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Favorite Things, Self Care

Awesome Things That Help Me Live My Best Day-to-Day Life

October 19, 2018 By Hannah Liistro 7 Comments

Hi, hello, good morning, good evening my friends! It’s Hannah here. I hope the month of October is treating you well. I absolutely love the crisp air in the fall. A sunny day with no clouds + lots of sunshine + the leaves on the trees being shades of vibrant orange and red? YES PLEASE! I’m grateful to be living in Boston in the fall. It’s my favorite time of year here, and I don’t know if I’ll be in New England next fall or more falls to come. So, I’m embracing it while it’s here! I hope you are, too (wherever you are in the world).

Today, I want to share with you some of my favorite items/things that help me out in my day-to-day life. By no means are these things necessary, and I know that we are privileged people to have the means to buy some of these things. Example: AirPods are not a basic human need by any standard (although we make it seem like they are…) but I enjoy them because they make my phone calling and podcast/music listening significantly more convenient…and in 2018 we’re all about convenience so I hear. Some of these things are for pure enjoyment, while others help me get my life together, stay organized, and follow through on tasks and my to do list.

If some of these things have helped me out, then maybe you’ll find them helpful as well!

AirPods

Since we already mentioned AirPods…let’s talk about them. Have you tried a pair? Would love to hear what you think of them because, well, I’m kiiiind of obsessed. However, I know they’re sometimes polarizing — a few of my friends have them and love them as much as I do, but some of my other friends prefer the bluetooth headphones that are still connected to each other by a wire because you can wear those around the back of your neck without risk of losing them. These pods are small! But, I love my AirPods because of the quality microphone for phone calls, the charging case (which helps with not losing them within the first 7 days), long battery life, and general ease of using them. If you’re on the market for wireless bluetooth headphones and are curious about these, I recommend!!

Beautycounter face lotion

The woman who started Beautycounter went to my highschool and was our graduation speaker. Ever since then, I’ve been inspired by her tenacity to be an ambitious, creative leader a huge industry. I also really identify with the company’s mission of putting happy ingredients on our skin if/when we can. This face lotion smells really good too! 

HeartSoul Scrubs

This is for my friends who wear scrubs to work…my favorite scrubs I own are my Figs and my HeartSoul ones. And honestly, I know that Figs are all the hype right now, but I like my HeartSoul ones even better. They’re sweat-wicking, comfortable, and breathable, and I like their cut/colors/shape. If we have to wear scrubs, it’s nice not to look like a walking potato sack. Everything about them is wonderful. They make regulars and petites, which is appreciate by 5′ people like me. Also, I think they are a bit cheaper than Figs and other “high end” scrub brands. I wear scrubs 5 days a week for work, and I love wearing something that I feel happy and good about, but also something that is very functional – there are lots of pockets on the shirts + pants!

Trello

Trello is totally free and it’s been one of the best additions to my life this fall! I LOVE the modalities of organization that it offers and am so so grateful for it. It’s helped me keep track of all of my different to-do’s and the way it’s organized de-stresses me because everything is customize-able and categorized. My ideal situation.

Essential Oil Diffuser

I thought all essential oil diffusers were super expensive. It turns out I was wrong! I got this one for $16-ish on Amazon and I use it nearly every day. I love how simple it is to use and how much of an impact it makes on my room. My favorite scents are eucalyptus, lavender, and peppermint. I also really want to try orange! Do you have any good recommendations for oils I should try??

Amazon Kindle

I got my Kindle when there was a really big sale. BEST THING I did all summer. My Kindle has been so good for me because I’m actually reading more. Hallelujah. I got a Boston Public Library card and can download virtual copies of books to my Kindle…totally free of charge. It definitely took some getting used to, but now that I’ve adjusted to reading on it, I love it and feel like I’m able to read more than I normally do and save some $$ while doing it. 

Vitamin C Serum

I just repurchased a bottle of this serum because, while I don’t have any photographic evidence, I feel like this has made improvements in my skin’s quality and glow. I’ve been using it for almost a year, and I got it because the reviews were super good. So I was kind of like, “Okay, why do people love this thing so much?!” and now I see why. Hooray for finding products that work for our unique skin and don’t cost a crazy amount of money. 

ASICS Nimbus 20 Running Shoes

One of my close friends at school works at ASICS corporate and had a product discount, so I got these for a good deal. Even if I wasn’t able to use this discount, I think I still would have bought these shoes for full price because THEY ARE SO comfortable! They’re perfect for walks, runs, work (where I’m on my feet all the time)…everything. I might buy another pair when these get enough miles on them because they’re mega supportive.

Mrs. Meyers cleaning supplies + candles

The candles smell amazing and come in these cute little jars. The cleaning supplies are my favorite because they get the job done and they have lovely scents. Simple as that!

That’s all for now. I hope your Friday is going well and that your weekend is filled with laughs, some chill downtime, and really good people/books/TV shows/time outside. Thank you for reading and for hanging out with me 🙂 I’d love to hear your favorite things in the comments!


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Filed Under: Favorite Things, Self Care

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Comments

  1. Hillary | Nutrition Nut on the Run says

    October 19, 2018 at 9:57 am

    That is so cool that Gregg Renfrew went to your HS! And that Countermatch lotion is amazing!

    Thanks for sharing some of your favorites! 🙂

    Reply
    • Hannah says

      October 26, 2018 at 11:18 am

      She’s such a badass! Thank you for reading Hillary!

      Reply
  2. Data says

    October 19, 2018 at 11:58 am

    You didn’t explain even remotely what Trello is??

    Reply
    • Ladina says

      October 21, 2018 at 4:34 pm

      Google is your friend…

      Trello is a web-based task management application 

      Reply
  3. Emily Swanson says

    October 19, 2018 at 6:10 pm

    I love Asics shoes; they’re my favorites. 🙂 Also, I’m so fascinated by the essential oil diffusers. I’d love to get the one for the car. 🙂 And it’s so sweet to see how you’re embracing fall life in Boston.

    Reply
  4. Christina says

    October 20, 2018 at 1:30 am

    I LOVE diffusing oils! My favorites right now are mixing cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove. It smells like pumpkin spice 🙂 And how fun that Gregg Renfrew went to your high school! I’m a big beauty counter fan too. Thanks for sharing your favorite things with us Hannah!

    Reply
  5. Ashley says

    October 22, 2018 at 5:08 pm

    Mrs. Meyers makes candles?! Very cool. I love diffusing oils – specifically in the Fall. I love Young Living’s Thieves diffused with orange oil. I also love bergamot in roll ons and just about anything else 😉 I use to use Trello, but then I got lazy. I need to get back into the habit. Thanks for the motivation and inspiration =)

    Reply

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A non-diet dietitian and nurse practitioner helping women find peace with food, accept their natural body size and heal from hormonal issues and period problems.

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🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻💃🏻💃🏻💃🏻 two babies are asleep at the same time in their beds (and not on me) for the FIRST TIME IN 7657 DAYS and dear lord I could cry tears of relief straight into this latte and bowl of chocolate chips bc I woke up this morning exhausted and weary and told Nick I didn’t want to parent today 🤣 Not even calling this self care. It’s sanity right now. And even if it lasts 5 minutes it will be 5 minutes of freaking glory. p.s. yes that brick is crooked bc v uneven floors are part of the charmed package of this old house
Learning over and over again in this season that f Learning over and over again in this season that feels unsettled and chaotic and longgggggg that sometimes, you just need the viewpoint of a toddler to remind you that the seemingly insignificant things & moments really are....straight up magical. And that yes, these mundane days are packed full of goodness & beauty if I keep my eyes fixed on what actually matters.
Spent two hours at Lowe’s this morning and wow, Spent two hours at Lowe’s this morning and wow, wowww 🤯 Asked at least six people where to find something and their opinion on all the options bc holy decision fatigue. Nursed my newborn on the floor of the paint aisle. And BLESS my new contractor friend Matt I found in the lumber section that pushed my cart around and helped me avoid the mistake of buying exterior wood for some DIY bathroom shelves.
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I’m giving all our bathrooms a DIY makeover and I couldn’t be more of a rookie. So shoutout to all my Lowe’s buddies and YouTube 😜 You’re making this happen.
We are now officially homeowners. WUT? We didn’t We are now officially homeowners. WUT? We didn’t plan to close on a house 10 weeks after having a baby, but here we are. And we are so, so grateful.  And I’m also terrified. We’ve moved three times and lived in three different states since we got married three years ago. After six years spent living in New York City and Boston, moving back to Charlottesville was really, really hard for me. I cried a lot those first six months because my heart ached for the northeast and for city life. I wanted to pack up and go back to Boston ASAP. It felt so different and so quiet here and at times, very lonely. Even though it felt like the next right step, I second guessed our decision A LOT.
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But here we are 10 months later ready to continue investing in this neighborhood we’ve come to love. And this community of people that have become so dear. Ten months later and it feels so, so right. And although committing to settling down here for a good bit feels really scary to me, it also brings so much peace to know we aren’t moving again anytime soon. We are here to plant and grow. And raise our babies in this house as we make it a home. It’s also really fun to have one of your best friends be your realtor. We love you @kelli.teter.nesting 🤗
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Now, to see if we make it out of this kitchen renovation all in one piece 🤪
my go-to breakfast these days is two fried eggs in my go-to breakfast these days is two fried eggs in ghee with sautéed spinach (also in ghee) and an english muffin with more ghee + some sort of jam on half for that sweet & savory combo. we discovered these local english muffins (from The Bread Basket) and they are doughy and delicious and we are obsessed.
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I’ve found that I need a solid source of protein and lots of fat for breakfast to keep me full while breastfeeding this time around vs with Cal, I was so into big bowls of pb & chocolate chip banana oatmeal. just goes to show our bodies know what they need and change cravings accordingly. also, just a psa: go pick up the maple butter from @traderjoes bc it is bonkers 🤤 and lastly, shout out to my husband bc a lot of mornings he is making this bfast for me while I nurse & try to pull myself out of bed - don’t for a moment think I’ve got it together 🤪
I’ve had many thoughts rolling around in my brai I’ve had many thoughts rolling around in my brain of if/how to use this platform in a way that aligns with how I want to live my life. I’m finding it tricky to discern that when 90% of my use on this app is for professional purposes. But I’m not sure if even professionally, it makes sense for me. Because I feel more aligned with what matters to me when I’m not regularly present here.  I’m not really sure what things will look like moving forward, but for right now I’m here to share with you that I somehow found some spare minutes between newborn & toddler life to write a post with some semi-coherent thoughts on life lately. 🤪 You can head there by clicking the link in my profile.
I’ve been completely disconnected from social me I’ve been completely disconnected from social media and that’s been vital for me during this tender postpartum period of transitioning from a mama of 1 to 2. But today, I’m bopping on briefly to share how Teddy entered this wild world with you - if you’re into a lengthy, detailed birth story, the link in my profile will lead you to the blog post 💙
Theodore “Teddy” Lars Nohling joined our famil Theodore “Teddy” Lars Nohling joined our family at 12:48am on Wednesday after a quick and swift labor & birth at home 💙 Thank you Father for another healthy baby boy & your abundant, tender love for us. What an undeserved gift.
Very grateful to be carrying another baby past his Very grateful to be carrying another baby past his due date, but also....LET’S GO DUDE. Still over here eating dates (check out the @ebbirth article on the research showing dates can help ripen (aka soften) your cervix, reduce the need for medical intervention in labor and can overall, improve birth outcomes) drinking red raspberry leaf tea and sleeping as much as possible with a 19 month old running around. And also trying to survive July in VA without public pools or splash pads bc it is BLAZIN HERE (and I’m a wuss with the heat 🤪)
#AlignPartner A huge plus of transitioning from ti #AlignPartner A huge plus of transitioning from tiny-apartment-city-living to house living is this screened in porch. This little oasis sold me on renting this house when we moved from Boston to Virginia back in November. I dreamed about this becoming our outdoor living room for at least half the year (because also, summer comes earlier and stays later down here - which has a its pros and cons 😆)  During Cal’s afternoon nap, I set up shop out here with my computer + something refreshing to drink and get a little bit of work done before my brain turns to mush and/or a find myself napping instead of working. 🤷🏻‍♀️ I can only drink so much water during the hot months before I’m over it so I’ve been mixing it up with either seltzer + juice, iced tea or @alignprobiotic’s new Kombucha On-the-Go powder sticks - all you do is mix one of the packets into ice cold water and stir. Then sip!  With quarantine life, we aren’t on-the-go much these days, but it’s still nice to have a nonperishable drink option always around. Flavor wise, it’s like a fizzy iced tea with a zingy, refreshing lemon ginger flavor.  I think it’s important to know that not all probiotic supplements are created equal. They all aren’t backed by evidence, but the Align brand is and could be something helpful for you if you feel like you need some digestive support - but talk to your healthcare provider first. I try to incorporate probiotics into what I eat - and that mostly comes in drink vs food form. Tell me how you’re staying hydrated in the comments ...because these days, it’s the little things 🤪 #AlignProbiotic **Use as Directed
Lunches for the past month or so have been some re Lunches for the past month or so have been some rendition of a sandwich + chips + fruit. SUMMERTIME 😎I’ve switched to open faced only bc there just ain’t much room left in there for food at 38.5 weeks 🤰🏻90% of the time at the end of a meal, no matter how “small” the portion, I’m feeling stuffed and like the food is in my throat (just what you wanted to read on this lovely Tuesday afternoon 🤪) but my point here is...intuitive eating doesn’t mean find-the-perfect-fullness and eat-only-when-hungry. Sometimes it means eating when you’re not hungry and feeling overly full often and trying to eat foods lower in fiber and higher in calories.
Found this photo on my camera roll today from a wa Found this photo on my camera roll today from a walk I took a month or so ago. Between quarantine and spending my days with a toddler, life is much less hurried and a lot more mundane these days. But those two things are helping me to stop & notice and to chill out on checking things off my to do list and instead just being present with whatever is in front of me. I want to have the curiosity & wonder my 18 month old has as I go about my day - with my surroundings and people I encounter and really, everything. Life is way more meaningful that way. Ending my evening with that reminder and a white chocolate chip cinnamon blondie covered in vanilla ice cream before I go take an Epsom salt bath and read.

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