My Favorite Things

I'd like to share a few of my favorite things. If I were as rich as Oprah or Ellen, everyone would take home all of these products :) I don't have any agenda here, and I don't represent any of these products.

1. Mrs. Meyer's Baby Blossom Stain Remover - This has been great for getting milk stains and poop stains out of Raegan's clothes and it smells delightful. (So far, no poop on the clothes since using cloth diapers). We use it on our big people clothes too (but not for poop, just to be clear). I haven't tried any other products in this line, but I'd like to. I've seen them at Target and Babies R Us.

2. Starbucks VIA instant coffee - I think it's as good as their fresh brew. I prefer the Columbia roast but the Italian roast is good too. It's perfect for me in the mornings when I just need one cup. Of course you can get it at Starbucks and I have also seen it at Target. It's the highlight of my morning during Raegan's first nap. Is that sad?

3. Cetaphil Face Cleanser - I've used this since I was in middle school, or whenever it was that my mom made me start washing my face and taking care of my skin like a lady. It's very gentle, no frills, and great for me because I have sensitive skin. I have wandered off the path a few times over the years to try face washes with prettier packaging or cool commercials, but I always go right back to Cetaphil. I use the Target brand because it's cheaper.

4. Etsy - If you've never browsed Etsy, you're missing out! Everything is handmade or vintage: jewelry, clothes, soap, toys, art, paper goods, etc. I enjoy supporting small businesses when I can.

5. bare Minerals - I've been using these products for 6 years. I don't use all of them, mainly just the foundation powder and mascara. A lot of other mascaras make my eyes itch... maybe they bother my contacts? It is a little more expensive than what you see in stores, but it lasts forever! I think the foundation powder is $25, but it lasts me for a year, probably longer. I've seen it on auto-refil for every 60 days on QVC, but I don't know who in the world can go through it that quickly. If you want to sample it before buying the regular sizes, you can buy sample sizes on eBay or go to a store for a makeover.

6. West Elm - I love this store!! If you're in the Nashville area, there's one in Green Hills. Most of their big items cost more than I am willing to pay for home decor, but I watch for sales. I got our living room lamps half off a few months ago. I also got our bedroom drapes on sale and free shipping... just be patient. I love looking through the catalog and getting ideas.

7. Skype - Raegan loves to "talk" to her grandparents on Skype and they can watch her play. Best of all, it's free!

8. Hair teaser thingy - I think the professional term is "back combing." Whatever it's called, I've never been able to do it to my hair because it's really fine... until I got this brush. My stylist used it on my hair at my last appointment and it really helps create shape around your face and achieve a tapered look if you have layers. I got one for $5 at Sally Beauty. Move over, Bump Its.

9. Shutterfly - I'm sure there are a lot of websites like Shutterfly, but I found it first because of coupons in my pregnancy magazines a while back. You can order prints of your digital pictures, photo cards, and my favorite - photobooks. I can't say too much about them yet because a couple of them may be wrapped under the tree, but they are so neat! It's kind of like digital scrapbooking without all of the "extras." It's perfect for someone like me who wants a scrapbook of some kind but doesn't want to spend the time cutting, gluing, arranging, etc. I started a scrapbook in high school, but I got a little behind... like, 10 years behind. The last section I started was the softball State Championship my junior year. Scrapbooking supplies can also become pretty expensive and there are so many cute things that it's hard to not go overboard. The photobook allows you to upload your pictures, pick out page themes and colors, and add captions. Then it's printed with your choice of hard cover or soft cover and you're done! This seems like a very reasonable way to keep up with Raegan's pictures and not get too behind. I made one of my pregnancy and it was really easy and turned out great.