It's the little things

During a run this week, I found myself reflecting on the little things that make life great -- those little, trivial things that we could survive without, but why would we want to? Here are some of those little things that are a big deal for me right now.

The Quiet Spot
I love the doggies, but I hate how they have to stand right by Park's bedroom door during nap time, shake their furry heads and rattle all the tags hanging on their collar. In the early days, they had a 99% success rate at waking Park up. After months of going collar-less, I discovered these sweet little Quiet Spot thingamabobs that hold the dog tags and eliminate most of the rattling. Yeah, the logo couldn't be any bigger (always a fun request by a client), but it's reflective, which is a plus for those late night walks. Now if only we could work on the barking...

New Brooks Ghost Running Shoes
I've struggled getting myself back on the track since Park's birth. That's changing in 2010. I had put off getting a new pair of running shoes until I knew I was committed, and wow, had I forgotten how a brand new pair of cushiony sneakers makes for a good run. Two miles flew by earlier this week. At this pace, I just may be ready for Kansas City's half marathon in October. (Who's with me?)

Old Shuffle
While the new kicks are a must-have, so is my old iPod Shuffle. This was a Valentine's gift from Craig several years ago and the old champ (not Craig, the shuffle) has been clipped to my side for many a mile.



Magic mouse
Gone are the days of using a little ball on the computer mouse to scroll up and down. We've upgraded to the magic mouse and it is ... magical. I love how you can scroll up, down, right and left. It has a bunch of other tricks I haven't even figured out yet.

The nuk
I can't imagine the day we have to take this away, but for now, Park is nuts about the nuk. He also thinks it's really fun to take it out, put it back in his mouth sideways and flip it around with his tongue. He even tried putting it in my mouth the other night. (Is there a hint here I should be taking?)

Burt's Bees Lip Balm
I think I've tried just about every brand. This stuff rocks. And I have a tube in every coat pocket, purse and car console to prove it.