7 Quick Takes Friday, #71

Quickly, quickly, here are 7 things I'm loving right now:

1.  I've never liked lipstick or lip gloss, so I stick to balms and have tried for ages to find one I really like.  Last week I gave into the scandalous $5 price tag for Burt's Bees lip balm, and it was SO VERY WORTH IT.  It's smooth without being waxy, has a faint peppermint scent and tingle, and the shade I got -- peony -- has a very light, pretty tint.  It looks completely natural and fresh, and I'm loving it!

2.  My cousin Joy just began her Mary Kay business, and I now find myself perusing the catalog regularly.  When I ran out of my usual drugstore lotion last week, I decided to skip a trip to the store and bought Mary Kay's Hydrating Lotion directly from Joy, instead.  And wow.  This is lotion -- creamy and long-lasting and barely scented.  So, you guessed it: I'm loving it!

3.  I'm a latecomer to any fashion trend, you know?  Leggings, sherpa-lined boots -- and I'm sure there are more, I just can't think of any since I'm so behind the fashion times --  all are out of my usual comfort zone.  I've only recently stumbled across scarves, and I'm a little in love with mine from New York and Company.  It's not exactly like the one pictured, more multicolored and softer, but I can hardly believe how much I use it.  It's a blanket at the movies, an umbrella in the rain, a cover for my baby's legs in a cool restaurant ... I never imagined I'd use it so much, and I'm loving it!

4.  The thunderstorms we've been having sporadically over the last few weeks are so gorgeous!  I've always loved storms, and those that pop up in summertime seem more spectacular than most.  The heat of the day collides with the humid air, and grey, roiling clouds seem to build out of nowhere, whipping up the wind and rumbling with thunder in the distance.  I'm really loving them!

5.  My friend Emily is leaving Sicily today, her home for the past few years, and she wrote a beautiful post yesterday describing her thoughts on the occasion.  And if you've never read Emily's words, you really should -- she writes so beautifully!  Her post about leaving Sicily is a gorgeous example of why I fell in love with her blog in the first place: the descriptions, the thoughtfulness, the pictures she paints with her words...her blog is uplifting and real at the same time.  As sad as the post made me for her sake (And even a little bit for my sake!  I'm going to miss seeing Sicily through her words!), it also made me excited to read about her next adventures in Japan; I'm sincerely loving it.

6.  I'm so picky about the way Justin smells, and when he finds something we both like, I tend to obsess a little about it.  Every Man Jack Shave Cream is my newest favorite.  I imagine it works really well -- his jaw is always smooth and welcoming -- but what I love about it is the scent.  So clean and simple!  Not fussy or perfumey, THIS is what a man should smell like!  In my humble, wifely opinion, that is.  I'm (swoonfully) loving it!

7.  I snuck Pride and Prejudice into the DVD player one night this week while Justin was in the other room.  Tricky, yes, but...I love it!  This is the older version with Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle, and it makes me giggle, sigh, and get teary.  At my favorite scenes -- those with Elizabeth meeting Mr. Darcy unexpectedly at Pemberly -- I had such a wide, goofy grin on my face that when Justin looked over at me (knowing exactly what expression I'd be making, because I make some variation of it throughout the entire movie) he laughed.  Then he said, "You're so beautiful, sweetheart."  It must be Pride & Prejudice: it makes me beautiful.  Therefore, I'm loving it.  (Not to mention my sweet-smelling, sweet-talking honey.)

What are you loving lately?  Let me know, and be sure to stop over at Conversion Diary for more Quick Takes.  (I'm loving those, too!)