In recent months I have discovered, or rediscovered, some fabulous things! Here are some of the more notable::
Personal Care
Could it be possible that I am the last woman of my age to finally take the epilator seriously? The topic came up a couple of months ago in a group text conversation with some of my oldest girlfriends and I suddenly realized that I may have been missing out. I figured, “have gift card, will do quarantine experiment.” A couple of clicks and a few days later, I was the hesitant owner of a basic Braun SilkEpil 3. It turns out this contraption essentially made of many tiny tweezers rotating at warp speed is really effective! Was it painful? YES. The first time I used it under my arms, I had to take breaks. But now it doesn’t hurt at all. You can go longer without shaving and hair does actually grow back finer right away. I wish I had started using this decades ago!
Music
Instead of asking for a certain channel, artist, song, or album, I recently asked Alexa to play “inspirational music” while I was writing. She responded with “the playlist, Virtual Hug, on Amazon Music.” I love what she picked. It’s different from my typical 80’s and 90’s music selections which more often than not just distracts me from my work. {Causes too many dance breaks.} But this playlist is great to have in the background with songs like What a Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong, Don’t Stop Believin’ by Journey, and Here Comes the Sun by the Beatles.
Relaxation
Baths are a luxury. I don’t take a lot of them. After a really hectic day recently where I was on my feet for most of the day, I decided that I was going to get into that tub no matter what. That evening I ran the hot water and threw in a big handful of Bath & Body Works Aromatherapy Eucalyptus Spearmint Bath Soak. That scent is so relaxing! Eucalyptus oil is supposed to clear the mind while spearmint oil soothes and uplifts. I soaked in this calming bath saturated with these purifying sea salts, willing my body to relax and enjoy the therapeutic effects of deep breathing. The best part is that my bathroom smelled like a fancy spa for a couple of days afterwards.
Books
When Ruth Bader Ginsburg my died, my son knew exactly who she was and why it mattered. “How do you know this stuff?” I had asked. He said he read about her in his sister’s books, the Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls Volume 1 and 2. My oldest son will read anything he can get his hands on and over the years, he’s read these two volumes several times. {I love that he was so interested.} I decided I should start reading through these as well.
Each volume has one-page descriptions of the life and work of a hundred women around the world and throughout history, accompanied by beautiful drawings of different styles. All kinds of women adorn the pages of these books:: rappers, artists, queens, scientists, athletes, mathematicians, revolutionaries, and more. These two volumes cover women from all walks of life, teaching readers just how big and beautiful our world is, but also how we can recognize the longing of the human spirit over years and miles. We keep these in the living room as coffee table books because adults can definitely learn a thing or two from them as well.
Traditions
We didn’t carve up our Halloween pumpkin this year. Instead of taking a knife to the gourd, we used stickers from a Halloween pinata to make a Jack-o-lantern face. This way, we can save it to create our Thankful Pumpkin. The plan is for each member of our family to share why they are thankful this year and as we count our blessings, we will write them around the pumpkin to display for Thanksgiving. Hopefully this exercise in giving thanks will remind us that even though it has been a rough year, we have so much to be thankful for despite it all.
Thanksgiving Appetizers Everyone Will be Happy with This Year:: Make your holiday meal memorable this year by making these delicious and easy Thanksgiving appetizers for your guests to enjoy.
Your Favorite Thanksgiving Recipes, Reimagined:: A recipe roundup of your favorite Thanksgiving recipes, reimagined with lower carbs, sugar, fat and sodium.
Being Thankful:: 5 Easy Thanksgiving Traditions to Try this Year:: Thanksgiving traditions can make the holiday more fun and meaningful. We’ve got 5 great family friendly ideas to try this year!
You are Normal:: Navigating Postpartum Sex:: Wherever you are at this point in the postpartum sex journey, you are right where you need to be. In fact, you are normal.
Sex After Trauma:: Fighting for Your Worth:: I know I am not alone. But there is nothing in my life that has created shame and self-destruction like the effects of my trauma on my sex life.
World Prematurity Day:: A Love Letter to Preemie Moms:: Preemie moms face unique challenges in caring for their children, but their are resources and support available to help them through this difficult season.
To find more Friday Favorites, check out these other posts!
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