So I have this witty girlfriend who happens to live in our great neighborhood. (Take a gander at her recent letter to The Beckhams.) Brooke started this little thing called "Thumbs Up Thursdays" several weeks ago. At first, I might have been a little skeptical that she could find any baby product that I hadn't heard of after having two young rugrats of my own but she blew me away a few weeks ago when I realized she was going to be broad with her categories. Overnight, I officially become her #1 FAN when she introduced me to this item and in one post solved what I was going to buy the hardest-to-shop-for-man-in-the-world - my step-dad, Joe.
My friends and family tease me all the time about how many reviews I read on products I am thinking of buying and how I think amazon.com (sorted by CUSTOMER REVIEWS not best sellers) is only second in my mind behind the Holy Bible! I am always asking people what their favorite products are so Brooke has made me giddy with the possibility of sharing little items I have found and love, in hopes, that other amazing women will do the same! Life is too short no to share the good things and now that OPRAH'S Favorite Things is history, it's time for all of us to step it up. ;)
Although I doubt I can keep up with Brooke every week, maybe every few weeks will work. So here it goes.... some of my very favorite things RIGHT now in my life!
1.) http://www.consumersearch.com/
Speaking of product reviews, I LOVE how this website complies multiple reviews from places such as Amazon.com, Consumer Reports and tons of other reputable websites and gives you their picks for different versions - budget, high end, and other specialty groupings. I have used it recently to find running shoes, a label maker and a flat screen TV.
2.) Self Expressions by Suddenly Skinny from Target. I own the white, the black and now as of this afternoon, a gray one too! And no, I promise this is not me posing in my under ware for you below. I am sure SPANX makes something similar but for just $16.99 and a proven track record (on average wearing them each two times a week for the last year,) these are PERFECT!!! I wear them under EVERYTHING - sweaters, cardigans and suits in the fall and winter, under my work dresses when the neck line may dip just a little too far down and on the weekends under layered tank tops or sundresses. They just hold everything in and take off five pounds easy!! I reach for these tops in place of my bras (since I am not too voluptuous, it's perfect.) I can't recommend these enough. They are sometimes hard to find in the Target stores so on-line maybe your best bet.
3.) "BENTO BOX CONTAINER"
Since the kids have recently switched to a new pre-school, we pack their lunches everyday. I had ordered them the Pottery Barn Classic Lunch Boxes almost two years ago and was so excited when I happened to find the perfect answer to not going through (and wasting) thirty plastic sandwich bags each and every week! We have been using them for two months now and couldn't be happier with them.
Carter loves his Spider man lunchbox that the Bento Box fits perfectly in.
4.) This next one comes from my biggest mommy mentor over the years - Julie Metcalf (who is a wealth of good mommy information and happens to be my step-sister.) Most people with babies know about these INCHBUG ORBIT LABELS. They are brilliant and we have used them continously for 4.5 years now. I almost got some made for myself so that I wouldn't loose my own water bottles at the gym!
But when it was time to finally get rid of sippy cups around 2.5 years of age, Julie introduced me to these CONTIGO KIDS AUTOSEAL CUPS because there are just SO MANY times with a three and four year old that I am not 100% ready not to have a spill proof cup.... ie. the backseat of my car!! Look out for them at CostCo as they have been there in years past and also be aware that it may take a older two or younger three year old a few times to get the mechanics down perfectly. So now I team the INCHBUG and CONTIGO for a match made in spill free Heaven.
5.) As far as my last "favorite thing" and the significant amount of money here and there it has saved me over the last nine months since discovering it, you must see the one stop shop for printable coupons to believe it. No more digging around in your purse to see if you brought that 40% off one item Gap coupon.
I keep this link as a 'favorite' on my Smart phone and many times will open it as I am walking in any major store to discover they are having 40% any one item like at Borders or GapKids. (Most of the time, they will honor it when I show it to them on my phone.) I also love it for Old Navy, Michaels, Hobby Lobby, JoAnn Fabric, Half Price Books and Ann Taylor (just to name a few.)
