March was a really enjoyable month for me. I took some time off work and was able to focus on some personal things. Like my blog, for example! I also took my first solo trip to visit a friend since Willa was born. For those of you keeping track, that was my first solo trip in almost 3 years!
My friend Andrea and I visited Traverse City, MI which I’ve been to twice before. Andrea goes pretty often and knows her way around and showed me a lot of the best shops and restaurants and we had the best time. I need to start making friends a priority and carving out time to spend with them. It was so good for my soul to get a break and to feel like myself again. I love being a mom, but sometimes I feel like I have no idea who I am or what I like anymore. I know a lot of you can relate.
That being said, I do know some of the things I liked this month and you’ll find my March Love List below!
What I’m Eating
The only thing I can think about since our trip to Traverse City has been crepes. We ate at this amazing brunch spot on Andrea’s list called Brasserie Amie and I stumbled my way through ordering the Crêpes Gratinée and it was worth every bit of effort.
These crepes had chicken, mushrooms, and an amazing mornay sauce (that I had to google to make sure I would like it beforehand). Though I’m not eating these at the current moment, it’s all I can think about and I plan on recreating this recipe for myself very soon!
What I’m Drinking
I did visit a winery while in Traverse City and I want to give a shout-out to Bowers Harbor Vineyards and their 2019 Pinot Noir and 2019 Claret, but my favorite wine this month was another bottle from Naked Wines.
Ben ended up impulse ordering the 11-bottle Mystery Pack for $89 and it included this Dave Harvey 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon. I loved this wine so much I was actually rationing it so that I could have at least a small glass for a couple of days!
It was a little fruity and very smooth for a richer red. I don’t know a ton about wine, but I do know that this is one I will be re-ordering!
I was able to join Naked Wines and offer $100 off your first order. Just click to apply this voucher and enter your email address. You’ll receive an email for $100 off. Find out more about how Naked Wines works.
What I’m Reading
I’m still reading Miss Independent by Nicole Lapin. It’s not uncommon for books to take me a while, especially when they are informative and I take notes (and fill in worksheets, as I do in this book)!
I already feel more in control of my money since starting this book. Rather than leaving money in an unused account untouched, I’ve opened a business account for my freelancing and have also started learning more about our brokerage account that my husband has already set up.
I highly recommend this book if you’ve always wanted to learn the first steps to take in making your money earn more money for you.
What I’m Watching
We finished season 3 of Yellowstone and while we impatiently wait for season 4 to be available on Peacock, we’ve started 1883, which is like the prequel to Yellowstone. It revolves around James Dutton and his family as they work their way from Texas to Oregon.
Tim McGraw and Faith Hill are two of the main characters and while I sometimes get impatient with all the daughter’s narration during the shows (it’s just a lot), I am hooked and look forward to watching it every night!
I also started and finished The Gilded Age, recommended by Andrea. Absolutely loved this show!
New Purchases
Primary Swimsuits
I bought the girls matching Primary swimsuits for the summer. Will has worn these Primary suits since she was about a year old and we love them. They are of excellent quality and I love that the rash guards offer UPF 50 protection. I have a hard time relaxing when we’re outside because I’m always worried about sunburns (I’m very prone to them, Ben is not) and so the added sun protection is a huge selling point for me. They had a 25% off sale earlier in March and I jumped on these pink and navy pieces for the girls.
The swim diapers are also great because they go up to a size 3T and are the kind of diaper required at Willa’s swim class (no disposable swim diapers are allowed) and I like the reassurance that if she does have an accident in the pool, she’s got the protection of the swim diaper.
Linens & Hutch Sheets
Linens & Hutch is a brand we work with at Brad’s Deals. We always have excellent coupons for them and last year I tried one of their sheet sets for the first time and absolutely loved them. They come in really cute prints and they are super comfortable, wash well, and last for a long time. I bought two sets this time, both patterned because I have a solid duvet cover. I got the floral pattern and the pinstripe pattern.
Maelove Stargaze
Now that I feel done with having babies (I still hesitate to say that with finality, but I’m 99% sure!) I decided it was time to start using retinol as part of my skincare routine. I still haven’t started using this Maelove Stargaze serum yet, but I will start when it arrives this week. I’ve been dealing with a LOT of shipping delays this month. I actually bought a ton more things to tell you guys about, but haven’t received a lot of it yet so it will have to wait until April!
The Stargaze serum is said to be gentle enough for retinol newbies. I plan to start using it every 3 days to see how my skin adjusts. I’m a little nervous about it, but I’ve stocked up on some moisturizer and SPF – see below!
Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer Oil Free Natural Skin Perfector
I splurged on this Laura Mercier Skin Perfector using a gift card I had for Ulta. It was $49, but I literally tested 7 different tinted moisturizers on my arms while I was there and this was by far my favorite. It didn’t have too much shimmer (like a lot of them do) and it had SPF. I think I’ll likely need to bump up the SPF with an additional sunscreen with at least SPF 50, but I felt good about the added sun care this could provide, while also evening out my skin tone.
Go-To Face Hero
This is actually a re-purchase of a well-loved skincare product. My friend Andrea told me about this Face Hero oil last year when I was struggling with dry skin for the first time ever. I’ve always had very oily skin and so dry skin was a real shock to my system. I’ve also always shied away from oils because of how oily my skin is, but she swore that this oil was different. And she was RIGHT! This stuff is moisturizing but does not make me greasy or cause breakouts. I mix 3 drops in with my normal moisturizer (Neutrogena Hydro Boost Gel-Cream ‘TIL I DIE) every night and no longer deal with flaky dry skin in the winter.
I actually purchased a double order because since I’ll be starting the retinol. I wanted to make sure I was stocked up with something hydrating that I could trust.
Willa and Ellie’s Favorites
Willa is Loving
- Doc McStuffins, Minnie Mouse, and Frozen (finally something that isn’t Diana and Roma!)
- Reading her books instead of having them read to her
- Window clings
- This heads & tails puzzle she got for Christmas
Ellie is Loving
- Quesadillas
- Clapping and waving hi (!!!)
- Crawling on her hands and knees instead of army crawling
- Maracas
What are you loving this month? Share it with me in the comments!
