Elephant at the zoo.

It’s time for monthly favorites!

Here is everything we used and loved over the last month…

Home & Food

Loreal Voluminous Lash Paradise Mascara – I’ve been wearing this for a couple of years now and think it’s just as good or better than more expensive mascaras I’ve used in the past. It never smudges or flakes and stays put! (I wear the Washable Blackest Black color.)

Made Good Granola Bars – I always stock up on these; they are free of common allergens, so they are a great school snack if your school has restrictions on snacks. They also taste great; my husband and I will sometimes grab one if we need a small, quick snack!

Y-Weave Storage Baskets – We received a few of these last year with gifts for Dominic and I fell in love with them! We use the XL size to store toys in the playroom (they fit inside the IKEA Kallax shelves perfectly!) and now each kid has the medium size to keep homework and school-related things corraled.

Books, Music & TV

Book Lovers by Emily Henry – I really loved this book! It was an easy read and the first time I read a “romance” style books in many years. Next up is The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek, but a friend also lent me Happy Place after hearing how much I loved Book Lovers, so I’ll be diving into that soon, too!

Tim McGraw’s “Standing Room Only” – I heard this on Spotify a few times here and there over the last couple of months, but about a week ago while in the car, I really paid attention to the lyrics and they kind of stopped me in my tracks, and made me think so much of my dad. He died from complications of leukemia when he was only 45 (I was in college) and his funeral was very much standing room only. A great reminder of how to live… “Be somebody that’s worth remembering” ❤️

Special Ops: Lioness – A new Taylor Sheridan series on Paramount+ that I am OBSESSED with… love it! My only complaint is that the episodes are too short and I have to wait an entire week for a new one.

Kids

PackIt Freezable Snack Bags – I bought these before school started last summer and they were wonderful for when the kids wanted a school snack that should stay cold (string cheese, some fruit, yogurt, etc.). They served us well all summer, too, when we were out and about, and now again back at school. The whole thing goes in the freezer and it keeps things cold for a VERY long time!

LEGO Marvel Hulk Set – The hospital staff gave this Lego set to Dominic the last time he was inpatient for treatment at the beginning of August. He loved it and it was the perfect size/skill level for him to be able to completely pretty much on his own. They have other Marvel figures in similar sets: Captain America, Spider-Man, Iron Man, and others.

Owala Kids Water Bottle – I bought one of these about a month ago because a number of the kids’ older water bottles needed to be replaced, and I wanted to see how well I/they would like this one. Dominic has primarily used it; he LOVES it and said it’s better than the other ones they’ve had.

New Shoes – The kids all recently got new shoes (always growing feet!) and they all love them. Joseph and Isabelle both got versions of these New Balance Playgruv shoes; they both have thicker, wider feet and these fit them really well. Dominic, meanwhile, has narrower feet, and we gave these Saucony Cohesion shoes a try and he LOVES them.

What have been your favorites this month? Share below!