5 Things We Love Right Now

Clean Trash Cans

Trash cans are gross and stinky, especially in the summer. Did you know there are companies that will come out and clean your trash cans? I had no idea until a friend posted on Facebook that she had just discovered trash can cleaners. This friend lives in a different state, so I had to consult my trusty friend Google to see whether this was a thing in KC—and guess what? It is! I signed up online, and voila! I now have clean, non-stinky trash cans. Who knew? ShinyBinz.com

Pet Portrait

My husband is hard to buy gifts for. The past few months have brought Father’s Day, his birthday and our anniversary, so I was in need of some gift inspiration. I found a local gal who paints pet portraits—to know my husband is to know he loves our dog. I submitted a few photos, and she painted the most adorable photo of our Spork. My husband was very surprised, and we all love the latest portrait on our mantle. In addition to pet portraits, she creates home accessories and more! KendraAllenDesigns.com

Monopoly Deal

I love to play games, but truth be told, I don’t enjoy Monopoly (or, the game of Life). It just takes so darn long to play, and everyone loses interest about halfway through a game. Enter Monopoly Deal. A friend recommended it—she loves it so much she gave me a copy of the game to try out. Turns out it’s tons of fun for all ages! Fast-paced and so much better than original Monopoly, this one still has the same feel as the board game. Amazon.com

Phone Cases

I am one of the unfun people who think that a phone case should be more about protecting the phone than being fashionable. Shockingly, my teen girls disagree. They recently upgraded their phones and wanted cute, stylish cases, but I wanted some serious protection for those new devices. We all found what we wanted with Wildflower cases. A nice combination of protection along with great designs that are teen approved. WildflowerCases.com

Coupon Website

I was making a recent purchase online when my younger popped in and told me about a website (I believe the official term is browser extension) that finds and applies coupons to your online purchases. I joined and added and, just like that, it has saved me money several times! I’ll be honest—I don’t know how it works and I haven’t researched it, so for all I know I’ve just given away super secret intel to spies, but on the flip side, it’s a great way to save when making online purchases! JoinHoney.com