new year, new stuff!

Christmas came and went in a flurry of activity - awesome people, great food, fun presents! Joe got a Kinect and a flip video camera, a bunch of beer and wool socks and lottery tickets and money and movies. I got a Kindle (!! yes. favorite present. thank you Joe!), a down parka (SO WARM), badly needed kitchen essentials picked out by my aunt, gramma, sister, and mom (thanks ladies!), and a whole bunch of other lovely, perfect, delightful things that my too-generous friends and family picked out. To everyone: you did a fantastic job gift-giving this year! I couldn't be happier!

And because I feel the need to share my joy, here are some pictures of my loot, but not many because I'm too lazy to photograph everything:


My Kindle, in its stand-up case! It took FOREVER to find a decent case at a decent price. Amazon will try to push you to buy their $60 one, but don't be fooled! There are more out there! (Read so far on my Kindle: The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters and Spindle's End by Robin McKinley. Both good!)


Registry glass soap pump from my sister! She also got me badly-needed ramekins.


I threw out all the warped, mismatched, tomato-sauce-stained gladware and repurposed lunchmeat containers I'd been using in favor of this sweet setup! AND it was a registry item! hooray!
This recipe box from my mom came with blank notecards for my own recipes and recipes for all my old favorites - polka dot cupcakes, taco soup - in the handwriting of the people who gave them to my mom first. So sweet!

colanders, liquid measures, and a SALAD SPINNER! finally. and bonus! more registry stuff!

Happy new year, everybody! My resolutions:

1. USE all my new kitchen gadgets and tools! corollary: eat at way, way, way fewer restaurants.
2. Read a book a week.
3. Stress less.
4. Finish that damn scarf!