What I’m Loving (June 2016)

Today kicks off a new ongoing post series, What I’m Loving. I’ll write a post every month or every couple of months outlining what I’ve been loving lately in the following categories: Food and Drink, Makeup and Beauty, Home Décor and Products, Entertainment (TV, Music, Books, Internet), Clothing and Accessories, and Priceless. Let’s dive right in!

As always, any Amazon links I share are affiliate links. This means that the price of the item won’t change for you, but I receive a small commission of the sale which helps me keep my content free and my site up and running. Thanks!

Food and Drink

• La Croix– Every year around this time, I get back into La Croix which is flavored sparkling water sold in most grocery stores, Walmart, and Target. My favorite flavors are apricot (surprisingly delicious), cherry-lime, and berry. It’s so refreshing!
• Fresh Fruit- Yum. Strawberries, raspberries, blackberries–I want them all. I’ve also eaten so many peaches in the past month that I’ve actually had to make grocery runs just for more. They’re delicious at this time of year!
• Tazo Iced Tea Concentrate in Iced Passion– First of all, don’t buy this online for $39 (#what), you can get it in the coffee aisle at the grocery store for about $4. I love this stuff. I mix it with lemonade to make iced passion tea lemonade…it’s absolutely delicious and much less expensive than heading to Starbucks for the same drink!

Makeup and Beauty

• Fake Bake Flawless Self Tanner– I’ve repurchased this twice and will continue to buy it as long as the formula stays the same. It’s the best self tanner I’ve ever tried, and I’ve tried many. (My skin is very pale!) I’m not at all surprised that it’s the #1 Best Seller in the “Self-Tanners and Bronzer” category on Amazon. It’s great!
• L’Oreal Paris Voluminous Original Mascara– Though I use a lot of drugstore makeup, I almost always splurge on mascara because I think it’s usually worth the extra cost. Cheap quality mascara tends to flake off and make my eyes itch. However, this is a great drugstore option for mascara and a formula I really like. Plus, it’s less than $6!
• Dr. Teal’s Epsom Salt– I take a bath every few days because I find them incredibly relaxing and they also help soothe the muscles in my back. I love the Dr. Teal’s brand of epsom salts. I’ve tried lots of the scents, and I’m currently using Detoxify & Energize with ginger and clay, which is very nice for the warm weather.
• Amika Perk Up Dry Shampoo– I’ve never written about this on my blog, but I’ve spent the past year “training” my hair to go longer in between washes. This is for several reasons, but mostly because my hair is very long now and takes lots of work and time to shampoo, condition, blow dry, and style it. Because I don’t want to spend my entire life working on my hair, I decided a year ago to start washing my hair less. Now, I can go three or four days without washing it. A big part of that is this dry shampoo, which I use on day three (and four if I get that far). Just a light spray on my roots and I’m good to go–my hair looks fresh and bouncy, not greasy at all! (I discovered this product in my Birchbox–referral link.)

Home Décor and Products

• SOHO Acrylic Caddy Cosmetic Organizer– I wasn’t sure if this should go under the “Makeup and Beauty” category, but since it’s an organizational product, I parked it here. I outlined how I’m using this caddy for my makeup in this post and I absolutely love it. It’s neat, organized, easy to use, and tucks perfectly in the cabinet.
• Umbra Little Black Dress Hanging Jewelry Organizer– This is another organizer–this time it’s for jewelry, and I’ve written about it in this post. It’s worked out so well for me and has made keeping my jewelry clean, tangle-free, organized, accessible, and ready for travel so, so easy. I highly recommend it, and I think it’s quite affordable.
• Paper Mate InkJoy Ballpoint Pens– I bought these pens after using one to sign a restaurant receipt and falling in love it! I haven’t written with almost anything but my Pilot V5‘s for years, but I love these colorful pens because unlike my Pilot V5’s, they’re ballpoint pens and don’t bleed through my planner pages. I write with them every single day, especially in my Simplified Planner, which I talk about in this post.

Entertainment (TV, Music, Books, Internet)

• OutDaughtered– I watch a lot of reality shows on TLC because I love the lighthearted, fun nature of them. I feel like the world is serious and dark enough, I don’t want to spend time “relaxing” to shows that are serious and dark. (Completely a personal preference–my husband’s favorite shows are the most serious and dark ones!) Anyway, this is a show about a couple in Texas who already had one daughter when they found out that they were pregnant with the only set of all-girl quints in the US. It’s adorable and sweet, and there are five babies, so obviously I’m sold.
• The Catch– I am a huge fan of pretty much any show that Shonda Rhimes writes/creates/produces (like Grey’s Anatomy and Scandal). In fact, her shows are literally the only exception to my “I only watch lighthearted TV” rule. The Catch is a great show and just wrapped up its first season. (Personally, I choose to only watch these types of shows when they’re recorded so that I can fast forward through scenes I’d rather not watch.)
• She Reads Truth– I downloaded the She Reads Truth app on my phone about six months ago and have fallen in love with it. Basically, it’s Bible reading plans broken down by topic that are available for digital or physical purchase (I opt for digital). (There are usually a couple of free plans as well.) The plans are beautifully designed and well-planned, and I like the commentary/personal story that accompanies each one as they tend to be very thought-provoking.
• Empires– This is a Hillsong United album, which is by far my favorite faith-based band. Their music is refreshing and brings me into deep communion with God. My favorite songs on this album are Captain and Touch The Sky; in fact, Captain has been my song for this year and what I’ve been praying over my spiritual walk.

Clothing and Accessories

• Sanuk Yoga Mat Flip-Flops– These flip-flops are so comfortable. They’re made out of recycled yoga mats (hence the name), and I’m so impressed with how squishy and supportive they are. I’ve had my pair for five years and they’ve held up really well. They’re perfect for running errands in the summer. Riley bought a pair when we were vacationing in Orlando and they’ve become his favorite pair of shoes!
• Sterling Silver Round Cubic Zirconia Stud Earrings– I wear the same pair of earrings about 350 days out of the year. I’ve done this since I got my ears pierced. They’re always studs, they’re always small, and they’re always neutral enough to match whatever I’m wearing. After losing one of the earrings from the pair of studs I had been wearing for about seven months, I purchased this faux diamond studs on Amazon. Love them. They’re light, comfortable, and really pretty. I’ve worn them every day so far and will continue to until one breaks or gets lost.

Priceless

• Windows Open- It’s the perfect time of year to crack our windows open for a few hours in the morning or evening for some fresh air. There is nothing, nothing, nothing that can compare to the sweet smell of late Spring/early Summer floating through our house. I just love it.
• New Friends- We have finally found a church after months of searching for the right fit. Praise God! We’ve met some great people already and are continuing to meet more new friends all the time. Such an answered prayer!
• House Guests- My sweet cousin is visiting me this week, and I absolutely love having our guest room occupied. It’s a blessing to show her around town and give her a taste of the great state of Texas! Cousins are so special.

// That’s what I’ve been loving lately! What about you?