May 21, 2018 – Trials Bring Joy

3C591E3A-122E-4845-AFC3-D613C0BD5A66 Woohooo! Warmer days are here, the sun is shining, and we are SO grateful to be able to get some fresh air. We are finally baby-stepping into life outside of our bubble as things are getting a little easier for us to manage … play parks, story time, play dates. I am grateful for May.

Lets dive into some of my favorite things for this month!

Cambridge Notebooks: It’s not a surprise that I love paper. Notebooks, stationary, tablets … if it’s lined and made from trees, I am swooning. I have notebook hopped for years, but for the last several years, have used my Cambridge Notebooks as my go-to. I use them for notes at church and conferences, for journaling my quiet time, for work. The cover is super thick and stable and you can write on it easily without it flopping around. Great wiring, perfect thick pages that don’t easily bleed. It’s just the best.
Shipt: I’m sure you have heard of Shipt by now, and if not, it will totally change your life! It’s an app where you can order groceries and everyday essentials, (we use it through Target), and have them delivered right to your door. I go online, shop through all of Targets shelves, and then a local shopper claims my order, does all my shopping, and then brings it to my house next-hour. A few things I LOVE about it: 1) I can add notes, so I can order an avocado and then tell my shopper to pick out a ripe one I can use for dinner, or a semi-ripe one I can use in a few days; 2) they text when they get to the store and ask if there’s anything I forgot to add to my cart that they can grab for me (there usually is!), and 3) the price of the food is same as if I were going to Target myself. There is an annual membership but with it comes free shopping + delivery for orders over $35, so its well worth it. This has been a lifesaver when I need to grab something for dinner but the kids are napping, or its pouring and I don’t want to load them up and run them out. You do have the option to tip your shopper so it adds a slight increase than if you did it yourself, but if you’re anything like me, you save money because you aren’t impulse buying ALL THE THINGS. Plus I’m saving gas money to get there … so its well worth it! You can use this referral link of mine and get a free $10 and if you want to give it a try, you can do a free 2 week trials!
“Have it All” by Jason Mraz: Jason came out with a new song last month and it’s such a fun, poppy, catchy, cheery, summer song. It makes me smile and gets stuck in my head and I find myself singing it often.

4. Skip Hop Grab and Go Stroller Organizer: We love our stroller organizer and especially now with walks happening regularly, it’s crucial to have a place to throw a drink, my phone, a wallet, my keys … I love how easy this one goes on and how practical it is, with two zippered areas too. Yes please.

5. Proverbs 31 Emailed Daily Devotionals: I share snippets of these daily devotions from Proverbs 31 often on Instagram, but I am so thankful for them. Every morning I wake up to a short but meaty daily devotional geared towards women with scripture and Biblical truths in my inbox. You can read it in bed before you get up, or in the bathroom, or in the pick up line at school. It blesses me regularly. You can subscribe to them too in the link above!

And now, here’s the kiddos top three favorite things this month!

Little Tikes Crazy Coupes: Logan got this one for his birthday and Kirsten got this one and they have been a HUGE hit. They are perfect for this season, as there is a floor board that clips in place and a handle for parents and we can easily push them along while they get some fresh air. We love them! (They are sold out nearly everywhere right now … Amazon prime for the win!)
Dog by Matthew Van Fleet: We LOVE this author because his books are SO interactive. There are tons of things to touch, feel, move, and open on each page and right now, the kids love this one because one of the dogs has a sticky tongue. We so adore our book time and this one is routinely dragged over to me.
Turtle Bath Toys: I don’t know why these toys are as popular as they are with Kirsten and Logan, but they love them in and out of the bath. Seriously, when one of them is crying, we wind one up and slide it over and they instantly stop crying as they watch the turtle flip and flop around. In the tub, they love trying to catch them as they swim around. Bonus for parents, one winding lasts a while. :)
Nuby Popsicles Molds for toddlers: We fill ours with breastmilk, but you could easily do smoothies, purees, fresh fruit, juices … the skies the limit! The hands are SUPER toddler friendly and our kids LOVE them for teething and warm days!