Forget whiskers on kittens and bright copper kettles!
Give me a hot cup of tea and some chia seed pudding any day of the week and you’ll have my heart!
(I do love a good brown paper package tied up with string, though. Especially if it contains a can of coconut milk or a pair of Warner’s anti-muffin-top underwear).
I’m a practical girl, what can I say?
After emailing, messaging and texting an endless number of links and product names to people who’ve asked about things I’ve raved about (because apparently I’m verbal about things that make my heart go pitter-patter), I thought I’d be a smart-cookie and compile a list of things that rock my face off…that could conveniently rock yours off too. You’re welcome.
Without further ado…
1 Thayer Lavender Witch Hazel : as a chick with big pores & greasy skin, this stuff is my friend
2 PB2 (Powdered Peanut Butter) : peanut butter deliciousness in powder form (also referred to as “defatted peanut flour”) – even chocolatey!
3 African Black Soap : while unusual, this stuff is incredible (our skin has never felt cleaner!) – may be a little harsh for sensitive skin.
4 Thieves Oil : this stuff gets us through the germ-laden winter months alive….and it smells like Christmas! (Young Living version can be ingested too!)
5 Everyday Seasoning from Trader Joe’s : made in South Africa, this is hands-down our favorite seasoning (hello coriander!) – cheapest directly from Trader Joe’s
6 Jesus Calling by Sarah Young (I’ve gone through this devotional for over 5 years now and just love it!)
7 Sacred Marriage (& Devotional) by Gary Thomas is one of our all-time favorite marriage books/series
8 Coconut Oil : we cook & bake with this frequently (SAMS Club has the best prices!) – makes amazing popcorn and homemade peanut butter!
9 Chia Seeds : we add these power-house seeds to everything
10 (No Pinching, No Problem) Warner’s Underwear : best underwear ever! Ever. Enough said.
11 Yoga for the Warrior by Bob Harper : for an intense, but do-able, workout that’ll develop your core strength, this is where it’s at!
12 Neuma Blow Dry Lotion : I discovered this quite by accident at a spa in Boyne…and it rocks my socks off. I’ve had more hair compliments over the past month (since I’ve been using it) than I have had in the past two years. My hair is silky & smooth after blow-drying without really needing to use a straightening iron.
13 Rise of the Guardians : we were so pleasantly surprised by this movie! The story is brilliant, the message is powerful, and the characters are so creative (what’s not to love about a Santa who’s a tattooed, Russian warlord?)
Here are 5 more of our favorite family movies:
14 Without Words by Bethel : this CD (which comes out of one of our favorite churches) is an instrumental CD, perfect for easy listening, writing or driving (if fast music makes you speed. Ahem).
15 Elderberry Liquid : this stuff, along with an increased dose of vitamin C and Thieves, is a daily occurrence during flu season (makes for immune systems of steel)
16 Tetley’s British Blend Tea : this is fuel to my soul (along with Jesus, of course). My parents gave us tea in our baby bottles and so are clearly to blame for this unbreakable addiction.
17 Oscar de la Renta Camisoles : I’ve purchase 3465 of these kick-butt cami 2-packs from SAMS over the years, and they’re the only camisole I wear (and I wear one almost every day). They’re long, slimming, incredibly comfy, and now come in a variety of colors. I couldn’t find an online link to share, but they’re totally worth a SAMs membership.
18 Magic Eraser : yes, I know they’ve left chemical burns on the faces of 3 year olds (why were they eating them again…?), but they clean like a mother. Every mother of boys should own several boxes.
Here are more goodies I just adore…
- Coconut Milk from Trader Joe’s (best price, best flavor)
- Lifetime Life’s Basics Plant Protein with Greens : surprisingly delicious shake for a quick, nutritious lunch (throw in a blender with frozen fruit & chia seeds for a great smoothie)
- Cocoa Butter : I discovered this while looking for natural, sugar-free chocolate recipes…it’s divine
- Goji Berries : an acquired taste, these little berries are nutritional powerhouses, and make a great trail mix when tossed with almonds, pepitas and shredded coconut
Some of our favorite kid’s books:
- Always Lots of Heinies at the Zoo by Ayun Halliday
- You Are Special by Max Lucado
- The Tale of Three Trees by Angela Elwell Hunt
- The Magic Faraway Tree Series by Enid Blyton
- Jesus Story Book Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones
And a few more of my favorite books:
- Loving Our Kids on Purpose by Danny Silk
- The Shack by William P. Young
- Daring Greatly by Brene Brown
- Sun Stand Still by Steven Furtick
- Enjoying God by S.J. Hill
- Mark of the Lion series by Francine Rivers
I listen to a lot of personal development & productivity
Podcasts & Sermons
Here are just a few of my favorites:
- Steven Furtick from Elevation (sermon)
- Kris Vallotton, Danny Silk & Bill Johnson from Bethel (sermon)
- The Chalene Show & Build Your Tribe by Chalene Johnson (personal & professional development)
- This is Your Life by Michael Hyatt (professional)
- Life on Fire by Nick Unsworth (professional)
And several others I’ll share with you at a later date (there’s something exciting in the pipeline…)
And that, sweet friends, is a semi-substantial, not-in-any-way-exhaustive list of things I love.
And believe me…I lurve them.
How about you? Hop over to the Simply Bloom facebook page and tell me what YOU just can’t live without.
*After sending people over to Amazon for years for things I’ve raved about, thinking…gosh, I should get paid for all the sales I’ve given them, I finally wised up and signed up for an Amazon affiliate account, so when you purchase something through something you clicked on from Simply Bloom, they’ll pay me a small percentage. Because apparently that’s what smart people with big mouths do. Go figure.
