You guys, how is it possible that March has snuck up on me? Most years it feels like I sneeze and February is over. But this February was tough for me. I was sick for much of the month and an abundance of rain made us all a bit stir crazy.
What’s a girl to do? Think of my favorite things, of course! Let’s turn this frown upside-down and think of the positives!
1 Cozy Cardigan | 2 Butter Dish | 3 The Bible Project | 4 Apple TV | 5 On Reading Well | 6 Homeschool Planning System | 7 Sour Cream Enchiladas | 8 Dip Powder Manicures | 9 My Husband’s Humor!
February Favorites 2019
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1. Favorite Clothing Item – Cozy Cardigan
Winter illness begs for warm comfort. This cozy cardigan was up for the job! It was a Christmas gift from my parents and is perfect for a casual comfy vibe when going out-and-about. And since I’m vertically challenged, it’s long on me so is equally perfect for when I’m sitting by the fire in my jammies.
2. Favorite Kitchen Tool – Butter Dish
It may seem strange to wax poetic about a butter dish, but this is a real MVP in our kitchen. We use Kerrygold butter, which is an odd size, but this butter dish holds it perfectly with room to spare. I keep it on the counter near the toaster, and this style butter dish keeps the mess to a minimum if my kids decide to butter their own bagels in the morning. And since the butter stays soft, I can quickly whip up grilled cheese sandwiches for lunch. What can I say…when I’m sick, I have a warm place in my heart for anything that makes life easier.
3. Favorite Infotainment – The Bible Project
The kids and I have been watching Bible Project videos in the morning during breakfast, and they are FASCINATING. So good. They’re targeted to adults (and believe me, I’ve learned a lot), but my kids ask to watch them, too. The whole idea of combining in-depth Biblical studies with comic-book-style art is genius.
4. Favorite Tech – Apple TV
We watch The Bible Project via their app on the Apple TV. I originally purchased an Apple TV so that I could mirror my MacBook or iPad to a TV screen, but it’s become a piece of tech that I use every day. I use it to play music I’ve purchased in iTunes; to watch PBS Kids, YouTube, Netflix, Amazon Videos, and Vudu; and I even love the screen saver that displays my favorite photos that I have stored in the cloud.
5. Favorite Read – On Reading Well
I purchased On Reading Well on a whim when I was browsing in a bookstore and promptly dropped it in my reading basket. I was curious about the topic and thought it would be a quick read. Instead, I’ve been so entranced by the author’s writing style, word usage, and content that I haven’t even made it out of the introduction yet! I’m now determined to take it very slow with this one and have enjoyed re-reading sections over several days until I feel like I’m ready to move on.
6. Favorite Homeschool Help – My Planning System
I promise you that this isn’t a shameless plug for my own blog content and videos…I’m genuinely so grateful to find a system that works for us! Since I do so much of my lesson planning way ahead (via Homeschool Planet) and set up a workbox system that gives my kids independence in getting their work done, days that Mommy is running at way less than 100% aren’t completely wasted, and getting ready for the next day requires little effort from me.
7. Favorite Recipe – Sour Cream Enchiladas
Another book that I added to my reading basket on a whim was the Magnolia Table cookbook. I enjoy reading a couple of recipes a few times a month, along with the beautiful pictures and little peeks into life with the Gaines family. Many of the recipes are what I would call semi-homemade, which is perfect for a busy mom that still wants to feed her family well. I’ve tried several recipes and my kids have loved them all, which is saying a lot because my kids are not shy about proclaiming their discontent (“This is disgusting,” is something that I’ve heard way too often at the dinner table, and yes, we’re working on kindness and gratitude because wow). The big hit this month was the Sour Cream Enchiladas recipe. Even I tucked into a couple of helpings, and I’m not a big enchilada fan.
8. Favorite Self-Care – Dip Manicure
When I was single and care-free, I spent many an hour in the nail salon. Having perfect fingers and toes seemed like a necessity, and I enjoyed the pampering. But once I started birthing babies, my salon visits greatly diminished and I didn’t care about manicures anymore. I didn’t want to spend the little bit of free time I had at a nail salon, and just wanted to keep my nails cut short so that I could do All The Things.
Now that my youngest is four years old, I feel like I can breathe again. I started caring about how my hands look, but nail polish, nail stickers, and even shellac couldn’t withstand the abuse I put my hands through every day. I was so happy to learn that the nail industry has come a long way in the ten years since I’ve received regular manicures and introduced dip powders. It’s AMAZING. There are so many colors to choose from (I’m currently sporting a pinky-beige sparkly color – N16 if you care), and even the slip of a knife hasn’t ruined my manicure. I’m officially a fan.
9. Favorite End-of-the-Day Treat – My Husband’s Humor
When I was single (and I was single for a long time, didn’t marry until I was 33), I assumed that I would marry someone with a personality similar to my own. Thankfully, I eventually realized that marrying someone like me would be the most boring thing! I decided that I would much prefer marrying someone the opposite of me – silly, goofy, fun.
Enter my husband. 🙂
He’s such a goober. Makes us smile every day. Knowing that it has been a tough month for me, he’s been so good about being cute and silly at the end of the day, even when he’s had a long day, too. The maxim that opposites attract has certainly been true in our case.
Aaaaaahh, it was such good medicine to reflect on the positive aspects of the past month. May March be full of joy and positivity for you and me both!
