- these are a few of my favorite things -

First of all, I want to start off by saying a huge, heartfelt thank you to everyone who commented, emailed me, or messaged me about this post. You guys are all such amazing people and I am so glad this little blog has introduced me to so many of you! Thank you, for sticking with me, and my sporadic posting, and my generally crazy life! Every single one of you made my day just letting me know that you still care about what I have to say, even if it's only once a week these days!!

Now, let's get to the point of this post...

I absolutely love finding new and useful things...things that make my life easier, or more fun, or are just plain pretty to look at! And I know there are so many things out there that I probably really could make good use out of, that I just don't know about! So I thought it would be fun to share with you some of my most recent awesome finds (some kid related, some not...totally a mix of completely random things that have made my life easier in some way or another) And if you have any new and useful things you want to share with me, I'd love to find some new discoveries!

Camera Coats

One of my most recent finds that I am loving right now is a camera coat, found here, Camera Coats. I am not a professional photographer, and I don't really ever go out on "shoots". Mostly it's just me, my camera, and whichever one lens I choose to haul around for the day. Yes, it's crazy, but I carry my camera around like it's a tiny point and shoot...it's almost ALWAYS in my bag.But because I don't need to carry around multiple lenses or any other equipment, an actual large camera handbag is a bit of an overkill for me. Instead, I ordered a Camera Coat to keep my camera protected when I throw it in my everyday bag. They have many different patterns, and most of them are waterproof (although you can get one that isn't waterproof if you don't like the "shiny" look that the waterproof material gives). It's light weight (which is so important when I already have a heavy DSLR, and a heavy lens), and it's pretty to look at too! They come in a variety of sizes, so just be sure you measure your camera and your lens so that you order the correct size!

Progresso Recipe Starters

I recently tried these out...holy cow...good, and super easy to use. They are basically a cooking sauce that is packed with seasoning and flavor, and they make a great starter for almost any dish! There are recipes on each can for some super amazing looking dishes, but you can also just dump a can of this in a crockpot or pyrex dish with some chicken, and you have yourself a perfect main dish. I recently baked some chicken with this sauce, and my husband declared it the "best tasting chicken" I have ever made. I wanted to pretend that I had concocted the wonderful sauce that was on our chicken all on my own, but I have to confess, I just used a can of this...that's it...nothing else! These sauces come in 5 different flavors: Creamy Parmesan Basil, Creamy Portabella Mushroom, Creamy Roasted Garlic, Creamy Three Cheese, and Fire Roasted Tomato. I haven't tried all of them yet, but I definitely will. They can be used over meat, fish, pasta, and basically anything else you want to use them on. They are definitely a great "go to" to have on hand for those busy weeknights! Check out Progesso's website for more recipes!

Melissa and Doug Reusable Sticker Pad

These are awesome to keep your toddler busy on the plane, or in a restaurant. Ellie loves them so we try to keep them for "special occasions" where she has to sit still for long periods of time because they really can keep her attention for quite awhile. They have "boy" themed pads, "girl" themed pads and "unisex" themed pads.

Downy Wrinkle Releaser

I don't iron...period. Nope, I just won't do it! I refuse to buy anything that looks like it might need ironing. However, I found this ingenious product that I always keep on hand for the small "wrinkle jobs" that I need to take care of. It works great for taking out a single crease lines, freshening a slightly wrinkled shirt, or making those bows and collars stay down on Ellie's clothes. And it's so much easier than pulling out the big ironing board and iron!! (Believe it or not, we don't even own an ironing board! I told you...I don't iron...) Oh, and it comes in a travel size which is AWESOME to pack in your bag...in case your clothes come out of the suitcase in anything less than a "fresh off the hanger" state.

I told you it was a pretty random list! ha ha! Don't forget...I'd love to hear about some of the new and useful things you have found for you, your household, or your kids!