Five Favorites

Linking up with my friend Ashley to share Five Favorites currently:

1. One of my favorite ways to start the day is by singing in my shower.  The acoustics are awesome in my shower, and it just puts a smile on my face.  I highly recommend buying yourself a waterproof bluetooth speaker if you don't have one. The one I linked to is similar to the one I have.

2.  Good pens always put a smile on my face.  These Bic Atlantis pens have been my favorite since 2004.  A pen that has been my favorite for more than ten years is pretty amazing. I have at least three in my purse, one on my bedside table, two in my car and ten in a dollar spot can on the craft table in the dining room. #nevertoomanypens

3. Calm app for meditating.  This has been my go to for at least a year. It's not free, but let me assure you, it's worth every penny.  I tend to use the Body Scan meditation the most.  It walks you through releasing stress from every muscle, head to toe, and you can choose how long it takes, from 3 minutes to 25 minutes.  I love it.

4.  As a mom, I am constantly taking someone's temperature.  And waiting around when a kid is sick for an underarm thermometer to finally beep is the worst.  Maybe a year ago, I finally splurged and spent $25 on a forehead thermometer, and I am so glad I did.  It's ridiculous how easy it makes taking temperatures!

5.  The last thing on my list is this amazing cast iron frying pan from The Pioneer Woman.  You can get it at your local Walmart (which is where I got mine) or order it online. We got tired of constantly replacing our "nonstick" pans, and have just loved having the cast iron.  It makes especially amazing tortillas!  Get one.  You won't regret it!

Five Favorites

My friend Ashley over at The Big White Farmhouse has these awesome posts about her favorite things, and she's invited all of us to link up our favorite things in the hopes of winning her giveaway.  This is my first attempt!

My favorites are all over the map this week, but here they are, in no particular order:

1) Dr.  Cocoa

Dr. Cocoa is a chocolate cough medicine I got from the doctor as a sample, and it has saved my life twice now.  Last time Wyatt got sick, it turned into a nasty cough and true to form (he's a four year old with a mind of his own) he spit the medicine back at me when I tried to give it to him at three in the morning.  Since the arrival of Dr. Cocoa in our lives, Wyatt takes his cough medicine willingly & even asks for it once he's well.  (Thank you, Lord!)

2)  Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

Jojo Moyes is a fantastic author, and my favorite book (so far) that she's written is Me Before You.  It's an emotional and thought provoking book about a quadriplegic who wants to take his life & the caretaker whose job it is to convince him to want to live.  I read Me Before You long ago, but recently picked up After You (its sequel) and wanted to re-read Me Before You before jumping into the second book.  Me Before You was just as good the second time-- I couldn't put it down.  Now I can't wait to start After You.

3) Tervis water bottle

I adore my Tervis water bottle.  I had a peacock one from my friend Kari in Alaska and when I saw this one on Clearance at Home Depot, I snatched it up so I'd have one here too.  They keep drinks warm or cold, and can hold a lot of liquid, which is vital for me breastfeeding.  If I was in the market for another one, I'd order the flamingo one in the link above.  It's so cute!

4)  iPhone 6 with unlimited memory

I am in love with my new phone.  I love the color, I love how thin it is, but above all, I love the memory!!!  I have every app I want on it (even a bunch for the children!) and all the music I want, as well as all the pictures I want.  I love that I don't have to delete my pictures immediately to make room for more pictures and that I can take video that's longer than thirty seconds without my phone warning me about a lack of storage.  It's a dream, I tell ya!

5)  Ring Sling

My most fun favorite this week is my ring sling.  This exact ring sling is one my friend had made, but you can find similar ones on Sakura Bloom's website, and if you are expecting your second, third or fourth baby-- I'm telling you to order it now!  Being hands free when you have other littles to care for is amazing!  I wear Carly so I can cook, homeschool, eat and even blog!  She loves it, and honestly, so do I.  

Ring slings are great for small babies (up to about six months) who don't quite fit yet into the larger baby wearing packs (like an Ergo).  It keeps her close to my heart and away from brothers when I need it.

Be sure to check out Ashley's Five Favorites this week & link up to your own if you'd like a chance to win this week's adorable giveaway.

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