Favorite Things, Q3

After taking a brief hiatus from my Favorite Things posts, I'm especially excited to share this list. Most of these things became favorites in relation to our move; a new city, a new house, and a quasi-new life have inspired a love for several new things.
Here we go... My Favorite Things, 2012, Q3,

1. Detergent Pods...  I'd already seen these in the store several times before my Pops-in-Law raved about them to me back in the spring. I was a little turned off by what seemed like a high price tag for laundry detergent. When he texted me suggesting that he was sure if I tried them they'd make an appearance on my next things list, I caved to the peer pressure and gave them a try (on sale and with a coupon, of course.) Well, as you can see, he was right! Initially, I just bought the Tide variety for the grown-up laundry, but I loved them so much that I also began buying the All Free and Clear pods for the girls' clothes. They really do make doing laundry just a tad easier, and, I actually think I'm paying about the same amount per load as I was paying for liquid detergent because I tended to pour too much into each load. I'm now wishing that Clorox would make little bleach pods for my white towels. (Thanks, Pops!) Tide Pods and All Free and Clear Mighty Pacs
2. Soda Maker... in general, and especially when I'm pregnant, I really struggle to drink enough (or sometimes, any) water, and I tend to crave flavored or carbonated beverages. Lindsay tries to encourage my water consumption, and, literally, as I'm typing this, he just brought me an unrequested bottle of water along with my ginger ale. We had gotten him this soda maker (which he loves) for Father's Day, but I'd never had an interest in even trying it out. Then one weekend, Lindsay made me one of his sparkling water-lime juice-crushed ice combos, and I was sold! Who knew that plain water could be turned into something so refreshing just by adding a touch of carbonation?!?! I'm still a little scared to try the machine on my own (remember that Cosby Show episode with Rudy and the juicer where Peter is found by his mom in the hamper?) but I am definitely gulping lots more water when Lindsay is around to play bartender. Fizz Soda Stream
3. My New Ride...  I feel a little silly (or maybe braggy?) listing a car as being on of my favorite things, but it is! Just before Carter was born in 2008, I'd gotten a Highlander as my first mommy car, and I can't think of one negative thing to say about it over the four years that I drove it. But, when we found out that our family would be growing, I knew that the Highlander would have to go. The middle row wouldn't hold three car seats, and when the back-row was up, storage space was quite scarce (not even leaving enough room for groceries.) I began doing some online research and narrowed my list to either a Sequoia or the big Infiniti. On a random Saturday in the spring, the whole fam went car browsing. While at the Infiniti dealership, I spotted a car on the showroom floor that I'd never seen before and learned that it was a new mid-size SUV for 2013. I was instantly in love with its sleek design and super-fun features. Though it was not much bigger than my Highlander, the space was much better utilized for carting around more kiddos and all their gear. Given that at this stage in life my car options have to focus more on functionality than looks, I don't think I could have found a cooler Mommy-mobile! Infiniti JX
4. Hanging Jewelry Organizer... after feeling like most of our unpacking was pretty complete, I realized that I'd neglected my own closet. One Saturday morning, I got clothes, shoes, and purses organized but kept my jewelry packed away in the bubble wrap and baggies that I had stored it in for the move. I've never had a great storage system for my jewelry; earrings were in a hard plastic divided box, bracelets in a larger, non-divided box, the necklaces hanging from a tie rack. I decided to find a better way of organizing and storing it all before I unpacked it. I came across this organizer at one of my favorite Charlotte shops and knew that it would be perfect! The pouches are great for storing earrings, bracelets, and small thin necklaces, and the velcro hook and loop tabs keep my long, multiple chain necklaces displayed nicely and tangle-free. Umbra Little Black Dress
5. Lionel Richie Tuskegee Album... during the weeks of unpacking, I found myself looking for some background music to make process a bit more exciting. Upon recommendation from my Pops-in-Law (thanks, again!) I downloaded this album of Lionel Richie remaking his own songs as duets with country singers. I'd long considered Lady, his duet with Kenny Rogers, to be one of my favorite songs, so I was excited to hear him collaborate with other country performers. From Willie Nelson to Darius Rucker and Tim McGraw to Jimmy Buffett, the duets are fantastic and proved to be the perfect soundtrack for long hours of unpacking monotony. Tuskegee by Lionel Richie
6. Reid's Grocery... since getting settled back in Charlotte, I've loved returning to old favorite places as well as discovering new ones that have come on the scene since I moved six years ago. This spot is kind of a combination of new and old, in that, a Reid's location has been downtown for many years, but this neighborhood location just opened a year or so ago. This locally owned specialty grocery is located just a mile from our house and has quickly become a favorite. They make great freshly prepared salads and sandwiches for lunch, have a large selection of pre-made meals and side dishes, are noted as being the best meat shop in town, and have a wide range of available wines. The two items, however, that have been leading me to take a tiny detour for a not-so-healthy breakfast after dropping the girls off at school are ice-cold cokes in aluminum bottles and the most amazing twelve (yes I said twelve)-layer carmel cake imaginable. Reid's Fine Foods
7. Home Decor Flash Sale Websites... I've been familiar with Flash Sale sites like Zulily and Gilt for awhile, but I didn't realize that comparable sites existed for home furnishings and decor. Making this discovery at the same time that we were getting settled in our new home, felt like one those moments when some divine force caused the (home furnishing) planets to perfectly align. Though I take a look at the new sales most every day, I've actually only purchased a few items: a lamp for Muphy's room, an orange accent chair for the living room, and a lamp for the kids' tv room. But I am by far the most proud of the cow hide rug I snagged for our living room. Though we'd never had a need for it, I'd had my eye on this Serena and Lily rug for over a year. I immediately thought of it when we moved to our new home, but the price tag was a bit high, especially since the room would require quite a large rug. I would say the cowhide rug I got from Joss and Main is my favorite new thing we've gotten for the new house. The fact that I got a freakish high at scrambling to put the last available rug in my cart and paying barely a third of the cost of the Serena and Lily version makes me love it even more!  Joss and Main and One King's Lane

So from chore helpers to tasty indulgences to musical entertainment, I've loved how all my new discoveries have made life even more enjoyable during the winding down of summer and the beginnings of fall.