Favorite Things 2024: my friend Lonnie!

So excited when my friend Melissa asked me to share some of my favorite things with you. I always look forward to her posts every week for sale items, new gadgets, recipes, etc.

I work with many Influencers in my business so I get to try out some fun products, and since I am married to an airline pilot (& my kids are all adults), WE FLY A LOT! So some of the items on my list are for those who like to travel, but mostly I picked things that make my life easier, comfortable, or enrich and broaden my thinking.

So here goes......

Food-

Zao's Asian Cafe - we love to eat here for many reasons: fresh food, fast food, great price point, and the restaurant is usually not crowded. We discovered Zao's in Sandy, Ut. many years ago and was so happy when one opened up near our home town. TIP: add a little yellow curry to the salad or bowl, along with the regular dressing or sauce, it adds so much flavor to your dish!

Utah Mint Milk ChocolateTruffles - I always have a bag in the pantry. I find these at Costco most of the time.

Kinders BBQ Sauce - Hickory Brown Sugar (love love love) we converted this year and won't go back. My hubby puts this on everything from potatoes, meats, eggs, etc.

I bought Mark (hubby) a smoker Camp Chef Pellet Grill this year for Father's Day and he cooks something in it every week, and he takes the cooking off my to-do list now (double bonus). He experiments with all different flavored pellets, meats, and sauces. We will do a Brisket this year for Thanksgiving.

Electric Salt-n-Pepper grinders have been a life saver for my hands that have developed some arthritis. They also light up when you tip them upside down.

And of course..... my NINJA CREAMI! I think I've put 5 lbs on this year trying so many fun recipes and have at least 4 pints in the freezer at all times. Our favorite flavors are: pistachio, cookies n cream, vanilla, egg nog, and whatever else we can try. Sometimes we make it up as we go.

Here is a hot tea I make for sore throats and sometimes I will collect all the items and put them in a bag and give to someone who is sick.

*Lime/Peach/Mint Tea Recipe*

1 cup water / 1 cup Limeade

1 tea bag of peach tea / 1 tea bag of mint tea

Heat in microwave for 2 min., add honey to taste! (You'll thank me later!)

Household Items -

This is a splurge but I love it!!! One of the Influencer's I work with suggested this and gave me a 30% off .... Tineco Floor S5 smart cordless wet dry vacuum cleaner and mop in one. It makes my life easier when I can vacuum & mop my hardwood and tile floors at once.

Fanttik Brushless Handheld Duster & Vacuum (I have several throughout the house). Also the Fanttik Cordless Screwdriver, and Fanttik Portable Tire Inflator Air Pump. I bought all these at Costco - we keep these in our cars and garage.

Nori Press Handheld Steam Iron - I keep this charged in my closet for quick ironing. It has made my clothes look "fresh" and I don't have to pull out the ironing board.

All my kids have retainers and my hubby has a night mouthguard, so..... yeah.... icky. I bought this ultrasonic cleaner for them and it is awesome.

We love our morning hydration and I got the Simple Modern thermos and tumblers and then I had our amazing neighbor (Doug) engrave our names on them. Cool gift and personalization!

Outside yard and recreation -

We put a pool in this past year and added a Bullfrog Spa . The pool is for summer use but the Bullfrog we use all year! I also wanted patio furniture that was long lasting, would not rust, would not blow away, was stain and weather resistant, and would not require maintenance. So we bought the POLYWOOD outdoor furniture. We put together 6 poolside chaises, three tables, two chairs, a loveseat and couch, along with 6 adirondack chairs for the firepit. HUGE INVESTMENT - but will last forever!

Travel -

Bose Noise Cancelling Quiet Comfort Headsets. I can't live without mine and are a travel must have! My college aged kids each have a set for their online college classes, we use them while on the plane or in a car, listen to audio books, and I will pop mine on watching a movie while my husband is sleeping off jet-lag. Bose has the best warranty, and it is an investment, but we've had ours for years.

Two other travel essentials for me are the: Ultra Soft Earplugs and the Lewis & Clark sleep eye masks

Listen or Watch-

I came across this podcast this last year and love it!!! Since it was an election year and I don't really trust the media, UNBIASED by Jordan is my Lawyer, is refreshing and unifying. She educates you on current affairs, the law, and challenges you to look at the issue from a different point of view. Her podcasts are mon-thurs and 20 minutes long. She can be found on Apple, Spotify, and Buzzsprout.

VidAngel is a streaming app we also use in our home. We are all adults here, but we still don't always want the language, sex, or violence. VidAngel is one of the companies I work with and I believe in their mission. They have thousands of movies and tv series to choose from. Since I work with them they gave me a 50% off for 6 months link here!

Clothes, shoes, facial, etc.