My love list

I love cafe au lait with beignets on a perfect muggy morning in New Orleans. I love the feel of sand between my toes and the lapping of the warm ocean water. I love a cold fountain Dr. Pepper. I love being surprised with flowers. I love warm brownies right out of the oven with cold milk. I love sweet dimpled arms reaching up for me. I love Fridays for their promise of the weekend to come. I love the smell of the earth after a spring shower. I love summer sunsets. I love sitting out by the pool at my Mom's house. I love the excitement of buying something I've been wanting on sale, the cheaper the better. I love bagels with lots of cream cheese, preferably with chives. I love pulling out my summer clothes from the back of my closet. I love coming home for lunch to watch a Tivo'd show from the night before. I love getting off work early. I love ceiling fans. I love the first cup of coffee in the morning. I love waking up to the smell of bacon. I love being invited to go somewhere with someone I want to be friends with. I love chocolate chip pancakes with cool whip. I love driving with the windows down and the radio up. I love when a song I have been thinking about comes on the radio. I love giving the perfect gift. I love the smell of department stores. I love crawling into bed in the middle of the day for the perfect nap. I love getting cards in the mail. I love putting up the Christmas tree. I love a long hot shower after a cold wet day. I love driving through the mountains. I love coming home after a long trip. I love putting away the last piece of clean laundry. I love taking a picture that captures the moment perfectly. I love clean sheets. I love walking out of my hotel room for an excursion on my first day in a new city. I love taking the ferry across the San Francisco bay. I love playing in the falling snow. I love snuggling up and sipping cocoa on a cold wet blustery day. I love checking my email and seeing comments on my blog posts. I love getting my hair done. I love a cold Shiner Bock at the end of a hard day. I love showing off a new pedicure in cute sandals. I love donuts with chocolate icing and sprinkles. I love movie theatre nachos. I love the way I feel after seeing a great film. I love outdoor concerts. I love meeting a new person and finding out how much I have in common with them. I love campfires. I love canoeing down the river. I love laying in a hammock watching the clouds. I love my Grandma's cheesecake. I love yellow cupcakes with chocolate icing and sprinkles. I love getting a new magazine in the mail. I love the colors pink, brown, and blue. I love flip flops. I love the changing of the seasons. I love late night walks after the world has gone to bed. I love walking barefoot. I love tea in all its forms. I love the smell of baby powder.

*I stole this idea from Jennie at She Likes Purple. Please feel free to write your own love list. Her rules are that you can't include a single person you know on your list. No "I love the way my husband laughs" or "I love hearing my little girl call for me." But this particular little exercise is about stripping away everyone who defines you and figuring out what you (not his partner; not their mother/daughter/sister/friend) love.