Mama A's Favorite Things: January 2018

I remember as a teenager (and even as a college student and young teacher) trying to get home in the afternoons to watch the Oprah show at 4pm.  I loved watching her sing along with her musical guests, interacting with her audience, and I thought she was a smart host and not afraid of saying the hard things that sometimes need to be said out loud.  I don’t agree with everything she believes in, and I don’t agree with everything she says, but I sure did love watching the audience on her “Favorite Things” episodes.  They would absolutely lose. it. in the audience—and who could blame them?   Each person would receive thousands of dollars worth of Oprah’s favorite things (sometimes including a CAR!) 

As much as I would like to be able to say, “You get a car!  You get a car!” to each of you sweet readers, I’m just not Ms. Winfrey and rolling in the dollars.  However, I do have a few things that I’m loving these days and thought I would pass along to you.

I have been on the fence about Ugg boots for quite some time.  I like the idea of my feet staying warm, but I’m not in love with the idea of spending a lot of money on shoes.  I had a pair of LL Bean duck boots, but they always rubbed blisters on my heels, so sadly I had to get rid of them.  The Cecile is a fantastic boot and we just had several inches of snow and I’m happy to report they kept my feet dry and warm. 

This came from my cute cousin in Delaware as a Christmas present and I LOVE IT!  It is a chunky and not perfectly round mug, and I love her signature font on all of her pieces.  I can see where this line of dishes could become a bad habit, so it’s probably good she doesn’t have a store around here.

A year ago we were all down with the family flu—stomach virus, colds, fever, and exhausted.  My good friend, Kim, loaned me her Young Living diffuser and some oils and I was so sick and tired of being sick and tired that I gave it a try and I immediately ordered my own starter pack and jumped on the oils train.  Now, I do not believe that oils will fix everything that ails you, but there are a lot of wonderful benefits I’ve seen in my own home.  We’ve used them for stress relief, sleepless nights, aches and pains, congestion, headaches, and aromatherapy.  

Grits have been one of my most favorite foods since I was a little girl.  Mixing in some sharp cheddar and bacon or sausage, a little salt and pepper—heaven on a cold morning, or perfect for dinner.  I’ve experimented with making them off and on for years, but this week I made the most perfect pot of grits thanks to this recipe.  My husband did not care for the garlic, but my daughter and I ate them until our bellies were hurting.  

Podcasts
I used to enjoy watching The Weather Channel when I got ready to go in the mornings, but once I became married to a night owl who enjoys sleeping in (and small children), I decided to not turn on the television and remain quiet to keep people sleeping as long as possible.  For the last few months I’ve enjoyed listening to podcasts on my phone while getting ready.  I have a variety that I love, the these are the ones I keep coming back to each week.  Luckily, they all release new episodes on different days, so I have new material almost every morning:

For the Love  I know Jen is one of those people that Christians either love (or love to hate) these days.  But I think she’s witty and so far I enjoy the topics she’s covered on her podcast (friends, fall, food, new beginnings).   
The Lazy Genius:  Kendra is a regular person with good ideas about systems, appreciates pop culture, and a mom just trying to make it each day.  In short, she’s normal.
Relevant:  This is a favorite for my teenager and she loves to listen to it while we’re riding in the car.  Current events, funny stories, great guests, and new music. 
The Next Right Thing:  Emily is one of my favorite writers.  Her voice is soothing and she invites grace into the ordinary.  Perfect for a Tuesday morning when I’m feeling less than graceful. 

*****
Full disclosure, if you sign up for Young Living using this link I receive a small compensation which helps me purchase more oils for my family.  All other links in this post are things I love and adore and just wanted to share--these people/companies do not know me and I will receive no compensation for my reviews. 

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