We are at the end of another year...How on earth do these go by so very quickly? I listened to a fascinating Ted Talk on how time seems to fly by the older you get. I can't find the exact one I watched, but it was really interesting...I had never thought of it before, but I sure feel the effects!
So, as we are at the end of another year, I thought I would share a few of my favorites of 2017. Just a way of setting a year apart from another. These are in no particular order.
{Disclosure: All Amazon links are affiliate links.}
1} Favorite book...of course, I can't have one...so I will separate them a little
Life in a Jar- This book was AMAZING! I learned about it when I saw a short video on Facebook about the Life of Irena Sendler. Seeing that video made me curious about her life, and upon further digging, I found this book. I just loved seeing the impact ONE PERSON can have. Often, we feel like we can't change things or feel frustrated thinking we don't have an impact. To those children she rescued, Irena's courageous work had a HUGE impact. There is power in ONE.
My other favorite, I will place more in a home schooling category- The Reading Promise .
This was an amazing book of a commitment of reading aloud every single night. This father and daughter continued this for nine years. Seeing the impact of that time and their commitment to keeping the streak was amazing. If I had to pick only one more, Deconstructing Penguins would be on this list as well...I LOVED this book.
Ok, I will leave the books now...I could seriously write pages on good books.
2} So, I lied...Favorite book for youth- This HAD to be its own category...
HANDS DOWN, it is Navigating Early. I LOVE Clare Vanderpool's writing style...In some ways, her writing reminds me of Charles Dickens, in that things you see early on in the book, come around full circle at the end. Pay attention to ALL THE DETAILS with this one. I cannot recommend this highly enough. She also wrote Moon Over Manifest, which is good as well, but I really enjoyed Navigating Early so much! I hope to see many more books by this author.
3} Favorite Movie- It is hard to remember what all you have seen over the course of a year, but to the best of my recollection, I have two... Sully and Hidden Figures. Both of these films were so very good and will become a part of our home movie library.
4} Song- Either Even If by Mercy Me or Matt Maher's I Need You. Every hour...
5} Kitchen Tool- Kitchenaid Slicer/Shredder attachment- This has been the MOST AMAZING tool for the kitchen this year!!! I LOVE the shredder part of it and use it OFTEN for grating cheese!!! I can grate 2 pounds of cheese in around 5 minutes! I LOVE THAT!!! I do not usually buy pre-grated cheese because it has natamycin and cellulose in it. That seriously grosses me out. But, I am also a BUSY mom...With this shredder attachment, it is so quick and easy, I don't even think twice about it. This is PROBABLY my daughter's favorite kitchen tool too, because she was the resident grater prior to this discovery.
6} Home School Tool- My Home School Grades- Another NO BRAINER WIN for the year...this makes my home school record keeping UNBELIEVABLY simple. Created by a home school grad and a home school dad, this program is intuitive and easy to use. With a good mix of pre- loaded curriculum and options of customizing your own thing, you can choose to give a final grade, grades by assignment or pass/fail. AND, can you say Transcript? Talk about a professional document, this is a thing to behold. On top of all the wonderful things I can say about My Home School Grades, John Echols, the homeschool dad of the team, is so wonderful in responding to your questions, suggestions and concerns. And, I ALMOST forgot, because this is web based, you can access it wherever you are...phone, library computer, at Starbucks, etc.
7} Makeup Item- This is an area of great sadness for me...In 2017, my favorite skin care/makeup company {BeautiControl} was closed by the parent company {Tupperware}. I have been using their products for about 25 years...it was a HUGE SHOCK to hear. While this is sad, the good news is that Rick Heath (son of the founders of BC) and Gary Jones (So involved in BCs research and development for SO MANY YEARS) have partnered together to bring us TruAura. I am looking forward to seeing what they are planning. I really like what I have seen so far about the Prebiotics and Probiotics with regard to our skin's microbiome. I am signing up as a consultant, mostly to get my products at a discount. Watch for the launch on February 1, 2018. And feel free to ask me any questions...while I don't know much yet, I will do my best to get you an answer.
That said, aside from my BeautiControl products I LOVE, I will say that my favorite item for the year is either Young Living's Savvy Minerals blush Smashing, OR Younique's lipstick Stinking Rich. The blush has a little sparkle to it that is lovely and the lipstick is a GORGEOUS cool red. I think I need to order another one of these.
8} Snack- Lily's Salted Almond Milk Chocolate Bar- Trying to get my health in order, I have been sugar free for most of 2017....until the dreaded Christmas fiasco...seriously NEED TO GET THE SWEETS OUT OF THE HOUSE!!! Anyway, this bar is sweetened with Stevia and is such a wonderful treat that supports the way I am trying to eat now. There are several varieties to choose from, but this is my favorite.
9} Perfume- Do Son- I got a little sample of this perfume in an Ipsy bag. I absolutely LOVE this scent. I need to grab a bottle. Here is the description from the website: Divinely mysterious tuberose unveils its powers of seduction on a bed of berries and flowers. It is embraced by the fresh sweetness of a sea breeze, like a pagoda on the edge of the Gulf of Tonkin.
10}Wallet- Hobo Lauren- I absolutely LOVE this wallet! It is a pretty good sized wallet with two sides. Each side has a snap closure. It fits my budget envelopes nicely as well as all the other things that gather in my wallet.
11} Planner- My BUJO- have you heard about Bullet Journaling? Well, I love the flexabilty of it... It can be used for whatever need I have and then I just go to the next page for whatever my next need is. I love that nothing is wasted and no blank pages are staring at you counting off your planner failures. AND, it is whatever I NEED...not whatever the planner creator thought I would need. Some people have very artsy BUJOs, but mine is messy and very utilitarian. One day, maybe it will be a work of art...just not today! I am a pen and paper gal, but my hubby prefers the electronic way, so I use COZI for him.
12} Field Trip- This is going to be a toss up between seeing the Chinese Terra Cotta Warriors and a senior trip we took to Friday Harbor in the San Juans. It was a perfect day when we went and the English Camp was GORGEOUS!!! We had a blast. I was hoping to make it back there with my family, but that just didn't happen. Maybe next summer. If you are in Washington State and it is a beautiful day, please make the trek to Friday Harbor. You will not be disappointed.
13} Leggings- So I went to the Lula Side...these leggings are buttery soft and many have fun patterns. I also scored a black pair when that line was introduced. Like wearing your pajamas! If you haven't tried them, I think you might love them!
14} Soda- Going sugar free, I miss my old Diet Coke. On Trim Healthy Mama, Diet Coke is NOT on plan...Probably better for me too! So I have been enjoying Zevia's Ginger Ale.
15} Organizing tool- 31 Bags- I have two styles that I like...The Zip Top Organizing Utility Tote with the Fold and File insert is my most favorite bag. I have one of these bags for everything...one for Bible Study, one for co-op, one for Awana...etc. I love how great these are for my various needs.
My second favorite is the Large Utility Tote. I added the insert, but I don't love it as much as I thought I would. The bags are great though and I keep them in my van. Keeps lots of various things from rolling around all over in there.
16} Young Living Essential Oil- Ok...I really can't have just one...I need them all, really...but I love how Tangerine makes me feel so happy and Thieves and RC when we are feeling a little under the weather. Also, can we say Frankincense? Well, many other favorites, but I will end there and save you all a major ramble. If you are interested in learning more about Essential Oils, feel free to let me know or check it out here.
17} Budget tool- The last Favorite from 2017 is a tablet I made for our budget. We do a weekly budget and as a pen and paper gal, I used to write each line out each week on a small yellow pad. I got tired of writing out the same thing over and over and over, so I had tablets made. I love these. They work PERFECTLY for me...
I do KNOW that I can do this in excel...but I do not LOVE Excel...and I am a pen and paper gal. There is just something so satisfying in writing this out for me.
Well, that is my list...sorry it is so long. I hope you have a fantastic 2018! Next post will be my goals for 2018!
No comments:
Post a Comment