Five Favorites (vol. 8)

It's a lovely Wednesday yet again, and this time I actually have a moment to participate in five favorites! Find more over at Hallie's.

As a new momma, I have found that the teensiest bit of pampering goes a very long way. The smallest treat can really turn around my entire attitude/day. Below, find my five favorite ways to retreat from the monotony of life with a babe!

-1-
A cup of the good stuff. And by this I mean coffee in any of it's many beloved forms. Cup o' Joe, flavored latte, cappuccino, chai latte (okay, I know this isn't actually coffee, but it's close enough...or something), iced coffee... I've pretty much tried it all and love it all, especially when it contains quite a bit of sugar.
I used to drink coffee everyday but stopped when I was pregnant--not because I was "supposed to," but because for the first 18 weeks or so it was practically repulsive! Good thing that didn't last all of pregnancy and good thing pregnancy doesn't last for life.

On our honeymoon we were always on the hunt for two things: coffee and churches. Oh, and see those cannoli? We were in Sicily and I am sure I will never, ever have cannoli as good as those anywhere else.

A coffee drink of some sort always feels like a treat to me, whether it's from the Keurig in our kitchen or the coffee shop down the street. Not something I need, but something that can help to start out my morning (or, heck, afternoon!) the right way.

-2-
Pedicures. I really love the process of getting a pedicure--there are few things better than having your feet rubbed. I also really love looking down at my toes weeks months later and seeing them all cute and painted. When I was living in Kansas City, I'm pretty sure my roomies and I went once every few weeks to get a manicure and/or pedicure. You can guess that I wasn't on any sort of budget at all. Now I'm married and have a husband who's super good at keeping us on track. So good that we have a "Prettifying Danielle" budget and I get to save up our pennies until I have enough for a mani/pedi/massage/haircut. Last Saturday morning I decided it was pedicure day and got to sneak out of the house for an hour to indulge in that little treat--such a great way to start a weekend!

-3-
Adoration. Now, I'm sure this isn't on most people's top 10 list for getting "pampered." But the purpose of taking a little retreat from life is always to feel less stressed, right? For me, 30 minutes spent in prayer adoring the Blessed Sacrament is exponentially relaxing and stress-relieving and can absolutely turn my day right-side-up again. PTL (Praise the Lord) that there is a 24-hour Adoration Chapel just 3 blocks from our house! Truly, this is a treat I should indulge in more...so far it's the only one that's free, enhances my life for the long run (although the argument could be made that coffee has this ability), and allows me to accept the grace God is always gifting us with.

-4-
Red wine. So mom of the year award goes to me because Silas has definitely visited the winery at least 4 times in his short little life. What can I say? We like wine around here. Especially the red stuff.

Silas is more into the glass itself than the delicious drink it holds.

On the weekends the hubs and I will have a glass after baby is in bed and it's always such a delicious way to end the day! It's funny how just one glass of wine also helps me remember that there's life outside of babyland. Not that I dislike being steeped in all-things-baby all day and spending lots of time with him, it's just so easy to get lost in that world! My glass of wine whispers to me, "Hey, you're an adult and you can think about adult things sometimes."

-5-
Chatting with a friend. What a God-send the telephone is! While I have a handful of fabulous friends where we live, I've only been here for a bit over 2 years and so most of the besties aren't in town! Being able to talk to my momma everyday and several of my friends regularly really is a kind of pampering for me, a break from the day. Talking to those who I don't have to explain anything to is comforting and it doesn't matter how long it's been between phone calls, we can just pick back up where we left off!

Taking a little moment to pamper yourself today--you'll be better for it! I find that I can be a better mom and wife and friend when I take care of myself.

~Danielle