WHAT’S SAVING MY LIFE RIGHT NOW

We have officially hit the middle of winter.  So I’m following Modern Mrs. Darcy’s lead and sharing the things, great and small, that are saving my life right now.  Please feel free to throw more help at me.  Comment on your personal life savers so I can steal them!

1. Tropical Traditions Baby Silk Hand Cream.  

   Let’s be honest, they could use a rebrand here on the logo.  But no judgment cause this stuff is good.  The “Baby Silk” version is the one I have, and it has kept my hands alive.  And my heels.  And my kids oh-so-soft skin. I keep a tub by my night stand and a small pot I filled in my purse.  I also have the lotion version I use right out of the shower.  The cream is a little heavy for all over, but some nights I’ll do it and let it soak in while I sleep.  It’s not inexpensive or astronomical.  Love it.  

2. Prepping sandwiches for the kids lunch.  

   I do not like packing lunches.  That’s being kind. In fact, I have a whole post dedicated to learning not to hate it.  But this. Sandwiches in the freezer.  ALL of them.  Not just PBJ.  It’s legitimately mom-life changing. I.HATE.MAKING.SCHOOL.LUNCHES.

3. Episilk Lip Balm.  

   Every year my mom puts this stuff in my Christmas stocking.  Yep, still get those. Yep, still my favorite thing.  It’s awesome.  I use it every night as part of my “lotion all the things,” routine.  It lasts over a year.

4. Hot tea.  

   Love hot tea.  Love it black, straight up.  Love it British, creamy and sweet.  But I do not love it Earl Grey.  Sorry Earl.  Also, I’m just getting into herbals.  I used to abhor chamomile until I tried China Mist’s, Sweet Chamomile.  It’s fantastic and gets a hint of sweet the longer it steeps.  Also, Aveda’s Tèa.  Sooo sooo good.  It has licorice root which again, gives a natural sweetness to the tea the stronger you make it.  But guys. This is $$ tea.  Don’t buy it on Amazon, it shouldn’t be THAT $$.  My friend Jess told me that this one is a great dupe, and you know what?  She’s right.

5. The Daily Walk Bible.  

   This is not a magic Bible.  I have arrogantly even scoffed at these before.  But a friend asked if I would do it with her.  And it has been incredibly life-giving.  I don’t make it a law.  If I don’t hit it everyday, no shame.  I just make it a goal to catch up by the week’s end.  I also have been striving for 2 mornings of just sitting with Jesus and being quiet.  No music, reading or otherwise.  Just big listening.  Two mornings might not sound like much. Just being honest and real about what I can do.  So far so good. God speaks through His Word.  For real.

6. Supergoop CC Cream.

   I am more of a tinted moisturizer kind of girl, on the face coverage scale. Longtime fan of the this gal. And this one from Nars.  But I’ve been trying to avoid chemical sunscreens, and it is really hard to find a mineral one that doesn’t make me look like a corpse or a tangerine.  This one has great texture and isn’t heavy at all.  Plus it’s a CC cream.  That’s color correcting, and I’ll take some of that, please and thank you.  I don’t have a problem paying  a little more for products that work.  Budget first tho, people.

7. Old Navy Tees in TALL!!!  

   I have fought the “leggings as pants” bit for a long time.  The reason…Nothing covers my ASSets. I want it covered.  Totally.  Not just barely, but totally.  Old Navy has these lovely tunics and the fabric feels awesome.  Soft and swingy, but not the cling to my stuff fabric.  But don’t miss this!!!  Get your size in a tall. Bam.  Covers all the necessary things.  And I paid 8.00 and 10.00 for them.

8. Stopping to play.  

   I bend to the creative, but task-oriented side. However, I have two little boys and they need this from me.  To be silly and engage better.  I’m finding I need it too. But boy oh boy, it’s hard for me to stop taking care of all I’m doing and just play. I’m really working on loving what they love.  

9. Whole30 in January.  

   Thinking about a whole post on this, but I just don’t know.  Anyway, I did it. Complete it.  Went hard core.  And in many ways it has saved my life this season.  My chronic tendonitis in my wrists/hands is noticeably MIA.  My energy has been amazingly different.  PMS, nada.  For real.  No crazy lady, etc. Which was shocking, honestly. Sleep.  I think it was better.  Hard to say, because I was sick off and on and well…Nyquil.  I’m working a very slow reintroduction process.  I just don’t want to give up how much better I have felt.  And I am not the kind to EVER do this sort of thing, so I’m patting my own back here.

10. Topo Chico Mineral Water.  

    No DP these days. See number 9. But this has been the only equivalent burn. Soda drinkers will know what I mean.  I see you La Croix.  And I like you too, but I need it to hurt a bit more sometimes.  I can’t promise the habit is dead forever.  But.  Not today. And not tomorrow.  Also, they carry it at Wal-Mart.

11. Chasing Slow by Erin Loechner and Falling Free by Shannon Martin.  

    Just get them.  Read and be challenged.  

12. Tul discbound journal.  BuJo style.  

    I just started my first bullet journal and I gotta say, I think it might stick.  I love it because it’s like being able to keep all the tabs on my computer open.  Make sense? However, I also like to use a big notebook for blog thoughts and other stuff.  Meet my Tul discbound planner from Office Max.  I got mine on clearance because the color. Here is the Arc version by Staples.  But my aha, was when I treated it like a bullet journal, and made an index and numbered the pages.  Now I am not annoyed by the randomness, it feels allowable.

*Bonus.  Finally using my reminder app on my phone to REMIND me of things.  Like.  Jammie Day at school.  Pay this.  Do that.  I just boss Siri around, and it’s working.

Ok, so those are the things that are saving my life, mid-winter.  What is keeping you afloat??

 

*Some of the stuff listed are affiliate links…doesn’t affect your pocket at all.  It just helps me keep Made Frank up and running.  Thanks so much for your support!  If you have any questions, please reach out to me at paige@madefrank.com