Amazon Finds

Since the pandemic, like most people, I have turned to Amazon to get things delivered quickly to my doorstep conveniently. I have slowed down on the takeout food and grocery deliveries, but Amazon still has me hooked. Scrolling my purchases this last month, here were my favorite purchases.

1. Scotchgard Sun and Water Shield, Repellant Spray. I have a lot of outdoor cushions. I try to remember to take care of them. However, after chasing kiddos around the pool (they multiply quickly at my house), making sure wet towels aren't left on the carpet, and creating a meal for everyone, including the vegetarian daughter, my best intentions don't always pan out. This spray helps extend cushion life.
   

2. Jayscreate Women's Shrug Cardigan Sweater. This cute sweater is perfect for chilly summer air conditioning. What I love about it is you can wear it two ways, long or flip it over, and it's a short sweater. I took this on my recent European vaca with the BF. Between him and the sweater, it was a cozy plane ride.
   

3. Signature Solar Garden Lights. My front walk needed some light. These were the second set I ordered from Amazon, and they work perfectly and are durable because I keep knocking them over with the hose. The simple, contemporary design goes with any house style. These come in 8 packs which are nice because most of the light packs were six, and I needed a few more.
   

4. Novogratz Beverage Cart. I started putting this together, and my neighbor and BF jumped to help. It was not an easy assembly, but it looks fantastic on my patio and is very functional since this is my favorite spot to have coffee and entertain. If you don't have people who like to assemble furniture in your life, you need to find some of these quickly; they are essential.
   

5. Christopher Knight Chairs for outdoor dining. Stylish, affordable, easy to assemble, and clean. So far seem durable.
   

6. Balloon Garland Arch Kit. I ordered this for my daughter's graduation party. It's beautiful décor for about $20. I heard the assembly process was time-consuming. Unfortunately or not, I was out running last-minute errands when the garland was being assembled. Yes, I have amazing people who jump all in to help. I recommend ordering a balloon pump or two to make the process faster and avoid being lightheaded. The result for the price was impressive.

As I am posting this the Amazon truck is driving away from my house. Wonder what fantastic product I ordered and which friends I should invite over. 😏 Let me know if you have fabulous Amazon finds. It's like looking in someone's Costco cart to see what goodies they found in that massive warehouse.

Scents for your home

My home is a zoo somedays with three dogs, three kids, and one covid cat, but I don’t want it to smell like one. So here are the top products I have found for keeping your home’s scent fresh. Breath and enjoy!

1. Febreze Fabric Spray I like the seasonal scents they bring out. There was a cranberry one for the holidays, a Lilac one for spring, and an ocean for summer. At least once a week, I spray this on all my upholstery and rugs.

2. Pura Diffuser This is a plug-in smart diffuser that you can control the intensity of through an app on your phone. It holds up to two different scents at a time, and you can switch between which one fits your mood. They also offer designer scents from NEST New York, Kenneth Cole, and Disney, to name a few. Plus, Pura makes a great gift.

3. Opalhouse Reed Diffuser Available at Target, this affordable scent enhancer comes in many varieties. My favorite is the Driftwood & Sea Salt.

4. Air Wick Essential Mist Aromatherapy I put this in the room where the dogs hang out the most. This sleek-looking black diffuser is cordless and runs off batteries. It has three different intensity levels for you to choose from and automictically sprays based on what preference you set.

5. Murphy’s Oil Soap Wood Cleaner Because I have so many pets and kids, I have hardwood floors throughout my main floor. I love the scent of Murphy's. I think it’s because my mom used this growing up. It smells like childhood and does a great job. Bonus it also gets dirt and grass stains out of baseball pants.

The breakfast dilemma

I can make sure all my kids get breakfast, but it’s a meal I struggle with myself. If I skip breakfast, I get brain fog morning about mid-morning. However, I don’t want to spend a lot of time getting hung up on making something or, better yet, cleaning up. So here are my go-to breakfast fixes.

Super hurry

• Two boiled eggs

• A banana and a couple of handfuls of almonds or pistachios

• Low-fat cottage cheese with fruit added, preferably blueberries or pineapple. This grosses my daughter out. 🤣

Moderate rush

• Toast with avocado and light salt

• Non-fat, plain Greek yogurt with a heaping teaspoon of peanut butter, sliced banana, and drizzled with honey. Sometimes I will add 1/4 cup quick oatmeal to this for some extra power.

• ½ cup of quick oatmeal made with almond milk and topped with whatever fruit and/or nuts I have on hand.

Take my time - a rare treat

• Toast with avocado, light salt, topped with a poached egg

• Egg Scramble with sliced mushrooms and fresh spinach

• Challah Bread French toast with sliced strawberries – the kids make this for me when they want on my good side. 😉