Wins for the Eve

It's New Year's Eve. No matter the circumstances, I find myself with a smidgen of kiddy glee every new year's eve. It's not that I truly believe I will change overnight and, poof, suddenly become more responsible, more diligent, less everything else. But that brink, that diving off point sure is enticing and pretty. A new year. One in which we've never written on a single page (figuratively AND literally).

I will talk about actual aspirations later on when I have solid time to think, reflect, and plan. But for now, I felt it would be fun to share some +Self-Proclaimed Frivolous Wins+ for this final day of the decade.

I always appreciate finding out what works for people; what they are enjoying, what has made their life easier or made them feel saner. I love watching reviews of products on youtube. The visual gives another level of depth that aids in my decision if it's something I'm considering. I also LOVE finding new ideas or ways to use things to be more organized or efficient. If you know me, you know my house and life are cluttery. Hello three kids! But clutter is also a fundamental element of my and my husbands' personalities. And despite that fact, I really hate it. I know I can't get rid of it all, but even the tiniest solutions that help, make my heart sing.

So, here are some of the silly things I've been enjoying lately:

- Full Dress Pants. I've struggled with finding dress pants that don't make me feel like I'm in my 90's. I finally bit the bullet and got these. I sweated about whether I chose the right size. When they arrived, I instantly fell IN LOVE.

- Reselling Clothes & Accessories. I think I started using Poshmark maybe 3 or 4 years ago. Lately, I've tried to kick it up a notch and have sold a few things on ebay (I never really considered selling clothes there before). It has been fun to try to sell something before allowing myself to buy. Then the other day, my mom and I went to some resale clothing stores. I sold a few things and got a new-to-me pair of shoes for only $3.23 after trading in a few unwanted things. Score!

- Beauty Counter Facial Oils. I stopped using soap on my face a couple years ago and was mostly just using argan oil as a moisturizer. I was having some stress skin over the past few months and I remembered using a Beauty Counter sample I had received of their facial oils. I got some more and my skin feels great. I think #2 is my favorite but I do like #1 and #3 as well.

- Better-for-you Deo. I've used aluminum-free deodorant for a long time. Maybe 8 years? I've bounced around on what I like because I truly feel like sometimes your chemistry just changes and what worked before just might not anymore. But keeping yourself healthy and avoiding the nasty stuff is so important and worth the trial and error. I used a salt crystal until it just didn't work anymore. The past year, I've been liking the brands Type A and Myro (now sold at Target). My mom uses Pit Paste and swears by it. Give them a try!

- Ella Mila. I read something awhile back about nail polish leaving chemicals in your body passed through your nail beds...ANNNNND I immediately threw all my nail polish out. I tried Ella Mila as well as Jamberry. Both are without as much of the nasty stuff as possible. I liked Ella Mila's consistency a little better and their customer service has been amazing (and we need to share more about when we get excellent service instead of just sharing the bad experiences). I also just tried their makeup palette as well as their lip gloss and I'm digging both! They are always having deals online. 

- A Hanging Produce Basket for Girly Accessories. This was one of those lightning AHA moments. I've been trying to get the girls' things organized but just have not found something that works. I find bows, clips, headbands, crowns, necklaces, fans, glasses, dress up accessories, etc. etc. ETC.

ALL. OVER. MY. FREAKING. HOUSE.

It NEVER ends. I had an idea for organizing bows (their collection has LONG AGO outgrown what we were using before) but also had my doubts and didn't want to buy one more thing. Then I had the AHA moment...and remembered I had put a produce hanging basket in my donate bin in the garage because it hadn't been working in the kitchen. Could it still be there?? That would be PERFECT!!! Finding it under a comforter I'm giving away was like finding some long lost sea treasure in the abyss. In short, I cannot tell you how happy this silly solution makes me. #bowsfordays

- Audiobooks for the win. Speaking of kids, I believe we are surviving our Christmas break from school solely because of audiobooks and stories on CD. My kids DEVOUR them. Even when they were MUCH much younger, we played them audiobooks in the car and at bedtime. You'd be surprised how high of a reading level kids can handle when the narration is done well. I highly, highly recommend giving it a try, especially if you're sick of your kids being on a screen. It might take some adjusting for them but stick with it. I listened to all the Harry Potters a couple years ago (for my own enjoyment after having already read them) when I was driving them to and from school. In the beginning, P would complain and ask me to play music instead. But a few weeks into it, we'd get to school and she'd say, "Ok, DON'T play any more until you come get me because I want to hear!" I definitely edited what she heard as she was in Kindergarten at the time and the series gets darker at the end but it was great seeing her get won over and captured by the story. Even now, we'll arrive home while listening to something in the car and they both ask me to bring it inside so they can keep listening. She now reads way above her own grade's reading level.

So ignore all the screen hype. Give your kids a chill-pill and get them some audiobooks from the library.

That's my silly list. I have more thoughts to share of a more serious nature but for now, I hope you are inspired where this new year takes you, friend.