Here’s what I’m loving lately!
Tea Drops
My mom gave me a container of these Tea Drops and they are SO COOL! They are the equivalent of instant coffee for tea, meaning, the tea just dissolves and there is no tea bag to throw away!
- Pros: Super cute, delicious, fast and easy, pre-sweetened with cane sugar, no bag to steep or toss
- Cons: Pricey, on the sweet side (if that’s a con for you, it’s a pro for me!)
Good TV
So many good shows lately!
Bridgerton – We loved it! The story was exciting, the costumes and modern music themes were great, and I thought the racial diversity was a really cool addition. (Although I have read a few articles on it, and it’s quite controversial….would love to hear your thoughts!)
The Queen’s Gambit – We watched Queen’s Gambit right after Bridgerton, and it couldn’t have been more different! It was serious and reminded me a lot of Mad Men. We LOVED it though (as everyone said we would) and Thomas especially didn’t want it to end. Is there a season 2 coming? I am not sure how they could extend the story. It felt more like a segmented movie to me than a show.
Survivor – They are filming the next season and I CAN’T WAIT! Definitely having Survivor withdrawal…
Mom’s Art
My mom is close to selling her 200th painting. Here is one of her latest paintings. I love its colors, and llamas are very on trend 🙂 Check out more of her work on her website.
Under the Peruvian Silvery Moon. 9 by 12. $50
5 Days of Giveaways!!
Don’t miss the giveaway I’m doing on Instagram this week!! You just have to enter once (through the link in my bio) and follow the other women I’ve partnered with to be entered to win one of the prizes.
@katheats, @afoodiestaysfit, @besshcarter, @restfullysleep, @jen_pbrunner, and @therunnersplate
The prizes are GOOD.
- $250 Lululemon Gift Card
- Barefoot Dreams Cardigan ($150 value)
- Restfully sleep coaching package ($299 value)
- Digital Clutter Course ($197 value) ( <- it me!!)
- $250 Target Gift Card
PHLUR
I kept seeing the fragrance company Phlur pop up and on a whim bought a six sampler set. Phlur is a B corporation, and has a lot of the same missions as Beautycounter does when it comes to ingredient testing, sustainability, and responsible sourcing. They are also Leaping Bunny Certified (a cruelty-free certification for non-animal tested products), vegan, and fair trade.
From their website:
We intentionally use both botanical ingredients and thoughtfully selected synthetic ingredients that are kind to your skin and our planet. We don’t use parabens, phthalates, sulfates or any other questionable ingredients or common skin irritants. We care about the environment. We coordinate with the IUCN to ensure all our ingredients are responsibly sourced.
Did they smell good?
YES! These smelled as high end as any department store fragrance I’ve tried.
Anoranza (mint / jasmine / rum) was my favorite of the six (I also really liked Sandara), and there was only one that was a bit too strong for me. I can’t wait to keep cycling through them! Love that they have candles and lotions, too.
And if you don’t want to create a new account, their samplers are on Amazon.
Target Performance Sheets
I LOVE these sheets! More than any Pottery Barn ones I’ve ever owned. They are super soft, and the corners are nice and deep so you don’t have any popped sheets in the middle of the night.
What’s in my ear
The Boss Mom Podcast! Dana is my favorite podcaster of late because she’s just REAL. And I agree with so many of her points. I loved this recent episode with Leona Carter.
Force Of Nature
If you’re looking for a cleaner….cleaner that also disinfects and minimizes plastic bottle waste – check out Force of Nature!
Besides being a super versatile multi-surface cleaner, Force of Nature is an EPA registered sanitizer and disinfectant that kills 99.9% of germs with zero toxic chemicals.
You actually mix the solution yourself on your countertop using this handy little machine, and then it lasts for 2 weeks in the bottle.
I’ve been using it to clean my phone or water bottle after being out in public and on the boys’ school things from time to time. Get a discount off a bundle with my link and use the code SPRING30 for 30% off + free shipping on Starter Kits.
What I’m Reading…
Two books I enjoyed:
- When We Believed In Mermaids – Loved this book set in Auckland! It’s a bit of a mystery with lots of beautiful memories and stories throughout. Here’s the opener: Her sister has been dead for fifteen years when she sees her on the TV news…
- The Return – As part North Carolinian, I have to read all of Nicholas Sparks’ books. I thought this was one of his better recent ones. I realized that the beauty of a NS book isn’t in its story as much as it’s in the setting. Every time I picked up this book to read I felt like I was escaping to the low country of NC. The plot was decent too.
Sandie says
I definitely recommend reading the Bridgerton series if you lived the show!
Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog says
Thanks for sharing, Kath! 🙂
Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog
http://charmainenyw.com
Katie D. says
I loved “When we Believed in Mermaids”. I didn’t know what to expect from the title, but the story was so rich.
Kath Younger says
Yes so good!
Pat says
It was wonderful. I listened to it.
Judith Scott says
Kath, I agree completely with you about Bridgerton and Queen’s Gambit, wonderfully done shows, and yes, don’t know how Queen’s could be extended. I’m currently watching Outer Banks, a hybrid of Dawson’s Creek And Twin Peaks! It features amazingly hot young people, hello Chase Stokes!
Something I’ve wondered for a whilw:after living in the South your whole life, why don’t you have a Southern accent?
Happy Mother’s Day!
Kath Younger says
Ha ha – are used to have more of a southern accent! I think I lost a lot of it in college. And my parents are both from the north so I didn’t get it from them. People from other parts of the country think I have one, but it’s not super strong 🙂
Melissa says
Nicholas Sparks books are fun to read. BUT, The Notebook movie is better than the book, which, of course is never the case. Loved that movie!! Thanks for this NS book recommendation. It’s been a while since I’ve read one. I didn’t finish Bridgerton, I loved it at first but thought the plot was a little weak. The diverse cast was fun and refreshing to see.
Kath Younger says
Totally agree on the notebook movie! And you might want to pick Bridgerton back up because I thought the plot really got better in the second half of the show. I agree I did not love the first episode or two
Erin says
Haha! I do not like The Notebook movie at all! But I watch Dear John every single time I see it on TV.
lucy says
that’s so cool to see a US book set in New Zealand! I must read it
Sarah says
Wondering when the giveaway winners will be announced.
Kath Younger says
They have been individually emailed at this time.