Favorite Thing #90 - Vera Bradley Large Duffel

Since the holiday seasons are here and a lot of us will be doing traveling I thought I would share this favorite thing - Vera Bradley Large Duffel. I LOVE this bag! It's the perfect size for a weekend away. It has long handles and loads of room. It's also perfect as a carry on for your next flight. This also makes a great gift this holiday. There are so many great patterns. One of my favorites featured above is Cambridge.

Bag Dimensions - 22" x 11½" x 11½" – 15" strap drop

Suggested Retail Price: $80

Favorite Thing #89 - Ornament Organization

Sorry that I have been so MIA this past couple of weeks. Things have been crazy busy! Anyway I am back and hope to be posting regularly. This favorite thing is perfect for the upcoming holidays. Anyone that knows me, knows I am an an organizational nut and this favorite thing is the perfect example of that - Ornament Organizer (and I am going to feature two of them)!
The first one is for your larger ornaments, especially your ornament balls. There are three levels of storage and each level has a compartment for each individual ornament. It keeps them organized and protected. The second one I also use for ornaments. These are more for the small, flat ornaments. Again it's a stacking system with several levels. It keeps your ornaments organized and protected. Definitely helps save space and keeps your Christmas stuff organized. I got both of these at Target but you can also find them online.

Favorite Thing #88 - Autumn Hill's 2006 Merlot

A couple of weekends ago I went down to Virgina with some girlfriends to explore some wineries. One of the wineries we stopped at was Autumn Hill Vineyards. It's a small, quaint place that was in the middle of nowhere. I picked up a bottle of their Merlot because I really enjoyed the tasting (I'm normally not a fan of Merlot). I opened the bottle to have a glass or two when I got home from a long business trip. I enjoyed it so much I almost finished the bottle. It's also reasonably priced at $16/bottle. For those of you that can't visit the vineyard you can buy it at their online shop.

Favorite Thing #87 - "Flirt" Jeans by Old Navy

I discovered this favorite thing thanks to Allie at My Wadrobe Today. She swears by these jeans and they were on sale for $20 so I thought I would check them out. They came in the mail while I was out of town and I finally got to try them on Friday when I got home. It was love at first wear!!! Normally I wear jeans that are way over priced but we are trying to save money so instead of spending over $100 on jeans I spent $20 and I love them! Old Navy's Flirt jeans are amazing and they are soooo cheap. There is a another perk to them - normally I have to get my jeans altered because I am so short but with Old Navy's "short" style they fit me perfectly! Woo Hoo! I would definitely recommend these. They are the perfect jeans for casual or a night out on the town. And they are still on sale right now for $20. Can't beat that!

Favorite Thing #86 - Sally Scripps' Famous Pierogi Casserole

This is an amazing dish! My mother-in-law makes this all the time for her sons and have gotten her daughters-in-law hooked on it. It's very easy to make but also VERY unhealthy...but sooo good.

3 sticks of butter (I know...I said it wasn't healthy)

8-9 medium potatoes

3 medium onions

1 lb. Velveeta Cheese

1 lb. bowtie noodles

Cook potatoes like you would for mashed potatoes. Cook bowtie pasta as directed on box. Saute onions in one stick of butter (again...I told you it wasn't healthy). Mash the potatoes using one stick of butter and 3/4 of Velveeta.

Spray 9x13 pan with Pam or other cooking spray (I use Favorite Thing #4 - Misto filled with olive oil)

Put the cooked bowtie pasta in bowl and butter with one stick of butter.

Layer 9x13 with noodles, then layer with mashed potatoes. Spread onion mixture on top of potatoes. Put the rest of Velveeta in small cubes on top of onions.

Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes. Enjoy!!!

Favorite Thing - Sale Alert

A version of the Hobo clutch that I love (favorite thing #39) is now on sale at Nordstrom. The Hobo International Double Frame Patent Clutch is on sale for $63.90. Below is some information about the purse. Happy Shopping!

Crinkled patent leather creates a two-sided design, perfectly proportioned for traveling light. On the inside, one side has a zipper pocket and the other has two slip pockets and six credit card slots.

• Snap closure on both sides; single magnetic closure in the middle.
• Center interior ID window; three credit card slots; zip pocket.
• Black-and-white checked or polka dot lining.
• Leather.
• By Hobo International; imported

Gift Idea Friday - Graphic Body Suits

As many of you know my niece, Fiona Josephine was born on Sunday...



...so I thought it very fitting that this gift idea be a gift that I have given her - Graphic Body Suits from Baby Gap.

They are sooo precious and I really have to stop buying so many. I have a whole batch for my other niece or nephew for March. The bodysuits can range anywhere from $11.00-$16.50. I try and hold out and buy them when they are on sale. When they go on sale you can usually get them for under $10.00. Below are some of my favorites right now -

Apple of Daddy's Eye - $5.99
(also available in Apple of Mommy's Eye)

"Nuts for You" - $4.99

Guest Favorite Thing - DirectTV's NFL Sunday Ticket

This guest post comes from my husband...

Anyone who knows me would agree that I am an enormous sports fan. All sports. Football, baseball, hockey, you name it. And those same people would have the same answer to the question "who is Mikey's favorite sports team?" Although I've got loyalties and love for a team in every sport, the answer, without hesitation, is the mighty Pittsburgh Steelers. One problem: I DON'T LIVE IN PITTSBURGH ANYMORE" Now, I'm not here to complain to all of you and moan about my problems (if you really want to know, just ask my wife). I am here to offer a solution to anyone who may be in a similar situation. With that I bring you the GREATEST INVENTION IN THE HISTORY OF MANKIND: DirectTV's NFL Sunday Ticket.


Yes, ladies and gentlemen, you now have the ability....no, the power....no...wait.....the right to watch EVERY NFL GAME there is to offer. No more missing a moment of your favorite team's season. Plus, for you Fantasy Football fans out there, you have access to all of your squad's players. I am in 3 different league's and let me tell you, this service transforms every Sunday into a sports fan's Utopia. But wait.....there's more. For an additional fee, you can get SuperFan.

This lil' piece of heaven gives you the RedZone Channel which automatically switches from game to game, assuring that you don't miss any touchdowns or big plays from around the league. You simply set the remote down and let the TV do all of the work. You also get the GameMix Channel. This shows you eight....yes, eight games at once. When you want to focus in on a particular one, you simply click on it and boom....you are there. You also get Player Tracker which allows you to identify up to 18 players on your Fantasty Football teams and throughout the day, no matter what game you are watching, you will receive scrolling updates on how your team is doing.

I'll leave you all with this. My wife and I subscribe to DirectTV for one reason: The NFL Sunday Ticket. Sure we get a bunch of other stuff....blah blah blah. But this service has changed my life. Just ask my wife. Right honey??? Don't you love watching football for 12 straight hours?? I'll take that silence to mean "yes."

Oh,and one more thing.....GO STEELERS!!!!!

What another blogger loves...

I am traveling for work this week so its difficult for me to post. Here is a favorite thing from one of my favorite blogs - My Wardrobe Today. She loves Zappos! In relation to this post, there was a segment on Oprah with the Zappos CEO who's salary is under $40,000 a year. Gotta love that!

Favorite Thing #84 - Oversize Scrolled-Link Bracelet

This is a recent buy for me. I have had my eye on this bracelet for awhile and it finally went on sale - Oversize Scrolled Link Bracelet by J.Crew. Right now its on sale for $39.99 (was originally $69). It pairs perfectly with my gold filigree earrings when I don't want to wear my bangles. I've also worn it to work with simple gold ball earrings. It's a chunky bracelet and is much bigger than it actually appears in the picture. Here's a description from the J.Crew website -

An even bigger, even bolder version of our original scrolled-link bracelet, with romantic curlicues of rich-yellow 24K gold-plated brass. Signature spring clasp closure. Import. Length: 7 1/4".