I feel like the weeks of Fall continue to flip by faster and faster — I honestly can’t believe November is here already.
Just 7 “short” years ago, I was anxiously anticipating the arrival of our first baby… little did I know she’d make me wait 2 extra weeks! Now we are anxiously looking forward to Nora’s 7th birthday (on Thanksgiving day!) We’ll celebrate one of our favorite girls on my most favorite holiday of the year — I can’t wait!
Today I’m sharing a few more of my favorite things!
DISCLOSURE: None of these products are sponsored; however, some of the links below are affiliate links — which means that at no cost to you, I may get a small commission. Please know that I use these products daily in my own home and life. Read my full disclosure policy for more information.
Also, check out my Amazon Market for all my favorite things.
Disposable Food Gift Containers
Food gifts are my most favorite types of gifts to give (and receive) and I really like to make them look nice when I give them!
I ALWAYS give food in disposable containers so the recipient doesn’t have to worry about returning anything to me — sometimes this means they get food in recycled yogurt tubs or Cool Whip containers, but more often than not, I purchase special containers and bags to give my food gifts in.
I’m continually growing my collection of food gift containers, but right now, these are some of my most favorite and most-used items.
- Clear Cellophane Cone Bags with twist ties
- Bakery Boxes — I have a few different sizes but I always get the kind with a window on the top
- Decorative zip-top bags — when I’m giving a small treat, like a few cookies or bars, these fun bags make the treats look so much fancier
- Individual cupcake box — perfect for gifting single cupcakes or cinnamon rolls
- Red and white cotton kitchen twine (perfect for tying up the bags or boxes)
I get all these items at our local craft store with 50% off coupons — so I really don’t spend that much to put this extra-special touch on my homemade food gifts. I LOVE how special my treats look when I give them away!
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Big and Easy Coloring Books
I mentioned these coloring books in a post last week and several of you asked about them.
There is a specific brand of coloring books called Big and Easy — and (as the name suggests) all the pictures are very big and very easy for little kids to color. Honestly, they are my all-time favorite coloring books and the kids love them too.
Even Nora still enjoys coloring in these books because it’s so easy to stay in the lines and the pictures always look bright and colorful when she’s finished.
My only “complaint” is that they only make 3 different books, so we’ve purchased all 3 multiple times over the last 7 years!
They are not the cheapest coloring books available, but they really are nice for younger kids. Maybe a good stocking stuffer for someone on your list this year!
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LED Headlamp
This item is one of Dave’s favorite things, but I know many of you might have a use for it, so I’m including it in my list this month.
We gave Dave an LED Super Bright Headlamp for Father’s Day this summer. He had been asking for one for a while and was super happy with our gift choice (along with peanut butter M&Ms and more Chapstick!)
He currently goes running at 4:15am every other morning — and even though he’s on sidewalks, I’m happy he wears this bright flashing light as an added safety measure.
This headlamp has lots of really cool features and could be useful for so many things besides running (we’ve already used it for yard work late at night!).
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Pumpkin EVERYTHING!
I LOVE PUMPKIN!
I always have (at least as long as I can remember) and I hopefully always will!
I love pumpkin breads and muffins, pumpkin pancakes and waffles, pumpkin soups and chilis, pumpkin pasta (yes, it’s good!), and of course, all those delicious pumpkin desserts!
Here are several of my most favorite pumpkin recipes:
- Pumpkin Pie Delight Dessert :: It’s just as delicious as your favorite pumpkin pie, but feeds twice as many people! This is probably my all-time favorite pumpkin recipe.
- Apple Butter Pumpkin Pie :: A nice little twist from the same old pumpkin pie.
- Cream Cheese Pumpkin Pie :: In case you’re looking for one more pumpkin recipe.
- Cream Cheese Filled Pumpkin Bread :: Made with applesauce instead of oil!
- Pumpkin White Bean Chili: Sounds like an odd food combo, but it’s really yummy.
- Pumpkin Waffles: we all really like these in the fall.
I limit myself to enjoying these delicious pumpkin treats ONLY for the months of October, November, and maybe a few leftovers in December. Then I stop making anything with pumpkin until the next year.
It’s sort of a special treat to help me enjoy the fall season and my favorite fall holidays even more. I know this might sound silly, but it’s probably one of the huge reasons I love fall so much.
Maybe I’m weird?? I don’t know — do you limit yourself to eating certain foods only at certain times of the year?
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Our Daily Bread Children’s Devotional
A few years ago, I shared the Jesus Storybook Bible as one of my favorite things. It’s still a favorite of ours; however, we’ve read and re-read all those stories many times already. In my search for a new family devotional, I checked out Our Daily Bread Children’s Devotional from the library a few months ago.
Dave and I both instantly knew we needed to buy it for our family. We do NOT buy that many books (we use the library extensively every single week) so for us to actually buy a book is a pretty big deal!
These devotionals are super short (a must for our busy-body children) and very interesting. Each day’s lesson is tied to a Bible passage and has an “fun fact” at the end — Dave and I have actually learned a lot from these fun facts!
The kids love reading these and will remind Dave and I if we forget 🙂
This book has 365 different devotionals, so we’ll see what we do after the full year is up — maybe we’ll go back and re-read through them all again!
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That’s all for me this month.
Check out my previous months’ favorite things — and feel free to share some of YOUR favorite things in the comments below!
Renea Burg says
These series of posts are on of my favorites!
Renea
Des Moines, IA
Andrea says
Thanks so much Renea! I like writing them too 🙂
Laura D. says
Hi Andrea! The ads were definitely NOT one of my favorite things, so I am thankful they are gone now. I am also thankful for you and your helpful, well-done blog that I have been following since Nora was a wee one.
A food that I eat only during the fall is a taffy apple (or 2 or 3). I have fond memories of selling them in high school for 25 cents each as a fundraiser to go on a two-month study trip to Mexico the summer after my junior year. I won’t tell you how many years ago that was!
Andrea says
oh I love a good caramel apple!! Yum!!
JJ says
Such great ideas!!! Love the individual food gift/wrap!!! I have used SO many of your favorites things/ideas!!! One of my favorite things is your blog!!!
One thing I have been loving is the Chip and Joanna kitchen towels from Target. I wash and dry my hands A LOT, and they absorb the water so well. I also was gifted a rice pack years ago(have washed it with no issues), and that is used all the time. We keep it in the freezer and can microwave it when needed as a heating pad. With many Littles, I need more! Haha!
Andrea says
Thanks so much! I’m actually in the market for new kitchen towels — I’ll have to look these up!
Jules says
Big & Easy coloring books are the best! I actually came across some at our local Dollar Tree not long ago which was a nice surprise because as you said, they’re not usually the cheapest option. Crossing my fingers you see copies at your Dollar store too 🙂
Andrea says
oh wow — I’d buy 10 books if I found them at the dollar store! We look every time we go, but no such luck!
Jen says
Yay! No ads! I understand the “need” for them, but I don’t miss them!
My boys used to read in beds with headlamps! One of the best gifts we ever gave them!
I, too, like to make my baked gifts looks pretty. And these containers are often easy to find on clearance after the holidays, etc.
Happy November!
Andrea says
I know — even I was getting frustrated with the ads. I have the settings SO LOW, but then more and more ads creep in throughout the month and I have to readjust the settings again. Boo!
Dave and I were just talking about the fact that we should get our kids headlamps for in bed. They have flashlights right now, but the hands-free option would be nice. Maybe for Christmas!
Cathy says
I’ve seen pumpkin ravioli in the stores- I’m always curious, but haven’t tried it yet.
fern says
Rah! I, too, read your post ad-free today, the first time since you went with Mediavine. Don’t know what you did, but I thank you. Love to read your thoughts. Although I’m 78, we are so much alike that reading them takes me back 50 years.
Andrea says
Yes, the ads came down today — I’m getting frustrated with them too!
Happy (almost) weekend!
Michelle says
This post was an absolute joy to read today!!
Not only do I enjoy your “favorite things” posts a lot, but today they were ad-free!
Yay!!! Thank you for both.
I, seriously, woke up this morning and couldn’t wait to read your post because it’s “favorite things” day.
As for one of my favorite things, I recently purchased a new blow dryer for my hair. I always thought a blow dryer was a blow dryer. How could one possibly differ from another? But, lo and behold, they do!!
I bought a Remington ceramic blow dryer with ions from Meijer for only $29.95 and I love it. My hair is shinier and smoother and is dry very quickly.
Thanks Andrea
Andrea says
Haha — yes, I took the ads down today. You’re welcome 🙂
Enjoy your blow dryer!
Summer says
I LOVE those cone bags! You got those at hobby lobby or michael’s??? Those are the perfect size for just one person and we give a lot to just one person these days.
Happy Fall Andrea!!!
Andrea says
I got them on amazon — but they should be at pretty much any craft or party store.
Bonnie'sMama says
Our family has really enjoyed The Bible Story, a series of ten books by Arthur Maxwell. He does a fine job tying the individual stories into the greater story of God’s plan of salvation. My children love these stories, and as an adult, I’ve been impressed by how he explains some of the stories. He shows some really neat lessons. It takes about a year to get through the whole series and is well worth the time to read them.
Then you can read through Uncle Arthur’s Bedtime Stories, another long series of character-building stories. Both series were published in the 1950s, and the illustrations are wonderful.
Andrea says
Thanks for these recommendations — I’ll look into them!
JJ says
Bonnie, yes! Arthur’s Bedtime Stories are THE best for instilling good character!
Rebekah says
I have the set of Uncle Arthur’s Bedtime Stories we had as children…can’t wait to use them with our little ones.
Ann says
I’m a pumpkin lover, too!
Favorite thing for me lately?
Our fridge went the trip last fall, & we bought a French door Stainless Steel FINGER PRINT RESISTANT fridge & I’m really enjoying it! {Interior AND exterior!} The lights are bright & everything is pretty much at eye level.
We got a very good deal at Sears Outlet. It was a little dinged up on the handles…but the salesman was so kind & offered to switch the handles from another fridge, without our asking! I did research the reviews very well before we went, so I knew which ones to hope *would be available*!
Kelly says
Ann – I’m in the market for a fridge. What brand did you go with? Reading reviews on them is depressing! They all seem to have a lot of problems.
Ann says
We bought the Kenmore Elite model 74025. Our previous one, (a side by side) was a Kenmore Elite & it held up for 15 yrs. Also, consumer reports online tells which brands are most trouble free & which ones are more prone to repairs! That helped us alot.
One of the stores had told us, to my dismay, that 10 yrs is good for an appliance!
{We have a freezer in our basement Deep Freeze brand that is 65 PLUS yrs old!~yes, still running)
Andrea says
sounds like your fridge is just like ours — and yes, we LOVE it too! It’s super nice because they kids CAN NOT get into it!!!