Things to Do - 10 Things I Like (August 2016)

1. Drinking buddies drink markers - A friend of mine bought these for happy hour and we all fell in love (with Brad, John, etc.).

2. Dr. Scholl's - I wore these shoes as a kid. And now, at 40 years old, I'm wearing them again. I almost forgot how comfy (and easy) they are.

3. Burt's Bees Baby Shampoo and Wash - I started buying this when the kids were little, I assumed one day we'd all move on to adult body wash, but we still use it all the time. The fragrance is light, perfect for bubble baths. Plus, it makes me happy that it contains no parabens, phthalates, petrolatum or SLS.

4. Clean Reserve Discovery Layering Set - I'm not a huge perfume fan, but these are so light and airy that I look forward to trying new combinations. Perfect for summer.

5. Boho Jersey Dress - I love this dress. It's comfy (super comfy) and can be casual or dressed up.




6. Turkish Towels - These pack up super light and can be used as beach towels or extra blankets. Plus they dry fast.

7. Mary Kay CC Cream - A few weeks ago a friend of mine hosted a Mary Kay party and now I'm addicted to this super light moisturizer/foundation. Now that I'm older my skin tends to be dry, but this makes it look dewy and (in my mind) younger.

8. Reef Flip Flops - I've had these for three (four? five?) years now and they still feel like new.

9. Honest Tea Half & Half - I'm still overcoming my diet coke addiction and these make the perfect replacement. Super flavorful and a lot less sugar than similar beverages.

10. Julie Blackmon: Domestic Vacations - I bought this book years ago (back when it was only $30 or $40 dollars) and it is now one of my favored possessions. Blackmon does a great job showing the funny moments of parenting (both the highs and lows), you can see several of her images here.

Things to Do - 15 Cures for Summer Boredom

1. Giant unicorn pool float. Because unicorns. (Though I must warn you THIS THING IS HUGE, we can't even fit it in our car, it has to sit on the roof).

2. Flamingo pool float. To keep the unicorn company.

3. Ogosport Disc Game. Somehow this game is both tricky and addictive at the same time.

4. Tangle Art and Drawing Games for Kids - I read about this on Flash Bug Studio's blog and it sounded perfect for summer vacation.

5. Ms. Marvel, Volume 1. Just like Squirrel Girl, these books feature a female superhero (yay progress!) who is apparently awesome.

6. Car in a can. A remote control car for under $10? How cool is that?

7. Rad American Women A-Z. Because feminism.

8. Kan Jam - My kids play this at school and insist that it's crazy fun, so we bought our own set for the summer.



9. Sphero. Kids need to code. So let's make it fun.

10. Banish Boredom - My friend Rebecca, from Not-So-SAHM, wrote a book that sounds amazing, I can't wait to read it!!

11. Walkie Talkies. The only way to make children think it's cool that you know where they are.

12. Bunch of balloons. So many balloons so fast. Call their friends, it's time for battle.

13. The Ruth Badar Ginsburg coloring book. Because feminism.

14. Stratos Spheres Board Game - Three Dimensional tic-tac-toe. Awesomeness.

15. The Forest Feast for Kids - P keeps saying how she wants to learn to cook this summer, so this seemed like the perfect book (ha! I rhyme).

Things to Do - 10 Things I Like (February 2015)

After putting this list together, I realized that the theme seems to be "coziness". Because winter needs cozy, right?

1. Everyday Detox Herbal Tea - I have no idea if this tea really detoxes anything, but it has a light flavor that tastes perfect on cold winter days.

2. Sephora Sleeping Masks - I'm totally addicted to these overnight facials. It feels great to wake up with amazing skin. So far I've tried the honey and the Lingzhi, both of which worked miracles on my icky/dry snow day skin.

3. Amazon Echo - The Echo is basically a stand alone Siri, which might not seem that exciting. But when you're making dinner/drinking with friends/playing boardgames it feels wonderful to say, "Alexa, play x song." Like magic.

4. Dr Teals Lavender Epsom Salt - Soothe and Sleep - 3lbs - 1 bag - One bag of these lasts forever. They smell great and afterwards I fall right to sleep.

5. iRobot Roomba 770 Vacuum Cleaning Robot for Pets and Allergies - We have two dogs and Roomba makes all their hair disappear (ha! I rhyme). I love her (yes, I've given my vacuum cleaner a gender and a nickname) so much that the kids always ask, "Mom do you love Roombie for than us?" (If you're wondering, she's female because I didn't want to bring another man into my marriage, such things could become awkward).

6. Food52 Genius Recipes: 100 Recipes That Will Change the Way You Cook - A friend gave me this cookbook as a Christmas gift and so far every recipe has proved fantastic. Plus, they're all relatively simple.

7. Martin Parr - Small World - As someone who loves to travel, this is one of my favorite photography books ever. The images are funny and snarky and super clever. It looks like the price has gone up considerably since I bought it two years ago (maybe I should start "investing" in more coffee table books), so if you don't want to pay $85, check out some of Parr's amazing photos here.

8. Peppermint Essential Oil - A few years ago my mother-in-law bought me a diffuser, one of my favorite gifts ever. I've found that when I diffuse peppermint oil, I get so much more done. It's like a huge burst of energy.

9. Trader Joe's Full Cooked Lentils - I love lentils, but I hate cooking them. These make life so much easier, I add them to salads and soups all the time.

10. Comfy PJs - For most of my life I've slept in old sweatpants and stained sweat shirts, but this December I decided to splurge on "real" jammies. And now I never want to take them off. Waking up in "real PJs" makes me feel pretty and sophisticated, totally different from my usual "sloppy mom" vibe.

Things to Do - 10 Things I Like (November 2015)

I don't often write about material possessions on this blog. Partially because I really believe in the motto, "buy experiences not things" (hence why I'm always saving every spare dime for another vacation). And partially because when the kids were little our life suddenly seemed to explode with things (strollers, car seats, random plastic toys, etc.) and I felt no need to celebrate this proliferation of stuff.

But lately I've spent a lot of time editing photos and the last thing I feel like blogging is more photos. Plus, there are some things that make me happy, so why not organize them into a photoshop collage?

HAPPY MONDAY EVERYONE!! What are some of your favorite fall purchases?

1. I love this skirt. I love almost all of Metaformose's clothes (which are handmade to order for (somewhat) reasonable prices). I still haven't purchased anything else, but I keep browsing, esp. the coats. Wouldn't it be wonderful to have a winter coat fitted perfectly for your body?

2. For the past few years we went through paper towels at breakneck speeds. It seemed like every time I blinked we needed another roll. Besides the environmental cost, they're a pain to buy/carry (so bulky). So when I read about these super absorbent kitchen towels(through epicurious) I decided to buy some. We now own over 50. For dinner parties, we'll use new ones as napkins and once they're soiled we'll throw the used ones in the laundry with other clothes. They're crazy absorbant in that one towel can handle almost any spill. Plus now we go through paper towels at a much slower pace.

3. It's butternut squash season, so I'm glad I own these ceramic knives. Perfect for cutting squashes, veggies, and fruits.

4. This is the perfect overnight lotion for dry, cold skin. And it's not super expensive.

5. I've been searching for years for the perfect camera bag and I've finally found it. Kelly Moore's Collins bag works great as a purse and/or camera bag. Plus, it can hold extra stuff on top (like when the kids all decide they're hot and hand me three hoodies).

6. I'm a Fitbit addict. I love that I no longer have to log onto a phone to check my steps.

7. I'm usually a black leggings type of girl, but every time I wear these super loud workout pants they make me smile.

8. I always buy these notebooks in bulk. They're cheap, durable, and perfect for jotting down notes/ideas/random observations.

9. I've been looking for a replacement for my Toms for awhile now, something with a little more support. These Sabah shoes are a little pricey, but they feel wonderful to wear and they look great with jeans. I want a few more pairs in different colors.

10. Another new shoe purchase - the slipper that becomes a shoe. It's so cheesy, but so comfy. I almost never take mine off.