Friday Faves – Dogs, Sun, Greens, & Coffee

As always, it’s been a long and crazy week here in the Creative Mess household. The winter weather is a month past “getting old” and now we’re just straight up irritated.

But while we’re stuck inside fighting the winter blues, there’s a few things I’ve gotten a little bit of joy from. Today, I will share them with you!

A little warmth for the pooches:

Our house is 120 years old and even though everything inside was renovated before we moved in, we still have some serious draft issues in winter. Especially in our kitchen, which is where our dogs sleep. It was so cold! So besides dressing them in clothes (which oh my goodness is so cute!) I ended up ordering a couple things to help keep them warm and keep me from loosing my mind!

*This post contains my own personal affiliate links. This means if you make a purchase through a direct link I share, I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you, because you were referred by me*

This adorable (and blueish-teal) waterproof pet heating mat

My dogs love it. It’s got about a foot long chew-proof cord so my naughty little puppy won’t end up electrocuting herself. It’s waterproof so if they spill their water or have an accident It’s a much easier and safer clean up.

WE BOUGHT A POOL!

We have a tiny city backyard and I spent all last summer wishing we had a way to get the kids and myself outdoors more. I put up our trampoline, but on a super hot day the kids wanted nothing to do with it. Michigan weather is so weird.

So to snap me out of my winter blues, I started looking at Pinterest for pool ideas. I was convinced last summer that I was going to build my own (and maybe I will, eventually) BUT browsing around on Amazon, I found a great deal on a pool that would fit perfectly in our little yard without making me feel like I was a giant in a tiny kiddie pool.

Bestway 10×6(ish) Pool

I’m so excited about this! It arrived on Valentines day so I told me kids it was their present. Ordering it in February has it’s pros and cons. Pro – cheaper price. When I was looking on Amazon last summer all of the pool options were far more expensive. Con – my children ask me ten times a day when we are going to put up the pool… Keep in mind there’s still massive snow mounds outside taller than my 7 year old.

Now I’m scouring Facebook marketplace, hoping to catch a good deal on a saltwater system for this pool. I really don’t want to do chlorine or bromine with how much time I hope to spend in the pool and with the young age and vulnerable skin of my babies saltwater is a great solution for us.

I’m also eyeing THIS ONE on Amazon, but hoping to score a cheaper one second-hand if possible.

So I’m pretty much just letting my brain wander around in spring and summer to avoid the reality outside.

I miss the way the sun feels and looks on my skin. Which brings us to my next little purchase:

South Beach Self Tanning Lotion

Originally, I had bought Sun Bum brand through Amazon after the product description deceived me, claiming it was “natural”. Upon receiving it, I read the ingredients and sent it back right away! It contained artificial dyes and fragrance, which are both big no-nos for me.

So I started looking again. I ended up getting “SOUTH BEACH TANNING” premium self tanner. No dyes, no “fragrance” just a nice beachy light coconut scent.

Full disclosure: The Daddy doesn’t like coconut smells, so I added some cocoa essential oil from Jade Bloom and I think it smells even more heavenly! I kind of smell like a candy bar.

I’ve been really trying to focus on self-improvement lately. I know I just had my fourth baby and, believe me, I know I’m beautiful and I shouldn’t worry so much about what I look like.

That being said – I like being healthy. I like FEELING healthy. Part of what makes my body feel good is keeping up with my Plexus vitamins/probiotics/supplements. If you’re interested in reading more about Plexus, I put together a post with my honest perspective here on my blog.

The Daddy and I have been making some better food choices and started going to the gym together to try and kill two birds with one stone: getting healthier and spending more time together. I’m hoping it’s a habit we can stick to together.

There’s a couple other goodies I like to add to my day to help me keep up with my health goals.

Amazing Grass

Ha! That title could be misleading. Its a greens powder. I like the Detox & Digest kind best but they have a ton of options to meet your specific goals. You can even buy a little sample pack to try their flavors.

I also spent a ton of time looking for the best protein powder for me. I needed it to be both DAIRY AND GRAIN FREE, and preferably unflavored so I could add it to anything. I looked all over Amazon, but I ended up finding the right one for me on Thrive Market.

Protein Powder

I’ll put this in my fruit smoothies, my coffee, even baked goods.

You can browse Natural Force products on Amazon here.

No grains, no sugar, no soy, no dairy. Yeah buddy.

Another staple for my coffee is MCT oil. The Daddy and I are trying out the Keto lifestyle right now and have noticed some progress already. You can find MCT oil on Amazon, Thrive Market, or just about any health food store – our local grocery store even carries it.

So there ya go. Dogs, Pools, Sun, Greens, and Coffee. Those are the things that have been on my mind lately. Ya know, besides the 7,589,436 other things I think about on a daily basis.

What are a few items that have brought you a little bit of joy this week?