I’ve been writing “Debbie’s Favorite Things” yearly since 2007 and it’s easily my favorite post that I write each year! I was so excited that Roy decided to join in on the fun, making 2016 the first year that he added his favorite picks. Double fun!

If you’d like to take a look back, here you go: Debbie’s & Roy’s Favorite Things 2016; Debbie’s Favorite Things 2015; Debbie’s Favorite Things 2014; Debbie’s Favorite Things 2012; Debbie’s Favorite Things 2011; Debbie’s Favorite Things 2010; Debbie’s Favorite Things 2009; Debbie’s Favorite Things 2008; Debbie’s Favorite Things 2007.

So, without further ado, here are our Favorite Things from 2017!

Debbie’s Favorite Things 2017

1. School of Awake.  My sister bought this amazing book for our 7-year old daughter, Mia, and gave it to her over Thanksgiving. We have literally worked on it every single night since—at Mia’s request! With chapters such as truly you, the power of your words, and the ocean of emotion, I love the messages that it is teaching to her. When Mia’s older brother and sister asked her what we were working on, she said (and I quote), “It is a book where we do a lot of fun activities that also teach you how to be more mindful and self aware.” My heart melted. Those are words that didn’t exist in my own vocabulary until my 20’s or 30’s! If you are looking to start a dialogue with your child about living more mindfully, this book is a winner!

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   Stainless Steel Straws. Our kids love drinking through straws but I hated the idea of them drinking through plastic every day. We bought these straws several months ago and they are great! They are easy to clean, safe, and environmentally friendly.

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3. Spa Dr Skincare. After reading the book Clean Skin from Within, I decided to try The Spa Dr line of non-toxic skincare. I am particularly fond of steps 2 and 3— Nourish antioxidant serum and Renew enriched moisturizer. I truly feel like I am bathing my skin in yummy nutrients twice a day when I use them— and they smell soooo good! If you want to give them a try, everything on our Fullscript Online Store is 15% off for the remainder of the year, which is BIG savings!

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   Sunlighten Sauna. If you read our recent blog post on Sauna’s, you already know that I received one in February for my 40th birthday. Lucky me! If you are interested in the details, you can read up on the sauna we purchased in that post. This one is likely to remain a favorite well beyond 2017!

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5. Lemon/Lime Juicer. My mom is the queen of kitchen gadgets! She has been cooking all of her life and she seems to find things that I initially roll my eyes at, declare that I don’t need another gadget…and then I try hers and wonder how I ever lived without it! This lemon/lime juicer is certainly one of them. If you like adding fresh lemon or lime juice to dressings, marinades, guacamole, etc. you will love the ease of this tool!
   

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6. Remote Car Starter. You might already know that year after year, I work on embracing winter! Well, truth be told, I am not 100% there yet. If winter isn’t your favorite season either, a Remote Car Starter might make getting into your car just a bit more tolerable when it’s freezing cold outside! Now if only they would invent something so that I didn’t have to scrape the ice off my car anymore either 🙂
   

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7. Touch Sink. We are in the midst of a home remodel and one of our favorite upgrades has been our touch sink. My friend Michelle put one in her house a few years ago so when we needed a new kitchen faucet, I knew which one to buy! We love it….especially if your hands have touched meat or anything sticky.
   

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8. Travel Knives. As we already mentioned in our 3-part Holiday travel posts, we do not travel light! One of the things we bring along with us when we travel is our travel knives. If you rent a place with a kitchen, having a good, small set of covered knives to take along with you makes cooking away from home so much easier. Of course, these cannot be taken in your carry-on luggage and only packed in your checked baggage 🙂

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   River & Woods. My parents moved to Boulder 4- years ago and they have significantly more of a social life than we do 🙂 . We count on them to turn us onto new, great local restaurants for those evenings when we actually do get out! River and Woods restaurant has become one of our favorites because the food is delicious, locally sourced, and they are great with accommodating dietary restrictions. I am not a big red meat eater, but I do love the short ribs!

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10. Local, Handmade Mugs. I love a good mug that fits perfectly into my hands! My favorites come from local artists such as Cris Conklin (the dragonfly mug is my favorite!) and Awk Clay Works (I love the aqua leafy mug). I have received these and given these handmade beauties as gifts.

Dr. Roy’s Favorite Things 2017

1. Joe Rogan Podcast. Although it is certainly not for everyone, and definitely not PG rated, I find Joe to be a fierce, independent free thinker with strong opinions yet an open mind.  What I love about the podcast is that Joe basically sits down with an eclectic roster of guests for an in-depth, three-hour long conversation. In today’s frenetic world that is rare.
   

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2. Chris Stapleton. Most of you know that I am a musician and a die-hard music fan. Until a few years ago, I adamantly declared that I like almost any style of music— except country.  I had tried to get into it many times, but it wasn’t until I heard Chris’ thick, soulful voice that I was converted.  If you are like me and have never connected with country music, try listening to his cover of “Tennessee Whisky” or his original “Either Way”.
   

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3. Ultimate Burger. We mostly shop at the Superior Whole Foods and their “Superior Burger” was one of my favorite treats.  This summer my brother-in-law, Allan, discovered the “Ultimate Burger” at the Pearl Street Whole Foods in Boulder and I knew we hit on something special when each bite ended with a “mmmm, wow, damn, oh my god….”
   

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4. Joseph Campbell’s Power of Myth.  Joseph Campbell is a modern day philosopher and considered one of the world’s authorities on myths.  In addition to inspiring George Lucas to write Star Wars, he is also credited with teaching his students and the world the concept of “follow your bliss”. In this amazing series, Joseph is brilliantly interviewed by Bill Moyers just before his death.  Owning this series is a treasure.
   

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5. Phil Lewis Art. I am blessed with some of greatest patients and parents in my practice.  I met Phil and his amazing wife Lauren when their child Robin was born and it was an immediate connection.  As I got to know them I also fell in love with Phil’s deeply creative, original and inspiring artwork. This fall, Phil opened a beautiful studio and retail space right here on Boulder’s Pearl Street.  My kids love his children’s books, puzzles, and coloring books.
   

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6. The Wisdom of Insecurity. If you don’t already know him,  Alan Watts is  a British  author and was one of the early teachers of Taoism and Buddhism in the West in the early 60’s.  This book is a raw unapologetic look at reality through the lens of Eastern philosophy delivered by Watts’s poetic train of thought type run-on sentence brilliance.  It simply speaks to me.  Watch this video to get a glimpse.
   

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7. Almond Cream Cheese. If you are dairy-free like our family, you know there is no great substitute for cheese. Well, that was true until now. This spread is so good that second best in the “fake cheese” competition isn’t even in the same league.  Try the chive flavor.
   

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8. White Gold Honey. Next to chocolate, honey is my favorite sweet treat.  There are so many amazing varieties but I think the name White Gold says it all.  It is creamy and perfectly sweet. My newest favorite.
   

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9. Touchpoints. Though it was originally published in 1992, this is still one of the most accurate and helpful books for new parents.  T. Berry Brazelton walks the reader through normal child development and what to expect at every stage.
   

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10. Blondies. Although I generally prefer brunettes 😉 , these gluten, dairy, soy, nut, and egg free treats have made me reconsider.  Not to brag, but when we bring these to a potluck, they are usually finished before any other dessert. Just the truth.

If you have made it this far, thanks for reading!

We wonder if any of OUR favorites were also YOUR favorites?

Comment below and let us know the best things YOU discovered in 2017. We love to hear from you!