My Favorite Buys from 2021

This post may contain affiliate links, from which I earn a small commission. You can check out my full disclosure here. Thank you for supporting June Diaries!

2021 was such a whirlwind for my family – it’s hard to believe how much things have changed in a year. To kick off last year, we had a 3 month old, I was headed back to work from maternity, still dealing with night waking’s and breast feeding. Now, a year later, we’re pregnant (with twins!), about to move into a forever home, and have a busy running toddler.

I wanted to kick off this year with a quick recap a few of my favorite buys from 2021. All of these have truly been some favorites of mine and that I used endlessly!

AGOLDE 90’s Jeans – I was seriously skeptical about purchasing these, but heard so many good reviews that I wanted to give them a try. They are definitely more than I usually spend on Denim, but I absolutely LOVED these jeans and wore them nonstop pre-pregnancy! This fit was loose and high waisted, and they paired well with heels, flats, sneakers. I definitely would purchase more of this brand. I did have to size up – whether that’s the brand or just me, I’m not quite sure since these were the first jeans I purchased post-Ana pregnancy 😉 Luckily Nordstrom has an AMAZING return policy that is incredibly easy to do if you purchase online. A big A+ on these.

TULA Skincare – I gave Tula a try early in 2021, and absolutely love these products! I love trying new beauty products but have had no wish to try anything new since using Tula. It’s a gentle cleanser that truly helps to keep my skin clean. I like to follow it up with the glow sunscreen and blurring primer and you don’t even need foundation. Love these products!

Peloton Bike: This has been SUCH. A. GAME CHANGER. I absolutely loathe working out and have never been a physical activity person. But…motherhood will change you, and I knew I had to get my butt in gear. About 6 months after having Ana, Rick and I decided to purchase our Peloton bike, and I am SO happy we did. I absolutely love spinning and the other classes the Peloton app offers. With the program, I was able to quickly shed the last of my baby weight and get into the best shape I had ever been in. Like most women, my core was absolutely shot postpartum. Emma Lovewell’s “Crush Your Core” program along with other strength classes completely helped get more strength than I’ve ever had before.

After I got pregnant with the twins, I was so sick in the first trimester my workouts completely fell off the grid. Now that I’m starting to feel. a bit better, I’m looking forward to getting back into some prenatal workouts in January and take advantage of more that Peloton has to offer.

If you’re interested in Peloton, I do have a discount code! SHFHF4. Use it to get a discount on your accessory purchases (you’ll need the shoes). Be sure to add me on the leaderboard as well! My username is rjfernandes.

IVL Collective Biker Shorts – Back in June we purchased a Peloton bike I went on a small shopping spree for some new workout clothes. I knew about IVL because I follow the owner on Instagram, but had been hesitant to try due to some so/so reviews. I decided to give the biker shorts a shot since Nordstrom has such a great and easy return policy, and I’m glad I did! I honestly don’t know why this brand has iffy reviews, I absolutely love their leggings and shorts for strength classes and spinning. They are better for performance than my LuluLemons (which still hold my heart as my #1 legging brand) and I wear them every time I work out. Definitely would recommend if you’re looking for some performance gear.

Escape Room by Megan Goldin – Absolutely loved this book. Probably my favorite read from 2021, I definitely recommend you give it a read if you’re into thrillers!

Barefoot Dreams Blanket – I never thought I’d get this blanket, but on one hormonal day in the throws of first trimester sickness, I bought it on an impulse…and I’m so glad I did! This is the BEST blanket I own, it’s so soft and cozy. I plan on bringing it to the hospital for delivery #2 and would definitely say it’s worth the hype.

GE Countertop Nugget Ice Maker – So, I haven’t actually used this yet, but I can’t wait to. I got this as a Christmas present for Rick, and am so psyched to have nugget ice available all the time.

Storage Bins – Ugh, my beloved storage bins. These were such a great steal from an Amazon deal, but I’d pay full price for them. Great quality, large size, and hold up to the baby hands.

Baby Merlin’s Dream Sack – I needed to throw one good baby product on here, and this Dream Sack really helped transition Ana into sleeping independently at night. We used the Magic Sleep Suit to transition from swaddle to crib, but we were really struggling to get Ana fully adjusted to sleeping independently OUT of the sleep suit at 6 months. We tried a lot of different sleep sacks, but she just couldn’t sleep in them. I think the similarity of the Merlin Dream Sack helped ease the transition, because after one night she was sleeping beautifully in it! It was a great transition option to getting Ana weaned out of the sleep suit and another step closer to sleep independence…which, thankfully, we have now.