My Favorite Things

Still trying to find that perfect gift for someone?  I've compiled a list of some of my favorite things that I own.  Perhaps you'll find some inspiration for someone in your life!  I've included pricing and links for you as well.  Happy shopping!

Koppen Sweatshirt –  $50 - It's so warm and cozy.  Yet it's cute enough to wear out and about without looking grungy!

CamelBak Eddy Bottle - $15 - It doesn't spill and is easy to carry anywhere.  You can't go wrong with this gift.

A few BOOKS I've read this year and recommend:

Dream More by Dolly Parton - $13 - A wonderful and inspiring quick read. Great stocking stuffer.

Captivating by John and StasiEldredge - $11 - An insightful and fantastic read for ANY woman!  

Unglued by Lysa TerKeurst - $10 - A friend of mine told me this changed her entire relationship with her husband and kids.  It's a light-hearted, yet to-the-point book about how to handle those times when your situation and emotions make you come "unglued."

Advocare Spark (Healthy Energy Drink)- $50 - This has revolutionized my life this year!  I was an energy drink/ coffee fiend.  This is a much healthier option with far less caffeine and gives me a better feeling of alertness.  And it is cheaper than some energy drinks or coffee concoctions.

Knives - Price Varies - I always carry at least one knife and use them often for a variety of things.  It's a great gift that anyone can find a use for.  I have two favorites, a Gerber Multitool and an SOG folding knife.  SOG is my favorite brand by far.  In fact, grampa is getting a new SOG from me this year... shhhhh ;-)

Fuzzy Socks - $2-20  - Warm, cozy and cute!  You can get them anywhere.  My current favorite are the Cabin Socks from Dicks Sporting Goods.

Avalon Organics Peppermint Shower Gel - $6-15 - I've seen this in-store at Meijer cheaper than online.  Peppermint aromas help make you feel more awake.  It's an effect much like smelling salts.  This shower gel doesn't dry out my skin and smells wonderful.

Bissell Hard Floor Vacuum - $45 - I replaced every inch of carpet in my house with hard flooring this year and this vacuum has saved my life!  It picks up every little thing on the floor and does a great job along the edges too.  

P-Mate - $5 - Make fun of me if you want, but these are another life saver!  Buy them as a gag gift or a serious gift.  Either way, they're great!  As an outdoorsy girl, there's nothing worse than having to pee and trying to squat or lean against a tree and trying not to pee on yourself or your clothes.  Hey, I'm honest!  These things let us girls stand up and pee where we want to pee without making a mess.  I use them camping, hiking, hunting, fishing, and in port-o-lets.  

Joby GorillaPod - $20-$50 (depending on your camera size) - Another great product I've found endless uses for this year!  It packs/ stores really small and gives you a ton of versatility and stability as a tripod.  They make them for iPhones, compact cameras, SLR's and several other options.  For larger cameras I highly recommend investing in the ballhead for it as well.

Actual pic of my GorillaPod from a hiking trip this year.

Survival Straps - $25-$50 - These come in custom colors as well as options to put on a medical tag or a tag supporting a charity.  They are super cute and are made of paracord so in the event you need rope of any sort, you can unravel the bracelet and use it.  If you do use it, send the company your story and they'll replace it for free!  So cool!

Brooks Cacadia Trail Running Shoes - $100-$110 - These are my favorite shoes!  I've worn them for work, trail running, hiking, warm weather hunting, climbing trees and just to walk around.  They are super comfy and great for almost any outdoor activity.  Available in Men's & Women's.

CamelBak L.U.X.E. - $75-$100 - There are lots of CamelBak packs that are all wonderful and available at varying price points.  My favorite "catch-all" pack is the L.U.X.E. It's a women's pack that is nice and small, but still has a large (100 oz) hydration bladder and lots of storage space.  It's the smallest and most economical pack that still has room for all your essentials.  It is comfortable and keeps the weight on your hips so it doesn't get heavy or annoying as the day goes on.  I use mine primarily for day hikes and mountain biking.  Though I have taken it lots of places.  The bladder is removable so I've taken it out and put it in my multi-day backpack for a hiking trip as well.  These seem pricey and I had a hard time spending the money at first, but I get so much use out of it, I don't regret it at all.  

Vera Bradley Tiny Case - $7 - Ok, it's a contact case, BUT I took the contact container out and use this for carrying earrings, jewelry, hair ties and bobby pins.  It is the perfect little case for those things that get lost at the bottom of my makeup case.

Rachael Ray Thermal Tote - $25 - Anytime I have to take food anywhere this is my go-to tote!  The straps adjust so you can carry it vertically or horizontally.  Makes it great for carrying warm casserole dishes and knowing nothing will spill and it will stay warm.  

North Face Rain Jacket - $90 - This is one of those things I wasn't too sure if I would use often enough to make it worth buying.  Let me just say, it has served me very well!  I've worn it for concerts in the rain, fishing, hiking, camping, even grocery shopping in the rain.  I have lots of rain gear, but this jacket is my favorite!  It is really lightweight and breathable, but keeps you totally dry.  It's a great buy and looks really cute.  It comes in lots of colors too.

Princeton Tec Headlamp - $35 - This thing comes in handy so often!  Princeton Tec makes a number of different headlamps.  I've tried two of them and love them both.  They are well made and will stand up to some abuse.  I love the "Fuel" because you can customize the colors of 7 pieces and make it unique.  It's great for everything from power outages to working on cars or any project where you need a flashlight, but don't have any free hands.  I always take it camping, hiking, hunting and catfishing.  

That's all folks!  Thanks for reading and I hope you've gotten some inspiration for finishing your holiday shopping! 

Women

A couple of weeks ago I was pleasantly surprised to receive a call at work from one of my college professors.  She had spent some time tracking me down to find out how to get a hold of me.  It was not only wonderful to hear from her, but she was calling to invite me to sit on a panel and speak to one of her classes.  It is always an honor to be offered the opportunity to go back to campus and share some of my knowledge and experiences with students.

I hold a Bachelor's Degree in Tourism, Conventions and Event Management from Indiana University which I earned attending the IUPUI campus.  The TCEM program gave me a solid foundation for all I have done in my professional life.  I remember how valuable it was when industry professionals would come in to speak to the classes I was taking in college.  I remember so much from what those individuals shared and how much I was able to learn about different aspects of the industry.  It is incredible to think that I am now the one offering up information about the path I took and my place in the industry.

Walking into the classroom, it was so nice to see my past professor and give her a hug.  There were a few minutes to get acquainted with the other four ladies who were on the panel as well.  Two of them I knew as we had gone through the program around the same time.  The other two were new faces.

Just prior to the beginning of class, two other professors who had given me great inspiration during my college career strolled in and took a seat as well.  It took a moment for me to take this in. These professors took time out of their day to sit through a class I was at the front of.  Wow!  How wonderful!

When the professor gave her class introduction, she indicated that this was the first time in her many years of teaching that she had an entirely female class.  I looked around and saw it was true. There were 18 women sitting at the desks around the room.  She said she had purposely sought out  five industry professionals who were also women to talk to this class.  How cool!

There's something so special about being in a group of women.  This is something I've only realized in the last year.  It may not surprise you to know that traditionally, I haven't understood the value in having close friends who are women.  With my interests and attitude, men have been easier to be friends with.

Last year, I started reading some books that were written to speak to the hearts of women.  (No, not 50 Shades of Grey... though I can greatly enjoy that kind of "women's book" too).  I was amazed at how deeply I connected with those books.  Because I am not the "typical" female in any way, shape or form, I anticipated the authors to have a hard time reaching me.

It really hit me while reading, Captivating by John & Stasi Eldredge.  This little quote sums up the essence of the book quite well, "Every little girl holds in her heart her most precious dreams. She longs to be swept up into a romance, to play an irreplaceable role in a great adventure, to be the beauty of the story. Those desires are far more than child's play. They are the secret to the feminine heart."

The book talks about the things that are truly at the core of a woman's heart.  Despite what her interests are or how life has affected her, these things seem to be universal.  Reading this book softened my heart and my attitude a bit.  It made me realize that I don't have to be 100% tough all the time.  I can have my guyish hobbies, but still be feminine at heart.  What an incredible revelation.  

Not only was did I become more passionate about the beauty of being a woman, but I suddenly felt a connection to other women.  If the things I read were true of me, they must be true of other women as well.  Maybe I had more in common with them than I ever realized.  I now consider it a blessing to have the opportunity to share time and experiences with the women in my life.