SO in the KNOW | What I’m Learning & Loving in my Empty Nest in April

Happy Spring! I hope it’s starting to warm up where you live! Can you believe that summer is right around the corner? I’m sure you’ve made (or at least started to make) summer travel plans. It’s time to get back out there, empty nesters! (To see where we’re headed, click HERE.)

What I’m Learning

If You’re Happy & You Know It…

…maybe you live in Finland. The World Happiness Report named Finland the happiest country for the fifth year in a row, and its Northern European neighbors (Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, and Norway) all made the top 10 as well. The United States ranked 16th and Afghanistan came in last.

Turning Up Rosy

This spring, blush—a longtime beauty underdog—has stepped out of lipstick’s shadow to become a mood-boosting must-have. Models with rosy pink cheeks were all over the runways at the most recent New York Fashion Week. Forget the strong lip or eye shadow, post-pandemic, it’s apparently ALL about the blush flush! My longstanding favorite? Highly pigmented Dior Rouge blush. (Since it’s so pigmented, a little goes a long way and it lasts forever!) For a pretty summery pink flush, choose the shade called “Rose Caprice.” I think Neiman Marcus has the best selection, and they offer free shipping & returns.

Prayer Help

Pray.com is the #1 app in the world for daily prayer and Biblical audio content. With this app, you can gain access to daily prayers, prayer plans, Bedtime Bible Stories, and more. This app will strengthen your faith and help you make prayer a priority. Read more about it HERE. The app is free in the app store (although there are subscriptions plans for in-app purchases). Download it for Apple Devices on iTunes HERE and on Google Play for Android HERE.

The Pour Over

Tired of depressing news? I’ve been getting my news from The Pour Over. It’s a 3x a week news email that summarizes the day’s biggest news stories in an easy-to-understand way. (In a 5-minute read.) Then, it pairs the news with a brief Christian perspective on the stories. It has revolutionized the way I feel about the news! It’s FREE, and you can unsubscribe at any time. Sign up HERE.

What I’m Loving

1. Legacybox Starter Kit – If you’re downsizing or cleaning out, this is one company you need to get familiar with! They are the industry leader in digitizing your home movies, photos, etc. My son gave me THIS 2-item Starter Kit for Mother’s Day two years ago and I loved it! Right now you can take 60% off your entire Legacybox order with our exclusive ENB code BLESSED. That takes the 2-item starter kit down from $59.99 to $24! This makes a great Mother’s Day gift!

2. Rotating Cake Turntable – Make your cakes look professional, even if you’re a very amateur baker! (Like me! 🙋‍♀️) This cool rotating cake stand makes cake decorating easy and fun! It comes with 2 icing spatulas and 3 icing smoothers. It rotates in either direction, making it great for left-handed (That’s me! 🙋‍♀️) or right-handed decorators.

3. Bamboo Storage Bag Organizers – Toss the tacky cardboard boxes that your baggies come in (they collapse anyway!), and replace them with these 5 bamboo bag organizers. Each one is separate, maximizing your drawer storage options! I own these and love them!

4. (Re)setting SPF 40 Spray – It’s that time of year again! (The time of year when Suzy talks incessantly about Supergoop’s sun protection!) This weightless, ultrafine mist has SPF 40 and it’s ideal for setting makeup or refreshing your UV protection throughout the day. I Supergoop’s use best-selling Unseen Sunscreen every morning under my makeup (it makes a great primer!) and this every afternoon.

5. Murad’s Targeted Wrinkle Corrector – If you’re not so hot on the idea of Botox, I’ve got a new topical alternative that is the buzz of the beauty world right now! Murad’s Targeted Wrinkle Corrector is packed full of peptides. Squeeze the gel onto your skin, and tap it into the wrinkle using the metal tip. Let air dry. My beauty blogger pal said it was a game-changer for her “11” lines. (I haven’t used it yet.)

6. Long-Lasting Reusable Cold Packs – Bob and I love a good road trip and THESE reusable freezer packs are a must-have for us! They freeze colder than ice (18 degrees) and stay cold for (Get this!) 48 hours! They come in various sizes but we like this set of 5 lunchbox size (6.5″ x 7.5″ x 1″) packs for maximum versatility. Click through HERE to read more about them.

7. Super Aging by Jeff Cory – This book is full of simple, easy-to-follow guidelines for aging positively that are laid out in a format that makes it readable, and then doable. It’s full of proactive, down-to-earth guidance from someone who knows what he’s talking about. No quick-fix supplements or programs here! Instead, you get constructive solutions to universal issues of aging like retirement, financial planning, fitness, relationships, and living with purpose. I cannot recommend this book highly enough! I’m going to be interviewing the author in a week for my YouTube channel! Look for a blog post coming soon afterward!

8. PowerCrush Digital Blender with Quiet Technology – Think less noise, more power! It makes quick work of frozen fruits and has a pre-programmed function just for smoothies! I use it almost every morning to make mine! Afterward, it goes right in the dishwasher! To see me making my smoothie, you can watch THIS video! (Made with my old blender.)

9. Pink Plastic Plates & Gold Plastic Silverware – This is the prettiest disposable tableware set I’ve ever seen! Empty nesters who are planning an upscale bridal or baby shower, but still want disposable dinnerware, need to be SO in the KNOW about this classy set! (I’m not planning anything like that at the moment, but you never know!)

10. Warner’s Easy Does It Bra – I have a sweet elderly friend who once told me that the greatest thing about “getting old” was not having to wear a bra anymore! 😂 Friends, this bra is the next best thing! With side-smoothing underarm panels, wide straps, seamless styling, and front padding for modesty, it’s the comfiest thing you’ve ever put on your body! Sizing is easy too (think S-3XL)! I throw mine in the washing machine and the dryer!

11. Cross-Cut Desktop Shredder – With all of the scams out there now, you can never be too careful! I keep this shredder near where I open the mail to easily get rid of mailing labels, credit card offers, and more. It’s lightweight, simple to use, and it’s even powerful enough to shred credit cards!

ON LEFT: Amazon Tank Waisted Maxi Dress | Similar Coral Cardigan | Coral Pink Braided Puffy Strap Sandals | Dot Drop Earrings | Gold Pavé Diamond Initial Pendant Necklace | Open Frame Crystal Pendant Necklace | Strand Necklace | Coral Pink Vegan Leather Handbag | Custom Travel Tote (make your own HERE) | Custom Laptop Case (make your own HERE) | Tumi Carry On Suitcase

ON RIGHT: Amazon Tank Waisted Maxi Dress | Black Pearl Embellished Sandals | Pearl Necklace | Pearl Drop Earrings

12. Amazon Tank Waisted Maxi Dress – This affordable maxi dress (pictured above) was such a find! It looks equally cute with sneakers as it does with dressy sandals or wedges! Made of Viscose to keep you cool and flow smoothly over all your lumps and bumps, it comes in 9 colors/patterns. (I just ordered it in navy!) Plus, it doesn’t wrinkle, making it the perfect dress for travel!

13. Fur Zapper – We love our grand dogs, but things get a little hairy when they come over—in more ways than one 😂! When they leave, I go over our furniture and clothes with the tacky surface of this handy paw-shaped disk! When I’m done, I toss it in the dryer and the hair ends up in the lint filter. Rinse between uses to keep it going strong.

I hope you feel SO in the KNOW, my friends! Got any great finds I need to know about? Leave me a comment below or email me and fill me in, okay?