2018 Favorites

Every month I write out a list of my favorite things in a series here on the blog called Currently Loving. Out of the last twelve months, I’ve come up with a list of things that I’ve loved over the whole 2018 year. Below you will find seven categories of things that brought me joy, things that I wore and/or still wear, things that I love to eat, and plenty of other randomness that I loved during 2018.

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Currently Loving- January 2018

CURRENTLY LOVING- JANUARY 2018

Sort of felt like January drug on and on. I didn’t exactly want it to end, but it seemed like it wasn’t going to. I’m currently mouth breathing and couldn’t taste my dinner because of a cold. (And praying it doesn’t turn into the flu.) So, January didn’t end on a high note for me, but hopefully February brings health and wellness.

But that’s not why we’re here. There were some great things about January and I’m going to share them with you right now.

SNOW!

Y’all! It snowed again this winter!! I am a major lover of cold weather and the winter season, so the second snow and three snow days were very exciting for me. I know not everyone shares in my enthusiasm, but I loved it. Here are a few pictures of our place and a shot of my parents house.Our backyard is basically the back of downtown retail space, so it’s not exactly picturesque, but anything covered in snow is beautiful to me.

Year of Yes

I posted this book on Instagram right before the new year, and no, I haven’t finished it yet. However, it’s so funny! Shonda Rhimes has such a great sense of humor. Every time I pick it up I don’t want to put it down. I’ve just finished her commencement speech, and it was so true. She basically told a bunch of college graduates that the real world is hard. But that you have to get out there and do stuff to make it great and make it work for you. Sadly, I don’t even remember who spoke at my college graduation. I couldn’t tell you if it was a man or a woman, and I surely couldn’t tell you what they talked about. But I can tell you that I was clueless as to what the real world was going to be like. And Shonda’s right, it’s hard! I can’t wait to finish it and hope to do so soon. I’ll report back when I do.

Young Living Lavender Lip Balm

Are any of you familiar with Young Living? If you are, you know all about the essential oils that they are most famous for. Well, let me tell you what else they have. The greatest lavender lip balm there ever was. I’ve been using it for over a year now almost every night. I love the lavender scent and it’s so creamy and moisturizing.

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m still loving my Beautycounter Peppermint Lip Conditioner. But during this flu season, I’m reaching for my Young Living lip balm more often than the lip conditioner. I’m a teacher who doesn’t want my germy fingers in the little pot the lip conditioner comes in for obvious reasons.

And with all that mouth breathing I’m doing, my lips are super dry. So thank you Young Living!

Lysol

Yep.

You guys, Paul has been following me around with a can of Lysol for the past two days. Tonight, he didn’t let me cook dinner or clean up the kitchen because he didn’t want me contaminating anything. (Let me just remind you that I don’t actually have the flu. I have nasal congestion.) He’s too much! But I might milk this for a little while longer. I could get used to him doing all the cooking and cleaning up the kitchen. 🙂 Those two scents above (Lemon Breeze and Early Morning Breeze) are the least offensive of the Lysol scents. I never liked the smell of regular Lysol and think the pink can is just as bad. But the yellow and purple actually smell okay. I’ve been using them like crazy at home and school.

The Greatest Showman

DF-25877_r – Hugh Jackman stars as P.T. Barnum in Twentieth Century Fox’s THE GREATEST SHOWMAN. Photo Credit: Niko Tavernise.

During the cabin fever that came from three snow days, Paul and I ventured out to the movies to see The Greatest Showman. I’ve been listening to the soundtrack for a while now, and it is the BEST! But the movie….y’all! If it’s still playing, go see it. It’s meant to be seen in the theater. The dancing and singing and the story is so powerful. It’s motivating, empowering, entertaining, and pulls at your heartstrings. I’ll be buying this one. I asked Paul to go see it again with me and he gave it a hard pass. So, if anyone in town wants to see it, I’m in! 🙂

Popsockets

I received a popsocket for my phone for Christmas. Where has this been all my life? It’s one of those things that you didn’t know you needed until it comes into your life. It just makes so much sense. It’s this little sticky, pop-up handle for your phone. And it’s the greatest prop for when you watch videos on your phone too. (I do this every morning, so if you get it for only this reason, it’s worth it.) Mine came from The Pineapple, and they had so many cute ones to choose from. This rose gold one with a black base is the one I have.

Suits

If you’ve been around for more than one post you know that I love TV. I’ve recently watched The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel twice, and Good Girls Revolt (very good) on Amazon Prime. I was looking for something else on Amazon to watch, and I had heard Suits was a good show but never cared to actually try it. I went for it and have already made it through season one and quickly working my way through season two. I am quite enjoying it. It’s a very interesting story and very entertaining. I’m a little nervous to find out what happens to Meghan Markle’s character now that she’s gone and gotten engaged to a royal. It’s not going to stop me from watching, though. I’m in, now. Hook, line, and sinker.

I’d love to hear any of your thoughts on my favorites of January. Especially any of you Suits watchers. Does it stay this good?

I hope y’all had a great January. If any of you got sick like I did, here’s to getting well and breathing through our noses again! And here’s to a February filled with lots of love.

Currently Loving- December 2017

CURRENTLY LOVING- DECEMBER 2017

Better late than never, right? I know we’ve gotten through half of January now, but I came across a few things that I just couldn’t not share with you.

Before we get into all that, I hope y’all had a great holiday season. I enjoyed a much needed break and spent some quality time with family and with myself. 🙂 I know so many people lost loved ones and dealt with family members in the hospital, but I still hope there were a few moments of wonder and joy that you were able to find during the holidays.

Oh, Christmas Tree

My Christmas tree was my favorite thing about my Christmas decor. It was so twinkly and magical.  It went through a few phases (One and Two), and I miss it. I can’t wait until November to put it back up and see what kind of inspiration strikes me then.

Winter Skin Savers

This winter has brought some very cold temperatures. I know we have a winter every year, but this winter seems a little extra cold to me. I’m not complaining. Winter is my favorite season and cold weather is delightful to me, but my skin doesn’t love the cold temps with the heat on inside all the time. Thankfully I’ve got a great skin care regimen that helps keep my skin moisturized. I shared them in a post here. And if you want any of these products, you can shop them here.

Christmas Break

I have always loved Christmas Break. It comes at a much needed time when children’s excitement is at an all-time high. And I’m a bit of a procrastinator, so I’m always grateful for the time to finish my shopping during the week instead of on crazy, busy weekends. But I also manage to spend a lot of time doing this…

Hallmark movies are on loop, I get to sleep in a bit, and then there’s lots of time spent with family and friends. I know most teachers would agree with me that Christmas Break is one of the great perks of the job.

And with the Break Comes the TV

It’s no surprise that I’ve found another show to watch. If you’ve been around for a while, you know that I love movies and television. I love to be entertained, and I almost always have a favorite show or movie on in the background. I recently discovered The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel on Amazon. Y’all….it’s one of the funniest shows I’ve watched in a really long time. Rachel Brosnahan is brilliant and deserved the Golden Globe and Critic’s Choice awards for her portrayal of Midge Maisel. Trust me, you’ll laugh out loud and want to watch it all over again. (I did!) 

I also rediscovered Sex and the City again. It was on E! for a mini marathon one night. I started watching it and kept going all the way through to the end (finished on Amazon).  Sometimes it’s nice to “revisit old friends”. I love when I go back to old shows and watch them through more grown up eyes.

Auburn Basketball

Over the Christmas break I went to a basketball game in Auburn.  We got general admission tickets, so we got there really early and got floor seats. It was a great view, and we were even on TV! 🙂 Auburn’s doing really well right now. If you’re a fan, you should watch on TV or even go to a game! It’s pretty inexpensive and is always a great time. 

Reading

Breaks from school always allow time for reading. I finished a great book, Behind Closed Doors, over the holiday and wrote a little review about it here. It was exciting, scary, and thought-provoking. I highly recommend this one.

Snow Day

This was such a great day! I love snow and cold weather. And when we get it in Alabama, I’m the happiest girl. I think I’d do just fine in Chicago or NYC. The pups didn’t love it so much, though. And neither did Paul. But I sure did!

Have a great week, y’all!

XO,

Elizabeth