April Favorites

Happy Friday!

Today’s Friday Favorites is a round-up of some of the best finds from April. Hope you find some fun inspiration in this list as you head into the weekend…

• Favorite short video clips – This acceptance speech by Tyler Perry for the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, and this acceptance speech by Chloé Zhao at the Oscars were both about love and acceptance and were both uplifting and heartfelt. Congrats to them both! 
• I mentioned in my list of Mother’s Day gift ideas that I’ve been using this Slip Silk Pillowcase recently, and I have to say I’m even more impressed with it as time goes on! It definitely helps with minimizing/eliminating sleep creases and keeping my hair smooth – but it also really minimizes breakouts in my experience. So yes, I’m now officially a huge fan of this pillowcase and highly recommend it if you’re looking for multiple skin & hair benefits. 
• This month, we celebrated my mom’s retirement!! It’s so incredible to watch a parent retire after so many years of hard work. It was especially touching because I got to watch her virtual retirement celebration, and hearing her colleagues and my brother give such touching speeches was just a joy to watch. Huge congrats to my mom!! 🎉
• Best kitchen purchase under $20 – This OXO stainless-steel hand soap bottle has been a great addition to our kitchen. It’s not breakable, the pump works smoothly and it stays smudge-free. Exactly what I was hoping for, plus it blends right in since it matches our other kitchen accessories. 
• Best meals this month – I made this chicken recipe this month (thanks Feel Good Foodie!) with a side of roasted potatoes, and it was one of our favorites this month. Another favorite was chicken pesto pasta (stir fry frozen peas in olive oil and toss with cooked pasta, oven-baked chicken, and pesto sauce.) It’s pretty easy to make & a frequent favorite at our house.
• I’ve been using this Beekeeper’s Naturals throat spray to help with springtime allergies and it’s been really helpful – especially for reducing coughing. I usually spray 3-4 times in the morning before I go outside, plus any other time if needed. I’m a big fan of this company and the quality of their products.  
• Favorite podcast episodes: Three podcasts I listened to this month stood out as being practical & helpful around being more intentional and productive 1.) This interview of author Greg McKeown, who has written so powerfully about how to be more intentional in his first book Essentialism and 2.) this interview of Megan Hyatt Miller, CEO of the company that makes the planner I currently use and love, and 3.) this interview of Jeff Sanders. 
• Daily pushup challenge – This month, I started a daily experiment (inspired by BJ Fogg’s super helpful book) to help strengthen my arms and core – I set a goal to do 1 push-up per day… which doesn’t sound like a lot I know 😉 but that’s what I set as my minimum goal per day… and it’s really making a difference! After I finish my workout for the day, I do a minimum of one push-up with the best form I can do and keep going until I’m out of steam. I’ve done this nearly every day this month, and I usually do 5-7 push-ups per day, but I always let myself do just 1 if I’m sore or if that’s all I’ve got that day. My core and back definitely feel stronger so I’m excited to continue in May and see how far I go. 
• I finally bought a pair of Bombas socks to try, and they’re great! Now I get why they have so many fans (plus their philanthropic focus is so great). I bought this pair and they’re the best no-show socks I’ve ever tried – so comfy, they don’t budge, and they stay hidden under tennis shoes. Great summer staple! 
• My son has been loving this water table. He has a great time splashing around and it keeps him cool plus entertained for a long time. A fun summertime activity for older babies/toddlers! (If it’s out of stock, this water table is similar and also has great reviews.)

As always, thank you all so much for continuing to read Confetti & Sunshine! I so appreciate all of you reading this blog, sharing your favorite posts with friends, and all your support. Here are this month’s most popular posts, in case you missed any:

• 5 of My Favorite Blogs + a Favorite App
• Friday Favorites (4/2/21)
• 5 Easy Meals for Toddlers

Hope you had a great month and wishing you a great month ahead!

P.S. I won’t have a blog post up next Wednesday, like I usually do  – instead, I’ll be sharing a special Mother’s Day post next Sunday. Hope you have a chance to check it out!