From a historical fiction novel to one of my favorite cheats for keeping the kids occupied, there is a lot to love in this edition of Favorite Things October 2021!
BOOK: YELLOW WIFE: A NOVEL
There is one genre I almost always enjoy, and that’s historical fiction. Yellow Wife was no exception, and definitely one I found hard to put down!
The story follows the life of Pheby, who was born and raised as a biracial child of a slave. When she is forced to move plantations, she finds herself living with the state’s most terrible man — a slave trader and jailer. A lot of the story has truth to it, and it will equally break your heart and having you cheering for the heroes. This story certainly tells a piece of America’s dark history that needs to be told. Highly recommend!
Another excellent read in this genre is Yellow Crocus.
SNACK: BOOM CHICKA POP SWEET & SALTY KETTLE CORN
I know I am a little late to this party, but this is for sure my favorite current “naughty” snack. It’s the perfect blend of sweet and savory and is so delicious! I am digging portioning it out or buying individual bags so I know how much I’m getting because it can be hard to stop eating! I like the it’s satisfying and tastes great when I’m craving chips.
COZY UP ESSENTIAL: HEATED MATTRESS PAD
We are getting to the colder weather, and the older I get, the more my bed calls to me at night. Like, immediately after the kids go down, I need to go down too! I’m tired and a warm bed feels amazing. It’s seriously HEAVEN.
I love this because you can preheat it just like an oven 😉 and climb on in while it’s warm. I always turn it off before I got to sleep because it will get a little too warm {and can be dangerous potentially}. My husband doesn’t mind it because it has dual controls, which means his side never has to get hot.
I got ours from Walmart.com. The pricing on Amazon is outrageous, so make sure to shop around. This would make a great gift for anyone who is always cold!
GREEN PRODUCT: BAMBOO TOOTHBRUSHES
I’m always looking for ways our family can be better for the planet. I’m nowhere near perfect, but I like to think small things add up, right? Single-use plastic is one of the biggest issues in our house, so we recently decided to switch to bamboo toothbrushes.
WOW. There are tons of options out there, but we all have loved these ones from Amazon. I know the design looks simple, but my teeth feel SO clean after using it, and the bristles are much more gentle on my gums!
They are super affordable too, and come in a pack of 4. Each brush is numbered, making it easier for family members to ensure they are always using the same one. I can’t recommend these enough!
Better for your smile, wallet, and the planet = WINNING.
KID FUN: OLD SCHOOL ARCADE GAMES
If your house is like mine, you’re always trying to find ways to reduce screen time…But that can be hard when you have multiple kids in sports and appointments galore, which result in a lot of waiting time. My kids are past the age of coloring or doing activity books, but I hate to just always pass them my phone, so we have been loving taking mini arcade games wherever we go.
We have Frogger, Pac-Man, Galaga, Space Invaders, and Tetris. Personally, I could play Tetris for hours, myself — it’s so satisfying!
Are they technically screens? Yes. But they at least teach problem solving and beat the heck out of any of the kid garbage on YouTube.
Additionally, my kids have pretty long bus rides, so this is something they can pop in their bags to do. If it gets lost, it’s not a huge deal since they are only around $20 – $25. Think ahead to Christmas, as these go on sale often around the holidays. {I would use Walmart over Amazon for better prices!}
Amazon affiliate links are included for some of the products mentioned. When you purchase from these links, my website gets a small commission.
What fun discoveries have you made this month?
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