My Favorite Things ~ 2011

Every year, at the end of the year, I come up with my list of new favorite products.

PAY ATTENTION! There will be a Giveaway at the end of this post!

Here are my favorite products from 2011:

1.  I have always wanted to be a wine drinker. I don't know why. I just think wine drinkers look sophisticated. Last Christmas Eve my sister-in-law brought us a sweet red wine that was really good. That sent Rick and I on a quest to find a wine we really liked. After trying several, I found that my favorite wine is Snoqualmie Riesling. It's fruity, but not too sweet and not too dry. It's perfect.

2.  In clothing, my absolute favorite thing this year is the burn out t-shirt! I have one in about every color and wear one almost every day under short-sleeved t-shirts, vests, hoodies, sweaters, whatever. They are comfortable and flattering and warm on a chilly day.

3.  Eli bought me a Better Homes and Gardens electric candle wax warmer for Christmas. I absolutely love the way it makes my house smell!

4.  This year I started drinking my coffee in the Starbucks-type reusable coffee mugs I got from Kohls. They keep my coffee the perfect temperature, and I can just run out the door with it without having to transfer my coffee to a travel cup.

5.  My favorite soap is the new Olay Silk Whimsy Body Bar. I love the massaging bumps, but mostly I love the smell and that it is so moisturizing.

6.  I hate streaks on my granite counter tops! But with the 409 Natural Stone Cleaner I started using this year, my counters are disinfected to my satisfaction and there are no streaks!!

7.  And my absolute favorite product from this year is the Lemi Shine Hard Water Expert products. I loved the products so much that I contacted the company to see if I could sponsor a Giveaway for them. They agreed and sent a full-size Cleaner, Rinse Agent, and Machine Cleaner with a reusable shopping bag.

Let me show you an example of how good these dishwasher products work. Here is one of our glasses with the usual hard water stains. Irritating!

I added the regular Cleaner to the Pre-wash cycle and this is what my glass looked like after that one washing.

Typically on Monday mornings, I unload the dishwasher and run it empty with the regular Cleaner. It keeps the dishwasher clean, and my glasses clear! I also use the Rinse Agent on a regular basis. But, even without the Rinse Agent, my glasses still stay clear!

I "stole" one of the Machine Cleaner packets from the prize pack (because I had never used it and wanted to give an ACCURATE opinion as to all of the products. Therefore, you will only get two packets of the Machine Cleaner.) Honestly, I didn't see much difference in my dishwasher after using the Machine Cleaner. I think that using the regular Cleaner, like I typically do, is adequate.

My opinion is: The Cleaner and Rinse Agent are must-have products for use in your dishwasher. I think my glass speaks for itself.

All you have to do is leave me a comment on this post and you could be the lucky winner of the Lemi Shine prize pack. The Giveaway will end at midnight on Sunday, January 15th. I will announce the winner on Monday morning.

** I was not given any compensation for my review of these products. The opinions are my own.