At the end of each year, I try to look back and the new items and experiences of the last twelve months and pick a few winners. This has previously been a mental list, but, since I have a blog, I figured I might as well share. Maybe you’ll see something you’d like to try. These are not brilliant, innovative discoveries – I’m definitely not starting any trends – they’re just a few things that have made my life easier or more enjoyable. (links are formatting weird for me, so I’ll add those later if possible)

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Running – this was a huge leap for me as I generally avoid physical activity. But after about three weeks, I noticed a physical improvement and kept with it until that 5k finish line. I hope to complete more races this spring.

Norwex body cloths – I’m a minimalist when I comes to skin care and makeup, and I’ve never used any kind of makeup remover. These have been wonderful, and they’re so easy! I use them to remove makeup at the end of the day and as a general face cleanser.

Joe’s Crab Shack paint-a-crab – kept the girls busy for an hour! And only $1.99.

Amazon Prime – having a three kids and cold weather pushed us to spring for this, and we haven’t regretted it. Fast shipping with no minimum purchase means fewer errands for me and no random purchases to get our cart over $35. Better for our sanity and budget. Plus shows on Prime instant video that aren’t available on Netflix.

Clockwise

Windham furniture line at Target – we have four of these pieces now, two teal and two red. They are well-designed and sturdy. I usually gravitate toward neutral decor, so these give a great colorful pop! (And they go on sale every couple of weeks, so don’t pay full price)

Jamberry – my nail polish always chips after about 24 hours, even when I get a professional manicure. These are so fun and last almost two weeks for me.

Hy-Vee freezer meal prep nights – these were a lifesaver before baby. I didn’t have time to stock the freezer with my own meals, so I went to an “Open Dish Night” at Hy-Vee and made 10 meals in 90 minutes with 15 other ladies. Awesome!

What were your best “finds” of 2014?