As the wife of a teacher, August is always a bittersweet month for me.
We’ve never regretted our decision to keep Dave home all summer (as opposed to working a summer job like many teachers in our area do), but every year it gets more difficult to send him back again.
And as the kids continue to grow at an ever-increasing speed, we’re so thankful for our simple summers at home together as a family.
Although the Fall in West Michigan is still my favorite season, the Summer is quickly becoming my favorite time of year. 🥰
We still have a few more weeks of Summer left to savor… and I have a few more Favorite Things to share with you today!
Browse all my Favorite Things and check out my Amazon Market for organized lists of my favorites by category.
Tommy Bahama Backpack Beach Chairs
Dave and I got a set of these Tommy Bahama Beach Chairs for Christmas YEARS ago.
At the time, we weren’t sure we’d use them all that much since we rarely go to the beach — but to our surprise, we use our “beach chairs” all the time! Sitting out by our pool, hanging out at the neighbors, watching the kids at tennis camp, lounging at backyard BBQs or picnics. They are so versatile.
These chairs are short enough that kids can easily sit in them, but still very comfortable for adults.
Plus, they fold up easily AND have backpack straps (which might not seem like a big deal, but having both hands free IS a big deal when I’m trying to corral 4 children and all our stuff.)
Our chairs have small pockets for a water bottle, phone, and keys, a small cooler compartment, and another zippered pocket that works well for a towel or book.
I know the summer is winding down, but I want to share these chairs because there’s a good chance you can find them on clearance at stores like Target, Costco, Home Depot, or Lowes — they are also available on Amazon.
Rechargeable Keyboard + Trackpad
After roughly 8 years of changing batteries in my wireless keyboard and trackpad, I FINALLY upgraded to the newer rechargeable “magic” keyboard and trackpad in April — oh my word, they are SO nice!
They came standard with my new computer… and while I knew I’d like the rechargeable feature better than batteries, I honestly didn’t realize how much of a game-changer it would be for me.
Now, when I get the annoying low-battery notification, I just plug in the cord that’s ready and waiting on the back on my computer. Done!
If you have the option to upgrade, I highly recommend going with rechargeable.
Our Boys’ Beds
It’s been exactly one year since we redecorated the boys’ farmhouse bedroom. At the time, I was leery of buying beds on Amazon, but Dave and I are both very impressed with how well our beds have held up over the past year.
Our boys aren’t necessarily super rowdy, but they can be rough with their things — leaving me with visions of these beds falling apart after only a few months.
I’m happy to report both beds are still standing strong!
We purchased these beds from Amazon (they came as a pair) and quickly assembled them both in about an hour.
One cool feature is that they can be used as bunk beds OR as free-standing twin beds (which is how we use them). And since they are quite high off the floor, they work wonderfully for LEGO storage (one of the reasons we decided on these specific beds.)
BONUS: See our kid-friendly LEGO storage system.
My New Owala Water Bottle
After years and years of insisting I did not want a stainless steel water bottle, my sister finally convinced me to try the Owala water bottle this summer.
Now, our whole family is hooked!
Dave and I have the 24 oz. bottles (I have white, Dave has black). And the older kids have the 19 oz. bottles (I can’t find a link for that size).
Aside from the fact that the Owala bottles really do keep our water ICE COLD for hours and hours, the biggest selling point for me was the ease of cleaning.
As you can see by the photo below, the spout is very easy to thoroughly clean EVEN with a straw feature.
In addition to the straw feature, there’s also a pour spout if you don’t want to sip (Dave especially appreciates this feature).
One down-side to this water bottle is that it’s not “spill-proof” but it IS leak proof.
I scored our water bottles for 50% off through my sister’s work, but knowing how much we like them now, I’d be willing to pay full price!
BONUS: If you need a little motivation to drink more water every day, this post is a must-read.
Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport
I am not a true minimalist — nor do I aspire to be one. However, Digital Minimalism was one of the most mindset-shifting books I’ve read in a LONG time.
Honestly, the book was a little long, a little wordy, and used too many examples for my preference (I like short chapters and getting straight to the point), but I’m glad I read the entire book because it gave me so much to think about as I live, work, and raise my children in a society saturated with social media.
As a 2003 graduate, I was one of the last classes to make it through high school without any social media… something I’m very thankful for. But as an online “influencer” I’ve become more and more entwined in the social media web.
I don’t dislike social media — after all, it’s a huge asset for my business and a fantastic way to connect with friends and family across the country.
However, social media also has the tendency to “suck me in” if I’m not intentional about the time I spend online.
I’ve been MUCH more intentional over the past 2 months… and while I don’t quite know what this means for my business moving forward, I’m committed to taking as much time as I need to figure it out.
I’ll probably make a few missteps along the way, but my goal is “progress”!
Honestly, I’m more fired up about simple living than ever before.
The passion is deep inside me and I have so much I want to share. I just need to figure out the best way to do so while honoring my own commitment to cultivating a simpler, more intentional, more fulfilling life at home with my family.
Do you also feel the urge to slow down and simplify?
Join me on the journey towards a simpler, more organized, more fulfilling home and life for you and your family.
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I don’t have all the answers, but I’m always learning… and sharing what I learn in practical, realistic, non-overwhelming ways.
I believe pursuing a simpler, more intentional life is one of the greatest gifts we can give ourselves and our loved ones… I’m committed to walking this journey with you!
Laura says
Hi Andrea, I have followed you for a very , very long time! You have always been such an inspiration to me! I read all of your archived posts years ago, before Nora was born, and loved them all!!! My only request is that you would do more videos on your You Tube channel. I think I saw some recently. I would absolutely love to see a DITL at your beautiful home! Thanks for sharing all of your organizational tips,it means so much!!!
Andrea says
Thanks so much Laura!
I’d love to do more video too, but it is EXTREMELY time-consuming to make even one 5-10 minute video, (seriously, hours upon hours upon hours of work).
It’s something I’m trying to learn how to do more efficiently, but so far, every video I’ve made has taken me so long that I just can’t justify it considering how must faster I can create a written blog post.
It’s on my list of “things to do eventually” though š
Marva says
Dealing with the digital overwhelm in our lives is a topic that perfectly aligns with your mission of intentional and simplified living. I enjoy learning from (and with!) you. And … I donāt mind one bit clicking on a link to read your posts on your website! Thanks for all you do!
Andrea says
Thank you Marva! I appreciate your perspective and am thrilled to have you “learning with me”!
Jen O says
Does the 24 oz bottle fit in a car cup holder? Do you know if the 32 oz one would (not sure if maybe your sister has the larger size and youād know)?
Andrea says
Hi Jen, The 24 oz DOES fit in all our car cupholders, but my sister says the 32 oz. bottles most likely wouldn’t fit a standard car cup holder. She says it’s huge!
JJ says
Your priority to spend your time carefully is admirable. I have cut back on my work hours simply because I need more sleep and sanity. I now have time to get everything done before my husband leaves for work(I have the kids full-time solo when he leaves), which is huge! I do best focusing on one thing at a time. My goal is to be fully present at whatever I’m doing or whomever I’m with. We just had friends visiting. I applied many principles and tips you’ve shared, and it was such a great time. One morning I cooked up all the meat(chicken and beef) and seasoned it. We were able to swim(your tips have seriously helped with us having an amazing pool experience!!!) and throw together tacos for 9 kids and 4 adults in little time. Another morning I made our dessert and some muffins for snacking before we headed out on some trails. Simple living enables me to love others well without feeling like I’m losing on both ends. You’ve helped my scattered brain sort things out, haha! That’s saying something!!! Your blog is one of my favorite things!!!
Andrea says
I love reading your success stories! Youāve made so much progress in your journey to live a simpler more fulfilling life.
You are setting such a great example for your friends and family!
JJ says
You are such an encouragement!!!
Shelly Lewis says
Thank you for posting a “Favorite Things” post. They are some of my favorite posts. I’m one of those who have been with you almost from the very beginning. I will say that I do not love all the changes to your blog lately, but I am in full support of whatever decisions you feel are best for you and your family. Thank you for not quitting entirely. I still prefer your blog to others and I will stick with you. I love the simplicity of your posts and I can read them in short pockets of time. I miss the social media posts but I am also interested in a more intentional approach to online content. Thanks for the book recommendations. I do not see how you manage with four children and keeping up your lovely home. I wish I had your blog with I was a young newlywed.
Andrea says
Youāre welcome! They are fun posts to write!
I really appreciate your longtime readership, your commitment, your honesty, and your encouragement.
Truthfully, I donāt like some of the changes either… which is part of the reason Iām taking time off this summer. Iām hoping to zero in on what I love about blogging as well as the things I donāt love as much.
Itās been a longer process than I anticipated, but Iām confident Iāll get there eventually!
Leslie Polokonis says
Andrea,
I don’t necessarily like all the changes either. My preference was when you blogged 5 days a week, but I understand why you changed that.
Can you tell my why I have to “accept cookies” every time I visit your blog, even if I have previously done so on that device? Am I missing something?
Thanks,
Leslie
Andrea says
Hi Leslie, the cookies thing as another legality I technically have to do… annoying!
However, you shouldnāt have to accept it every time, unless maybe you have a different privacy setting on your internet browser. But Iām honestly not sure. Sorry!
Leslie Polokonis says
Andrea,
I’ll look at a bit more closely. Thank you.
Leslie
Pascale says
Hi Andrea,
Iām so glad you decided to post Your Favorite Things today on my birthday. What a lovely surprise! I always love hearing about your favorite items and learning new things from you. Iām eagerly waiting to read about your insights on simple living. Iām a minimalist and I always strive to live more intentionally.
Have a wonderful evening!
Andrea says
Yay… happy birthday!
Hope you had a fulfilling day!
Pascale says
Thank you, Andrea. My birthday was filled with many beautiful and heartwarming surprises. I really savored each one of them.
Rebecca M Tabb says
Cal Newportās book is on my TBR list. Have you read āTake Your Life Backā by John Eldredge? Just finished it and heās got some good food for thought.
There are several really interesting interviews with Cal Newport on YouTube that are worth the time to watch. I love this topic. Iām working hard on analyzing my Screen Time data particularly my number of āpickupsā each day. Working on intentionally using my phone for a clear purpose rather than just checking to see if anythingās happened since the last time I checked 5 minutes ago. Very freeing
Andrea says
Yes! āIntentionalityā is really the name of the game here!
Kristen says
I thought those beds looked familiar and then I realized we have the same one (but white) for my son haha. We use it as a bunk bed and he only sleeps on the bottom but weāve been very happy with it too!
Andrea says
Glad to hear youāve been happy with the beds too.
We also have the white beds, but that color isnāt available on amazon right now.
Michelle says
Just curious why the content is not included in the emails that you send out. Having to click and open another tab is annoying for readers (and not as efficient as we all want to be) so I think there must be a valid reason why you have things set up this way. Just not sure why the information cannot be included in the email itself.
Jenny says
Yes, I really miss āthe old wayā and the frequent, quick, varied, and fun posts, and the ease of reading them, but we are all learning and adjusting, and Iām SURE youāre very busy!
Michelle says
Jenny–Please clarify–I am not understanding the rationale prompting the change or the correction between my question and your comment: “I’m SURE you’re very busy!”
Andrea says
I believe she was talking to me when she mentioned being busy.
Ironically, thanks to many small changes Iāve made over the past 2 years, Iām significantly less busy than Iāve been in a LONG time!
Andrea says
Hey Jenny,
Iāll copy my response to Michelle since you both have the same question.
āāāāāā
There are many reasons for the changes I made back in Januaryā¦
The main reason is that itās now illegal for me to include Amazon affiliate links within emails.
Also, if readers donāt click through to my site to read the post, I donāt earn any ad revenue.
āāāā-
Hopefully that makes sense.
I agree itās not the most ideal situation but itās really the only option that allows me to provide free content.
Andrea says
There are many reasons for the changes I made back in January…
The main reason is that itās now illegal for me to include Amazon affiliate links within emails.
Also, if readers donāt click through to my site to read the post, I donāt earn any ad revenue.
I guess I figure 10 years worth of free content is worth an email click through š
shannon says
We recently decided to try a digital break on Sundays – no email, social media, podcasts, or news /TV scrolling (we still respond to texts and calls, listen to music, and choose a TV show or movie intentionally). It felt really good, and we discovered we spent more time talking with one another, going outside, getting things done around the house, and reading. Thanks for the book recommendation – just put the ebook on hold at the library! I’m excited to dig into the topic more and try to use media and technology more intentionally instead of it being the default mode.
Andrea says
Yes, we do this often on sundays too. Hope you enjoy the book!
shannon says
The September favorite things post reminded me to follow up on digital minimalism! I absolutely loved the book and now plan to read the tech wise family which covers similar topics. I’ve cut way down on mindless scrolling/social media and stopped reading several blogs (not yours of course!), and next need to tackle my email checking habits. We continue to be able to walk and read more, get more done around the house, and spend more quality time with one another and in spiritual disciplines. Thank you again for the recommendation, it has made for quite a few positive changes in our lives.
Andrea says
yay — I’m so glad you enjoyed that book (I did too!) I have The Tech Wise Family on hold at the library right now too š