Treat Yo’Self

I am a mother and a female, so treating myself sometimes falls to the bottom of the to-do list. Therefore, when I find a product or service that I love there is an unconditional need to share it with the masses, or at the very least, my readers on Family Footnote.

See the short list below for ways to “Treat Yo’Self”.

Roomba (because Robots are cool, right?)

This small, circular housecleaning machine has been the answer to my unspoken prayers. Four kids and two dogs means my floors are never spectacularly spotless, but the roomba does keep them neater with no effort on my part. I resisted buying this robotic device at first because it seemed a bit too “The Jetsons” or “Star Trek” for me, but now I like it almost as much as coffee and chocolate covered raisins.

My roomba handles wood floors and carpet with a vengeance. If it could do stairs I would quit this writing gig and become a roomba salesperson full-time. It gets underneath beds, into the vast corners of my living space, around cabinets and under tables. It picks up sand, dirt, dust, dog fur, human hair (a biggie with all the females living under our roof) and glitter. The filter is easy to change and the dirt bin is simple to empty.

A roomba will come with an invisible wall accessory that can keep it constrained to doing just one room rather than the entire main level. I run it multiple times a week and to quote my mother, “There are no more dust bunnies”. My favorite thing about the roomba is that I can be cleaning bathrooms, playing with my kids, or reading a book while simultaneously vacuuming the house. It is the easiest form of multitasking on the planet.

Click here to learn more about the Roomba, or throw caution to the wind and just buy one already!

KanCan Jeans via The Honeycomb Boutique (because I can wear KanCans!)

I like to shop for clothes, but it is a rare occasion that I get away from my kiddos and have time to really peruse the racks. A few weeks ago, I hitched a ride with a friend to a hostess party in my neighborhood. The normal kitchen type stuff was being sold, but I was mainly there for the treats, adult beverages, fun conversation and the pop-up clothing boutique that was also going to be on-site.

The Honeycomb Boutique had so much to offer me fashion wise that I went a little crazy and bought multiple items. My purchases included: ripped skinny jeans, a pair of shorts, a t-shirt, and a cute ball cap with the words “Happy Camper” stamped on it. There were so many fun items. My favorite purchase came from the KanCan denim line. I initially thought I was probably too old to wear skinny jeans with a bunch of holes in them and I even made this remark out loud at the party. The owner of Honeycomb told me, “Who makes these rules?” and she is right. There is no age limit on clothes that look good and feel good.

KanCans are equal parts comfy meets style. My ripped up skinny jeans feel as good as my yoga pants thanks to stretchy material, but fit me in a trendy way that makes them great for a trip downtown. My c-sectioned tummy is also very thankful for the KanCan’s higher waist. I even bought a dark pair of cut-off denim KanCan shorts and have received numerous compliments on them this summer.

Click over to The Honeycomb Boutique to see some great offers.

Mist Diffuser (because who knew I was a little bit granola in terms of personality?)

A friend got me a mist diffuser as a gift and it is the bomb when it comes to making my house smell nice. This product will emit an aroma of one’s choosing into the air and living space simply by adding water plus a few drops of essential oil. The scent released is always light and fresh. There are so many essential oils out there that a person (in my home, this person is my husband) can mix and match different oils to make an aroma that smells great. Who knew I liked the odor of fresh mint? My spouse’s favorite scents are rosemary and frankincense, as they are more “man-ish” to quote him. My oldest child prefers the citrus oils and lavender smells. Our latest household mix is: rosemary + lime, and it is a huge hit in combating the smell of sweaty kids and dirty diapers.

I always worried about leaving candles burning by accident, so our mist diffuser eliminates this concern. It is also a good gift to give. I have bought mist diffusers for a few friends and at first, they may have questioned my logic, but once they got to using it, they too fell in love with it. The diffusers come in multiple styles so they can fit in with any decor or room. The mist diffuser is reasonably priced and an indulgence that can mask the smell of dirty socks hidden in couch cushions or a dog in need of a bath. There is also a green lifestyle element to the diffuser that promotes healing and zen-like emotions, which I need in order to operate my household.

All three of these treats make me feel good in terms of being more relaxed, more stylish, and more calm. How do you “Treat Yo’Self”? Let us know on Family Footnote’s website or @familyfootnote on Twitter and Facebook.