We’re wrapping up the first week of summer vacation and so far it’s been one of the smoothest transitions we’ve had in our 10 years of marriage. Working full-time from home and being married to a teacher who is home all summer has made for some bumpy schedules in the past, but coming off the holiday weekend seemed to help.
Even if I can’t actually move my arms after working on 10 yards of mulch. 10. YARDS. The pile started off bigger than my car, y’all. So let’s think of some fun, happy, favorites, ok? And in the meantime I’ll be over here counting down the days until our beach vacation… (affiliate links included)
#fitmama balance – God put it on my heart to gather together some mamas who have health & fitness goals for the summer in an accountability group this month. We’ll have a prep week starting Monday and we’ll end on July 3, right in time for the holiday. My girl Carey Bailey will be bringing her life coaching AWESOMENESS and sharing tips & encouragement for those of us who are craving time to balance everything that God has given us. And the amazing Eryn Hall will be hanging out with us to keep us motivated. Want to join us? Sign up here and I’ll make sure you get all the info you need!
PenGems – When I was little and we would hit up the souvenier shop on vacation or on a school trip I would ALWAYS get either the pencils with the tiny little tips that you cycled through (you know what I mean?) or the pencil that had little tiny gems or rocks in a clear section at the top. So PenGems are like the grown up version of what I’ve always loved – and some are for a good cause!
La Croix Cran-Raspberry – I haven’t had soda in over a year, you guys – and I don’t miss it at all. But sometimes I just need something that’s not water, tea, or black coffee. La Croix is great because it’s refreshing, zero calories, and only 2 ingredients – carbonated water & natural flavors. If you are trying to make small healthy choices in your diet, this is a really easy “swap this for that.”
Colorful Blessings Cards – I grabbed these at a LifeWay store in Nashville and think they’re so fun. I love that you could tuck one of these cards (smaller than a postcard) in a card and send it to a friend to enjoy. Or I’ve colored them and taped them on my agenda for the day so I could stay focused on a particular verse. They’re also the perfect size to tuck in your purse for those “in case the restaurant we go to doesn’t have anything the 4 year old can do to entertain herself because heaven forbid she actually talk to us” emergencies. Not a full coloring book, just fun little cards that won’t take you all day to finish (or give your hand a cramp.)
iPhone Lapel Mic – Even though I’m no longer on Periscope I really like doing live chats on Facebook (come follow me so we can hang out!) and decided to invest a little money in some gear to make it all look and sound better. So I have a better tripod coming (will share about it later if it’s good), a little bluetooth remote, and now this fun lapel mic. It plugs right into the headphone jack on my phone and cuts out the background noise.
Happy Planner Stickers – Y’all. I can’t afford a Happy Planner. But I CAN totally afford the cute stickers they have so I can use them in my own little agenda. I’m loving these fitness themed stickers I found at our local Michael’s the other weekend. They’re not inexpensive but you get 5 sheets and there are lots of fun little stickers, gold stars, arrows, phrases, etc to make writing the word “workout” in your planner a little prettier!
Less than Perfect; More than Loved Shirt – I think in October when we do 31 Days I’m going to do “31 Days of Inspirational Fitness Tanks.” I wish I was joking, but I might actually have enough to do that. And this is my new favorite one from Revelation Wellness – the perfect reminder that I’m far from perfect. I mess up. I wear my emotions and my thoughts and my heart on my sleeve and it’s messy. I fail at motherhood. I doubt the gifts God has given me. I strive more than I seek. And yet. God loves me more than I can ever understand. Less than perfect, more than loved. Praise God.
– In case you weren’t the lucky winner of the Owlegories Vol 3 DVD giveaway I did on Facebook ( you can watch my review here ) you’re in luck! You have ANOTHER chance to enter to win – j. And if you want to shop for the other DVDs you can save 20% with code FRONT20. Here’s a blurb about Vol 3:
Owlegories Vol. 3 – The Fire, The Duck, The Seasons. Owlegories follows a group of student owls as they travel on adventures learning about nature, faith, and God. Each lesson focuses on an element of nature that helps teach children about the nature of God and the truths found in His Word. In Owlegories Vol. 3, families learn about the refining fire, the greatest gift, and God’s sovereignty!
Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): Many thanks to FrontGate Media and Owlegories for providing this prize for the giveaway. Selection of winners are chosen by random.org and require no purchase to enter. Opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for my review and post.