Monday, January 23, 2012

The Luxury of Squeeze Jelly

Some of my friends buy convenience items which I think are a waste of money.
I thought about aggressively mocking them (and their individually wrapped, frozen, Uncrustable PB & J sandwiches) on my blog, but decided that was probably not the most productive use of my words.

So instead of dwelling on how crazy my friends can be, I'm giving you all a chance to mock ME. Here is MY list of "totally worth the money" convenience items:

Squeeze Jelly - It flows out of the bottle in a smooth and spreadable condition. I only need one utensil to make a PB&J - and no peanut butter ends up in the jelly jar (or jelly in the peanut bar jar). I've even "heard" of some men spreading peanut butter on one half of a piece of bread, squeezing a strip of jelly on the other side and folding it up. (Not even bothering to spread the jelly at all!)
Maybe if those people who buy the frozen sandwiches saw how easy squeeze jelly makes the process, they could save a little money.

Projection Alarm Clock - It shines (projects) the time on the ceiling. Before you say, "How lazy can a person BE?"...let me tell you. I don't have to raise my head, sit up, or even roll over when I want to see the clock at night. The time is RIGHT THERE LOOKING AT ME IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CEILING. I can see it out of the corner of my eye if I'm laying on my side.
I have had many people stay at our home and get HOOKED after just one night. Yes, this is a LUXURY...but I think you're worth it.

Jane Iredale Magic Mitt - I have sensitive skin and don't like to use a lot of soap on my face. I am also EXTREMELY cranky about washing my face at night (while my sweet husband just climbs in bed). I'm exhausted too. I do not want to wake myself up by splashing water all over my face (and quite often, the counter).
This Magic Mitt really IS magic. With only warm water, it removes all my make-up (including mascara). No splashing required! The special fibers get my face CLEAN without a bunch of soap - so I don't break out, dry out or rash up. All this, without much more effort than brushing my teeth. The perfect solution for a girl who would just go to bed with her make-up on...if it weren't for her sensitive skin.

Non-stick Griddle - 8 grilled cheese sandwiches served up at the same time. Pancakes for a whole crew of sleep-deprived, prepubescent boys on a Saturday morning - without the wait. Everyone eats TOGETHER - while the food's still hot. Enough said.

USB Plug in the car for an MP3 player - If it's an option, it's worth the extra "nickel". Clean music when we want it, audio books on the go, ADVENTURES IN ODYSSEYS for the kid who gets carsick. (Honestly, this was Clay's addition...but I gotta say - I can't disagree. He has a iPhone which makes this feature even MORE spectacular. He can talk on the phone HANDS FREE through the car speakers.)

Dimmer Switches - No, I don't have dimmer switches on all our lights to "set the mood". (We don't need no stinkin' switches for that...we ooze mood.) In my humble opinion, these little gems should come standard in every home (especially those with rooms for CHILDREN).
Up in the middle of the night with a toddler? No need to blind everyone.
Need something in your little one's room? Go get it, without stepping on a Lego - just use the dimmer!
First thing on a winter morning, we adults stumble into the kitchen...not quite awake. The trusty dimmer switch allows us to find our Columbian grind in serene calm. What a  blessing to have a boost of caffeine in our system before we get pelted with the bright light of day.

Bunn Coffee Maker - Speaking of coffee, (like that segue?) our Bunn coffee maker gives us 10 cups of scrumptious coffee in less than 3 minutes. It has a reservoir tank with heated water READY TO GO! No timer needs to be set for us to have coffee available moments after waking up.
Fast is also wonderful when serving a large group of people. Guests never have to wait long periods of time between pots. I can serve up a pot of regular AND a pot of decaf.
I actually think Clay's favorite "perk" from this particular coffee pot is that it irritates our friend, Woody. The pot doesn't make coffee the same way that "most" coffeemakers do. So this adds frustration for Woody on occasion as he battles to make a pot at our house. I think Woody enjoys the laughter that ensues at his expense...otherwise he would quit trying, right?

Now, if the Bunn would just bring the coffee to our room each morning, it would head the list of all the other luxury inventions. In the meantime, I am choosing not to take any of these many blessings for granted.

Yes, we're spoiled...and I'm not complaining.
What are some convenience items in your life that you are glad you don't have to live without?

6 comments:

  1. The one thing you're missing, Becky, is a K-e-u-r-i-g. Seriously.

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  2. I won't mock, because really they all sound pretty important :) Ha! I will have to think of some of my "luxury" must haves, but I would probably say my battery operated toothbrush. My teeth have never felt cleaner and all I have to do is hold it over my teeth instead of the constant up and down motion with the regular toothbrushes! :) I loved the projection clock idea. I usually wake up multiple times during the night. The alarm clock is over on Amos' side so instead of crawling over him to see what time it is, I am ever so lucky to have my running watch on from Walmart ($15) with a glow feature. It does take me a while to feel around for that little button though :)

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  3. I'm totally on board with you on most of these already! (Don't have that nifty alarm clock. I don't think I ever wake up before my alarm goes off, so the time on the ceiling would be a wasted convenience on me... maybe that's something Len would dig though. Especially since the alarm clock is on my side of the bed and he has trouble seeing it. Hmmm, maybe that's a Christmas Gift Idea for this next year! :) That griddle thing though... OH. MY. GOODNESS. I could not survive in my household without my 8 sandwich(pancake)-at-a-time-sized nonstick griddle. Seriously I would die without it. I'm not joking.

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  4. I so agree about the dimmer switches and the car USB! And I have the English equivalent of your coffee maker in the form of an instant hot-tap for my morning tea :-) Now I just need to track down a UK supplier of the magic mitt. Oh and a multi-pancake maker - YES! (How have I lived til now with my little crepe-pan?)

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    1. My griddle is electric...and heavenly! Glad I could inspire you - and thanks for joining the discussion. :)

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