Things I Love: Spring Edition

It’s finally spring! At least, it is today. It might snow tomorrow. St. Louis weather is finicky! But, no matter what the weatherman says, I’m already preparing for spring. Our winter coats have been pushed to the back of the closet and I’m trying to decide what the best pair of flip flops for these pregnant feet will be this summer.

Here are a few products that I’m enjoying that are helping me celebrate the beginning of warmer, sunnier weather!

spring

 

  1. Contigo Water Bottle – We bought these in a two pack at Costco and haven’t looked back. I love that this water bottle has a straw. I’ve found that having one leads to me drinking much more water throughout the day.
  2. LaCroix Lime – Again, purchased in a giant pack at Costco, this is a recent favorite. It’s the perfect drink to pour into a pretty glass with a slice of lime and drink on the patio after work. Since I’m off the cocktail wagon for a few more months it’s nice to have a drink that still feels fancy!
  3. Gentle Leader – Without the gentle leader our boys are beasts to walk. They only weigh about 20lbs each but when they aren’t being gently lead it’s hard to keep them on the path. Having one of these for each of them makes going for a quick walk a more enjoyable and frequent experience.
  4. Simple Human Compost Bin – Our garden is about to yield it’s first round of produce and we’re stocking up on more fresh foods at the grocery each week. As a result, the composter is back in action after a sad, slow winter. This bin is pricey, but worth every penny. We’ve used it for over a year now and I’ve never, ever, even once smelled grossness in my kitchen.

What are your favorite things this spring?

Favorite Things {Product Edition}

When I was typing up my list of favorite things the other day I was having trouble getting it down to five. So, I decided to do a second list with the products that I can’t get enough of this spring.

1. Cool Gear 24oz Chiller. It was an impulse buy for $4.98 and I couldn’t have gotten a better deal. It’s BPA free, double-walled, and cute! I take it to work with me in the morning filled with Mr. ThirdRow’s delicious iced coffee and refill it with water all day long.

2. Sundresses! I love skirts and dresses. I think they can make an ordinary day feel beautiful and a girl feel pretty even when she only has a few minutes to get ready in the morning. This dress is one I picked up last week at Old Navy’s Easter sale. It’s definitely getting packed for our trip to Sedona in a few weeks.

3. My garden gloves by Digz. They are a perfect fit for my small hands. The pig skin is sturdy enough that rose thorns don’t get through while I’m pruning but soft enough that I still feel like a lady. At $3.95 per pair they are a steal.

4. At Christmas-time I visited a local soap-maker shop called Kind Soap Company. It was a very pleasant little shop and I’ve been using their products since. While I like their soaps, it’s the lip balm that is my favorite.

5. These 26oz Weck Canning Jars from Crate and Barrel are awesome! They were a wedding shower gift from a dear friend and I love them! Currently they are each holding some sourdough starter. This is the perfect jar for my starter. It has a nice wide mouth and convenient glass lid. Currently, I do not use the rubber gasket or hooks in place so that the starter can breathe well, but still have them tucked away in case I get around to canning for real someday. At $3.95 each I’m hopping to add a couple more to my collection soon. I think it would make an ideal flower vase for the patio table!

Four Eyes

There’s a lot to be said for being able to see clearly. My eyes are showing their age. Thank goodness for cute and affordable glasses from Costco!

Baking: Tools & Cookies

Last summer when we were in the throws of registering for our wedding, my friend Kara came over for a back-yard bar-b-que. She made cookies for dessert and decided that they would be best straight from the oven. Knowing that she’d be baking in a bachelor’s kitchen she brought along her favorite baking gear: a cookie dough scoop and baking mat.

I’d never used a cookie scoop before and, man, was I impressed! Perfectly rounded and evenly shaped cookies popped out of the oven one after another. I’m so thankful that Kara made sure that these two awesome inventions were apart of our kitchen – I don’t think I would want to bake in a kitchen without either of them!

You may have noticed that we have a thing for chocolate chip and oatmeal together. These cookies from one of my favorite bakers – joythebaker.com – were easy to whip up and perfectly delicious.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Slightly adapted from Joy the Baker

1 c softened sweet cream butter

1 c sugar

1 c dark brown sugar, packed

2 large eggs

1 1/2 tsp vanille extract

2 1/2 c old-fashioned oats

2 c flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1 c semi-sweet chocolate chips (I would have added more, but that’s all I had in the pantry.)

Beat the sugars and butter together until creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat well  in between each. Beat in vanilla until well blended.

Whisk together the dry ingredients (including spices) and beat slowly into the butter and sugar mixture just until incorporated. Stir in the chocolate chips last.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 12 minutes. Let rest on the cookie sheet for a few minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. (I tried to skip the resting step and it was an epic fail. Leaving them on the cookie sheet for a bit makes all the difference between crumbling cookies and whole ones.)

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