I LOVE These Things: My New Favorite Top, Keeping Snacks Under Control and Baby Xanax

Could this week have given us any more excitement?

First, my beloved Huskers won their game against the Gophers last Saturday.

Then, our Royals kept fighting against a tough (and freakin’ rude) Toronto team.

And then Thursday was Back To The Future Day and I was able to watch the Back To The Future Movies with my kiddos (courtesy of Amazon Prime Video).

Add in that ALL of our fall sports activities were DONE, the kids have an extra two-day break, AND the weather is gorgeous and this week is one for the record books.

But enough about all of that….here are three things I’m loving this week.

1. Merona Structured Top – White & Black Stripes

I had been on the hunt for a blue and white striped “shirt” to wear under my camel colored “faux” leather jacket.

I had looked online, in stores, everywhere and I just couldn’t find one that was a) heavy enough material and b) long enough to “half-tuck” into my jeans.

But then the fashion GODS heard about my plight and placed this amazing Merona Structured Top front and center when I was in Target the other day getting {insert whatever, because that is where we get whatever we need}.

I can’t rave about this shirt enough. First, even at full price (which is what I paid) this shirt is easily worth double. It has a great cut and fit, made of great material, and is long enough that I can either wear it tucked in with jeans or leave it untucked and wear with leggings and a sweater or vest.

And even better, it is on sale through Saturday. (It’s part of the buy one, get one 50% off.)

And here is a picture I took with it on and posted to Instagram (I’d love if you would follow me too.)

2. The Pioneer Woman Flea Market 4-Piece Ceramic Decorated Measuring Bowls.

I like snacks.

A lot.

And as general rule, I break rules.

For example, on how many snacks I should eat.

(A handful you say? I’ll show you a handful!! I’m pretty sure I can dump the entire bag into my hand, I’m that talented.)

So, I picked up these Pioneer Woman Flea Market 4-Piece Ceramic Decorated Measuring Bowls at Walmart the other day to keep my snacking under control.

(For the record, the entire collection is adorable. So, so pretty.)

I love these little bowls because they are pre-measured for you. Only suppose to eat a 1/4 cup of cashews…use the polka dot bowl. A cup of grapes, use the orange flower bowl.

And while I “get” I could use plain-o-jane-o measuring cups, these are so much prettier. And snacks feel better when you get to eat them from a pretty bowl. At least in my world anyway.

And on a completely different note, Ree’s new book The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Dinnertime: Comfort Classics, Freezer Food, 16-Minute Meals, and Other Delicious Ways to Solve Supper! is available for $18. I own all of her other cookbooks and the recipes don’t disappoint. Full of family favorites.

3. Mood Plus (or as I refer to it, Baby Xanax).

I’m not perfect.

In fact, if you spend any amount of time with me, you will quickly see that I don’t sugar coat or hide my emotions. What you see is usually what you get.

(Luckily, I’m a pretty happy person, so this is a good quality. Imagine if I was a raving bitch all the time…I’d be alone in a house with 15 cats as company.)

But I digress…

So while I’m happy most of the time, there are few days out of the month in which I turn into aforementioned “raving bitch”. During these times things that usually don’t bother me, become so irritating that I dream of murdering the person who is doing it. (Okay, maybe not murdering…but there is some torture involved.) Where I have to remind myself CONSTANTLY to not blow up, to be loving, to be a Proverbs 31 Woman, that hiding in my closet is okay, and normal people pour a glass of wine at 3:00.

Again, I digress…I swear I’m getting to the point.

Two weeks ago my sister-in-law was here for a visit and she showed me “Mood Plus” from Vitacost (it’s made with St. John’s Wort and tryptophan) and described it as “baby Xanax”. In her words, “It takes those days where everything seems like an 11 and dials it back to a 6.”

Needless to say, I bought a bottle the very next week.

And friends, it is totally “baby Xanax”. It just takes the edge off things so mama isn’t a “raving bitch”. And even better, it is natural. And it is $10 for 60 tablets.

And in case you missed it, here are the new posts from this week.

Quick and Easy Pumpkin Bread Waffle Recipe