Mom Necessities for the New Year

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IMG_2795As I look out on a fresh year, and as I start filling in my empty, full of possibilities May Designs calendar, I can’t help but get excited. Last year had its share of joys and sorrows, and I am confident that 2015 will be one of those years that stands out as being great . . . . Well, I am going work doubly hard to make sure that it is! (P.S. how adorable is this May Designs agenda in Watercolor Painted Garden design! Girls, it is not too late to start your year organized . . . in the most adorable way possible.)

In this post, I want to talk about some of my favorite items to help me start off the year with a bang!

Hydration

IMG_2776Gracious me, we all need to hydrate. I feel like I am constantly filling cups with apple juice, milk, and “tasty milk” (a.k.a. Carnation Instant Breakfast) and completely neglecting to keep myself hydrated, which leads to grumpiness, headaches, and acne. Oh my! So, this year I am committing to keeping myself hydrated and two of my staples are water and coffee. (Thank you, God, for creating the coffee bean!) Sometimes I get bored of drinking plain jane water so I love adding flavors to it from a slice of orange to some lime or mint from the backyard. Doing something as simple as that makes me want to drink up my water, for which my skin says thank you.

IMG_2798My second staple is coffee. Like many of you, I am an avid coffee drinker both for the caffeine and for the warm fuzzies I get from holding a fantastic mug. I adore flavored black coffee. Right now my favorite brand is Katz Coffee, which is a local Texas roaster out of Houston. This company has some of the most fun and unique flavors. Also, I have so much fun popping into Central Market to grind small samples and bring them home to brew and taste. (Oooh, I feel a girls night coming on for coffee tasting and chocolate.)

Candles

There is something about candles that can transform your attitude and home from being gloomy to wonderful in a split second. After heavy holiday smells of vanilla and cinnamon (which are delightful), I have been craving light and lovely smells to freshen up my home. Ladies, I have found two candles to which I am now addicted and may buy in bulk!

IMG_2780The first candle is clean, crisp, and perfect–much like the maker, Joanna Gaines. (Will you be my new best friend?) I love HGTV’s Fixer Upper; in my dreams, Chip and Joanna come up to Fort Worth and find a dilapidated old house and transform it for me. (Wait, did I get off track . . . ?)

Well, since that’s not going to happen, the next best thing is Joanna’s signature candle that you can purchase from her website The Magnolia Market. This candle is truly one of the most delightful scents I have found.  Try it; you’ll love it!

IMG_2779The second candle is another fresh scent with a more citrus smell. I got this candle for Christmas and have been alternating this and my Magnolia Farms candle since the beginning of the month. As y’all know, one of my favorite boutiques is The Sample House and Candle Shop in Southlake.  They have a wide array of candles and other great items that make amazing gifts. The Capri Blue candle in Volcano is one of their signature store scents and is quickly becoming one of mine.

Quiet Time Reading

I have been telling myself for years that I must take time to read something other than marketing and leadership books for work. This is going to be the year! There are a couple of books on my shelf that I have been dying to read and am beyond excited to dive in.

The first is Hands Free Mama, which my sweet sis-in-law gave to me. If I were completely honest with myself, I have been putting off reading this book because I know it is going to challenge me to my core to stop multi-tasking and to be intentional about my time. I am not one of the moms who is anti-digital, but I am one of those moms who realizes that there needs to be balance in time spent in the digital world and time spent in the real world.

The second book is Bread & Wine, and I am SO EXCITED to open this book and drink it all in! One of my favorite things to do is to sit around the table and share a meal with family and friends. There is something completely nourishing about having a home cooked meal with the people you hold dear. This book jumped off the shelf at me for that reason.  Bread & Wine is about the way God nourishes us as we nourish those around us complete with recipes. Sounds to me like the perfect book!

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I know this is not your typical “necessities for mom” post, but we all know we need to exercise, take our vitamins, etc. Sometimes we neglect to take time for ourselves: to drink some water, stay organized (or at least try), take a deep breath, and sit quietly for five minutes to enjoy a book.

Remember this . . .

You, yes you, are an amazing mom, woman, wife, daughter, sister, friend, employee, baker, accountant, master-of-all-things mom! I challenge you to commit to having a stellar year. Even with the highs and lows, 2015 is going to be amazing, just like YOU!

What are some of your necessities that keep you sane or have you excited for the year ahead?

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Joanna
Joanna loves doing life in Fort Worth! She has two cutie pie kiddos, Rhett, 5 and Layla, 4. She works full time in marketing and loves to run. Let’s be real . . . she likes to run because she loves donuts! She and her family are in a fight to find a cure for Cystic Fibrosis because Layla has the disease. They could not be more in love with their team of doctors, nurses, and dietitians at Cook Childrens. Joanna says she tries to find joy in each day even though life gets absolutely crazy at times with a full-time job, two super fun and active kids, and doing treatments with Layla daily. She can many times be found in her kitchen trying out a new recipe from Cooking Light Magazine or Pioneer Woman. (Photo courtesy of: Beyond the Blue Studios).

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