This is a post a wrote last week but am just now getting to.  It’s been a bit hectic, you know!  We’re just about settled into the Staybridge Suites (I spent ALL DAY yesterday unpacking) but I’m not quite ready for the photo montage yet.  Our first day in NY was relatively uneventful; just unpacking and driving to and from East Aurora a bunch, AND Pasquale’s pizza and wings for dinner–YUM!  Must. Start. Counting. Calories. Again.  ASAP!

Here’s the post:

Nicole gave me a goodie basket before we headed to Thai 9 the other night.  Yay for presents!

Look!  A pineapple on the front!

I love that my friends know me.  I love that they love me.  My love language is gifts.  (I think it stems from not being spoiled as a kid. Before you protest, Mom, let me just say two things: 1.  We had everything we needed and much of what we wanted, however, 2.  I was in high school before we ever went shopping at the mall for school clothes.)

Not that anyone needs clothes from the mall to be cool…  OK, apparently I have too many thoughts on the subject for right now, so I’ll just have to blog about my un-spoiled childhood some other time.)  Bottom line:  As kids, we were far from deprived, but our parents didn’t exactly shower us with goodies all the time, either.  (In my parents’ defense, they chose “experiences” over stuff, like awesome vacations, horse-back riding lessons, gymnastics…)

ANYWAY, (I wish you could see the inflection I give that word when I’m really trying to get back on topic…) I love presents.  LOVE presents.  Christmas, for me, is the pinnacle of the year (yes, I know “Jesus is the reason for the season,” just emphasizing here).  My birthday is a close second.  Then Thanksgiving, because, come on–it’s all about FOOD.  So, I’m a gifts kinda girl.

Thankfully, Andrew likes to shower me with presents.  Like, SHOWER.  Not that he’s a reckless spender (he’s anything but!), but he truly loves me and knows how to show me love.

OK, back to the goodie basket from Nicole.  Awhile ago, I blogged here and here about how much I love mangoes.

It had a theme: mangoes!  Including a real one 🙂

So excited about this lip gloss–saw it at Bath & Body Works when it first came out and wanted it so badly!

Pretty sure I’ve blogged about TJ’s Mango Butter…YUM.  I’ve had it on everything from toast to yogurt to cottage cheese and ice cream…it’s a well-rounded condiment.

LOVE Bath & Body Works hand soaps.  I just think they are so classy yet down-to-Earth at the same time.  I cycle in and out of having them around the house (I feel like they are such a splurge, until I realize if you get them on sale they really aren’t much more than what you can find at Target).

Ohhh!  Yummy candle…LOVE.  Candles are another “splurge” for me…I mean, they do just evaporate away.

And a sweet card…note the line about the loudness of my voice.  Yup, my friends know me well.  Thanks Nicole 🙂