favorite things - Stuff Parents Need

Gift selections provided by The Motherhood. All thoughts and opinions are my own, as always.

Earlier this week I received a very fun gift in the mail from my friends at The Motherhood. These are women I work with on a regular basis, but I’ve never actually met in real life. I actually have a surprisingly large number of people I work with as a blogger who I converse with via email all the time, but I’ve never shaken their hands. Isn’t the world live in strange? 🙂

This fabulous group of ladies decided to share some of their own favorite things (Oprah-style!) with some of the bloggers they connect with. I loved this concept, because this was not driven out of any sort of campaign. It was simply women sharing with other women products that they adore. I felt like I got to know these ladies better by trying out these products for myself, and in the process I started to fall in love with the products, too!

Here are the top picks from The Motherhood crew.

1. Wild Explorers slippers

Aren’t these just so gorgeous? I am totally jealous of my little Layah, who is the proud new owner of these super soft, hand-made leather slippers. These will be perfect for her at school, where she has to wear slippers every day. Each pair is handmade with love by Hannah Allen, who is the mom of a sweet little boy. Yay for mompreneurs!

2. Larabar

These are popular with a lot of people, and I’ve tried the wildly popular lemon Larabar before, but The Motherhood since a wide variety of options, and my crew has been digging them. They are truly the perfect food item to stick in your purse or your backback. We’ve been munching on them while going for family walks and even while traveling across the country this week. My kids seem to prefer the blends with fruity flavors (like blueberry muffin) and I’m particularly fond of any of the bars with a nutty flavor.

3. S’well Water Bottle

This water bottle also went traveling with me this week, as I headed out to the dry heat of Phoenix. Staying hydrated is absolutely critical, so I knew we’d need to keep a filled water bottle around for all of us.

The thing that has really impressed me about the S’well bottle is how long the water I put in it stays honest-to-goodness COLD. Hours and hours, people! The design of the bottle is such that it will actually keep your cold drinks cold for 24 hours, and your hot drinks hot for 12 hours. I haven’t attempted a hot beverage yet, because as you know I’m all about cold stuff, but so far I’m super duper impressed. This is anything but a typical water bottle. The different colors and patterns available for the bottle are also pretty awesome. Take a look around and see which one is your favorite!

Do you have any favorite things that you think everyone should own? I’d love to hear about it!

Diet Coke recently asked me to come up with a list of sweet things that bring joy to my life. What a fun challenge! I thought I’d skip all the really deep stuff (like my kids, my spouse, etc.) and keep it light…just like Diet Coke!

Sweet wine (I used to be embarrassed that I liked the sweeter wines, as I’ve been told that’s the sign of an undistinguished palette. But then I got over it!)
Torrential downpours (especially in the middle of the afternoon, right when you are feeling a little sleepy!)
Scones with butter and jam (I’d never eaten a scone until I had the opportunity to study in England for a summer while in college. We at them every morning. I brought back so many great memories and also several pounds. Worth it!)
The Chi Omega symphony (yes, I was in a sorority. And I never cared too much for the parties. But I loved the symphony, which is a beautiful poem about the power of sisterhood. Nerd alert, right here! Any chi o’s in the audience? Send a little hoot my way!)
Lipstick in tiny plastic tubes (I’m talking about Avon samples. They remind me of my childhood SO much. I positively squeal when I see them!)
The Bellagio (Quite possibly one of the most beautiful buildings I have ever seen. And in Las Vegas, of all places. Leave it to me to go to Sin City and find the Garden of Eden!)
photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/stuckincustoms/3888356671/
Jelly Belly (I’m particularly fond of the popcorn flavor!)
Scrubs (the world’s greatest pajamas!)
Pad Thai (when it is done right, meaning when I’m not the one cooking it, it is heavenly!)
The sound of a Diet Coke can being popped open (I have an immediate “Pavlov’s dog” response to it!)