Sixteen Favorites of 2016
December 16, 2016
As 2016 comes to a close, I like to look back and appreciate a few of the things that have helped make this year one of our best yet. Whether it's new tech tools we've discovered, new recipes or helpful everyday items, I'm sharing them in hopes you might find some use for them, too (and share YOUR favorites!)!
Plus, I love making lists — as you'll see, organization was a key factor in ensuring 2016 was a year of setting and achieving our goals!
Food & Drinks
1. Sara Lee Artesan Bread
I know this is only bread, but y'all, it's the best. Trust me.
2. Moscato Granita from Fish Tales Winery in Broken Bow, Oklahoma
Our favorite close-to-home getaway spot, Broken Bow, Oklahoma, experienced substantial growth in the 14 months between our pre-Bryson babymoon and our most recent visit. One of our favorite new spots, Fish Tales Winery, is home to my new favorite summer wine drink: Moscato Granita — made with their River Bend Brown moscato. OMG...it's worth the three-hour drive just for a glass of it.
3. Homemade Ranch Dressing
I have spent many years searching far and wide for the perfect ranch dressing. Few restaurants have nailed the recipe, and it's so hard to recreate it at home. Well, consider 2016 the year we conquered it! If you are a fellow Okie who LOVES your ranch dressing, stop everything, go buy HELLMAN'S (<-- this is very important) mayonnaise and buttermilk (you won't regret it) and make this. It's simple and you won't ever go back to bottled Hidden Valley. You're welcome.
- 1 packet of Ranch salad dressing mix
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- pinch cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1 cup Hellman's mayonnaise
- 1 cup buttermilk
Mix together and store in refrigerator. This makes the perfect amount for a pint-sized mason jar.
4. Gourmet Homemade Coffee
In the fall, Hubs and I began a coffee kick and invested in an actual coffee pot (not a Keurig) that could brew coffee for us at the same time each morning. We LOVE waking up to the smell of coffee each morning and have ventured out into making gourmet coffee drinks. We buy Starbucks flavored coffee (mocha and caramel, mostly) and make cafe mochas and caramel macchiatos in the mornings. It doesn't take any more time than it would mixing up a regular cup of coffee and it tastes like it came straight from Starbucks, but without the price tag. Old-fashioned coffee making for the win!
Tech Tools
5. Adobe Spark
I have used Adobe Spark for several purposes over the past few months, both professionally and personally. I love that the pages respond to mobile device screens, and it just looks cool. I've used it to showcase my favorite things about fall and our DIY backyard remodel, as well as to promote my personalized budget planners. It's so simple, easy and FREE!
6. PlayStation Vue
Back in April, Hubs and I took the leap and cancelled our cable, and we haven't looked back. We first jumped on board with Sling TV and have since moved on to PlayStation Vue. Want to know more? Read my blog post about the two services here, and if you feel the urge to cancel your cable or satellite TV, trust me, you won't miss it. Instead, you'll realize how much you have missed the money you've been wasting on it all along. Double win!
Entertainment & Sports
7. Team USA Women's Gymnastics DOMINATES 2016 Rio Olympics
They make me so proud to be American!
8. Designated Survivor
We love it.
9. OU Sooners Crowned Big XII Champions!
Boomer!
Hobby/Pasttime
10. Budgeting & Meal Planning
The year 2016 has seen many accomplished goals for us, mostly financial. We have Dave Ramsey to thank for that, but also a personalized budget planner I created just for us. It keeps us on track and helps us successfully "spend every dollar" before we have it (Dave's philosophy), so there's none left over to waste. Now, we can welcome 2017 from a much better place (financially) than we had hoped at the beginning of this year. We also use our handy dandy planner to help plan our meals and grocery lists. It gives us a clear plan going grocery shopping so we're not wandering down aisles wondering what to make for dinner tomorrow night. It doesn't take much work, and it's totally worth every minute.
Beauty & Skincare
11. Mary Kay Lash Intensity Mascara
My good friend and Mary Kay consultant, Emily Hertz, hooked me up with some new mascara this year and it's my favorite ever! It extends my eyelashes and separates them so they look super long! Thanks, girl!
12. Rodan+Fields Multifunction Eye Cream
Thanks to this cream (and using it twice per day), I no longer have to wear concealer under my eyes! One less step in my makeup routine! Hallelujah!
13. Rodan+Fields Mineral Peptides
Speaking of makeup, I recently switched from beauty brand foundation and powder to Rodan+Fields' Mineral Peptides powder. It's all I put on my face — following my daily regimen — and I don't have to touch up throughout the day. Love it. Read more about my favorite R+F products here.
14. Smooth Sexy Shampoo & Conditioner
I rarely have the time or energy to dry my hair after I wash it. If I didn't dry it, it would be so frizzy that it wouldn't even curl and I would have to end up wearing it in a bun. Then, I discovered Smooth Sexy shampoo and conditioner. Whether I dry it or not, I can still wake up and my hair will curl with no frizz. Plus, I've been able to extend the time between washing my hair to once every three days. Score!
Activities
15. Zip lining at Broken Bow, Oklahoma
Rugaru Adventures opened this year in Hochatown (our favorite Oklahoma vacation spot) and we eagerly signed up for a zip lining tour. It consisted of six zip lines and a TON of fun! Our guides were awesome, and we can't wait to go back!Fashion
16. Blazers
Next year I will be 30 years old, but I've already made the transition as far as my fashion choices go. I invested in a black blazer earlier this year and LOVE it. I mostly love that I can continue to wear my sleeveless summer tops and dress up some more casual tops. I have two more — a red one and a gray one — on the way. Here I am with Hubs at an awards banquet in November (cell phone pic):
I hope you've enjoyed reading about my 16 favorite things of 2016. I'd love to hear yours!
Keep an eye out for my annual year-end post in a couple of weeks. Merry Christmas!
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