Lindsay's Sweet World: August 2026

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Happy Monday, y’all! The kids are officially back at school today so I’m sitting in a house that’s wayyyy too quiet for my liking. When they were small, it was wonderful but also exhausting having them home all day every day all summer so I was always ready for them to go back to school when the time came. But now that they’re older and more independent it’s so much easier having them around all the time, and gosh, I miss them when they’re not here! I’m already looking forward to fall break! Haha.

Anyway, we had a pretty heavy Amazon load in July because of Jacob’s birthday and back-to-school shopping, so let’s dig right in!

Rotary Cheese Grater

About a year ago, I finally stopped buying pre-shredded cheese, and I started buying blocks of cheese and grating my own. The flavor is truly worlds better. I’d grown tired of shredding my own cheese with my basic grater, so I finally purchased this rotary grater last week. I know it’s going to be money well spent since we eat so much cheese and it’ll make my job much easier. I haven’t used it yet, so I’ll have to report back! The reviews are awesome, though, and most importantly, it’s dishwasher safe for easy cleanup! No way would I want to wash this thing by hand all the time.

Paper Straws

Olivia loves a paper straw, and she used up all the ones we had on hand, so I bought this pack. They’re soooo pretty, they're eco-friendly, and they look darling on our bar cart!

Owala Thermos

Last year, the kids both got Owala water bottles for school, but we bought the 30 oz. bottles, and they were just way too cumbersome for them to carry to school every day (and they didn’t fit in any cupholders). This year, we made the switch to the 24 oz. bottles, and they are so much better. They’re slimmer so they’re much easier to hold than those bulky 30 oz. bottles, and they have hand indentions, too. I’m hoping that prevents Olivia from dropping hers. I cannot tell you how many times she dropped her 30 oz. bottle on the ground (and on our kitchen hardwood floors – waaaahhhh). Olivia chose this periwinkle color and it’s so pretty!

Owala Thermos #2

Jacob chose this black Owala for this year and he loves the slimmer design of the 24 oz. version as well. They both love Owalas because you can sip from the bottle or use the straw, they are leak-proof so you can throw them in a bag, and they have handles at the top for easier carrying.

Owala Thermos Boot

This year, we bought both kids a boot for their water bottles, too, to prevent damage if they do drop them. Olivia’s last Owala was all banged up from all the drops it sustained, so I’m hoping this boot protects her new bottle. And we also love the boot because it makes the bottle skid-proof. They didn’t have one in periwinkle, so she opted for pink, and the periwinkle/pink combo is so pretty!

Owala Thermos Boot #2

Jacob chose the black boot, and it blends in seamlessly with the color of the bottle. I highly recommend getting a water bottle boot for any metal thermos like these!

Leotard

Olivia needed a new leotard for dance, and this one ended up being the best option. It fits true to size, the back is really unique, and this one keeps her cooler because of the open back and the fact that it doesn’t have sleeves. She loves it.

Leotard #2

This was the other option that we tried first, but it didn’t work for Olivia. It runs very large in the chest and armpits causing all the straps in the back to hang loosely, so it didn’t work for Olivia and we sent it back.

Necklace

I bought this necklace while it was on sale because it had been on my wish list for a while. It’s gorgeous in person and it’s a perfect neutral that can be worn with pretty much any outfit. It comes in lots of different colorways, too.

Socks

I absolutely love that socks with stripes are trending again. I remember getting my first pair in 9th grade (although they were calf length) and thinking that they were the cutest things I’d ever seen. I bought a small pack of these to wear with athletic clothes. They’re softer than expected, too, so that was a bonus!

Star Freckles

These were a last-minute purchase for our July 4th party and they were a hit! I have to say, I was really nervous about these, because I was worried they wouldn’t apply easily and then my face would be a big ol’ mess. Thankfully, they were SO easy to apply, and they were just as easy to remove. Just make sure that you use tape to remove them. My aunt tried washing hers off and then scrubbing them off with rubbing alcohol and she said it was a pain. I just put a piece of tape on mine and pulled it up, and it came right off! Easy peasy and SO fun!

Pink Bows

If you have a tween girl, then you probably already know that bows on your jeans are trending. Olivia wanted a pair of jeans with pink bows, but unfortunately, all the ones we found at Target and other places fit her awkwardly or they weren’t exactly what she was looking for. We ended up finding the perfect pair of jeans for her that she loves, and I bought these premade bows to sew on myself. They’re the perfect size, they’re inexpensive, and there are 50 in the pack, so we’ll be able to use them for other things in the future. They actually come with little twist ties on them so you can tie them to things (I have so many ideas!), but the twist tie slides right out if you don’t need it and then you can just use the bows alone.

Shoelaces

I just purchased another pair of On Clouds since mine were worn out, and I bought another pair of these laces for them. The model of shoe that I love so much comes with fixed laces, and I don’t like those since they’re not adjustable, so I always remove them and put these laces in. Perfection!

Palm Pals Banana

Jacob and Olivia both collect Palm Pals, so we grabbed a couple for Jacob for his birthday. This banana is darling, and it added a pop of yellow to his collection. If your kids aren’t collecting Palm Pals yet, chances are, they will be soon. I feel like we were accidentally on the forefront of this trend and they are popping up everywhere now! They are the perfect stocking stuffer for the holidays, too!

Palm Pals Mallard Duck

This one is so cute, too. I never participated in the Beanie Babies trend, but these are so similar! The kids also love that they come with a tag with their name on it and a little blurb about them.

Speed Cube

Jacob had this speed cube on his birthday list, so we bought this as a birthday gift, too. He loves a challenge! Although, he said this one is, somehow, easier than the standard cubes. He can already solve it in less than 20 seconds. Mind-blowing, right?

Birthday Card

I bought this birthday card for Jacob since it has all the current teen and tween slang on it. It’ll be fun to look back on one day when he’s older!

Speed Cube Ornament

Every year, I try to grab an ornament for each of the kids for something new they did that year/something they were obsessed with/a special trip we went on, and this year was definitely the year of the speed cube for Jacob. I found this blown glass ornament and I couldn’t snatch it up fast enough! I can’t wait to see it on our tree this year!

Neck and Chest Firming Cream

I took a break from this neck and chest firming cream to give a different cream a try instead and let me tell you – that other cream is NOTHING in comparison to this one! I ended up giving up that other tube (and I’ll just use it on my arms and legs until it’s gone) and going back to this one because this one is SO much better. Shortly after I stopped using this one and switched to the other one, my neck started looking more and more wrinkly and rough. After only a couple of days of switching back to this one, I could tell a drastic difference in the wrinkles on my neck. This one is the GOAT of all the ones I’ve tried! And it’s affordable compared to some of the higher end brands. You only need a tiny amount each day, so this small tube goes a long way!

Another Birthday Card

I stumbled upon this card when I was browsing, and I grabbed it for my littlest brother since his birthday is coming up. It’s perfect for him and his brand of humor. Haha.