Favorite Things 2021
Hello! I am thrilled to participate in a fun Favorite Things Blog hop hosted by Melissa from 320 Sycamore! I really enjoy learning about new things that other people love and so I jumped at the opportunity to participate. I hope you have fun!
Excited as I was to join, when I started to think about what I could share, my mind pretty much went blank.
Yep. Blank.
It’s like when someone asks you something and you totally know the answer, but because they asked, the answer is gone. Most embarrassing moment? Yeah I have several…..I think….ok, I can’t recall, a single. one.
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But don’t you fret…eventually my brain caught up and I am excited to share a few of my favorite things with you, in no particular order…
1. Audio Books.
I LOVE to read, but let’s be real people, do I actually have time to sit and read a book? Ummm no. If I ever get a chance to go on a vacation and curl up with a good book it would be a dream…but until that day comes (will it ever come?) I take the next best option, I listen.
Oh man, listening to books is so awesome! I can “read” while I run, walk, clean, and drive. I have to admit that there are times I am literally looking for chores to do around the house (who am I kidding, there is NEVER a shortage of chores) just so I can keep listening to my book. I guess this is a good problem to have. It is like the best of both worlds, entertainment and being productive all in one!
I have many sources for audio books, here is my short list, and if you know of more please share in the comments!!
- OverDrive or Libby- These are apps that work through your local library, and they are awesome because…um, FREE. My favorite word. I have learned to put several on hold at a time so I always have something to listen to.
- LibriVox- This is another free app and you don’t have to wait to check these out to listen like the library apps. These are only the classics, but there are a lot of good classics to choose from. My one tip and please heed this warning. NEVER and I mean NEVER listen to a book that has different readers. Only choose ones with a single reader that has good reviews. I learned that the hard way. Volunteers read the books, and some of them are pretty good. My only negative experience was when I read one with a different reader for every chapter. You have been warned.
- Audible: audiobooks, podcasts & audio stories
- Kindle
- Deseret Bookshelf
2. Brooks Adrenaline Running Shoes.
I have been a runner since a million years ago when I started running in middle school. I love to run, it is my sanity, my “me” time, it makes me feel amazing. Basically running keeps me mentally, emotionally, and physically stable so I can brave the rest of life with a little spring to my step. I have run in all different brands of running shoes. Everyone is different and should get what shoe works for them and their body. A good fit shoe is key to being injury free, I recommend going to a good running store and have them fit you. My favorite is the shoe I have been running in for years…I don’t even remember how many years or colors or pairs I have had but my wonderful Brooks Adrenaline, have been treating me right! If you need a stability shoe like me, check them out, you might just love them too!
3. Covergirl Outlast All-Day Lip Color With Topcoat, Natural Blush.
I am going to be honest I am not a pro at makeup stuff, but I am happy to share when I find something I love. Maybe there are better lipsticks out there, but this is my current fave. It stays on all day, it is easy to use and I love the moisturizing top coat! I even went to the dentist one morning right after getting ready and the hygienist was surprised that none of my lipstick came off. It is awesome, and pretty inexpensive, plus you can buy it in regular grocery stores.
4. Ryobi Drill and Driver.
Picking a favorite tool is like picking a favorite child. It can’t be done! I have too many favorite tools, or maybe not because they all serve a purpose. I decided to share my “most used” favorite tools, my ryobi drill and driver. These babies are pretty awesome and for the price you get a lot of milage out of them. I have used them for years and years and they still work like a charm, I never do a project without them and believe me I have done a LOT of projects.
5. Sheet Pan Loaded Nachos.
I am a busy single mom, I have six kids, 5 at home, and did I mention only one girl? She can eat as much as her brothers, or more depending on what it is. I don’t have a ton of time to cook with a full time job because I am running my kids to activities and work after school. So when I find a recipe my kids and I love I pin it, so I am sharing my latest gold mine recipe with you! Yum, we all love these and they are easy and fast! Perfect. We have added our own favorites to the top, like avocado and green onions. It is easily customizable. Plus I know it says they don’t make good leftovers, but my kids and I disagree. The chips are not crisp anymore but if you heat them up on a plate in the microwave and get fresh chips to scoop it up it still tastes yummy!
6. Thrift Stores.
I am a thrifter, garage sale looker, dumpster diver, and free section lover. I am so cheap that I like to shop the thrift stores when they are having sales. It is fun to get something good for an awesome price, or better yet for free. My local restore actually has a small section of clothes, and when I can score 4 skirts that are practically brand new (I need nice clothes for work) for less than $6 I am one happy woman! I also love to repurpose things there is a great satisfaction in making something that was thought to be old and useless into something new and useful!
7. ULTIMATE EARS WONDERBOOM 2 Portable Speaker.
Anyone one who knows me is well aware that I love to dance. If there is a good beat then you better believe I will be moving to it. So naturally if you need to have a dance party then you are going to need a good speaker to rock the house, or any location you may need to get your groove on. This small portable speaker packs a punch! Plus you can pair it to other speakers of the same brand and get some great surround sound. And waterproof…I could go on. Do we need to mention at the beach, camping, on a hike? Your tunes can follow you anywhere. Or your audiobook! 😉
8. Apple Watch SE.
The apple watch is not for everyone, and I didn’t plan on getting one, but my son passed his down to me a few years back and I became hooked. I recently upgraded to the SE and it is awesome. There are so many cool features, one of my favorites being that I can set up my phone and take a picture from my watch, and see exactly what my phone sees! I know right! Everyone can be in the photo on the hike and not have to run to make it in using a timer. This has been a crowd favorite many times, not going to lie. Besides all the cool things it can do with apps, this baby is my personal trainer. It keeps me motivated. I am a competitive person and just having this watch has kept me on track to keep up my exercise goals, calorie burning goals and stand hours goals everyday for a consecutive 895 days. I guess I am motivated by simple things but it keeps me accountable and that works for me!
9. Apple AirPods Pro.
I started with the regular air pods because my son also passed those down to me. I probably never would have purchased the apple watch or air pods on my own, because I don’t like spending money. However, I quickly realized that it is worth it for good quality things that improve my life and experiences. I use these all the time for talking on the phone, running, walking, listening to books as I clean. (oh wait we already talked about that!) I love the noise canceling feature, I have even used them as ear plugs when my kids were being loud and I needed to concentrate! What ever works right!
10. Splendor Board Game.
If you haven’t played this game then you are missing out. My kids and I love it! It plays up to four players but is also super fun to play in teams. It is simple enough for younger children but with enough strategy that adults really enjoy it as well, in fact my kids are too smart for their own good and beat me way too much! We also have the expansion pack that makes for even more variety of play. I highly recommend it.
I am excited to visit everyone below and see what their favorite things are, I hope you join me!
Tuesday, November 9
Wednesday, November 10
Thursday, November 11
Thanks for stopping by!
What a great list, Mindi! I am a fan of audio books too and we are always looking for good new games so thanks for the recommendations! I want to make those nachos too — is it bad to want them right now in the morning?! Thanks again for joining 🙂
Thanks Melissa! It was so fun to join, thanks for the invite, and nope I think nachos are good anytime! 😉
I really appreciate your blog post about your favorite things. I really enjoyed reading your blog post and I think it's really cool that you're participating in this blog hop.
Thanks for sharing this!