featured Archives - Page 39 of 43 - Inspired & Strong | Making the Best of Every Day with Stacy

Over the past weekend, we laid Gram, our Matriarch, to rest next to her husband, at a cemetery bordering the campus of the old Alliance College. My grandparents had a profound impact on many of the students at the college as well as many others in the community. This is a tribute from one of my grandpa’s former players.

Mrs. Haluch, our Matriarch.

I had the pleasure of meeting Mrs. Haluch over 60 years ago.

In 1957 to be exact…when I was a scared, skinny teenager…with only one suitcase in hand…arriving in Cambridge Springs as a Freshman at Alliance College. She was the first person to make me feel at home. She had two kids of her own, as Stanley and Tusha were young children at the time…yet still had time for me.

I’ve been blessed with over six decades of memories filled with that smile, that giggle…and her voice saying “Bobby, you don’t mind that I still call you Bobby?” I would say without hesitation, “NO Mrs. Haluch…I love that you call me Bobby.”

Many of us associate all of our Cambridge Springs memories with Coach Haluch…but if you really think about it…many of those are linked directly to…Mrs. Haluch. A quiet, gentle, and incredibly strong woman. A leader in her family…her church…and her community.

Remembering those wonderful days playing basketball and baseball for Coach…well…who do you think washed all of those uniforms for so many years? Mrs. Haluch.

All of the Alliance Reunions over the years…there she was making us all feel welcome… making over 500 perogies…yes 500, so when we stopped by over during the weekend, we’d all have something to eat. Always the consummate hostess.

When we would visit on a weekend, we’d go to church before heading back home. You could hear a beautiful voice coming from the choir loft. That’s Mrs. Haluch.

As the years went on…the mentorship continued with Coach and Mrs. Haluch…and a beautiful deeper friendship grew with our family.

Enjoying a Pirate Games at PNC Park…a couple of years ago…the usher giving her a game ball because he couldn’t resist that smile and twinkle in her eye.

Sitting watching a football game at their house…when Mrs. Haluch would blurt out a player’s name, position…and something interesting about them.

Such wonderful sunny days on Ft. Myers Beach. I would sit and talk with Coach and Mrs. Haluch would stroll the beach picking up shells with my wife and daughter. Then we would spend hours laughing…and eating… as we looked out over the Gulf of Mexico. Those are some of my most cherished memories.

At Coach’s 90th Birthday…who do you think stole the show? Mrs. Haluch…dancing with the toy soldier…she looked just like Cinderella.

In more recent years we were blessed to get to know Stacy…she has been an angel to Mrs. Haluch. The two of them…two peas in a pod. Their endless adventures are epic, but what was so special to me…was Stacy’s selfless and tireless dedication to her Gram. That is something that is so rare in today’s society. Stacy…that gift of time with you were given with your Gram…and Matriarch…will remain in your heart forever.

We would try to give Stacy a little break and take Mrs. Haluch on day trips to Waterford and Erie. Our lunches were filled with good food from Carini’s…but of course, it was all about the pie for Mrs. Haluch…the car rides were equally special…when she would tell tales of countless good times her and Coach had over the years.

Our destination was always the Casino, where she would sit at her penny machine having a high old time flanked by my wife and daughter. The best experience…was when she hit the jackpot and thought she broke the machine. We still laugh at the moment when the bells and lights started flashing and ringing and she turned to me and said… “Bobby I think I broke the machine.”

For such a tiny statured woman…she was a Giant…a giant to all of us. Making a Big impact in each of our lives.

Mrs. Haluch was…

The Matriarch of her beloved family – to her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

The Matriarch of Alliance College

The Matriarch of Cambridge Springs

I imagine and smile thinking about…Mrs. Haluch and Coach enjoying endless polkas and perogies…in Heaven…

I love you Mrs. Haluch. Thank you for being a Matriarch in my family too.

Love,

Bobby F.

In Adventures with Gram

Losing Gram

March 2, 2021 No Comments

Last Wednesday we got the call that we had been anticipating, but never wanted to answer. Gram was unresponsive at 4:40 that morning. We had just made arrangements to bring her back to our home. She hadn’t been eating, drinking, or really talking for about a week. On Tuesday, we had decided to bring her home in Hospice care to live out her final days by the pool, her favorite spot. As you read in Missing Gram, we put her into Senior Living in November 2020.

The hospital bed was in place waiting for her, but I guess she didn’t want to be a burden. She always said that to us, which of course we never thought she was. I guess she didn’t want to put us through having to watch her go. When we left Tuesday, I hugged her so tight. I told her we were bringing her home. I told her she could come to sit by the pool and sleep with Kuma, her favorite feline. But I guess she wanted it another way.

It hurts my heart so much that she is gone. I knew the day would come, but over the past few years, she has defied death so many times that we thought she would live forever! This woman…so strong, so mighty, so inspiring. She is in heaven now dancing the polka with her hubby (and possibly giving him a piece of her mind ) It won’t be the same. We are sad about our loss, but we are excited for her reunion with her husband, son, son-in-law, and granddaughter. Gram, please tell them we love and miss them.

I am grateful that the road I took led me to caregiving for Gram. It led me to my husband, wonderful friends, and amazing adventures. I will never regret one moment with her. She told me once I was like the sister she never had, and she was my best friend, always there to listen (whether she wanted to or not).

Although she is gone and I won’t have any new adventures with her, I plan on continuing to write about our past outings. Even though she isn’t on this earth anymore she will forever be in my heart inspiring me and pushing me to do the right thing and live life to the fullest.

Viewing and the funeral will be in Pennsylvania on March 5 and 6. Click here for details. We will also do a celebration of life in Fort Myers, Florida in April.

In Family

Friends

February 23, 2021 2 Comments

I can’t express to you how amazing my friends are. Family is one thing, and I am blessed with a small, close immediate family and a huge, wonderful extended family. But my friends’ network is beyond words. They always say quality over quantity, but I believe that somehow I got both. I have friends that I have had since birth (literally our moms were in the same hospital room), since elementary school, since high school, since college, since California, since Virginia, since Thailand, since back to Pennsylvania when I started caring for Gram, and now since Florida. It seems that the older I get and different life circumstances occur, it seems the more wonderful people I meet.

From elementary school, I have a core group of friends. Although our paths took different turns, we managed to stay in touch. It didn’t matter if we saw each other every month or once a year, we would get together and it was as if no time had passed. We support each other through beautiful weddings and some heartbreaks. Some of us had children and some were lucky enough to inherit stepchildren. Some of us stayed in the small town where we grew up and others decided to leave. But these women and men have been there for me through good and bad times. And I can’t say enough about their support of gram and me over the past five years. I also have a boxful of notes from some of them from fifth grade forward. I can’t wait for us to get together to read through some of these over some wine one of these days.

Then I was off to college. There I met another group of fantastic ladies. We were from all different states and even though we are now spread all over the globe, and we don’t keep in touch as often as we should, we have a bond that remains. When we do get together or do a Zoom call, it brings my heart so much joy to see their beautiful faces and talk about their children and careers. Again, some decided to have children, some didn’t, some have been married, some have suffered the loss of a husband, some have been divorced and some have long-time partners. Although the differences in paths mean some loss of communication and closeness, we continue to cheer each other on from afar. And when we can meet up, it’s like we go back to those days sitting outside our apartment in college having coffee talk about the night before.

I have another group of friends that I met in Virginia through my education career and by participating in social sports. Richmond has some great adult league social sports you can play such as kickball, football, and wiffleball. We had so much fun playing these sports especially when we won a few championships! Although we don’t stay in touch as often as we should, these folks are always willing to help each other out. Receiving a text out of the blue from one of these special people always makes my heart happy. We may not talk or see each other often, but they all pass through my mind and my heart more often than they probably know.

When I went to Thailand, I met two very special ladies in Richmond before we left. We bonded right away because of our sense of adventure and the fear of the unknown. Once we got to Thailand, we met 30 more people who all had similar interests in traveling and teaching children. I am Facebook friends with many of these people, and recently I reconnected with one wonderful woman who can bring a smile to anyone’s face with her cuteness.

When I moved back to my hometown to provide care and companionship to Gram, I was excited to see my hometown girlfriends and their families. Whenever I would go to our small town sporting events, it was like a high school reunion. It was so much fun! We all had many things going on, but we got together as often as we could. Then I joined CrossFit Meadville and made another group of fantastic friends. I love that there are so many badass women in this gym. Most of these women are married, but in the beginning, they took me on as the odd wheel, and I loved it. When I introduced them to Jeff, they embraced him just as well. This crew enjoys Sunday Fun Days and brewery tours. They also love coming to Florida in the winter to visit. And we love spending our summers in Pennsylvania near them.

Once Gram and I started spending winters in Florida, we met more married couples that Jeff has been friends with for years. Friends he has met through his work or through his sons’ school or sporting events. I love these couples, and although I am still working on developing woman relationships in this area, I enjoy hanging out with them and going to dinner.

Another group of friends I adore is our ski club friends. Jeff started taking me skiing in 2018, and I met some very amazing people while skiing. Most of these friends are in the airline industry which is very intriguing to me. These friends come to ski weeks from all over the United States, and now I have friends to visit all over the country. It is amazing to me to keep meeting such generous and fun-loving people. It truly makes me so happy and makes me believe in the good of this world.

Lastly, I have a group of friends that I have met because of my grandparents. Many of my grandfather’s past basketball players send cards, messages, letters and through these, I have tried to keep the relationship going with Gram. Every time we meet up with someone from the old college, she has the biggest smile on her face. She always knows where they live and usually what they are doing. It amazes me. My husband and I love hearing the stories about my grandpa and how much he meant to them as a coach as well as the life lessons they learned through him. We miss him so much, and I love that he had such an impact on these gentlemen and their families.

This post is for you, my friends. You all know who you are and please know that I love and cherish each one of you. You made my transitions in each area of my life bearable and enjoyable. I am so blessed to be able to count on so many of you for anything, and I hope you feel the same about us. It makes my heart so warm to know that you are all out there. And it makes my heart happy to know how much you love and care about sweet Gram.

In Adventures with Gram

Missing Gram

February 16, 2021 7 Comments

It’s been about three months since we decided to put Gram into Senior Living. We tried to get extra help for her in our home but the lady quit after four days 🙁 She said it was too hard physically. Hmm…not sure that walking a few steps from the bedroom to the kitchen to the pool at a snail’s pace is all that tough but….whatever… it didn’t work out. So here I am three months later missing Gram.

After lots of discussions, pros, cons, tears and a few falls we determined that senior living was the best place for Gram. Jeff and I loved taking care of Gram, and we loved having her in our home. I definitely got more frustrated at times than he did but he also got more breaks from Gram than I did. Needless to say, after caring for Gram for just about five years, I was burned out and exhausted. I couldn’t keep an eye on her every minute she was awake, and I felt like I wasn’t being a good caregiver or granddaughter. We couldn’t go to the store without taking her or getting someone to stay with her. She fell a few times over the past year and even once when I was right across the pool. We didn’t want to take the chance that she would fall, get hurt, or break her hip again.

We found a wonderful facility and together with my mom, we wrote Gram a note about why we felt she would be safer there. She read, smiled, and agreed. The next day she hopped right out of bed, ate breakfast, asked my mom if we would be ok without her money, and asked questions about her new “apartment”. We were in shock. I took her to get her nails and hair done, and we took her to her new place. When it was time for us to leave she was sitting with some ladies, drinking a milkshake, and smiling a big smile. It made my heart happy even though I knew I would be missing Gram.

We were sad that she didn’t seem to care that we were leaving, but we had hope in our hearts that she would adjust well and possibly fall in love with her new home and her new friends. The house felt differently without her, and we kept looking over our shoulders to see what she was doing. We were definitely missing Gram.

Three months later, she has adjusted pretty well, but she still asks to come home. She still asks where she is. Because of her dementia, she doesn’t realize this is her new permanent place. She still has hope that she is coming home. The beautiful thing about putting her in a facility in Fort Myers is that we can visit as often as we want. We can take her out to lunch if we want as well. We also were so blessed to be able to take her to Virginia for Christmas. Although she was very confused about where we were going the first day, she enjoyed being with the family for the holidays. She also enjoyed helping us make pierogies. It broke my heart to put her back in at the end of our trip but the next day she seemed ok.

Things seemed to be heading in a positive direction. She was walking better than she did in our home so we were very happy about that. She seemed to be maintaining her weight. She was socializing with the other ladies more often. I took her out for lunch once and out for ice cream another time. I was trying to show her that she could come and go. We started talking about places we could take her and getting excited about having more adventures with Gram, especially since she was soon going to be vaccinated against the Covid virus.

Then it happened. Last Wednesday, she got her second Covid vaccine shot. Personally, I think Gram is so strong that she would have fought off the Covid without it, but you never know. Well, that evening, she tried to stand up, got dizzy, and lost her balance. I don’t know if it had anything to do with the vaccine or not. But she fell, hit her head on a side table, tore her skin on her elbow, and landed on her right hip (the hip she broke in 2016). Thankfully, we were in town, and I was able to meet her at the Emergency Room. She was so scared and in so much pain. The emergency room nurses were wonderful. They got her head cleaned up and thankfully she didn’t need any stitches. They did the x-rays and yep, her right femur is broken again. Because she already had a replacement, the doctor said there was nothing they could do. He recommended lots of pain meds and to keep her moving as much as she can tolerate.

So here we are six days later, and I am missing Gram. I am missing the Gram I had who made me laugh, who made me a better person, who told me to take care of my husband, who in her nineties had so many adventures, and who was so cute you couldn’t stand it. I am missing Gram because right now she can’t walk (although she is able to sit in her wheelchair relatively comfortably). I am missing Gram because she isn’t talking to me, and she can’t move her right hand. I am missing Gram because she is not eating and not taking her medications consistently. She has been such an inspiration and positive influence on me. She has shown me how to be strong. How to love wholeheartedly. How to laugh. How to enjoy life. How to support your family. How to keep traditions alive. I am not sure what the next few weeks will bring for us. Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers. If you are in the Fort Myers area and would like to visit Gram or if you would like to send her a card, contact me for the information.

In Pilot's Wife

Once I was a Wingman- Part 3

February 11, 2021 No Comments

Everyone wants to be loved. The desire to be loved, to be valued, and to be happy is universal. So when my single guy-friend Jeff was interested in a woman, I felt duty-bound to assist in his effort to get to know her. After all, he was my friend, and I cared about him, so of course, I wanted him to find someone who would love him, who would value him, and who would make him happy.

I met Jeff at the Gym. It happened to be a CrossFit Gym, and anyone who knows CrossFit also knows that it’s not like your typical gym. At CrossFit, you are all performing the same workout, at the same time, and most people go to the gym many times a week, at the same time. So a sense of community and camaraderie develops – you get to know each other.

At the time, Jeff and I were both navigating the dating scene. We had a lot in common, as we were the same age, we were both parents of late-teen or young adult children, had been divorced, and loved Crossfit. Becoming friends was natural. I respected Jeff, too. He was aware, had learned a lot of lessons in his life, was smart and thoughtful about things that mattered, and I began asking his advice when it came to the men I was dating and things that would come up. He, in turn, began sharing what was going on in his life and asking for a female perspective. On occasion, we’d go drink beer and eat chicken wings while we talked it all over.

So if “Wingman” is defined as someone who helps a friend with romantic relationships, then I suppose he was mine and I was his. But Dictionary.com goes on to say “especially one who helps the friend attract a woman…”

Back to the gym, and why I have been forever dubbed Jeff’s “Wingman”. It was February 2017, Jeff and I had made plans to go to a Saturday Boot Camp because it was designed to be a Partner Workout, so we agreed to meet and do it together. As we were warming up as a group, Jeff was admittedly a bit distracted by an unfamiliar athletic female backside in front of us. At the time, I had just met an amazing guy myself and wanted the same for Jeff. I actually thought he might ditch me for this very pretty lady who was visiting our gym, but he remained loyal to his commitment, and I was determined to chat with her after class.

Her name was Stacy, and she was friendly, adorable, and easy to talk to. While we stretched, we talked, and I made every effort to mention my friend, Jeff, and what a cool cat he was. Stacy was visiting from out of town and shared that she was here with her Gram (who she took care of), that they had a condo here, and she came often. I remember thinking at the time that this woman was incredibly unique if she took care of her grandmother full-time. I also remember we talked about local restaurants, and then we exchanged phone numbers.

Of course, I helped Jeff get Stacy’s number, and they took it from here. A couple of days later Jeff told me they went to the beach on Sunday, had some cocktails, had some fun, and he hoped he would see her again.

Some four years later, Jeff and Stacy are married, as am I to that amazing guy I mentioned earlier. Stacy and I have become close friends, and I adore her. What an incredible woman who turned out to be the best person I could ever imagine for Jeff, and he for her.

This story begins and ends with Jeff and Stacy, who now love each other, value each other, and make each other happy every day. And I am no longer a Wingman.

May anyone out there who is single be inspired by Jeff and Stacy’s random meeting and remarkable outcome. Just stay the course, be strong, and know that yours too could be just around the corner.

Guest Post Written by Eleina R.

Eleina is an amazing wingman, crossfitter, entrepreneur, wife, mother, friend, and web designer in the Venice, FL area. Check out her business E’s Website Design for all your website or blogging needs. She and Jeff have been friends since they started doing CrossFit together in 2015. Stacy and she have been friends for four years since they met this day four years ago after Boot Camp in 2017. Both couples remain great friends to this day.

In How We Move

3 Rounds

February 10, 2021 No Comments

Equipment Needed

jump rope (optional)

Weekly Wednesday Workout

In today’s workout, you will do three rounds of four movements with a two-minute rest in between each round.

Three Rounds of:

80 jumping jacks or jump rope
60 lunges
40 punches
20 plank taps

How to Do the Moves

Click here. Remember there are always modifications. Let me know if you need help or suggestions. You can always add weight to make the movements more challenging. Don’t forget to warm-up. Make this workout work for you!

In Pilot's Wife

New Girl? Part 2

February 9, 2021 No Comments

I missed the new girl the first two days she was at the gym. But that’s how fate works. We met on a Saturday, but for me, it started the night prior.

I had just broken up with a girlfriend, and my friend, Eleina was navigating through Match.com. We would go out for “wing therapy” which consisted of wings, beer, and honest talk of what men and women are really thinking. So after a Friday night of wings and beer, we decided to go to Saturday Bootcamp.

Bootcamp was at 10 am, which was perfect after a night of drinking. A little late for Stacy as she had been going to 5 am CrossFit, and I usually went to the 8 am class. I met E upon arrival, and we chatted briefly before the group warm-up started. This is where I first noticed the “new girl”. We were instructed to the wall and started with leg swings. She somehow managed to get between myself and E even though we were talking during the warm-up. CrossFit is a group class and the “community” we have prompted us to part a bit to allow her a space along the wall. As we exited from the wall to continue the warm-up, Eleina was still talking as my eyes moved towards this “new girl”. I gave E a “shhh” with a finger held in front of my lips and pointed to her with my other hand. Yes, I noticed something beautiful and intriguing that morning.

E and I partnered for the 30+ minute Bootcamp workout. While these were usually long grinders, I stayed focused on the workout. It was easily recognizable that this “new girl” was quite athletic and had an amazing work ethic in the gym. Definitely not her first workout.

After the workout, the group gathered on the floor for a post-workout stretch. Eleina and I sat beside this new girl and chatted about the work that we had just accomplished. Stacy was her name, and she was down from PA enjoying the Florida sunshine and helping her gram recover from a broken hip. Her grandparents had a condo here and this was the first time that gram had been here since her husband had passed away.

We continued to chat and I offered suggestions of things to do in Ft. Myers. Little did I know that Stacy and her family had been coming to Ft. Myers for about 15 years. But I continued rambling on thinking this was her first time here. Stacy mentioned that she had friends coming in that night and was looking forward to seeing old friends from high school. I then mentioned that I was going to the beach the next day, and I asked Stacy if she would like to join me. “How are you going to take her to the beach if you don’t have her number?”, Eleina chimed in. Stacy and I kinda stared at each other, smiled, and then we exchanged numbers.

By now it was after 11 am and Stacy was concerned about gram being home alone. We all parted ways for the day. A few hours later Stacy texted. I forget what exactly she said, but it led to our first date the next day at the beach. I promptly texted E and said, “she texted!” I am not sure who was more excited to go to the beach the next day as I had not been there in a while. And yes, that “plan” to go to the beach was only in effect if I had Stacy with me. I certainly wasn’t planning to go without her. That was just part of my “pick up line”. And that is how I met the new girl.

Guest Post was Written by Jeff F.

Jeff is Stacy’s (the new girl’s) husband and partner in crime. Jeff is an avid crossfitter, pilot, boater, amazing husband, brother, and father. Jeff has been in the Fort Myers area for over 20 years. He enjoys being a snowbird and spending the summers up north in Gram’s house in PA.

In Pilot's Wife

How We Met- Part 1

February 8, 2021 No Comments

As you read in, The Broken Hip, Gram broke her hip in December 2016 but by February she was making great strides. We left the snow for the sun and ended up at her condo in Fort Myers.

Since I had just started CrossFit, I googled CrossFit gyms near the condo. I found a few and decided on CrossFit Thoroughbreds. I took a few CrossFit classes and met some great people and instructors. It was my first time dropping into other boxes, and I fell in love with the CrossFit community. On Saturday, February 11, 2017, I decided to try Boot Camp. After class, I met two amazing people who would significantly impact my life. One would later become my husband and the other one gave me the tools and the support to start this blog. (Their stories of “how we met” will be published this week. Stay Tuned!)

I arrived at Boot Camp a little early and was stretching and warming up. I observed a man and woman having a conversation about what seemed to be some kitchen renovations and possibly an ex. They both talked fairly loud so it was easy to eavesdrop 🙂 They seemed to be very good friends who had a history of being there for each other. I was intrigued by their conversation and wanted to know more about both of them. The guy was good looking, and he seemed like he was about my age, but I can never tell. Plus, he had on a hat and you never know what’s underneath that! They both had great figures and looked like they were dedicated athletes.

During the workout, they were partners while I was in another group. I remember it being a pretty tough workout with push-ups and running. I also remember looking out of the corner of my eye to see how good of an athlete this guy was. I found they both worked hard and were impressive in their moves.

After class, the woman, who was sitting next to the man, said hi to me and asked if I was new to town. I explained I was only there for about two weeks and was taking care of my grandmother. I told them I had friends coming to town that night so they gave me some suggestions on where to take them. The guy mentioned he had some time off from work and wanted to know if I wanted to meet him the next day and go to the beach. Because I am a Yes Woman I didn’t hesitate to say it sounded like a fabulous idea. We chatted a few more minutes and before we parted ways, Eleina, the amazing wing woman, said how can he contact you without your number. I laughed and probably rolled my eyes. In the end, we exchanged numbers and the rest is history 🙂

I still find it hard to believe that quitting my job in 2015 led me back to my hometown which led me to caregiving for Gram which led me to CrossFit which in turn led me to my prince. I would not have met my husband if I hadn’t taken that leap of faith. And I wouldn’t have found him if God hadn’t placed me right where I needed to be at that moment.

This week is dedicated to our story of how we met four years ago this week. No, it wasn’t love at first sight and no, we didn’t start dating right away because we were in two different states. But we met and that was just the beginning.

Jeff, my husband, and Eleina, the wing woman will be writing posts Tuesday and Thursday of how our first meeting went from their perspectives. Check them out!

In What We Eat

Shrimp Salad and Button Mushrooms

February 5, 2021 No Comments

Ingredients

a bowl of shrimp
romaine lettuce
a handful of spinach
carrots
1/4 of an onion
a handful of grape tomotoes
1/2 of an avocado
two cups of button mushrooms
1-2 tablespoons of garlic
1-2 tablespoons of avocado butter

Stacy’s Suggestions and Preparation

Cut lettuce into bite-sized pieces
Cut veggies into bite-sized pieces
Put lettuce and veggies into salad bowls
Cut button mushrooms in halves
Spray two pans with olive oil spray
Heat skillets
Add shrimp to one and mushrooms to the other
Season both with Nature Seasons
Heat shrimp for about 5-7 minutes or until pink
Add garlic (we use minced garlic in the jar) and a tablespoon or two of avocado butter
Heat mushrooms for about 10 minutes until tender
Drain excess water from each pan
Scoop shrimp onto salad
Scoop mushrooms into a bowl
Enjoy!

In What We Use

Our Favorites

February 2, 2021 No Comments

As you have read the posts, you may have noticed that we have recommended a few of our favorite things such as Rogue Fitness or Teepa Snow Videos. Together, with an amazing friend, we developed a beautiful page where you can easily access them. Therefore, check out Our Favorite Tools page where the products we use to Eat Better, Sleep Better, Move Better, and Live Better are listed. We also added categories of tools that help us Travel Better, CareGive Better, Blog Better, and Shop Better. There is a brief description of each product, why we like it, and a link to where to buy it. Some of the products have affiliate links that will help keep the lights on but some of them do not. We only recommended products we know, use, and love. We hope you find this Favorites page helpful and if you have any products you know and love, please let us know!

This page will be a work in progress so check back often for new favorites! You will notice there is a new category title across the top for easy access.