A Few Amazon Favorites

Here are a few of my favorite purchases from the last year. Most of them are connected to the health and fitness regimen we have been focusing on, but there are a few other random standouts that I have really enjoyed having around. 

HEALTH AND BEAUTY

SKULPT

The Sculpt Scanner was a gift for Dave originally, but I started using it and I LOVE IT. It is a great way to measure your body fat and muscle quality. After having kids our scale has not been a reliable source for my progress and my health. This has been a fun way to see what areas of my body are improving, even though my weight hasn't changed much post pregnancy. 

BCAA PRE-WORKOUT

I have never been a coffee drinker or soda drinker, so caffeine is kind of a new thing for me. This pre-workout drink has been a game changer- it has BCAAs (Branched Chain Amino Acids which are the basic building blocks of protein) and gives me a boost of energy to get through my evening workouts. 

BLUETOOTH HEADPHONES

Bluetooth headphones make running on the treadmill much safer for your phone, make interval training much easier, and save you from having to strap your phone to your bicep while wrestling with the traditional earbud wire. This particular set of headphones is great because it doesn't have a speaker box on the connecting wire, keeping them from swinging around your neck while you run. I used to have a pair that DID have a speaker box below the ear, and the weight of the speaker tugged headphones from my ears and eventually shorted out.

RESISTANCE BANDS

Add one of these resistance bands to leg day and your booty... will burn.

PROTEIN BARS

As far as low carb protein bars go, this brand has been our favorite. They are chewy and soft without the dry powdery taste that most protein bars have. My personal favorite flavor from this variety pack is the Chocolate Chip. We just got some s'mores flavored bars along with some dark chocolate coconut... I'm anxious to try them.

TEETH WHITENING KIT

This kit came with a moldable retainer, gel, and a blue light. There is enough gel to do 10-12 treatments, and if you do them at least a day apart for 30 minutes, you shouldn't experience any sensitivity. I was a big crest white strips user in the past, but the sensitivity was a deal breaker. This kit has been great, and is cheaper than the strips.

HOUSEHOLD PRODUCTS

CALDREA GINGER POMELO

This Ginger Pomelo Scent has taken our house by storm. It is refreshing, clean, and sweet all at once. We first discovered this scent from a hand soap in my mom's powder room then hunted down the product line. We now have the Countertop Cleaner and the Room Spray. It's amazing.

CARPET POWDER

Dave introduced me to carpet powder when we first got married, and now it is a Monson Family staple. We lived in a condo in Tempe that had previously been smoked in, and this stuff was a lifesaver. You sprinkle it on your carpet and let it rest for 15-30 minutes, then vacuum it up. It freshens up your entire house and lifts odors that may have settled into your carpet. I know it's intended for pets, but kids are as good as...