Money Can't Buy Happiness...

... but it sure can pay for some things that make me really happy :)

... like, for example... this

Yes, this is, in fact, a blender. And yes, I did get this for Christmas. And yes, it was the BEST present EVER. (In fact, I am the one who actually bought it, and then told Jerry that my Christmas was taken care of... but hey, he did the same thing, so we were even!)

Now, I know what you are thinking... A blender? Seriously?! What kind of blender could ever generate this level of excitement? And for Christmas??! Seriously?! And a few years ago... before my introduction into this bohemian rhapsody of blenders, I would have thought the same thing.

But this is NO ordinary blender...

It is (cue the music...) the... VITAMIX.... da da dada!!

And YES, it really IS all that, and a bag of chips! I LOVE this thing. It can pulverize anything you throw at it. You throw in fruit (we're not talking cut up pieces of fruit here, people, we are talking a WHOLE apple, a WHOLE kiwi - skin and all - the rind of a pineapple), a little ice, a little sugar (or a lotta sugar...), flip the button, and whalaaaa, you have a perfectly smooth blended drink. It doesn't suck the juice out and leave the other stuff behind in another container, oh no, it's all there, folks, kiwi skin and all (which is where the majority of the fiber is... but that's the dietitian in me talking...).

... but WAIT, there's more!! It can even make soups - heating it up and everything (yes, it's true, no other pan needed!).

... but, but... the real reason that I truly LOVE this thing is that is can make ICE CREAM in 30 seconds flat. Yes, you read that right, 30 SECONDS! We're talking real, homemade, mouthful of pure, heavenly YUMMINESS!! (Yes, Janie, think raspberry heaven from last summer... in under ONE minute!)

Yes, people, greeting this little beauty in my kitchen every morning, instantly puts a big smile on my face and a little happiness in my heart :).

[** and Steve, you have now been officially dubbed "Joseph and the vitamix blender" in our family... I STILL can't believe that #1, Mom didn't use her vitamix... and #2, that she just randomly gave it to you on a whim all those years ago!!! ]