Well, it’s that time of year when your house feels boring and bare without all the Christmas magic. It always takes me a solid month to really get used to my regular house again once the decor is gone.
We are really, really hoping to have our main floor bathroom renovation done before the end of the month, as it’s been two months already without a bathroom on our main floor.
This is a smaller ’60s home and there’s just one bathroom for everyone (parents, kids, guests) on the main floor, so it’s been a big deal to be without it for so long.
Thankfully, we do have a tiny bathroom with a shower in the basement, but it’s very small and not in great shape (leaking from multiple places so the floor is always wet), so it kind of reminds us of an RV bathroom from the ’70s.
It even had a broken accordion door when we first moved in like they have in RVs when the bathroom is too small for a door to swing inward, haha.
All that to say, I’ll be very happy to have an upstairs bathroom with a tub, as showering in a tiny space with a wiggly 4-year-old while trying to wash her hair and shave my legs at the same time is basically a superpower that I wish to give up soon!
Anyways, here’s some things that are making me happy this week while I wait …
1. Added this table lamp to my living room—so cute and affordable, too!
2. Have you heard of Frownies?! They look crazy, but I guess it’s an old Hollywood secret. They are basically little craft paper stickers for your forehead (or other spot on your face) where you tend to develop fine lines/wrinkles.
It keeps those muscles from moving to re-train them to chill out and lie flat (you can wear them during the day but most people just do it at night).
I have always been the worst about scrunching up my whole forehead when I’m stressed or just plain thinking, or doing something passive like watching TV. People would always think I was mad at them and glaring across the room when I was really just thinking in their direction, haha.
Anyways, I’ve been using them for a few weeks and I can already feel my forehead noticing and then relaxing when I start to get the “worry brow” throughout the day, so it’s starting to work already!
Love my living room? Get all the item details and links here!
3. While this is still my favorite “treat myself” facial cleaning oil, (smells SO good), my sis-in-law was saying this oil cleanser is her all-time fave, so I decided to give it a try since it’s more of a budget option and I really love it so far!
I have dry skin, and a lot of cleansers can make my face feel super dry and tight once I rinse off, but oil cleansers help keep the moisture while taking off the makeup. And, my more oily-prone friends love it too, so it’s not just for dry skin!
4. Got this heart sweater for V-Day for Lola and a few other fun things from this page to round out her present basket. We definitely do candy, but it’s nice to give some non-candy things, too. She will love these heart hair clips and this strawberry bath gel I’m adding.
5. My birthday isn’t until May, but I already bought a birthday dress—it was just too perfect to pass up! And if you remember, my daughter and I share the same birthday, so I’ve been doing matching birthday outfits since she was 2. Soooo, this one for her?
6. My office is one of the last rooms on the main floor of the house to be finished, but I got this rug and I love the checkerboard pattern for the room.
7. Speaking of offices, I chose a pink desk when a Craigslist one didn’t work out (spent a year working from it, but I hated it) and I love it!!
8. My husband knew I was looking for a smaller blender to use for smoothie making, so he surprised me with this blender for Christmas. It’s one of the prettiest kitchen items I’ve ever seen!
The sleek white design and fluted glass look so pretty on the counter, and it’s small enough that I can leave it out on a daily basis. Pretty and works really well, yes please!
9. I’ve heard so many good things about the ILIA Super Serum Skin Tint Foundation that Elsie uses, so I decided to try it myself and I love it! I have a really hard time finding liquid foundations I like and this one is so easy to apply (I can just use my fingertips if I don’t feel like hunting down a beauty blender and it looks great). It also has SPF 40 built in.
PRO TIP: If you also hate choosing shades of foundation online (I’m not very good at it, so I always get the wrong color), you can choose the “find my shade” option and actually send the ILIA team photos of yourself in natural light with no makeup, and they will choose the shade for you.
I was skeptical, but they nailed it for me with the Diaz shade! Don’t forget the finishing powder to set it all.
10. I was looking for an exercise bike so I could work out from home, and I went with the same one Elsie has since she loves it, and it has great reviews (and wasn’t a flashy color).
So far, I love being able to do a workout at home! It definitely makes me sweat, I can watch dumb TV while I do it to distract me, and you can fold and move it easily as needed.
Overall, winter is not my favorite season (the temperature high is 22 today here in Pittsburgh–brr!), but I’m focusing on gathering some cute things for Valentine’s Day since that’s a holiday that Lola and I both really enjoy. xo. Laura
Looking for a yummy warm drink this winter? Check out …
- Earl Grey Tea Latte
- Nutella Hot Chocolate
- Make Your Own Latte at Home (Without An Expensive Espresso Machine!)
- Gingerbread Hot Chocolate
P.S. Here’s a link to last week’s 10 Things Sunday in case you missed it!
How is the assembly on the bike? I have no one to help me and I am…….not mechanically inclined!
Hey, I bought this bike on Elsie’s recommendation and it took me about an hour to put together. The instructions are good and the pieces are organized by the steps in the instructions. It’s been a great bike for me!
I LOVED the Leahlani cleansing oil when I got it in the OuiFresh beauty box but haven’t been able to justify splurging on it since I ran out. Haven’t been able to find a budget pick that even comes close. I can’t wait to try the new one you recommended!
I went with Blumbody face patches, they are the same design as frownies but more of a sticker material. And I feel you on this season- we had ice yesterday and our power was out all day (NC problems). But just knowing these links pop up on Sunday give my week a boost! Thanks so much for posting Laura! And you aren’t the only person looking at spring dresses, my bestie is getting married May 7th and I have already been scouting!
Oh I’ll have to look those up! And May 7th is actually our birthday so I hope that’s a great anniversary day for them as well!
Laura 😉
Great recommendations! That is truly a beautiful blender, and that’s not something I ever expected to say. But good product design makes such a difference. It’s a little pricey for me right now, but I’m going to keep it in my wish list.
Yes, it’s a great item for your wishlist for sure, so pretty and works so well!
Laura
I just bought Frownies too!
#frownieclub!