6 Things That I am Obsessed With This Month

Is it just me or did April fly by? I feel like I blinked and we were already at Cinco De Mayo. With the Spring temperatures sitting at the 70 mark here in Georgia almost every week, I'm worried that most of the Spring season will be spent indoors hiding away from RONA instead of enjoying outside. I miss lunches and dinners outdoors at my favorite restaurants and I miss wearing REAL clothes (like with buttons).

Sigh. Pity party aside. This pandemic has helped to redirect so many things in my life. Slowly, I have found myself gravitating towards purchasing things that make me truly feel GOOD- mentally, physically and emotionally. Since I am mostly doing online shopping right now, I have been able to uncover a few gems that I am currently loving for home, beauty & wellness. I have also implemented some new things into my daily routine that are making me happier and more optimistic and focused.

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1. Personal- Relationship Goals by Pastor Michael Todd

So I have been attending the Transformation Church online for about 6 months and I love how impactful Pastor Michael Todd's sermons are. If you have ever had the privilege of watching him online, you know that Pastor Todd is super engaging and really speaks candidly about God's word and how it is relevant to our everyday lives. If you haven caught one of his sermons yet, I highly recommend you give one a listen.

When I found out he was releasing the book Relationship Goals, I immediately pre-ordered it on Amazon. Whether you are married, single or somewhere in between, this book breaks down how to thrive in successful, healthy relationships that are spiritually sound. I have been trying to spend my evenings with less screen time and more personal reflection and reading and this book has been a great addition to my night time routine.

2. Home- Folex Carpet Cleaner Spray

This one is a bit RANDOM, but really good none the less. I talked about this spray a bit on my IG stories a few weeks ago, but I absolutely love this Folex Carpet Cleaner Spray. Not only does it completely remove any spills or stains from carpets or rugs, but it doesn't have a weird smell either. I have tried a bunch of different products, but this carpet spray is the only cleaner I have found that actually really works without a lot of scrubbing or product. So far, I have used it on a few spills on my rug and some old couch stains. Personally, I have only been able to find this spray here, but if you find it sold somewhere in stores, let me know.

3. Health- My Everyday Morning Smoothie

I am not really a breakfast person, but I do find that I am much happier when I have a little something to help me get my day started. Last month, I got back into drinking my breakfast smoothie every morning and it made me question why I ever stopped. To make my smoothie, I simply mix:

1 cup of frozen fruit (using frozen fruit gives your smoothie the BEST texture)

2-3 cups vanilla almond milk (you can substitute this with regular almond milk if needed)

1 scoop of Slimfast Vanilla Protein Powder

** Sometimes I will add in ripe fresh fruit that I need to use

Thats it! I blend all of that up and drink it with my vitamins. The protein powder gives me enough energy to make it to my late lunch and it tastes really yummy.

4. Beauty- Gap High Rise Destructed Straight Jeans

This pick is obviously fashion related but, hey they make me feel beautiful none the less. The Gap High Rise Destructed Straight Jean is like my new favorite pair of jeans. I have them in both a baggy oversized fit as well as a more tailored, vintage fit. The denim on these jeans is pretty stiff and they do not have any stretch to them which I love. The high rise fit on these is actually high waisted so they sit above your belly button which is nice for crop tops or just trying to keep a little more "in." When outside opens back up I plan to rock these with pretty much everything, I can't wait!

5. Relationship- Vinyl Records After Dark

Rich and I are big music fans and I am obsessed with vinyl records. Recently, him and I have started listening to our records when he gets home from work to relax. After the kids are finally in bed, dinner is put away and the day is done- it feels really nice to reconnect over music and wine.

Right now, I am really into Nas, Lauren Hill, Snoh Aalegra, Anita Baker and Solange. Since "real" date nights are on hold right now, finding small ways to reconnect and talk really helps to recenter us during the chaos of the week. If you do not have a record player, you got to grab one and start collecting some of your favorite albums on vinyl.

6. Mental Health- Plants & Gardening

I don't know how it happened, but I have become obsessed with plants. Maybe because at one point Home Depot and Lowes were the only stores I could visit solo so stocking up on plants just seemed logical. I have taken full advantage of the Spring season and purchased several new indoor and outdoor plants for the casa that I am loving. Finally after 3 years, hubby and I have taken time to get our backyard area together and it has been really nice to incorporate fresh plants into the outdoor decor to help spruce things up.

To keep it 100, real plants and I have not always had the best track record, but I am hopeful that I will be able to keep these new plant babies alive and well. So far we have recently adopted 3 more snake plants, 4 more medium sized banana trees and a few Boston Ferns. I have my eye on a birds of Paradise tree but I haven't found a good size live one yet to grab.

Indoor plants really go well with my decor so I need these babies to stay alive as long as they can to help keep things cute around here. Not only do real plants look cute, they also offer a ton of benefits to your indoor air quality as well. To style my indoor plants, I love using baskets like (these). These baskets are affordable and match with pretty much any decor style which is nice for someone like me who likes to change things up a lot.

Being outdoors with the kids has been so good for my mental health during Covid-19. Being able to sit outside and watch them jump on the trampoline or play in the backyard while enjoying a glass of wine really helps to decompress things after a long day. I love being able to lounge around with Rich on the porch and soon, I hope to add a picnic style table so we can enjoy meals outside as well. To get exercise in (or some alone time), I like to take long walks at the end of the day also. Setting a timer reminder on my phone helps me to remember to stop working, get up and move my body after sitting on the computer for several hours. I have found that even 30 minutes outside everyday really helps to turn my mood around if I'm in a funk.

Even if it is under these circumstances, I am so grateful for the time that I am able to spend with the kids right now. I am looking forward to continuing to enhance our outdoor space even further so we can enjoy the Summer outside as much as possible with them.

Has the quarantine established or reestablished any new routines or obsessions for you? Do you find yourself leaning into things that will bring you comfort at home? Drop your thoughts below. I would love to hear from you.

Until next time

XOXO