Stuff I Like, Volume 1

So I know my last post was all about getting healthy and losing weight, and I am working on that (when Big Kitty's not using the Wii Fit balance board--he is also battling the bulge). Just ask my ab muscles--they're so sore that they complain every time I try to sit up in bed. I have to roll over onto my side to get up in the morning. I can't decide if this is a sign of how pathetically out of shape I am, or a testament to how hard I've been working.

But... I just had the most delicious vegan ice cream, and I wouldn't want to deprive anyone of experiencing it, so we're just not going to discuss my transgression. Consider it a public service--a sacrifice for the greater good of non-dairy ice cream eaters.

Jason and I had a field trip to Trader Joe's this evening, in search of an acceptable cruelty-free carpet cleaner for the omnipresent cat barf (the other day, Jacob projectile vomited all over the couch--he got the seat cushion, the back cushion, and the arm--it was an impressive fountain of puke, and that's why I need more cleaner). We failed on that task (I was searching specifically for Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day Odor Removing Carpet Cleaner), but managed to find some other treasures, such as dried lychee fruit and boxed quinoa, that made the journey worth it. The pièce de résistance, though, was the Trader Joe's Soy Creamy Cherry Chocolate Chip vegan ice cream. It tastes just like Ben and Jerry's Cherry Garcia, with less fat, fewer calories, and no cholesterol--so you don't need to feel as guilty about eating it as you would regular dairy ice cream. Willpower fail. But strategic gluttony win!

I think I'll do a new sometimes-recurring feature on this blog: Stuff I Like. Mrs. Meyer's makes the list, of course, as do the following items I've been using and loving:

• Alba Botanica Sea Algae Enzyme Facial Scrub and Coconut Milk Facial Wash: The scrub exfoliates without being too gritty or drying, and doesn't leave a weird film like some other natural face scrubs I've tried. The facial wash smells delicious and leaves my skin soft and fresh. It gets rid of oily spots without being drying--it doesn't have any soap in it. Confession: I struggled with acne until earlier this year. It was awful--nothing ever helped! I tried so many products--prescription and store-bought. I was even broken out at our wedding in December (luckily I was able to cover the worst of it with makeup). It was so humiliating to be 25 years old and have the same (and sometimes worse) skin problems that I had when I was 15. I got things under control with Retin A and a stronger birth control pill. I don't use the Retin A anymore--these face products keep everything balanced nicely. Try the Alba products out--they're not tested on animals, have all vegetarian ingredients, and are available at Target.



• GapBody Stretch Cotton Capri Pants: Great for working out. They're form-fitting and stretchy, so they're good for yoga and the like, but don't shimmy down, dig in or cause muffin tops. They're made of material that's substantial enough to not become translucent when stretched over my also substantial ass, and it doesn't show cellulite like some spandex-y workout pants do.



• Chanel Allure Sensuelle Eau de Parfum: It smells good. Intoxicatingly good. Worth dealing with the snooty perfume counter bitches good. Both my husband and my mother-in-law like it, so you know it has mass appeal.

So there you go. Agree with my likes? Like something else? Want to suggest something I might like? Leave a comment and let me know.