More Favorite Things

We were hoping to make this Christmas less "consumery" but found it nearly impossible. If you didn't get a card from us, we still wish you well and hope you had a great holiday season, but we were hoping to be able to tell you in person.

For our part, we mostly asked for gift cards to home improvement stores and we've already worked on hardware (knobs, pulls and lighting) and will be looking at some flooring options in the near future. Anyhow, despite the push for less "stuff", we ended up with some things that I really like. Here's a quick list:

1. The Jerker desk from Ikea. At $99 (on sale), it's a killer deal. Ideally set up for a computer and accessories (I have plenty of room for a scanner and printer on the shelf above the monitor) and easily assembled with a screwdriver and the included hex wrench.

2. Levi's from Target. In a time when it's hard to find jeans that haven't been shredded, crinkled, ripped and dyed beyond recognition, it's nice to find some jeans that fit well and look good. (Also, they're cheaper than the "red tag" Levi's but seem to be constructed just as well.)

3. Organic Shade Grown Mexico Coffee from Starbucks. I have succumbed to Starbucks since there's a small shop in our building which is partially subsidized so that the price of a cup of fancy coffee is reasonable. They switch up the coffee types and I have learned to LOVE the Mexico blend. It doesn't kill my stomach like the more full-bodied Starbucks options and it's grown using sustainable practices. On top of all the feel-good stuff, it tastes like I imagine coffee should.

What did you get?