Add a Little Shimmer

Right about now is when the dryness of winter catches up to me and I start to become a lizard. My skin gets dry and my lips start to crack. The only savior for years has been Burt's Bees lip balm. With it's beeswax and rosemary oil combination, it keeps my lips moist and smooth. The only downfall is that it was plain and a bit waxy. Now they've introduced Lip Shimmers, a version of their lip balm with a little color added, and a lot of gloss. No more layering lip balm, then lipstick. It's all in one handy, rosemary-scented tube. My favorite is Rhubarb. It's the perfect color for pale blondes, natural or not. They've also introduced a Super Shiny Lip Gloss, but I have yet to see this one in stores.

The Grinds that Get me Going

Anyone who knows me knows that I am a total princess with my coffee. I brew at home and fill up my travel mug each morning. I'll even pass on my daily cup altogether if the only option available is Folgers or Maxwell House. For me, neither of these are "good to the last drop" or even good on the first drop.

For the past few years, I've been hooked on Green Mountain Coffee. Ever since I had a cup of Wild Mountain Blueberry back in 2004, it's been my bean of choice. Most of this company's coffees are Fair Trade and a number are even organic. And the flavors are to die for. Some favorites include:

• Spicy Eggnog
• Wild Mountain Blueberry
  
• Caramel Vanilla
• Island Coconut

Green Mountain rotates its flavors every few months, so you need to either order online or head south and stock-up to ensure you get your flavor of choice.

In Pictures

When I asked my mother if she needed any suggestions or ideas for Christmas this year, she answered with a very definitive "Nope - I have it all figured out". And she did. On Christmas day, we unwrapped a very cool Kodak Easyshare Digital Picture Frame. What a cool gift. My husband and I take millions of pictures and videos, but we never get around to ordering prints. With this little gem, we can add a ton of pictures (via any type of memory card) and watch shots from our honeymoon, vacations, trips to the market, and more. It's a great gift idea and something we will enjoy all year.