7 Things I’m Loving Right Now

I’ve been in Palm Springs most of this week for Alt Summit (a blogging conference I love attending) and it’s just been such a fun, inspiring week.

Plus, it’s always a treat for me to have some solo time where I don’t have to worry about bedtimes or get anyone dressed except me.

Of course, between my introvert tendencies and being 37 weeks pregnant, by last night, I was completely exhausted and I went back to my hotel at 8:30 (the closing party went until 10:00) and was asleep by about 9:15.

Anyway, besides 9 hours of hours of sleep, here are some other things that I’m loving at the moment:

1. Awesome with Alison. I’ve been on a major podcast kick this year (I’ve been walking most mornings, because I always get into a good routine approximately five minutes before I have a newborn and everything falls to pieces) and this is one of my new favorites. I just love how fun and upbeat she is, but I also feel like she has a lot of motivating and inspiring things to say. I’m for sure that person walking down the street with my headphones in and a goofy smile on my face when I listen.
2. Incoco Nail Polish Strips. For our most recent Say Hi Society event, these were part of the swag bags, and I’m hooked on them now. They’re basically nail stickers, but made out of real nail polish (when I put them on, they smell like nail polish) and they go on super easily (way more easily than other brands of similar products I’ve tried) and they STAY on. I’ve also had trouble with other brands with my hair catching under the cuticle edge of them as my nails grow out, but these ones don’t do that. They last about a week for me and I love that there is no dry time and that I don’t have to worry about them chipping five seconds after I put them on. Each pack comes with two strips and I just cut each strip in half and I can get two full manicures out of each package. I did this watercolor set a few weeks ago and I’m currently wearing these ones (and I’ve gotten so many compliments on them at Alt, which is gratifying). You can get them for under $5 at Walmart, or $8 at Ulta (they have different designs) or between $5 and $7 at Target online.
3. Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World by Adam Grant. I started listening to this and after 30 minutes, I told Bart he should download it too. When he got back from a long run, he said, “I’m recommending that my whole team at work listen to this.” I listened to Adam Grant’s first book, Give and Take, a couple of years ago, which was wildly popular, but I didn’t LOVE it. This one, though, I’m completely into – it is SO interesting (it reminds me quite a bit of Malcolm Gladwell). Highly recommended if you’re looking for some fascinating non-fiction, plus it will make you want to go buy some Warby Parker glasses.
4. These Copper Storage Baskets. I’m in major nesting mode and trying to get to all the closets in my house right now before this baby is born. I went through the gift/wrapping closet last week, and the game closet the week before that, and I’m onto the spice cupboard (which is a pit of despair) this week. I stumbled on these baskets from Walmart of all places, and there’s nothing I love better than a pretty basket to coral odds and ends like ribbon or paper straws or card games. I have a silver one that cost $50 (which I love), so this one feels like a steal at $12 for the small one or $16 for the medium. I love the scoop fronts on those ones, but I also like the ones with the full-front too. (How many baskets is too many?).
5. Essie Gel Nail Polish. I heard about these from Merrick last summer. I’m not a fan of gel polish because I feel like it destroys my nails, plus taking it off is a giant pain. I didn’t buy any for six months because it’s kind of pricey ($11.50 for each color, plus another $11.50 for the gel top coat), but then I had a $5 coupon that was about to expire, so I just went for it and bought the top coat and this color. And I was so impressed by how fast it dried, how well it lasted (about a week for me, since my nails are growing super fast thanks to pregnancy, so the cuticle end grew out, but the tips still looked perfect).
6. My new desk chair. My previous office chair was a completely basic black office chair that I bought at Goodwill in Durham for a whole $4 and it had lost 2 of the 4 base screws and so the seat was super wobbly and I even fell off it entirely a few months ago (very gracefully, of course). So I started hunting for various options and stumbled on this one from Hayneedle (I looked through SO many chairs on so many sites) and ordered it. I am basically OBSESSED with it. It makes my office looks so far more finished and it’s way more comfortable – you can see a photo of it in my office here on Instagram.
7. $13 Joggers. I hate being in the hospital after a baby and wearing a hospital gown for two days, so I’ve been thinking about what to pack in my hospital bag (I should get around to packing that), and I’m in desperate need of a new pair of lounge pants. These $13 joggers have solid reviews and if they get ruined in the hospital, the price tag makes me feel okay about that. I’m picking up a pair (or two) this weekend and I can’t wait to be able to wear regular pants again, even if they do have an elastic waistband.  The main problem is going to be picking a color. . . .

Happy Friday! Hope there’s lots that you’re loving today too.