Friday Favorites!

WHOO HOO!!! It's FRIDAY folks, and HOW LONG has it been since I've done Friday Favorites?! 

I'm going to milk my energy and good health for all it's worth right now....because I feel like I was in a long season of just YUCK, and I know the newborn stage is just 3 months around the corner....so the blog will yet again, likely take the back seat....

But for now, let's chat about my favorites this week! 

1) I am LOVING some Emily Ley right now.  She is the designer behind The Simplified Planner, which I do not have (they are sold out), but I just finished her book Grace over Perfection.  It was a breath of fresh air.  She talks about all the aspects of mommyhood and the challenges that come with it, but combats it with how to give yourself grace in all the seasons. It's not over complicated or super-theological, just good ole fashioned godly encouragement.  This week, I received her second book, A Simplified Life.  This is more of a logistical book about how to purge and declutter...from your mind, to your schedule, to your kitchen cabinets.  I'm in full nesting mode right now, so I'm super eager to purge and organize. This book is a great is a great guide on how to make that happen.  Even better, I got an alert on Facebook that Emily herself is coming to Dallas next week for a book signing! So I'll be there with bells on! You can find her books on Amazon here. 

2) Speaking of purging, I had a Come To Jesus meeting with all of Greyson's toys while he was at Mother's Day Out on Tuesday. After his birthday in October and then Christmas, it was OUT OF CONTROL. This place looked like Toys 'R Us had thrown up.  I just couldn't take it anymore. I ended up with a bag of trash toys (like JUNK), and two boxes and a bag of giveaway toys.  I reallocated the several of the favorites to the new upstairs playroom.  And it was so freeing.  We ended up with ONE basket on the floor that is not overflowing with mountains of toys.  

                                            

The playroom is starting to take shape.  I still have lots of fun decorative details to add, but at least we have storage space where all toys can be tucked away.  This sight just makes me take a deep breath.  WHEW. It took several trips to multiple Ross stores, but I managed to end up with all matching bins.  They were just such a good deal that it was worth the hunt.  (Cute storage stuff is SO expensive if you need a lot of it!) 

                                

3) Another victory this week was in the closet under the stairs.  As you recall, THIS used to my "baby jail"....

Once Greyson got old enough to conquer the baby gate, it ended up being a toy closet.  And you know how that goes.  After a brief attempt to keep it organized and straight, it ended up being a  dumping ground for EVERYTHING.  ALL THE THINGS.  Toys, gloves, hats, jackets, swim bag, balls, and costumes, which are IN ABUNDANCE right now.  Everything just ended up on the floor in a panic-attack-inducing pile. So after my toy purge, I hung hooks on the walls and now everything is off the floor ! I realize this would be much more effective with a "Before" picture, but I was pretty much too embarrassed to take one.  So here's the end product, everything has a home and is easy to get to.  And all the mamas said....#AMEN.

 4) Another thing that is making my life easier is my new Apple Watch.  I have been "watching" : )  these for a LOOOOONG time and couldn't WAIT to get one.  I'm typically not the techy-new product guru, but this thing has changed my life.  With a two story house, I no longer need to carry my phone around with me every time I switch floors.  I can read text messages on my arm without going around to look for my dinging phone.  (This is especially handy for the ones that don't need to be responded to right away.) I can even take/make calls on it and continue doing what I'm doing! Since I DON'T have my phone near me as much, I tend to look at it so much less, and therefore, not waste time sitting there scrolling/trolling while G is wanting me to be "involved".  And when I DO start working out again, it'll track my heart rate, Fitness goals, etc.  I"m totally a fan.

5) This week I also simplified our meal planning and signed up for the Six Sister's Meal Plan service. I don't mind cooking but I'm in a menu rut so I tend to procrastinate meal planning, which leaves us eventually coming full circle and eating the same thing every week because then I'm just trying to get food on the table.  I always thought-if someone would just tell me what to make, I'd do it! Well, this service is exactly that.  It's $10 a month and sends you 6 main dishes, two sides, and a snack recipe each week.  (I signed up for the Healthy Plan option which is all 500 calories or less per serving.)  They send you the menus on Friday, so I was able to order all the necessary groceries/make my list at the beginning of the week.  I was scanning through all the ingredients and making my list, when I finally scrolled down to the bottom....and found a pre-made grocery list already there!!!! I could have literally taken it to the grocery store OR just gone straight to it to start adding those items to my cart.  The recipes were simple ingredients and instructions. Our first few meals have been really good, so I am certainly a fan so far! It really was a relief for me this week, and come on..I'd spend more than $10 on one trip to Chick-Fil-A! Can't wait to see next week's menu! 

So that is my week of favorites.  Clearly there is a "simplify" theme here, and I sure hope it keeps up! Well....until Baby Taylor gets here...and then I KNOW our lives will be turned upside down! 

I hope you had an amazing week, and I'd love to hear some of YOUR favorites!