Hi friends, Happy Friday! And while we’re at it, Happy February! Wow.
We’re winding down from a cold and very snowy week here in Brooklyn, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. We had a winter storm roll through starting on Sunday night and wrapping up Tuesday afternoon, and we haven’t seen this many inches of snow is quite a while!

Scott and I experienced plenty of blizzards in our years of living in Michigan, but it has been a very mild winter so far here in New York. It was nice to see the snow stick and be able to build a snowman, throw snowballs and go sledding as a family! (More on this below.)
Today we’re covering Friday Favorites with the latest round up of things that brightened up the week. There’s a new workout share, a new recipe win, toddler winter essentials and some of my go-to skincare tips for dry skin, too. Thanks so much for being here!
FRIDAY FAVORITES: WEEK OF 2/5

- winter toddler essentials
Longtime readers might remember that I shared a packing list for Baby/Toddler Essentials For Winter Traveling at the end of 2019.
As a native Floridian, I had no idea what to pack for a trip to a cold climate until I visited New York a few times. That said, I can totally relate to a mom who doesn’t really know how to pack for an upcoming trip to a new climate with a baby or toddler. Read the post linked above for a lot more details and advice on this, and I wanted to add a few more items that I discovered this winter season!

With temperatures in the teens recently, we figured it was time to get Skyler a set of thermal underwear to wear under his snowsuit. (We got this one on Amazon about a month ago, and it looks like it’s no longer available. Check out similar styles here, here, and here.)
We also found out that his socks were not quite tall enough for the colder days, so Scott picked out a set of warm, high wool socks for him to wear under his pants to ensure his skin is not exposed to the air.
The beanie was a hand-me-down from a friend but is from Gap! (A few adorable picks for girls or boys: here, here, and here.)
- Snow Days & sledding with Skyler
While Scott and I are no strangers to snow after living in the suburbs of Detroit during four record-breaking winters of low temperatures and record-breaking snowfall (yowza!), the big snowfall and blizzard that happened this week was the first one that Skyler really understood.

We told him that a blizzard was happening and that we would have to stay inside for the majority of 2-3 days, but he still asked to go outside and do things like go to his school or the gym. (I’ve been taking him to kids play gyms for 1.5 hour play sessions with him, and it’s been so fun!)


We stayed put and safely indoors on Monday, but we snuck outside during a break in the snowfall for a trip to the park on Tuesday and Wednesday, and it was so good for the soul!
Skyler had been asking to make a snowman for months, so it was awesome to finally get to do that. And man, Scott always a “go big or go home” type of mindset with things. The size of our snowman shows it!

We were probably outside for a total of maybe two hours, and I felt very cold hands and feet on the walk home. That’s about all I can handle at a time in the winter temperatures, even with all of the right layers. Scott and Skyler were still having a blast throwing snowballs and hiding in “snow forts”, so I came home to heat up a warm lunch for us while they stayed a bit longer and played.

It was also our first time sledding together, and that was really cool to do and see. Skyler loved it and yelled “woo hoo!” on most of the runs down the hill. It was the cutest thing.

There are some undesirable things happening in our lives right now, so it was so great to take a break from all of it and just have fun as a family. The memories shared here will last forever, and I’m so grateful for that!
- Seated Total Body Strength Workout
As you might already know, planning my workouts to the tee ahead of time has been tricky in this season of safety protocols at the gym. Things are a lot more spread out, some equipment is put away all together, and I try to avoid being in an area where anyone is near at the same time.
That said, most of my workouts during this season have been on-the-fly, which is fine, but also not ideal for my personal goal of gaining strength. I get strength workouts done, but I am looking forward to the day when I can go onto the workout floor with more of a plan or program I can stick to. Maybe I’m just making excuses … haha, who knows.
Anyways, here is what I did during a strength session this week. I stayed in the machines room and completed most of the exercises while sitting down. (Score!)

You will need access to cable or specific exercise machines for this workout, and not much else. There is an option to use a stability ball for the sit-ups, but if you don’t have one, you can complete them on the floor with a mat.
I broke this workout up into four circuits, based on the areas of focus and machines that I had access to at the gym. (As you can imagine, everything is still spread out and limited at the moment.)
Complete 12-15 reps of each exercise in the circuit (separated in the graphic) for a total of 2-3 rounds before moving on to the next one.Be mindful in your weight selections.
PRO TIP: If the workout calls for 12-15 reps, you should be able to complete only 12-15 reps each time. If you could complete more, up the weight!
As always, please make sure you are cleared by a doctor to start any type of new physical activity and listen to your body for when to rest, and please reach out with any questions!
EXERCISE BREAKDOWNS
seated shoulder (overhead) presses
- go-to clean skincare cocktail for dry skin
Are you in need of a hydration boost this winter season? Me too.
A popular question around this time of year is what my go-to products are to help with dry skin. Here’s what I’m currently using and loving!

This Cleansing Balm – use as a hydrating cleanser, a makeup remover, to treat dry spots all over, and (my favorite) as an overnight mask once a week. You put a thin layer of it on your face after it’s clean and wash it off in the morning after a night’s sleep. You can even use it as a barrier from your mask to your skin if you have to wear on at work for hours a a time. Apply some where the mask touches your face and it helps with irritation and breakouts. It’s the best!
Facial Oils – add your favorite (Beautycounter has No. 1 for brightening, No. 2 for plumping and No. 3 for balancing) to your morning and night routine with a few drops on their own after or even mixed in with your moisturizer. It really makes a big difference in cooler climates, and the bottles last forever.
PM recovery moisturizer – definitely moisturize in the morning (this is key!), but are you also using a moisturizer specifically formulated for night time recovery? These tend to be thicker and more luxurious, in my opinion. You don’t need a lot of product, as they are very condensed and work their magic while you sleep. You’ve gotta love that! The Countertime Supreme Cream is my top pick in this category, with the Countermatch Recovery Sleeping Cream right behind.
I actually shared a video with my full winter skincare routine here if you’re interested in that.

By the way, you can always catch the latest scoop, promos, and giveaway news on the Life In Leggings – Beautycounter page or . And if you’re new to Beautycounter, browse the site and use the code CLEANFORALL20 to get 20% off of your first order through the end of February.
And please reach out with any questions. I legitimately smile when I talk about this stuff!
- healthy white chicken chili
Is it even a blizzard if you’re not making a hot, warm pot of soup or stew to help keep you cozy and indoors for a few days? As soon as I got word of the weather warning, I searched for a lightened-up, easy white chicken chili recipe and found a total win in this one.

It had a bit of a kick with a jalapeno topping (this picture was taken the day after I originally made it), and even better with avocado. I loved it and Scott and Skyler approved, so that deems something to be repeated around here!
- favorite LIL posts
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If you are working out consistently, but aren’t feeling challenged or seeing the results, this post is for you. Tips on how to work out smarter, not harder at home or at the gym!

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Kids say the darndest things sometimes! This one is meant to be lighthearted and to make you smile if you’ve had a heavy week. Check out some of the latest quotes from Skyler to kick things off in a fun way.

And that wraps things up today! I hope you get are able to get outside and have some fun this weekend, even if it’s just going on a long walk around your neighborhood. Never estimated the power of fresh air.
Have a great rest of the day, and follow along in between the blog posts on Instagram if you aren’t already. (I post videos, tips, workouts, mom life and more daily!)
*Disclaimer: Friday Favorites posts may contain affiliate links. Also, I am a Beautycounter consultant and love what I do with the company. By using the links provided in this post to order products, you are supporting my business. I always appreciate you!

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