Don’t you think it’s time for a little love? January is a tough month for me to love, with the post-holiday letdown, the resolutions that I refuse to make and then feel guilty about anyway, and the generally dismal weather. I do love a good snow day, but I am also keenly aware that after this winter, snow days with no school aged kids in the home will lose a bit of their magic.
So. January is the perfect time to resurrect my woefully neglected Love List, and share the love, in the form of fun finds, good thoughts, and a tip that I can’t believe I never thought of before. Click the items to see more details and photos.
Disclosure: There are affiliate links in this post that help me pay for the care and upkeep of this blog. I gave up making money on this thing years ago.
Ninja Coffee Bar
We replaced our Keurig with the Ninja a year ago, and the environment and my wallet are better off. Instead of expensive and non-biodegradable k-cups, I use brown paper No. 4 coffee filters and any type of coffee I choose. The Ninja brews one cup, one big cup, a half carafe or a full carafe. The coffee is better than the Keurig’s, and it takes me less than thirty seconds to scoop the grounds into the filter. Oh, and there’s a frother so you can make fancy cappuccinos.
Quip toothbrush
It’s a bit of a gimmick to offer an electric toothbrush with new heads and batteries automatically sent to you every three months, but if you come for the gimmick you will stay for the toothbrush. I’m so happy to be rid of my charging unit with its unwieldy plug, and the Quip is sleek, pretty and a great electronic brush. I also love that the holder slips over the brush head for travel.
If you click here or use referral promo code dana820039814606, we will both get a $5 refill credit when you make a purchase.
Wit and Wisdom Ab-solution Jeans
Despite the dorky name, I love these jeans from Nordstrom. Here’s why:
- They are the perfect rise, coming to about an inch below my belly button. No muffin top and no exposing what I want to keep covered.
- The inner waistband has elastic, but you can’t tell from the outside.
- They come in lots of colors, leg styles, and sizes (petite!!). I have two shades of denim, army green, and pale pink.
- They are a decent price for the quality. It’s all about price per wear…spending $68 on jeans that I wear twice a week is a good value.
Smoother smoothie tip
Maybe you already know this, but I did not. When I make a smoothie, I throw some spinach in with the rest of the ingredients, and blend. Then I pick green bits from my teeth all day. TIP: (thank you Coach Amy!) Put eight ounces of water in the blender, then your spinach. Blend until you have lovely green water. THEN add the rest of your ingredients. Voila…perfectly smooth smoothie!
Revlon blow dryer
Thank you to Nina for this recommendation – I love it! This is a blow dryer and round brush in one, and it makes straightening my curls so much easier! There was a bit of a learning curve, but by the third blow out I was a pro. It’s on Amazon, but I bought mine at Bed Bath and Beyond with the ubiquitous 20% off coupon.
Shoe cleaner kit
While this kit can be used for general shoe cleaning, I bought it to clean the white rubber on the sides of my sneakers. I was skeptical but desperate, and I was pleasantly surprised by how well the spray and brush removed dirt and smudges. I also used it on the white leather and even the fabric of athletic shoes.
*****
I’m going to break my no-resolution rule: In 2019, I resolve to share more of what I love. From jeans to shoe cleaner, from toothbrushes to life hacks, I’m going to try to share the love whenever I can. Intolerance, hate and vitriol are being shared much too freely, and I refuse to believe that’s the best we can do.
The final item on my January Love List
Last week, I was loading my groceries into my car in the Trader Joe’s parking lot. Another shopper offered to take my cart; he said he was heading into the store anyway. Many people would have walked right by me, and just picked up a cart in front of the store. This lovely man saved me a trip back across the parking lot to return my cart, and this act of kindness cost him nothing. Such a small gesture made my day a bit better, and the next time I have the opportunity to share the love with another person, I will.
May you find much to love in 2019!
Joining Finish the Sentence Friday.
The Quip and the jeans definitely have my interest. And what a sweet thing for that shopper to do! Thoughtfulness is such an underrated quality nowadays that I get excited seeing and hearing of it being put into action. Here’s to more Love Lists, Dana!
Thanks, Alison!
YES!!! So happy the blow dryer has been a success! Love these other tips. I’m going to check out the jeans for sure.
I just bought another blow dryer for my daughter – she loved it too.
Love this post! I’m clicking through all the links 🙂
Happy shopping!
My daughter received the Quip toothbrush for Christmas. I thought it was a silly thing to want a toothbrush SO BADLY, but she really does love it! And I have that blowdryer – I’ll never go back. Happy New Year!
Happy New Year to you too, Amy!
oh i love these lists!! I think I am going to try the quip and love the jeans and spinach smoothie tips! and funny enough i just ordered native (i was looking at comments)…i may get jeff the ninja brew for valentine’s day! thanks sister:)
I hope you love the Quip! And next time you open a box of those crackers I love, take a pic and send it to me. They need to go on my next Love List!
Great tips! I’m glad you resurrected the Love List. I make smoothies in the summer, and I needed that spinach tip. Also, the jeans sound amazing- will have to look for that brand.
Your resolution sounds fabulous- let’s all share more love!
Yes, let’s! And word nerd tips – I love those too:)
The jeans sound awesome! And what a sweet man. I’ve had that happen to me a couple times at Publix and it is so nice! It’s the little things.
It really is! Btw, a disgruntled congrats on the win last night…football is one area where we do not see eye to eye 😉
I love when people take my cart! And smoother smoothie tips!
I have the blow dryer as well and it’s awesome. The jeans are intriguing me. And last year I went to Ninja headquarters and fell in love with their stuff!
Fun! I had a blender of theirs before the coffee maker, and I liked that too.
I’ve never had the green bits, but that is a wonderful tip. It’s probably because I’ve started freezing my spinach. It’s crunchy once frozen. I wonder if the same would work for raspberry seeds. Probably not, considering I’ve never had anything raspberry that didn’t leave pesky things behind. Our Keurig before our current Keurig only lasted year. The one we have now has an extended warranty so if it happens that we need to trade in for something new you’ve made me want the Ninja.
Yeah, I think those raspberry seeds are here to stay no matter what you do. And definitely consider the Ninja when you are ready for a new coffee maker.
It was on one of your Love Lists that I learned about Native Deodorant (and I can NEVER spell deodorant without spellcheck by the way), and I love love it. I have to check out the yuck-named WIT AND WISDOM AB-SOLUTION JEANS because they sound perfect for me. I have two pairs I rotate and both fit great but then sag in the waist after like two hours, and annoying. Will check them out thank you. I need to see which hair dryer that is. Another friend recommended one and I think it may be the same… but my hair is stringy and flat flat flat, and well hang on… Ok now I’m not sure it’s the same. The colors are, but is it much wider than the photo indicates? I think maybe better for voluminous hair, not volumizing hair, if so but omg just ordered more Native this week and I hope you still (???) get some pennies for it? Had to laugh at your disclosure. Too funny that it seemed so easy to make money years ago. I mean, it IS probably easy to make money if you post recipes and crafts every day but well, not my thing. xoxo
So glad you love Native! I love it too. And I don’t think that hair dryer would necessarily give your hair more volume – it may not be the tool for you. And yes, I’ve made my peace with not making any money – I’m not willing to change how and what I write, and no one’s offering me any money anyway!
It is like you read my mind as I keep hearing about the Quip Toothbrush and was wondering what the deal was. Plus, I am in need of new jeans and been searching for the perfect pair. So I am going to have to check out the ones you mentioned here. So, thank you so much for sharing about both the toothbrush and jeans 😉
You’re welcome, Janine!