(Parts 1 and 2.)

Connoisseurs jewelry cleaner.
My mom gave me a jar of this when Rob and I got engaged. It makes rings look like new, and leaves my diamond super-sparkly. If I'm going to be at a jewelry counter for something, I'll ask them to professionally clean and buff my rings. The rest of the time, I swear by this stuff.

Lint roller.
There is no escaping cat hair at our house - with 3 cats, it constantly floats in the air and attaches itself to everything. We have been five days into traveling in a different country only to find a cat hair on one of our shirts. A shirt that was clean when it was packed! Whenever that happens on a trip, I'm like, "Aww, look! A Bridgie hair! I miss that kitty." But the rest of the time? Not so great really. And thus the lint roller.

We keep one in each car glove compartment and in a drawer in the kitchen. Part of the morning ritual is to lint-roll before leaving the house. If I'm wearing black, I'll do it again when I get out of the car because apparently cat hair is floating around in there, too. I used to be coy about it, but now I just stand next to my car and roll that thing all over myself. I can't count the number of times I've said to Rob in a parking lot, "Hold on, I have to lint-roll my boobs." And then, a moment later, "Now can you do my ass?" Somehow this is less scandalous to me than being caught with cat hair on my clothes.

Swivel Sweeper.
Just bought this, so I can't actually say yet if it's something I swear by. But it's got the potential to be. This is one of those As Seen on TV things. I didn't see it on TV, but almost all of my co-workers did and they all LOVE theirs. Like, I have heard them having water-cooler conversations about how amazing their Swivel Sweepers are. Our custodian even bought one to use at work. One day a plant fell off the windowsill and soil went everywhere, and so I got a live demonstration. That sold me.

We have bare floors throughout our house, and I sweep a lot. I'm not sure this will replace sweeping altogether, but it is great for quickly running over the floors every couple days. It's very light, and the small swively head can fit basically anywhere. It maneuvers around chair legs and under the sofa very well. And it doesn't send dust into the air like sweeping does (especially when Rob is sweeping, I'm just saying).

Tupperware Forget Me Not containers.
We always have half an onion or green pepper or tomato in the fridge, and until I bought these, we'd stash them in plastic zipper bags. Which made me feel wasteful and guilty. I got these at a Tupperware party (how quaint, I know) to use instead. I guess oftentimes people forget they have that onion or pepper or tomato leftover, and so these are designed to hang from a fridge shelf to remind you. We don't use them that way, though. I just like that they are the perfect size and shape for all those slicing/chopping foods we keep on hand. Rob's improvement to these would be to make them transparent, because as they are now you can't see what's inside without opening.

TableCraft wine pourer and stopper.
Perhaps the most used, most loved item I have ever bought for the house. That might sound extreme, but keep in mind we drink a hella lot of wine. This thing is a 2-piece deal - a wine pourer, with a stopper that slides out. I've seen other versions, but this one is simpler and more elegant. Also makes a nice gift. I get this item at Target, although I think they recently stopped stocking it. That means you should run to your closest Target now and buy all the ones they have left.

UPDATE:

RzDrms found the fitted sheet! I am not even kidding. Read the comments. She is a GENIUS! Or she's got cameras set up in our house....which, whatever, I don't even care. She found the fitted sheet! BEHOLD THE POWER OF THE INTERNET, people.

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We have lost a fitted sheet. I know. That seems impossible. I mean, it's not like it ever leaves the house, not like we take our own sheets to hotels or something. And yet, this household is less one fitted sheet.

It's a little embarrassing, really. A bit like losing...I don't know, a boat sail? A parachute? Rob has looked everywhere, and I have looked everywhere. Yes, even behind the dryer. Even behind and under the drawer where we store the sheets. Even under the bed. Even in the shower, although really why the hell would it be there?

Usually when something is lost we blame the cats. Because what else are they good for? In this case, they would each have had to grab a corner of the sheet in their teeth and scooted, together, to a secret hiding place.

So far this is our best theory. Because how else does a person lose a fitted fucking sheet?

We just got back from five days in New York City. One morning I decided to pop by The Today Show to see them film some of the outdoor segments. I don't watch this show very often, but I have a crush on Meredith Vieira from her days on The View. And also, I think Matt Lauer is cute.

I got to see Matt, Meredith, and Al all do segments. (Ann Curry was on assignment.) After her segment, Meredith spent a very long time talking to people in the crowd and signing autographs. She was utterly gracious and seemed sincerely interested in chatting with people. At this point I was at the back of the crowd and couldn't make contact with her, not that I would have anyway. I'm sorta shy like that. Unless it's John Stamos and then I would totally jump him. And by jump him I mean hide in a corner and hyperventilate.

I couldn't help but wonder if she was wearing underwear.

Pretty sure the older woman in black just pinched his ass.

Giving me The Ear Tug, which everyone knows means "Wait for me in my dressing room."

Then Kathie Lee Gifford appeared. I did not find her to be gracious or sincere like Meredith, but I took her picture anyway. Because she is famous. And my mother likes her.

Thinks she's hot stuff, I'm just saying.

By this time I had worked my way to the front of the crowd, and not long after they taped a segment directly in front of me. In other words, I was one of those people you always see in the background holding signs and looking entirely too perky for the time of day. (However, I was not holding a sign nor was I particularly perky.)

Hoda Kotb blocked me from the camera for much of the segment, but near the end she shifted and then I saw myself on the monitor. I did not know if I should look at the camera or the people doing the segment. What I really wanted to watch was the monitor because that is me! On TV! So I think I might have looked here and there and everywhere and appeared to be a total goon. Being on national TV is hard, y'all.