February Faves

1. Hair Whip.

My stylist got me onto this Awapuhi Hydrocream Whip last year. (You’re the best, Becca!) It’s essentially a mousse you put into the ends of your hair before blow-drying. It makes the ends silky smooth, adds a little shine (without adding grease) and makes going a few days between washes look a whole lot better. I LOVE the smell. I wish I could have a candle with that scent to perfume my house. SO good.

2. Our Visual Timer.

Neither of my children can tell time yet and Sophie is a VERY visual person. We love our OK to Wake! Clocks (which I mentioned here) because you can set an “alarm time” for the time your child is allowed to come out in the morning and the clock will turn green when it’s ok to get up for the day or come out of their bedrooms.

I’ve been using this visual timer for the same principle during our quiet time in the afternoon. You can set a timer, and an optional “warning time.” When the light is green, it’s play time, when it turns yellow, it’s time to clean up toys, and when the light is red, quiet time is over. You can also use this to ease transitions, which has been big at our house. I can set the timer and say “when the light turns red, it’s going to be time to leave” (or have dinner, or take a bath, etc.). The yellow light has been big because it gives that little warning time, and smoothes out the transition for us.

I also like that it’s magnetic, so I can put it at the top of the fridge for them to see and keep it out of reach so no one turns it off halfway through. If you’d rather stand it up somewhere, there’s a little fold-out stand in the back you can use to put it upright. It’s been worth every penny for us over the last 8 months. We use it pretty much daily. There are apps (paid or free) you can download that perform a similar task, but I like that this is separate from me or my phone.

3. Snoozies.

So, I walked past these sequined slippers called Snoozies on a boutique display for months before breaking down and buying a pair. My feet are perpetually cold around the house and winter makes them like little icicles. These are like little house shoes, but they have sequins and bows which basically makes me smile every time I wear them. I may be heating up leftovers for dinner and putting my jammies on before 7pm most nights, but I get to add a little sparkle to the everyday. And that, friends, feels like winning. (I discovered after buying them that you can get them cheaper on Amazon!)

4. My Immersion Blender.

An immersion blender one of those things you think of as a little gadget you might not use much, but I use mine all the time. It’s been getting regular use the last few weeks for whipping up things like Magic Green Rice, Chipotle Ranch Dressing, and Slow Cooker Thai Chicken & Butternut Squash Soup.

I love my Blendtec and my food processor, but an immersion blender is just so much better for small batches. This Cuisinart model is very affordable, the top is dishwasher safe (which means cleaning is a breeze), and it comes in a bunch of cute colors. I’ve had the white one for years, but I can’t get over how cute the pink one is, and how sleek the chrome is.

5. Knock Knock What to Eat Pad.

I’ve talked about this meal planning notepad a few times, but I’ve been so grateful for it lately. I love how easy it is to see what meals I have planned for the week, and I can even notate mine to see what recipes need to be photographed or what I need to pick up for Sophie’s preschool snack. When I’m ready to make my shopping list, I can see everything I’m making in one place, which keeps things so much simpler! I love that it’s magnetic, so I can hang it on the fridge.

I’m not ultra fastidious about which meal goes on which day, but I can see which meals I have ingredients for and then decide what would be best for that night. If my original dinner plan goes out the window, I know I’ve got ingredients for other meals on hand. I buy my re-fills on Amazon, but I’ve also seen them at World Market. One notepad has 60 sheets, so you’ve got enough for a year (plus a few mistakes or spares).

What are you loving lately?
Anything I should try?

Shout it out in the comments and shop the widget below for my picks!