I'm really excited to be participating in the Favorite Things Swap, the brain-child of Kelly of according to kelly. I pick three of my favorite things and swap them with my partner. I totally meant to write about it last week, so that more people could learn about this and sign up, but then my life spiraled into a shit-storm tornado and I fell into a deep hole of stinky, sticky chaos. Thus, I've been too busy watching Wayne's World on cable to write much of anything.

I don't know who my partner is yet, but I'm already busy brainstorming my favorite things. And yes, I can't stop singing raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens... bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens...

So far I've come up with the list below. Some of my favorite things really aren't suitable/ appropriate for packing up in a box and mailing across country to a complete stranger, so I'm still brainstorming.

1. Lake Austin Spa Resort.This is my favorite place in the WORLD. Okay, I haven't been to many places in the World. I've only left the country once and that was to have lunch in Canada. But this place is amazing. When I'm freaking out and someone says "Go to your happy place!" this is where I go in my mind. As a present, Husband sent me here by myself for four days. I walked in the lavender garden, hiked, went kayaking on Lake Austin, did lots of yoga, had a ton of spa treatments and ate delicious healthy food. It was the best four days of my life. I dream of going back there every day, and I will have to sell a kidney to afford it, but it will be totally worth it. In the meantime, I use their cookbook, FRESH, very often. Cooking and tasting this food takes me immediately back to the joy I felt those four blissful days on Lake Austin.

2. Olay Definity Color Recapture. Anti-aging moisturize + sheer coverage + SPF = Kelly Happy Face. I have weird skin. It's supper sensitive, prone to breakouts and is RED (rosacea). Usually, foundation makes me look worse than when I'm not wearing makeup at all. I love this product because it isn't drying, doesn't cause breakouts and gives me a good amount of sheer coverage. I use this, then bareMinearls Bisque for concealer, and finish it off Neutrogena powder. My skin is so NOT perfect, but this is as close as I can come.

3. The Fame- Lady Gaga. At this point you might be thinking, Huh, I didn't know It's Kelly of a little messed up, is a gay 19 year old man... Well, I'm not. I just love Lady Gaga. I was recently surprised to learn that there are actually people in the world who do not love Lady Gaga. GASP! I don't care about that. I discovered Lady at a time in my life when I thought it would never be possible to ever be happy again. I literally thought I would be sad forever. But then I heard a Lady Gaga song. I liked it. I danced around to it. I sang along. And little by little, my life started to become more than sobbing, hiding under the covers, and downing cocktails of vodka, Xanax and sleeping pills. My grandfather actually bought me The Fame. Husband thinks all music comes from iTunes. But there's something about having the actual CD that makes the music even more exciting to me. So me being here, alive today? I wouldn't say it's ALL because of this CD, but if I ever meet Lady Gaga, I will hug her and say thank you!

4. Top-bound spiral notebook. I buy these at the dollar store and go through about one a month. At work and in life, I'm a to-do list freak. These are perfect for my lists.  I also write project outlines, reminders, phone numbers... everything! And the spiral at the top is obviously superior to the left side spiral. I have to have to spiral. I love the sound of ripping out the paper after I've finished my to-dos for the day.

5. Any item from Ann Taylor Loft. 95% of my clothes come from this store. It's affordable, fits my style and offers stuff for work and weekend wear. Now that I'm obsessively watching Jon and Kate Plus Eight (who knows why??) I have noticed that Kate is also a fan of The Loft. This is interesting to me, because I wouldn't really say that Kate and I have the same style. I mean, I would never show up at the airport with my hot bodyguard wearing huge white sunglasses, denim mini, pink tee, red leather jacket and stripper heals. But whatev. That's the great thing about this store. They have simple classics that you can buy to fit your own style.

Kate and I both have this shirt- she in blue and me in black. I know, when you start to memorize wardrobes, it's time to consider that you watch too much TLC.

6. Keurig. This magical coffee miracle saved my life... and my marriage! Because I have my mother's DNA, I am biologically incapable of making coffee. It comes out bad, I make a mess and the task usually ends in me frustrated and crying on the kitchen floor. And trying to make coffee before I've had coffee? IMPOSSIBLE!! With the Keurig, you simply put in a little coffee pod (there's like 18,767 flavors to choose from), add water and BAM! The perfect cup of coffee. My nephew uses it to make hot chocolate and because of this he tells people his aunt is "fancy".

Like I said, I'm still working on my list. Tell me your favorite things so I can steal them as my own and have a whole new list of things to covet.