Have you ever watched George Carlin’s skit on “Stuff?” If not, it’s pretty funny if you have 5 minutes to spare:
So yeah, that’s what I’m thankful for today. STUFF. That I have too much stuff! Sure, it’s a problem, but it beats the alternative…not enough stuff!
So I’ve gotten a lot of great stuff lately. First, stuff in the mail. I love stuff in the mail!
I won three beautiful jars of Bonne Maman preserves from Nutmeg Nanny in November. The first thing I did with the strawberry was slather it on a cornmeal pancake. Thank you Brandy, we love these preserves!
I got a lot of cookies in the mail last month from the cookie swap. I swapped with four people but received cookies from six because Allison and Eileen asked if they could send me some cookies too. Guess what I said? :)
The plate has cookies on it from my first four boxes received from Marcia, Jolie, Eileen & Linda. My favorites were the Marbled Cream Cheese Pound Cake from Marcia, Hazlenut Crinkles from Jolie (bottom left on the plate), the Brown Butter Toffee Blondies from Eileen (top middle), the molasses cookies from Jolie (middle right) and the pumpkin chocolate chip cookies from Linda (bottom right).
Look at the adorable packaging Allison and Katie sent their cookies in! A “cookie radio” tin and a gingerbread house!
Katie sent White Chocolate Peppermint Sugar Cookies (swoon–my favorite of all the cookies!) and Allison sent some wonderful Lemon Burst Cookies. I got them late because mail delivery was stopped to our area due to loose dogs (such a bummer) and it took me a while to figure it out, but even after a week in the mail these suckers were incredible and still so moist. Thank you guys, all of you, for the wonderful treats!
After the cookies started rolling in, out of the blue, I got this huge package from California. I love surprise packages! I opened it up and still had no idea who it was from when I saw what was inside. I really was not expecting a big box of yumminess. I read the card and couldn’t make out the name very well, then I looked at the address again, knowing it seemed familiar and everything finally clicked together. A reader named Emma bid on a ton of stuff for Suzie’s bake sale fundraiser and one of the many thing she won was from me (almond fudge cookies) so she had my address from that and sneakily used it to mail me some of her “favorite things.” Wow, this woman is beyond generous. Thank you, Emma!
So much goodness! A huge sack of sliced almonds (yay for more almond fudge cookies!), a big sack of dried young coconut (wow so good), seasonings, some major fun dark chocolate (I didn’t even know there were 70% dark chocolate Kit Kats did you?), sipping chocolate, granola, honey mints, coconut sugar, and even some dog treats for Jessie!
I also got some Japanese treats from my friends Kriss & Nicole who moved their family to Japan several months ago. Kriss used to share these with me when we worked together because his sister always mailed him snacks, so he knew my favorites were the Senbe and included those too. They’re the rice cakes on top–they’re sweet and salty and so good. Thanks Kriss and Nicole!
I won a giveaway from The Squishy Monster and got a ton of Newman products. I had no idea they even had this large a line! All of this was so good, though I did give quite a bit of it to my Dad b/c they he loves old-fashioned cookies like gingersnaps and hermits. Thank you Angie! And someone else will be thanking you too soon because I sent a little bit to a mutual friend. :)
And let’s not forget Xena, my warrior princess. <3
I also got some gifts last month and I’m not going to share all of them since I’m already overwhelmed by stuff with this post, but here’s a little bit. I got this angel wrap with matching socks, which is like a robe but way cooler, from my sister-in-law, Joan, at our family Christmas party (we get gifts by drawing numbers, I happened to get her gift).
Joan also drew my name for our personal family Christmas gift exchange (we draw names rather than giving gifts to everyone to save money since we’re always broke-haha). I’ve been wanting a doughnut pan foreeeeevers and Joan got me a set of TWO! One regular, one that makes twisted long johns-oh yeah!
I had to make the long johns immediately because I’m going sugar-free for a while. Aren’t they cool?!
And here’s something I just received yesterday from my friend Erika, who is now a skinny hard core mail carrier:
These are pretty enough to serve dessert in, and bonus: built in portion control. Love it.
So yes, stuff is good, but when you have too much stuff, like I do right now, getting rid of it/giving it away is even better. So I’m going to do a house purge! In 2011, I purged 111 things from my house in January, then purged 112 things in 2012. This year, the magic number is 113 things. It sounds like a lot, but this is going to be a cinch. I think I have that many magazines alone to get rid of! I’ll report back when the house has been exorcised of unnecessary stuff.
What about you? What stuff are you thankful for right now? Do you need to do a “stuff purge?”
Veronica's Cornucopia 
I love all the packages you received in the mail! I get so excited when I get packages, even when it’s just stuff I ordered. Maybe it’s the opening the box that reminds me of presents? I don’t know.
You are going to do great with your 113 things!
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Me too, it’s crazy how excited I get. That’s part of the fun of online shopping. Maybe the biggest part! Yes, opening the box and also not knowing for sure when it will arrive builds anticipation as you wait for it. <3
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Amazing little treat packages! Thanks for linking to George Carlin, don’t have time right now but I will definitely be watching that video later! Love him.
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It’s a classic, you gotta watch it.
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WOW oh WOW!! What an awesome post! You surely did get some beautiful, tasty and gorgeous things. I love it all. Thanks for sharing your sweet blessings with us.
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“Sweet blessings” indeed!
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Wow! All of your snacks and gifts look awesome! I love receiving things in the mail! =) and George Carlin’s video about “stuff” is so funny! =)
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Me too, stuff in the mail is the best!
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Look at all that loot! You better have your insulin pen close – ha! Hugs! :D
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Oh yes I did.
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We are doing a purge next weekend when I finally put away all the Christmas stuff and organize the garage. All of the cookies you got look so tasty!! I had a donut pan on my wishlist forever, then realized what sort of trouble I’d get into with it so I took it off :)
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True that, I’m starting a diet and lamenting that I probably won’t use my doughnut pan again for like the rest of the year! haha
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Just did a stuff purge; we’re moving (today! to Wichita!!) into a duplex at least half the size of our TX home, so I’m pretty sure Goodwill could open a new, packed location just with the stuff we unloaded on them over the last two weeks! Feels soooo good to be downsizing in such an extreme way.
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Whaaat? You’re moving home? I bet you are SO excited! BTW thank you for mentioning Tropical Traditions in your comment back on the coconut oil coffee post, I’m pretty sure that’s why they contacted me. Your mention must have raised a flag! :)
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That video made me lol…needed that bc I feel crazy today, haha. ooooh I wonder who’ll be receiving them *wink* and gosh, you’re on a roll with the wins…you should def. get a lottery ticket! =)
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I’ve won a lot of stuff from blogs, I win at least 2-3 a year. Definite perk!
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These packages are things made up of dreams my friend! Enjoy them :)
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
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Oh I am!
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Those measuring cups! Oh, how fun!
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I heart them!
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That radio tin is so awesome, I love it! And wow, Emma is really a wonderful person! Too cool. I didn’t know you won a contest from Angie’s blog, that’s sweet! I must have missed that one, thanks to my demon internet…lol! Love the measuring cups too, how cute!! I have lots of stuff I need to purge, I am slowly listing them on the yardsale groups on facebook. I sell almost everything I put on there…it’s crazy! But, I make a few bucks too :)
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I know, the radio tin is the diggity. Yes Emma is, she’s just too generous! Hey if you can make some money while purging, that’s a win-win!
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Wow you did get a lot of good stuff! Thank you for sharing all the good stuff with us!
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You may have a lot of stuff but it all looks like it’s totally delicious stuff!
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lol My husband and I love George Carlin. It looks like you got some delcious cookies in the cookie swap, I cant wait for the candy exchange and getting all those goodies.
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Yes, Ma’am, you did get a lot of great stuff recently. I love receiving all sorts of foodie gifts. I love your purging idea.
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