A Few of My Favorite Things from 2019

Bucket list cross offs and reaching for dreams. Family vacations and natural living. Making new memories to last forever. These are a few of my favorite things.

As this year comes to a close I am looking back on some of my favorite activities, products, and entertainment (new and old) from the year. If you are looking for some new things to try, I’ve got you covered.

**This is not an ad or sponsored post. The views in this post are my own personal opinions of my favorite products and places from the year.

Fashion & Beauty

Burt’s Bees Products

I have always loved Burt’s Bees chapstick and just started using their Facial Cleansing Towelettes with Cucumber & Sage Extracts earlier this year too. The cleansing wipes are great for removing makeup and you can clean your whole face with them without using water.

Recently I have been learning more about this amazing company and I am in love! I am getting more into natural beauty products and I discovered this company tries to do everything as naturally as possible. They even list on all their products the exact amount that is natural in the product! How awesome is that? They don’t hide anything from their customers.

I started using their Peach & Willow Bark Deep Pore Scrub and I love it! It smells so good and makes my skin so soft. Now I’m looking into their moisturizers. Burt’s Bees is quickly becoming my go-to for beauty products.

Native Deodorant

I had been wanting to switch to natural deodorant for a while after hearing that some of the common ingredients in deodorants have been linked to both breast cancer and Alzheimer’s. After doing some more research I decided to give Native a try. And I am loving it!

I started trying it at the end of August right before a vacation to Florida. I was honestly a bit worried about using natural deodorant and smelling while spending all day in the Florida heat but I was pleasantly surprised how well it held up. I didn’t have any issues and I continue to use it every day.

Earth Mama Herbal Perineal Spray

This has been a favorite of mine since having my first daughter. It is mainly used for helping cool your privates while recovering after childbirth but it has cucumber and other ingredients that also make for a great facial spray. I now continue to use it regularly for my face. It is a miracle worker for my dry facial skin during the winter months. There are also no Parabens, Butane, Propellants, or Artificial Fragrance in it which is another huge win for me!

Aussie Shampoo

I’ve been using Aussie shampoo for a while and love it. I have also started using their Total Miracle Dry Shampoo and it is my absolute favorite! I always keep it on hand for those days I need a quick touch up but can’t take a shower. Serious mom’s lifesaver alert! And since I’ve been paying closer attention to what is in my beauty products I love that their regular shampoo is Paraben free!

Home & Garden

Puffy Mattress

We bought some new furniture this year after moving back home and having damaged stuff from a hurricane. Mattress shopping was the worst! We ended up researching a bunch of brands online to give one a try and settled with Puffy for a number of reasons.

They have a 101-night sleep trial, free delivery and returns, they align your spine no matter the position you sleep in, they are made in the US, the foams in the mattress are Cert-PUR-US meaning they are made with no harmful chemicals, they have a lifetime warranty, and they also give back mattress to kids in need. I was a bit skeptical but it did not disappoint! This is seriously the best mattress ever and I don’t think I can ever go back to a generic one again.

Dryer Balls

I like to be eco-friendly whenever I can and also find ways to save money. Dryer balls are a win/win for both! They also help with more natural living. Initially, I wanted to start using dryer balls because I’ve heard a lot about how dryer sheets are harmful. My mom gifted me some dryer balls for Christmas last year and they are a lifesaver! I personally use the Woolite brand because you can add essential oils to them.

You use them with your clothes in the dryer instead of dryer sheets. They help to dry your clothes and rid your clothes of static. Most are made from all-natural wool which is great for my fellow natural living people. They also help you save money because you use them for multiple loads instead of a new one each time as you do with dryer sheets. I’m sticking with dryer balls forever!

Essential Oils

Another of my favorite natural products are my essential oils. I personally love Young Living. I diffuse them daily, make my own hand soap with them, and soak in a bath with them. My kids love them! They always ask for their diffusers to be on for bedtime. I’ve used oils to help with teething pain for my kids and to help dry up my breastmilk after weaning my son. There are so many great uses for oils and I enjoy them for many occasions!

Cricut Machine

I got a Cricut Explore Air 2 machine for Christmas two years ago and have just now started to get it up and running. I’m a bit embarrassed it’s taken so long but there were a lot of circumstances beyond my control that prevented me from doing anything with it until now. I’m so excited to start making my own shirts and crafts. Cricut is so amazing and really takes my DIY to a whole new level!

Food & Drinks

Bigelow Green Tea

I started looking into healthier food and drink options prior to my first pregnancy when I started working out regularly. As I was researching tea I found all the great health benefits green tea has to offer so I decided to give it a try. I quickly settled on Bigelow’s Green Tea with Pomegranate. I love the flavor and I still drink it almost every day 3 years later.

Emergen-C

I have been a huge fan of Emergen-C for years. I started by using the 1,000 mg Vitamin C packs. Whenever I start feeling a cold or sickness coming on or I need a boost I take one. It’s a little powder pack that you mix with water. There are so many fruit flavor options. My personal favorite is Blueberry-Acai. I could drink it all day!

These packs were a huge lifesaver for me during pregnancy and breastfeeding when you can’t take hardly any medicine to help fight off colds and sickness. They also have many other options like chewable gummies, Emergen-zzzz (a nighttime sleep aid), and Immune Plus.

Bennett Estate Vineyards Wine

During some local festivals this year we tried some local wines and fell in love! Bennett Estate Vineyards is a great local company in Eastern North Carolina that has fruity flavored wines. They only sell at local festivals and farmer’s markets but the wine is so good! My favorites are the Pomegranate and Blackberry ones!

Entertainment

Whine Down Podcast

I didn’t get into the whole podcast craze when they first started blowing up. One day I just decided to give one a try. I started with “Whine Down with Jana Kramer and Michael Caussin” and very quickly became obsessed! I have been a huge Jana Kramer fan for years.

The podcast centers mainly around relationships and just life in general. They have great guests on the podcast from all genres. Jana and Mike are married and very open about their marriage infidelity and rebuilding. They are so open, honest, and relatable. I absolutely love their vulnerability and willingness to help others. It is still hands down my favorite podcast I’ve heard!

Yoga with Adrienne

When I started working out regularly and getting into yoga I tried a couple of different online classes on YouTube for free. Hands down my favorite one is “Yoga with Adrienne”! She has so many free yoga routines on YouTube and continues to release them regularly.

There are ones geared towards specific target areas like your back, hips, weight loss, etc. She also does different 30 day or monthly courses which are my personal favorites. I’ve done her first 30 Day challenge more times then I can count! It’s great for beginners and experts all alike. Hands down recommend!

The Light & Airy Photographer Presets

When I started getting my Instagram page for this blog up and running I researched how to make the photos look more uniform so the feed would be more pleasing with the same colors, etc. Presets are the way to go! I tried a couple of different kinds of presets but wasn’t impressed until I found The Light & Airy Photographer presets.

I started using the Lifestyle Mobile Presets and then switched to their Real Color Mobile Presets when those released. They work so well with my photos and the coloring is perfect! They are the best and I don’t plan to look anywhere else.

Hallmark Movies

I have always been a huge Hallmark movie fan! There is a reason Hallmark Channel is the go-to for Christmas…it never disappoints! Hallmark Channel’s Countdown to Christmas is the best and I watch all their new movies year-round. This past year I have also been able to get Hallmark Movies & Mysteries channel too which is amazing. I have always loved mysteries and Nancy Drew so all the Hallmark mystery movies are right up my alley! No matter the time of year, Hallmark always gets me!

Travel & Places

Hobby Lobby

The last few years have been the first time I have lived near a Hobby Lobby and I have become spoiled! If you are a fellow crafter, decor lover or DIY maker, you know how amazing this store is! It is way bigger than Michael’s and has amazing prices.

Half the store is 40% off one week, the other half is 40% off the next week, and they just keep alternating. They also offer a 40% off coupon for one regular-priced item online in case you go when something is not on sale. I have bought way too much at this store but I can’t help myself it is just amazing!

Airbnb

I used Airbnb for the first time when we went on vacation to Florida this year. With two toddlers who are used to sleeping in separate rooms, I knew we wouldn’t get any sleep if we were all stuck in a one-room hotel room. Enter Airbnb. We found a great 3-bedroom condo that was cheaper then any hotel I could find.

We had our own kitchen to cook and an awesome water park at the resort we stayed at. There was more room in the condo and it was comfier than any hotel. 10/10 recommend. I plan to always try to book through Airbnb for all future vacations.

Clearwater Marine Aquarium

A new favorite place for me from this year is Clearwater Marine Aquarium in Clearwater, Florida. It is home to the dolphins Winter & Hope from the “Dolphin Tale” movies. Dolphins are my favorite animal and I always jump at any chance to see them up close. While planning our Orlando trip for this year I discovered Clearwater was only a couple hour drive away so visiting this aquarium was a must-do on my list.

The staff is amazing and the animals are so cool. My favorites were, of course, the dolphin’s but they have other resident animal species there as well. They are in the process of building a bigger aquarium and are so informative. Their mission is to rescue, rehab and release marine life of all kinds. Some animals that can’t be released for various reasons are then housed at the aquarium.

I have become very passionate about helping them and giving back any way I can. CMA is a non-profit and does its best for every animal. All proceeds from their gift shop go back to helping more animals and you can symbolically adopt some of their resident animals to help care for them for a year. If you are ever in the area, stop by CMA and you won’t be disappointed! I definitely plan to go back whenever I go to Florida again.

Disney World

Disney is always a win! I was so excited to have my kids experience Disney for the first time this year when we went to Florida. We went over my son’s first birthday and it was everything I could have dreamed. I always love going to Disney and my kids had a blast too!

I have been to Disney World before but not since I was about 11 and it was the first time ever for my husband and kids. Disney is just so magical and experiencing with my kids made it that much more special. I already can’t wait to take them again!

While I could go on and on about my favorite places and things — these are just some of my top choices and highlights for this year. I hope you give at least one of these a try. I’m so excited to expand on this list, experience new places and try new things in the upcoming year!