It’s that time again! February is a short month so I started curating my list early and it’s time to share it. My faves for the month are quite practical and tried and true. Check out the January list if you missed it.
Zojirushi Virtuoso Plus Breadmaker: $$$
I have owned a bread machine for almost five years, my previously owned Cuisinart machine saw the end of its life in January. I bake bread and make pizza dough with my machine on a weekly basis so it was paramount that we replace the machine right away. After spending some time online researching, I narrowed my options down to the Breville and Zojirushi brands, zoning in on a Zojirushi Bread machine. There are a few machines available from this brand, and the Virtuoso Plus machine was my final choice. Here’s why:
- Loaf capacity of 2-lb
- 2 kneading blades (smoother mixing process)
- viewing window (I can be impatient and I like to see my bread through the process)
- crust control (I love a light crust on my bread)
After purchasing and using this machine for a few weeks, I can confidently say that I made the right decision. The Zojirushi machine is extremely quiet! My old machine was very loud during the kneading process but the Zojirushi is quiet and you barely know it’s on when it’s kneading. My bread loaf comes out perfect every time and there is a “keep warm” feature when the cycle is complete. When all is said and done, this is an amazing machine that I can confidently recommend to anyone looking to own a bread machine. The only caveat to share is that it is a pricey appliance. Are there less expensive options? Yes, but the difference is clear. This machine is worth every penny, you will love it and it is truly my fave.
GoodNotes App: $
Over the last 3 months, I have fallen head over heels with the GoodNotes app. Where do I begin? If you own an iPad and an Apple Pencil, this app is a must-have. The ease and ability to write notes with a digital pen while colour-coding and more is amazing! Coming from a girl married to pen and paper, I can tell you that once you use this app, you will never want to be without it. The best part is that you can sync and access notes on your phone without needing to carry your iPad around. The only negative is that you are unable to write with the Apple Pencil on your phone but you can still type in notes within the app.
I have discovered a lot of creative ways to use the GoodNotes app and I suggest doing a simple YouTube search for inspiration on how you can use this app to make the leap into digital notetaking. In many ways and with a variety of uses, the GoodNotes app is a new fave on all my devices.
Wayfair Basics Ergonomic Executive Chair: $$$
For years I used one of those pretty clear acrylic ghost chairs as my office chair and as cute as it looked, it was time for me to move on to something more ergonomic. Sitting at my desk was becoming too uncomfortable and I needed to make a change for my body. As usual, I took to the internet to do some research on the best chairs that were ergonomic without sacrificing my aesthetic needs.
Several sites and hours later, I stumbled upon this Wayfair chair. I spent some time reading the reviews and decided this was the chair for me and my space. This chair is amazing because:
- it provides amazing lumbar support
- aesthetically pleasing with different metal finish options
- reasonable priced
- adjustable
- easy to clean
I’ve been using this office chair for almost two months now and I am still quite pleased with it and can call it a fave.
Mellisa & Doug Mickey Mouse Magnetic Daily Calendar: $$
My husband purchased this calendar as a Christmas gift for our son and I must give him credit that this is definitely one of the best gifts he has ever purchased. Not only does our little man love this board but my husband and I equally love it. This board is amazing because it presents a great positive learning opportunity for a toddler every morning during a routine time that would otherwise go by without learning. We chose to include this daily board in our son’s morning routine. Every morning while brushing his teeth, we do his daily board. This means we go over the date, the weather, the temperature, the activities planned for the day and his mood. With the help of this simple item being a part of our daily routine, our son can tell you so much about his day and has become very familiar with smelling the given month due to the familiarity of seeing it every morning.
This learning tool is something I recommend for every parent out there with a toddler. I truly believe it can be effective in learning when used daily in a child’s routine. Not only will this be a fave for your child but it can easily become one of the best parts of the time spent with your toddler.
Chrissy Teigen’s Cookbook – Cravings Hungry for More: $$
In the past, I have enjoyed looking through cookbooks and (honestly) staring at the pictures of pretty food I would never eat. That is until I discovered Chrissy Teigen’s cookbook. A friend of mine recommended this book after I shared that I bought a “pretty” cookbook to decorate my kitchen. She proceeded to share all about the amazing recipes in Chrissy’s cookbook. After much peer pressure, I finally gave in and purchased the book from my local HomeSense. Boy am I glad I made this decision. This book has single-handedly been the source of great meals almost every night for the last two months. Her recipes are simple and tasty. I have been excited to try something new every night and it is yet to disappoint. I am thoroughly enjoying Chrissy’s cookbook and I can confidently recommend it to anyone who enjoys cookbook meals with little fuss. Of the many cookbooks I have owned in the past, this is hands-down one of my faves.
Thank you for reading and I hope you find a few faves from my list. See you in a few weeks for my March faves!!
