close relationship with hair colour and dryers, and also if you like sitting out in the sun with no hat on.

 
I’ve also recently discovered L’oreal Colour Riche lipstick in Sienna, and may I suggest it for anyone looking for a nice daytime neutral?
 
 
 
 Here’s me having a good hair day due to Organix, and also wearing L’Oreal Colour Riche in Sienna! Wait. It’s kind of depressing to have all these sweater shots. Here’s one from today – I’m wearing a tank top because the temperature is over 20 degrees, yayyyyy!
 
 
 Also using Organix and wearing my new BFF lipstick.
 
 
I tried to duckface just like all the young girls are doing these days, and it’s immediately apparent that a) I’m not a young girl, b) duckface is unflattering and makes me look like a 50 year old smoker, and c) I also strangely look like I have a moustache. Which I don’t. Immediately after taking this photo I ran to the bathroom armed with tweezers just to be sure.
 
This is supposed to be about my favourite things! Not about my very unattractive duckface. Moving along.
 
Summer Food
 
It’s berry season! Well, I guess it’s berry season all the time somewhere in the world, but currently it’s semi-local berry season. Hooray! I’ve been eating giant bowlfuls of strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries every day for weeks. I also like to use them as dessert garnishes, on top of waffles, pancakes, and this amazing coconut French toast, and with lemon mini-cakes and coconut whipped cream. I’m also loving the summery excuse of “heat” to just have salad for dinner, which is my favourite. Check out my recipes for pasta salad, quinoa salad, and Greek salad here.
 
Because I’m not ALL about shameless self-promotion, let me tell you about Dinner With Julie’s Cinnamon Bun Pancakes. I made these the other day even though they are not vegan and are really more of a delicious dessert, and they were absolutely amazing. I had to cut down on the sugar due to my husband (he’s sweet enough! Awww.) and still they were incredible. Try them, you’ll love them. If you love cinnamon buns, that is. If not, this probably isn’t the recipe for you.
 
So tell me, lovelies, what are your favourite things about summer? xoxo
 


Nicole’s Favourite Things, Aloha Edition

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The book fair is done!  All loose ends are tied up; everything is finished until next November, when I will be relating my book fair sob stories once again.  For those of you who have asked WHY I do this to myself, over and over like one of those fifty-shades types of girls, well, I ask the same question of myself when I find myself photocopying, cutting, and sorting 420 draw forms, or answering “The posters are five dollars.  Yes, that one is five dollars too.  They are all five dollars” a thousand times, or handling all that warm, sweaty money.  The answer is, of course, that my kids tell me that they are so excited I’m in the school doing the book fair, and when I walk down the halls I get random hugs from children, and the school librarian tells me how happy she is to be ordering more books for the learning and literacy program and the ESL students.  I even got thank you cards made for me by a couple of students, which makes the memory of sorting through the reorder forms fade significantly.

This week is flying by; book fair, make up karate classes, and, of course, readjusting to regular life after vacation.  Yesterday my girlfriend who was volunteering with me asked me to tell her all about our vacation, and I had that far-off feeling that I was on another planet some time ago, and now the memories are all that remain.  I’m trying to keep that aloha feeling going, so without further adieu I give you…

Nicole’s Favourite Things, Aloha Edition

As always, my favourite things are just things I love and I think you might too.  These posts are never sponsored, I received nothing for free, and I was not compensated by any companies to write this post.

Lulu Bands

Not to be confused with lululemon, these are essentially ponytail holders that don’t damage your hair and don’t leave those annoying ponytail bumps in your hair when you take out your ponytail. 

 
I know what you’re thinking: what is that, a scrunchie?  Is this 1990?  But no, they are not scrunchies, they look cute and non obtrusive in your hair, and you don’t need to worry about breakage, which is especially important for us fine-haired girls with over-processed, brittle hair.  I’m wearing one in this picture – see?  Not scrunchie-like at all.

  
 
 
Cheap Pedicures
 
Normally, the term “cheap pedicure” gives me visions of gross things like foot fungus or similar.  I prefer to go once or twice a year to more expensive spas to get pedicures; where I live prices of these kind of services (and everything else) are fairly inflated, and so generally getting a pedicure doesn’t even cross my mind.  However, I failed to recall the priniciples of supply and demand.  In Maui, there seems to be a nail salon on every block, and the prices are insanely low.  How could I resist?  Plus during my pedicure I got to sit next to an older gentleman from Arizona who talked to me about dog breeds and golf.  You just can’t buy that kind of entertainment.
 
 
 
Old Navy Swimwear
 
Last summer I bought some bikinis from Old Navy for $5-8 a piece.  A steal!  I also bought some skirts during the Boxing Week sales for $8 each, and they are cute, wrinkle free, and super comfortable.  Their regular prices are not bad, either, and there is usually some kind of online discount to take advantage of.
 
 
Cute skirt, and perfect for travel.  Also – Fern – shout out to my grandma!  Love you, Grandma! 
 
Sunglasses
 
My husband has always hated my old sunglasses.  He’s had a vendetta against them for years.  So, on this trip, we popped into a Sunglass Hut where I was helped by the most flamboyant man ever.  This guy knew his sunglasses, and he fitted me out with these lovely things:
 

as well as a set of aviators so I can pretend I’m actually in Top Gun.  Can I just give a shout out to that flamboyant man?  He gave me a totally mouth-turned-down frowny face every time I tried on a pair of glasses that didn’t suit me, shook his head, and said “Um, NO.”  I kind of fell in love with him a little bit, especially when he told me that his “friend” was in town from Las Vegas, and they had some champagne on the beach watching the sunset.  He also said, when I told him we were leaving soon, “Well, being in paradise doesn’t pay the bills, am I right?”  Truth.

Coconut

We were on holidays!  And so the freezer in our condo was kept well stocked with all sorts of frozen treats.  I was feeling a bit sorry for myself as the boys ate sundaes and ice cream sandwiches, meanwhile the rice milk ice cream I had purchased for myself tasted exactly like sadness.  Then I discovered So Delicious Coconut Milk products, and OMG people.  OMG PEOPLE.

I used to think that I disliked coconut; it turns out I dislike artificial coconut flavour and also shredded coconut, the texture of which resembles old dried-out dental floss to me.  GOD BLESS THE COCONUT.  I use coconut milk in my cooking and baking, coconut oil, and now I am a coconut milk “non-dairy frozen dessert” convert.  Speaking of coconut, the one thing I regretted from our last Maui trip was that I didn’t bring home any coconut scented lotion.  “Really, you REGRET not buying a bottle of lotion?” my husband said, confused at my use of the word regret.  Yes!  I regretted it!  So I made amends to myself:
 

 
I’m wearing it right now and I keep sniffing at my coconuty hands.  Smell my finger!  Really, it smells like coconut. 
 
Side note: the more times I type coconut, the weirder the word looks to me.  Anyone else have this experience?
 
Speaking of smells…
 
Routine Natural De-odor-cream
 
I know, I know, I’ve extolled the virtues of Routine De-odor-cream before, but here’s another plug.  It’s all natural deodorant, my friend makes it, and it WORKS.  I spent my mornings at the beach, my afternoons doing my yoga practice and then going to the pool, and even with all that hot sun and sweating and activity, I STILL SMELLED FRESH.  My very favourite is Sweet Jane, but I took Lucy in the Sky with me to Maui, thinking the lavender would be a bit, um, fresher.  I was right!  I did not smell in the least like a feral hippie.  So, if you’ve ever been concerned about using natural deodorant – as I was in the past – FEAR NO MORE.  This product really works.
 
 

Ah, it was a great trip.  Now we are into March, my goodness, and it’s Friday!  Which means wine time, also one of my favourite things.

 
 


Nicole’s Favourite Things, January Blues Edition

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Last week I posted about being blue on Blue Monday, but today it was brought to my attention that TODAY IS BLUE MONDAY.  But I was sad last week!  I’m not sad today!  How can it possibly be Blue Monday if I am not sad?

I know.  I know.  It isn’t all about me.  Maybe some of you are feeling blue?  Well, you have come to the right place, because it is *cue Oprah-audience-like-screaming* Nicole’s Favourite Things, The January Blues Edition!!!

Squee!

January is SUCH a bear of a month, what with the comedown from the holidays and – if you live in a climate like mine – the thought that there is at least, at LEAST, three more months of winter, and often more.  Now that’s depressing.  But!  At least we don’t have to worry about the trains not getting through and grinding wheat and twisting hay to keep warm, am I right?  Plus there are lots of fun things that will help us get through this month.  So, let’s get started, shall we?

Nicole’s Favourite Things – January Blues Edition

I spend much more time outside in the winter than I would like.  I take the dog on long daily walks, I stand in the playground dropping the kids off at school, I stand in the playground waiting for the kids after school, I stand in the playground watching the kids sled and play in the snow and assure me that no, they’re not warm, in fact they are boiling.  In other words, I’m constantly freezing.  This year I bought legwarmers, and they have been life-altering.

Life-altering, I tell you.  They are not at ALL Flashdance-like.  They are long, and woolly, and cozy.  If I could, I would make out with them, I love them THAT much.

After I wrote this, a girlfriend told me about her favourite coat from Eddie Bauer.  She swore that she was warm walking her dog in minus 25 degree weather; she sent me the link noting that a) the coat was on sale for 25% off, and b) it was available in black.  SOLD.

It’s so long and warm, and as a bonus I do not feel like I’m an octogenarian while wearing it.  Plus it’s got a cute hood!

It’s faux fur, of course.  In the course of my winter coat shopping, my husband coaxed me to try on a Canada Goose coat, which he was highly in favour of.  That’s when I found out the grim truth – Canada Goose uses real fur on their coats!  Real fur!  Who does that anymore?  When I told the salesgirl that, sadly, this was a deal breaker for me, she informed me that Canada Goose only uses animals that have died of natural causes.  The bees are doing what now?  I have strong doubts about that.  How is that even possible?  Do they harvest their furs from roadkill?  Do they put animals on little treadmills until they die of exhaustion?  It boggles the mind.

Moving along.  Calgary is a dry, dry climate, and it’s much worse in the winter.  My hands have been known to snag my clothing, they can get so dry and chapped.  I bought this cocoa butter hand cream, and it’s a miracle.  I put it on at night because otherwise I’m not sure I could open door knobs.  The smell is wonderful; it reminds me so much of the cocoa butter stick I used on my giant pregnant stomach to avoid stretch marks.  It always makes me think of how happy I was while pregnant, and I always smile.  Cure for the blues, right there!

And I know, I know, I say something about Bath and Body Works lotion every time I write a Nicole’s Favourite Things, but, as I mentioned before, I’m a lotion addict.  The Brown Sugar and Fig scent is nice and warm smelling, perfect for a cold January day.

I like using shower cream instead of shaving gel; it leaves my legs softer and smoother.  This scent always makes me smile because I have a friend and yoga teacher named Harmony.  I like to think “Stop!  Harmony time!” in the manner of MC Hammer.  Also, it has a really pretty floral scent.

I have not yet seen Les Miserables, although I’m dying to.  I saw the play in the theatre years ago and immediately went out and bought the soundtrack, I loved the music so.  Now, I see movies in the theatre rarely but I’m hoping to make it out before it ends up on Pay Per View, but in the meantime I have been listening to the soundtrack non-stop.  Unfortunately, that means that I have At The End Of The Day perpetually in my head.  Remember that old episode of Seinfeld when George gets Master of the House stuck in his head and is worried about his eventual descent into madness?  It’s like that.

Of course, one thing leads to another, and then I start listening to The Phantom of the Opera.  This is terrible news for my children, as I sing all the parts.  Think of me, think of me fondly, when we say GOOOOOOD byeeeeee.
Speaking of the darling children, they have started karate.  “I know it’s a martial art,” I said to my husband, “But I’m surprised at how much they talk about potential attacks!”  He raised his eyebrows at me.  “You’re surprised by this?”

That last picture makes me nervous.  I mean, Mark is RIGHT by the stairs.  Well, they are all still in one piece, so it’s all fine.

Your turn, dear reader.  What makes you happy during this blue month of January?  xoxo

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PS Every Monday I will be writing about lunches, over at The Ladies Who (Make) Lunch!  I’m so excited about this, I just can’t hide it.  Go check out my first post, about coming home for lunch, and some nice memories from the 80s.

Nicole’s Favourite Things: Holiday Edition Part 1

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Yes, you read that title correctly.  There will be a part two. 

Despite its darkness, and despite the fact that a) it was minus 12 this morning, b) my hands are constantly purple, and c) traffic and the streets are mayhem, I love December.  It is one of my favourite months; the approaching holidays and associated festivity just make me smile.

And hence a two-part post of my favourite things!  The first post shall be about gift ideas; the second post shall be random things I love about the holidays.

Related: every single time I think of the term “the holidays”, I think of NYPD Blue.  This may seem counterintuitive but if you – like me – are a fan of NYPD Blue, you may remember the famous Andy Sipowicz line, when he is threatening to put “a pole” up “the ass” of some internal agent who is up to “louse up” Lt. Fancy’s career.  “Let’s not quarrel, eh?  It’s the holidays.”  Word.

As always with my favourite things, I am not sponsored by any of the companies I talk about; I received nothing for free.  I just love these things and maybe you will too!

Nicole’s Favourite Things – Holiday Gift Edition

Wine

Nothing says “I love you” or “It looks like you could use a drink” or “How else do you get through family get-togethers?” like a bottle of wine, am I right?  Wine is a very simple and greatly appreciated gift for anyone, other than maybe teetotallers and recovering alcoholics.  I always love receiving wine, and I give bottles to people I don’t know very well but still want to give gifts to; for example, our school’s long-suffering secretary.  All you really need to know is if the recipient prefers red or white, but even then, it’s hard to go wrong.  I buy my wine in bulk from the Superstore liquor store; a $12 bottle of wine has a lot of gift bang-for-the-buck.

Chocolate

Not everybody loves chocolate, but the vast majority of people do.  ‘Tis the season for chocolatey goodness.  My personal favourite is mint chocolate, and number one on my list is a good old fashioned box of After Eights.  My children have inherited this from me; my husband came home with a box on Saturday, as a festive treat and MAYBE to get lucky, and 3/4 of that box is now gone.  I had ONE.  This is why I’m hiding the dark chocolate peppermint Godivas from the children.

I’m also hoping to get some in my stocking (some chocolate, not something something some, if you know what I mean and I think you do).  I haven’t seen any peppermint Lindors yet this year, but maybe Santa will come through for me.  Santa baby, just slip some mint chocolate under the tree, for me.  Been an awful good girl.

Sweaters

Cozy sweaters are a fabulous gift idea, and are simple for the giver: sizing is generally small/medium/large, so it’s forgiving if you don’t know someone’s exact dimensions.  I love a nice cozy (black) sweater, and Jacob has a wide selection.  Ever since I embraced the skinny jeans trend I have also embraced the big flowy sweater.  They are so snuggly and if you happen to have a muffin top peeking over those skinny jeans, they conceal it nicely.  I think this one is super cute:

However, I am probably not getting one for Christmas since I have several drawers that are stuffed full of black sweaters and my husband seems to think that is plenty in the black sweater department.

Sweaters are a nice gift for the man in your life, as well.   

Ha!  I kid.  If I gave this to my husband, there might be a divorce, or at the very least, no one would be getting a “present from Santa” if you know what I mean.  And I think you do.

Lotions, potions, and beauty products

One of my favourite gifts to receive is a bottle of scented body lotion.  Calgary is a very dry climate, add that to going back and forth from dry indoor heat to the dry frigid outdoors, and the semi-obsessive handwashing that accompanies cold and flu season, and I go through a lot of lotion.  I don’t wear perfume, so I like to have nice girly scented lotions; my favourites are from Bath and Body Works, which frequently has a buy three/ get three sale.  My wintry favourites are Twilight Woods, Moonlight Path, and Secret Wonderland, but there are just so many to choose from. 

My views on “natural” deodorants are generally that such products are aimed at smelly hippies, who remain smelly hippies even when using said products.  I dislike the chemicals in regular antiperspirants but have always been a skeptic about natural deodorants.  However, my friend makes these products and now I’m a believer.  One of our mutual friends – who is very athletic – told me that they really do work, and so I was persuaded to try it.  I sweat a lot during yoga, and the deodorant still held up.  In fact, I asked a friend – who is an ANGEL and a very, very good person – to smell me after a sweaty Sunday morning Primary Series, and she said not only did I not stink like a hippie, but I actually SMELLED GOOD.  That should be endorsement enough, I think.

It makes a great stocking stuffer, although it might seem strange to give someone deodorant as a gift – if you don’t know the recipient well it might seem like you are trying to tell them something – but the jar is so pretty!  And the scents come with fun names like Sweet Jane, Sexy Sadie, and Lucy in the Sky.  There is even a men’s scent called – get this – Johnny’s Cash.  Cute!  If you can talk the man in your life into trying a natural deodorant, which is no small feat if you have a non-hippie husband.

Pajamas

There is something so luxurious about a new pair of jammies.  I eschew anything remotely sexy when it comes to sleepwear.  I’m all about fuzzy flannel bottoms and tops that are emblazoned with Snoopy or Hello Kitty.  Part of this is because I just like cozy pj’s, dammit, and part of this is because I like to have my children choose them for me.  It’s amazing I don’t have Star Wars or Angry Birds on my pajamas. 

Jewelry

Is there any woman alive who doesn’t like a nice piece of jewelry?  I have been wearing silver hoop earrings since I was thirteen years old, this year I told my mother I’m hoping for silver stud earrings and I think she fell over.  She kept repeating “You don’t want HOOP earrings?  Silver hoops?”  I’m all unpredictable now, yo.  Last year I had a Pandora bracelet on my wish list and my over-indulgent husband actually gave me two:



The greatest thing about the charm bracelet is that it’s a gift that keeps on giving!  New charms are always a lovely gift idea, for any occasion.

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Looking for more gift ideas than these Nicole-centric ones?  Look no further: my friend Beck put together a list of non-Oprah-like gift ideas last year (full disclosure: I was one of her writers, and you MAY see a few similarities between last year’s list and this one), and for the Trekkie in your life visit my friend Nan’s site. 

Nicole’s Favourite Things; Fall Edition

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I am very cross right now for a variety of reasons, amongst them a) my dog is sick with kennel cough, which he got FROM his kennel cough vaccination, and now I am faced with a new life as someone who does not want to vaccinate her dog, b) I have had to check the yard constantly “in case” Barkley develops diarrhea, and it is gross to be constantly checking dog poop, c) there are UNSOLVABLE issues with the upcoming book fair due to the fact that the school’s Remembrance Day holiday is not the same as the one that Scholastic (and, apparently, the rest of the world) is observing, d) the unsolvable issue was brought to my attention only AFTER I had sent out a cheery “would you like to volunteer?” email about it, e) I had a very awkward conversation with the developmentally slow grocery carryout guy today about suicide, which is NOT a conversation I wish to have in the three minutes it takes to put my groceries in the car, and f) it is not slated to be above zero degrees Celcius any day this week.  I AM COLD. 

I know, I know, there are bigger problems in the world.  Wah, wah, wah, and my diamond ring is too heavy for my hand, my bed of money had a lump in it, and I am just TOO beautiful. 

Still, I am in a crabby kind of mood, so I’m going to turn things around by saying WWOD (What Would Oprah Do?). 

Welcome to Nicole’s Favourite Things, the Fall Edition!


This sweater and those boots.  When fall (or, as we say in YYC, the start of the unending winter) arrives with its crisp chill, it’s a sign for me to break out the black sweaters!  This one is my new favourite.  I got it on the “We Made Too Much” clearance section from Lululemon, and it’s warm, long, and wraps around in a snuggly way.  These boots I got for half price during the Boxing Week sales from a place that I cannot recall.  Longtime readers will remember these as the “Puss in Boots” ones.  It’s a bargain of an outfit!  I think I even bought the jeans on sale.  Thriftiness in the Boyhouse!  Relatively speaking.

Those are beehives in the background.  Related: my neighbour keeps bees in her backyard and she always gives me some of her very excellent honey, to say thank you for my flowers.  Hey, it’s a two-way street; her bees make my flowers awesome, and so Taryn’s honey is on my favourite things list!


That’s her photo, by the way.  Did I mention I love this girl? 

I bought this set of three dishtowels (I know, DISHTOWELS are on my favourite things list) and they make me smile whenever I look at them, which is often, since I spend half my life in the kitchen.  They say “They Fell In Love”, “They Got Married”, and “They Lived Happily Ever After.”  Aw.  They were probably meant for a wedding shower gift, but I bought them for myself and no regrets.  Happily ever after.  I always smile when I look at that, and imagine myself in a fairy-tale like existence, and think I AM living happily ever after!  Then I go look for dog diarrhea and the mood dissipates somewhat.


Calgary is very dry year-round, but especially so in fall and winter.  I go through a lot of lotion and hand cream, and the scents from Bath and Body Works are enough to turn you into one of those creepy “Smell My Finger” guys.  But in a good way.  Twilight Woods, Cherry Blossom, and, separate from regular Cherry Blossom, JAPANESE Cherry Blossom are my current favourite scents.

That reminds me, I have been meaning to post pictures of my renovated bathroom.  Next time, okay?

My mother-in-law is a mad knitter, and she knitted me this scarf that I think is fabulous.

Fluffy, cute, and goes perfectly with a black sweater!

It was my husband’s birthday this weekend, and I made him a reduced-sugar apple crisp for his birthday, in keeping with his low-sugar dietary restrictions.  We’re such a fun couple.  Want to invite us over for dessert?  He can’t have sugar, I can’t have dairy.  Game on!  Anyway, I made him an apple crisp, although I think that cooked fruit is, quite frankly, a waste of fruit.  One of my favourite fall things is fresh, farmer’s market McIntosh apples! 


I keep our surplus apples in the crawl space.  Right next to the hall paint, apparently. 

Another thing I love about fall: pumpkins!

Those giant pumpkins were on sale for $0.19/pound.  Apparently procrastination pays off.  I am going to be roasting a lot of pumpkin seeds this weekend!

I also love making chocolate chip pumpkin loaf, and butternut squash bisque.  Lately I’ve been making that soup with coconut milk and coconut oil instead of whipping cream and butter, and it is pretty fabulous. 

So those are my favourite things about fall.  What are yours? xoxo