Paula’s Picks for March Favorites

Well, if this hasn’t been the weirdest months in the history of the world. Am I right?!?! COVID-19, quarantine, shelter in place, and toilet paper shortages. But, in the midst of it all, for this month’s March Favorites, I’ve found some new favorites to cherish and some old favorites have proven themselves all over again.

CoVID-19 isn’t a Favorite, but Could Quarantine Be Totally Awesome?

Now, before you think I’ve gone loco, hear me out. Do you remember the episode of  How I Met Your Mother where  Brittany Spears plays a woman totally obsessed with Ted and starts dating Barney to hopefully make Ted jealous? In it, she tries to make people believe she thinks Ted is lame but ends up saying, “Yeah, Ted is totally lame… and awesome.”  

I believe there are and will be silver-linings to our current health crisis and quarantine that we’ll see for months and possibly years to come. So while a virus outbreak is totally lame, we’ve been given the opportunity to spend uninterrupted time with the most important people in our lives. This could have profound positive effects on our relationships with spouses, children, grandchildren, and yes, all of humanity could be totally awesome. See? Totally lame and awesome! 

Read more about what a gift this crisis could be to our families.

The REAL March Favorites

Legos and Littles

If your children are little, hear me now, NEVER get rid of their Legos! My sons are 32 and 33 and this week their Legos were pulled back out and found renewed life and purpose.

I kept three of my grandsons while their parents had to go to work and it was safer for them to be with me than go to daycare. Look at the determination on their faces. I even heard one of them say, “This is the best day ever.” (See, totally awesome!) And not only were they entertained for hours but they reminded me how my sons would play with Legos for days on end. If you can find them, a new, small age-appropriate Lego “Kit” would give your kids something to occupy them for a bit while they are out of school, especially on days they can’t get outside and play. 

Desolve-It

If you follow me on Instagram (and please do), you might have seen my Stories where I shared my fear of wearing new clothes. I’m weird, I know. But my fear was validated when I got makeup on a new white shirt I had been holding back on wearing for fear of this very thing. But it gave me the opportunity to share my world-class stain removal technique and it starts with Desolve-It. You can find it on Amazon and in your local hardware store. 

Small Town Hardware Stores

Speaking of hardware stores… During this crisis that threatens to damage our economy, especially for small businesses, our local hardware store was one of the first in our town to offer curbside pickup. Varns & Hoover Hardware is family-owned and has been in business for 133 years. They have those old creaky wooden floors and know most of their customers by name. I can count on a “Can I help you find anything, Paula?” when I walk through the door. And, yes, they carry my beloved Desolve-It and more. Shop small and keep your local businesses going. Thanks, Nathan and crew.

Nature Walk with Mr. Dimples

The Mister and I unplugged on Sunday. I just felt like I had to do it. So we took the opportunity to do something we’ve been saying we wanted to do and we went a few miles down the road to a local county park and walk some of the wooded trails. It was so refreshing. Quarantined or not, we’ll be heading back again soon. Or at least until the snakes come out of hybernations because then I’m not stepping into the woods. 😉

Cozy Loungewear and bright colors

I’m all about cozy every single day, but now more than ever. Here are some that have risen to the top of my March favorites:

A Bright T-Shirt

As much as I love a white shirt, wearing a bright color might make you feel happier and more joyful. Look at these:

Lou & Grey Sweats

I didn’t coin the term #loungeleisure, but it certainly describes my style. Let’s face it, the sweats I want to wear right now are not #athleisure at all because there’s no chance of me busting out in “ath” in them. 😉 These Lou & Grey super soft lounge joggers are perfectly cozy. They are also available at Loft although they are cut slightly different. I wear an XL in both. 

Soma Duster

This soft duster is a great alternative to a robe. Not only is it cozy, but it would also look equally as good with jeans and a tee as it does over lounge pants or PJs. And you and wear it in public.  

A Little More Athleisure

The Venice Jogger

If you’re looking for a little more “Ath” in your leisure, THESE! I mean they are just so good. They are probably my most flattering jogger and they hold their shape so well. They are pricey but will last for years. I’m trying to figure out how to justify the gray ones. I’m wearing an XL.

Cropped Nirvana Funnel Neck 

I’m not typically a turtle-neck person, but oh my word, LOVE this one because it’s cozy and hits at the hip which is actually the most flattering length for all figures. It’s only available in black right now, but I’m hoping it comes back next winter in more colors. Put it on your radar. I’m wearing an XL. 

Instant Pot

My Instant Pot has been used repeatedly during our quarantine. It’s not that I don’t have the time to cook, but even if you don’t have kids at home, we’re all cooking lots more meals right now. 

Instant Pot Vegetable Soup

If you don’t know where to start with an electric pressure cooker my Instant Pot Vegetable Soup is as simple as it gets. I made a big pot of it yesterday. 

Instant Loss Cookbooks and Brittany Williams

I love these Instant Loss Cookbooks by Brittany Williams. She’s a young woman who lost 125 pounds simply eating clean food that she made herself and primarily in the Instant Pot. Also, Brittany’s approachable personality and her philosophy for losing weight are so good, Friends. If you haven’t heard of her, check her out.

Netflix Binge

We’re honestly running short on binge-worthy Netflix shows. We tried to watch You, but that proved too dark and tedious. We just watched the movie Mansfield Park which is an adaptation of a Jane Austen novel and much like one of my all-time favorites, Sense and Sensibility.

However, I have a ton of British Crime dramas I could recommend if you’re looking for shows to binge. These have been some of our favorites and are currently on Netflix as of the date of this posting:

• Broadchurch
• Hinterland
• Paranoid
• Unbelievable (This one isn’t British and due to the subject matter it is hard to watch but based on a true story and magnificently acted.)

Song – What Mercy Did for Me

And lastly, now more than ever we need to stay positive and stay connected to God. I bet you thought I was going to say, “connected to each other”. 😉 But keeping our souls satisfied and relying on God for our strength will lead to being JOYFUL and CONTENT in all situations. 

For me, music is a big part of that connection. If you haven’t read my post, Living in the Overflow, hop over and have a read or at least listen to the song I linked that has inspired me to dive deeper into my relationship with God. 

But for today, find inspiration in another People & Song lyric, What Mercy Did for Me. Friends,  God’s mercy and grace will carry us through. And that’s not just my March favorite it’s my favorite for all eternity!

Be blessed my Friends and stay well!

Hugs,

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