Current Favorites 3.14.20

AAHHH I wrote this all once before and now rewriting it again as it somehow got deleted as I was hitting publish. It’s not going to be as wordy or even full sentences and will likely have typos because omg this week…

How is everyone? I was feeling super anxious yesterday and overwhelmed by all of the STUFF I procured for our social distancing time. After doing one of my favorite relaxation techniques - organzing the pantry and fridges, I felt much better. I also made a list of the meals I could make with the random assortment of food I purchased so that each meal isn’t like a real life version of Chopped. Anyways, I reworked this week’s Current Favs by removing some of the spring break picks I had and adding some tried and true activities that my four year old loves as well as some other things that you may like during these next few weeks. Here we go…

(1) Water Beads - Mix a few tablespoons of these with a few cups of water and in four hours they’ll grow to be about the size of marbles. Squishy and slimey and a great sensory sensation for kids. Deacon likes it when we hide animals/letters/cars in it and he has to go dig them out. Sis has to be watched like a hawk when she plays with them because she def tries to eat them. This $7 bottle will last you forever because you only need a few Tablespoons at a time. We keep in a plastic bin with a lid. Add some dish soap every to freshen every now and then and they’ll last you a week or two.

(2) Marble Run - Deacon LOVES this. And I have a blast building it too! Still takes some parental involvement because he can’t quite build it on his own yet. Once it’s built though he’ll play for at least an hour with it. I find using a measuring up to hold the marbles is easier on him than trying to hold them all in his palms while shooting them down the tubes. Again, a no-baby toy because of the whole eating marbles thing.

(3) Homer App - I was looking for a pre-reading app a few months ago and discovered Homer. Deacon now knows all his letter sounds and this is a great tool to use that skill to start sounding out words. When you first start the app, it will ask you a series of questions about your child’s skills and abilities at that time (which I love that it is skill-based and not age-based) and then create a customized curriculum for your child. The app itself works as a path and kids cannot move on to the next game until they complete the current one, which I love because fewer things to do at once means more focus from my kid. For us, Deacon is working on each letter through games that include upper case and lower case letters, tracing letters, listening to a story with words that start with that letter/sound, recalling parts of the story, and then a just-for-fun game. I like to do it with him but he also is familiar with it enough now that he can do it on his own during quiet rest. I really hate paying for apps, but I think this one is worth it!

(4) Kinetic Sand Kit - If you’ve been following me on IG for a while you know that we’ve used this for years. I first got it when Deac was super adverse to anything “messy” on his hands. It helped with that AND provided lots of entertainment. Bonus points for a toy that comes in it’s own storage box. This set comes with little sand castle shapes and molds, but we also like to make eggs using plastic Easter eggs as molds. If doing indoors, make sure to put down a sheet or blanket under it so you can shake it off outside.

(5) Light Timer 2-pack - I just adjusted the times on my lamp timers to correspond to day light saving time and thought it’d be a good time to share them here. I love haivng lamps on timers to add ambiance as well as make it look like we are home even when we aren’t. This specific brand and model is my favorite because it’s easy to adjust and allows for two separate on/off times. So we have ours set to turn on at 6am and off at 9am, and then on again at 6pm and off at 10pm. It has an outlet on the side too so you don’t lose an outlet! One of those random things that makes my days easier and nicer.

(6) PJs All Day Lounge Set - My sister and I have used the word “soft clothes” for years. Soft clothes are not pajamas; they are a step up from pajamas. They are lounge wear meant to be worn during the daytime. So really the better phrase on the shirt would be “soft clothes all day” (hmmm future TRR merch idea?!). I’m not a big phrase-on-shirts kind of person but this seems spot on for our days of social distancing. I love a matching set; makes me feel more pulled together. Looks super soft. I ordered it so I’ll let you know in two days the quality and feel IRL.

(7) Toddler Rain Boots - Went looking online for rain boots for sis, fell in love with these powder blue ones from Target only to realize they don’t make them in her size. Ummm hello babies need wellies too! They look so much like Hunter boots but for much less. Come in tons of other colors including a classic yellow. If you’re in the midwest and getting hit with this beautiful forecast of ten straight days of rain, these seem like a must have.

(8) Baby Floral Romper - Sis needed more play clothes, especially now that we aren’t going anywhere. This checked all the boxes: $10, soft, cute, not covered in glitter or weird sayings, not too warm and not too cold for this spring weather. Comes with a little bib/bandanna thing that I wasn’t really in to but it has helped with little Miss Drool.

(9) Charcoal Face Mask - If you’re anything like me, your skin shows when you are stressed out. I have not one but two new “friends” that have joined my face this week. Thank goodness for this mask. The activated charcoal purifies and balances by absorbing excess oil and drawing out impurities. Salicylic and lactic acids aid in a gentle exfoliation, minimizing pores. Use as a mask once a week to keep your pores free of gunk or use it as a spot treatment to dry out any zits that have popped up. One of those products I don’t know how I ever lived without!

(10) Ice Roller - As many of you have seen very often on my Instastories, I ice roll my face every morning. It reduces any puffiness, especially on my eye lids. It brings back my cheekbones after the inevitable salt and wine I ingest each evening. I keep it in the freezer and roll my face as my coffee brews. It really does wake me up! It also feels amaaaazzzzing if you have a headache from a migraine or say, a hangover. I’d take it as my one-thing on a desert island…if the desert island had electricity and a freezer. Its so cheap, if you don’t have one yet, treat your self to some ice rolling as you social distance these next few weeks.

(11) and (12) - True & Co Wireless Bras (racerback and regular) - I was set to post about these already this week and then freaked out even more when I realized Target started selling a lower-price point of this brand. I first discovered them at Nordstrom a few months ago when I was looking for something comfy to wear that wasn’t a nursing bra. They are wireless but have molded cups so it’s like wearing a bralette without getting uni-boob. They go down a bit longer than a normal bra and have thicker straps making them super supportive even for larger chested gals. This racerback version is what I wear under all my sleeveless clothes and I just got this scoop back one to wear all the other times. Runs TTS, check the size charts for each one.

(13) Chantelle High Waisted Briefs - Since we’re already talking undergarments, might as well talk about undies. Now I realize these are 100% granny panties and I. Am. Here. For. It. Hear me out, I wear these under dresses because I don’t like wearing thongs under dresses (I just feel a little too…jiggly). But I’m also not going to wear spanx every day because ew. They are high waisted (so a little tummy control) and seamless (so no VPL). I like the boy short version for wearing under white jeans, but thing the high waisted brief is the way to go for under dresses (especially white dresses like the Target one I posted about last week). They are one-size-fits most and also available in plus size. (Found them on amazon too if that’s your vendor of choice. And in a 3 pack!)

(14) Floral Vine Crib Sheet - Any time I post a photo of Emilia in her crib I get questions about her crib sheet. It’s 20% off right now with code FRESHMIX. It is so soft and washes super well. She has the sky blue color but also comes in a dusty pink.

That’s it for this week (x2 since I arleady typed all this out once before)! Hope yall enjoy some quality time at home. I’m trying limit my time on social media and news sites because it feels like a bombardment right now that revs up my anxiety. Just dug my Kindle out to read a real book (I usually listen to audio books) and as long as I dont have to rewrite and relink any more blog posts, I hope to do some spring cleaning and ride the Peloton. Stay smart and stay safe out there! XOXO (errrr, I mean, elbow tap, ankle tap).

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