If you had told me in March 2020 that I would still be largely confined to my house in February 2021, I would have looked at you in complete horror. I will be honest and say there are plenty of horrific days in our household, but these are a few things that have brought me comfort and joy during this uncertain season.
Following:: @TheLazyGenius
The Lazy Genius has changed my life. I recognize that is a bold statement, but her life hacks for simplifying your life so you have time for what matters to you is, well, genius. Her instagram account is definitely worth a follow. One of The Lazy Genius tips that resonated with me was to “choose once.” If there is a decision, large or small, that you regularly bump up against, choose once and move on. As silly as this is going to sound, every morning I spent five minutes figuring out what workout top I was going to wear. I’d put one on and it was too loose. The next one was too tight. I didn’t want the one with a knot in the back if I was wearing an over shirt. It was ridiculous. I took Kendra’s “choose once” direction and decided my perfect workout top was a $12 Target tank. I got rid of all my workout tops, ordered six of these tanks, wrapped them up and had the kids give them to me as a birthday gift. Now in the morning, I wake up, grab a pair of black leggings, grab any tank from the drawer, and I’m done. My morning starts so much more smoothly because of a small decision that removed my frustration. I highly recommend following The Lazy Genius for other tips! She also has a book available.
Wearing:: Slippers and Headbands
Since we are spending a lot of time inside the house, my house slippers needed an upgrade. I received these Land’s End slippers as a Christmas gift and have worn them more than almost any other shoe in my closet. I can’t overstate how comfortable these slippers are and I’m always a sucker for a monogram. In fact, I’m debating about whether to get the light purple (a hot color for spring 2021), but it seems excessive to have two pairs of house shoes. I can’t believe I’m considering getting house slippers as my go-to spring shoe, but here we are!
Also, my six-year-old daughter, Lucy, has recently gotten into headbands. I think she likes that she can “do” her hair on her own. She was borrowing my headbands, but most of them were slightly too big so I ordered this pack off of Amazon. There are different colors, they fit her great, and bonus – they fit me, too! Here’s a trick – when you want to look put together on a Zoom call, throw on a headband and you will instantly look like you’ve done your hair even if you didn’t! If you need a way to organize these headbands, checkout the headband holder I also ordered.
Listening:: The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab
I like my house to be clean, but I don’t really like cleaning. I have found though if I listen to an audiobook I’m distracted, in a good way, while I’m doing this dreaded chore. Lately, I have been listening to The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue. This book was suggested by a friend in my book club and I’ve enjoyed it so far. The story is different than anything I’ve read recently. I usually stick to realistic fiction or biographies, but this book has a fantasy element. The main character, Addie, desperately makes a deal with a dark force that she will live forever, but in return she will be forgotten by everyone she meets. One day though, a man remembers her name. I am just now getting to this part where she is remembered, but it’s been interesting to read about what life would be like if no one remembered you. Is that really a life? I’m excited to finish this one and highly recommend it if you want to shake up your literary genres a bit.
Beauty:: GrandeLASH-LIFT Heated Lash Curler and The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution
Let me start by saying that if you don’t follow @kathleenjenningsbeauty, you should. She has the best beauty recommendations, covering all price points, which is where I got these two items. First, is the GrandeLASH-LIFT Heated Lash Curler. You use this device after your put on your mascara and it instantly lifts your lashes with heat. I was a little nervous about putting a hot wand near my eye, but it warm, not hot, and I didn’t find it bothersome. When I use the heated lash curler, I look more awake and alert which, as a mom, is always needed.
Another favorite is The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution. It runs about $7 and is a great exfoliant for your face. It’s very strong so you don’t want to leave it on for more than ten minutes which is nice because I don’t have much more than ten minutes if I want to add anything “extra” to my skin routine. A head’s up – it is a blood red color. The kids call it my vampire mask. Vampire or not, it is a great, affordable beauty product I really like.
Playing:: Monopoly
Like most of the world, we have had an increase in family time over the past year. We’ve gone through phases of board games, online art lessons, movie nights, baking, and puzzles. I think we have officially looped back to the beginning because my family’s go-to activity lately has been Monopoly. It teaches math {counting money}, negotiation skills {trading properties}, and patience since it can take forever to play. It is Hudson’s, my eight-year-old, go-to game as he is borderline obsessed with money. He is also fiercely competitive and counts his monopoly cash regularly during the game. Hudson is also learning how to lose graciously since during our last game he made the mistake of selling Park Place to me. I took him for every last penny he had. I have no idea where his competitive spirit comes from, but he says I’m going down the next time we play which will probably be soon.
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