Introducing: Five Fun Faves
What’s the perfect way to procrastinate research and plotting for your second book, guys? I know, I know! Roll out a new kinda blog post! Ha! Introducing Five Fun Faves, where at least monthly, I’ll share five favorite things I’ve been loving recently, just for absolute fun!
It’s true what they say about writers, my friends. When we actually have a *gulp* deadline, whether self-imposed or external, we will organize our whole spice cupboard, oil our floors, and finally reply to the 17 emails we’ve had flagged for three months before addressing the real task at hand. Enter: This post. LOL. (Watch out also for super clean closets and heartfelt attempts at some poetry!)
Really, though, I’ve been thinking for a while about getting more organized with my reviews and recommendations. If you follow me on IG, you already know I love to share everything from life hacks and easy recipes to fun fashion finds and new home updates. And yet, it ends up driving me nuts that I can’t include swipe-up links. This therefore seems like an awesome way to start gathering some fabulous goodies (linked!) all in one place. And we’re not just talking: “This was pretty cool! I enjoyed it!” These FFF posts will be reserved for my raves. For the big or little things that have genuinely enhanced my life, made me smile repeatedly, and that I think will make you smile, too, if you give them a whirl!
Also know that my posts and recommendations are never sponsored. Just things I bought and loved, always!
So here we go, precious pals! Five things I have been swooning over… and that I’ve probably raved about to you in person if given the chance. Sorry for the redundancy! I tend to get really excited! ;)
1. Swear on This Life
That’s right, folks. I’m kicking off my first-ever Five Fun Faves with a BOOK! Go ahead and handle your shock! My Summer Reading Round-Up 2021 made me realize that I really do miss the days of my book review blog posts. There was something special about a pretty place housing those online, outside of Instagram. So I will definitely be sprinkling some book reviews here! You guys: I loved this book SO MUCH! Swear on my life! Now, it is not a piece of high-brow literary fiction. I think it might technically be YA, and if it’s not, it certainly felt like it—but in the best way! When I had the supreme honor of visiting the Coto de Caza Book Club as their author in July, they told me Renée Carlino was one of their favorite authors and that I had to read her immediately. When I ran—didn’t walk—to purchase a few of her titles, I realized I already had this one on my Kindle! I devoured it in a couple of days. Young love? Check. Plot about writers? Check. Colleen Hoover vibes with a dash of The Notebook and the most lovable characters? Check, check, check! This five-star book was just the sweetest and swooniest summer treat. I loved it. I read a handful of books last month and this was my favorite one! (Rated a little PG-13.)
2. Life-Changing Leggings
Like every mom, I live on the hunt for cute, flattering, and affordable workout gear, whether or not said gear will ever see the walls of my gym. Are you ready for the type of leggings that are not only a dead dupe for Lululemons, but that you could easily wear with, like, anything?! Seriously! These puppies are gold—just perfect! I saw them on Instagram a few weeks ago and compulsively swiped Buy on Amazon. Who knew that this impulse purchase would change my life as I knew it. I’ve been living in them ever since. They come in a ton of colors and fit true to size. At the killer price of $26.99, I can’t recommend them enough!
3. Mother Jeans
Since I just gave you a killer deal, now I’m going to give you a splurge. These jeans are p-r-i-c-ey and definitely fall into the “investment” category of fashion for me, but ladies, let me tell you. They’re worth it! I think we as millennial mamas can all agree that we feel personally victimized by the Jeans Crisis of 2021. Are skinnies all done? Can we pull off the baggies? Do we really have to wear crop tops?! It’s just so hard to find good jeans these days! A few of my besties with impeccable taste, however, have been telling me about Mother jeans for years. That this brand is all they now wear. That they are pure magic and butter. I didn’t believe them… until I slipped them onto my body in the Nordstrom dressing room and oh, myyyy, you guys, this is it! This is denim Nirvana! I got the Tomcat pair in my usual size and they’re perfect. I’d size up if ever you’re on the fence. These gems are the perfect straight-legged, high-waisted (but not too high; sometimes I just can’t), nicely structured, super-flattering fit that makes both your booty and tummy look awesome! I’ll try to do a little try-on in my IG Stories! Thanks to my friends for wearing me down about this wonderful brand who sure knows how to make a mother feel like a million bucks!
4. Nike Tennies in White + Leopard
I know the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale content can be a bit much on online, so I haven’t blasted my purchases. But these—hello—I just have to shout about these white leopard fantasy tennies! How adorable can a pair of shoes be?! Naturally, I just had to have them! The price is currently $75 but goes up to $100 on Monday, August 9. Even that is not horrible, but there’s still time to snag the sale price! I can’t wait to wear them with both the jeans and leggings above! You will be seeing them on me often!
5. Make-Up Set for Little Girls
Raise your hand if you have the persistent problem of your little princesses getting into and destroying your make-up! Me, me! In fact, the issue got so bad in our house that I decided to give Emmy, our oldest, the chance to earn this darling caboodle filled with make-up of her very own. I did some diligent research on Amazon before coming up with this winner! It might seem a little pricey for kids, at nearly $30, but I can tell you it is positively superb IRL, and all three girls (8, 6, and 3) are obsessed! The small case comes ready-to-go and filled to the brim with quality, kid-friendly, washable make-up. Not only do my girls no longer sabotage my cosmetics, but they’re gaining some new skills, for real! Slowly but surely, I look less like a clown in drag after their cute little hands are done with my extreme mommy makeovers. This would also be a spectacular birthday or Christmas gift for a girl ages, say, three to nine!
Well, I suppose this officially concludes my first-ever Five Fun Faves! Did you like it? Was it fun?!
I hope you enjoyed it, friends!!!
Based in Orange County, California, Stephanie Mack is a longtime writer, wife to one, and mom of three little girls. She has been blogging at MOMentary Insanity® since 2014. Her work has also been featured on Scary Mommy, Faithit, Coffee + Crumbs, and more. She holds a Master of Professional Writing degree from USC. When We Blinked is her debut novel.
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In 2024, one specific piece of writing advice has persisted in reaching my ears. Through the Booked Solid podcast, landing my dream agent, and my ever-trustworthy author friends, the message echoes: Get out of the slush pile.