April Favourites
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Hello there, and thanks again for stopping by! :)
I get asked a lot about my favourite activities and products that I use with the kids and around the house. I've also discovered so many amazing books, people and products that others have shared with me, so I wanted to pass on some of my Favourites (yes, I'm Canadian and spell it with a "ou"!) and maybe learn about new ones from you guys as well!
Kids Books
One of our all-time favourite family activities is reading together! I wish I could take the credit for this, but my hubby is amazing when it comes to constantly discovering & bringing home great books for the kids, and now they love to read. I never used to read books on my own, but after we got married he also convinced me to try again (he wouldn't watch the Harry Potter movies with me until I'd read the books first!) and now I"m hooked ;)
Ahmed (7 yrs old) has now grown out of "kiddie" books and has graduated to chapter books. Although he can now read on his own (and does so most nights before bed), he still loves being read to. A couple of series that have been a hit with him are "The Magic Tree House" and the "Ivy and Bean" books.
Ahmed and his dad have plowed through "The Magic Tree House" series (in the past year, they've read 51 of them!). These great books feature Jack and Annie, a brother-sister duo that time travel to important times and places in history. In addition to the great adventure stories, they're a great way to teach your kids about history and great historical figures. Jack is more cautious and likes to follow rules, while Annie is all about taking risks and adventure! Sounds like a brother-sister duo that I know.
The "Ivy and Bean" books are a little lighter and a sillier read. They're about two friends who are very different from one another, and initially reluctant to hang out, but quickly become fast friends. Although they don't travel through time, they get into wacky everyday adventures that the kids can relate to.
Oils
I'm sure I'm not the first person to tell you about the benefits of oils for your hair, skin and body. With my sensitive skin, I've tried many brands and I've found these to be 2 of the best:
Oils by Balance
My daughter's hair is long...like really long. She absolutely loves it and so do I, but taking care of it is a challenge (it gets tangled and the ends have been getting a little dry). I've started using the Oils by Balance hair oil and it's amazing! We do a hair treatment once a week (usually on Friday nights in our "salon"!). I rub the oil in, brush it through and put the hair in a braid for the night before washing it out the next day. It leaves her hair so soft, shiny and healthy-looking and it makes it so much easier to brush through afterwards. I love that this company's products are all organic, made in Canada using only the best quality ingredients. I've met the two amazing moms behind this great brand, and they are passionate about what they do, taking pride + care in their product. I love it in my hair too!
Skin Essence Organic
I'd been on the hunt for a light-weight oil-based moisturizer that was gentle enough for my face. I really like the Skin Essence Organic Nourish. It combines a variety of organic oils and extracts that help to hydrate my skin without any irritation. This is another amazing line of products that are made in Canada!
Podcast
I love listening to podcasts. It really started with Serial, like everyone else, but right now I'm enjoying podcast about learning more about our bodies, minds and how to "master life and business". The School of Greatness has been on my playlist this month. It's a podcast done by Lewis Howes. He interviews pretty amazing people and you get to learn about their successes and life lessons along the way. He interviews a variety of people and gives you great tips that you can incorporate into your life right away!
Swell water bottle
This is by far my favourite water bottle! Although there are cheaper bottles out there, I think it's totally worth it. I love the streamlined body (easy to carry and drink out of, not to mention super sexy) and it comes in some amazing prints! The best thing about the Swell bottle is how it's it's insulated so it really keeps your water cold, even on the hottest days. I carry it around with me all day and keeps every sip refreshingly cold!
RÅSKOG cart from Ikea
I think this was originally designed as a storage cart for the kitchen, but we love using it to organize the kids arts + crafts materials. We have an "Art" room and it was getting a little out of hand, until we got one of these! Now the kids know where to find everything (and, more importantly, where to put them back when they're done!) I love how it keeps the table clear of clutter.
It's a fun pop of colour in an otherwise all white room. The kids love having access to all the arts and crafts, they love going in there and making masterpieces for mom and dad;)
I would love to hear from you guys! What have you been loving this month? I'm always on the lookout for new and exciting things;)
Wishing you all a happy and sunny May!
Zehra