This is a rough time of year for a lot of people. It’s cold and gray and we get weirdly amped up and excited when the sun deigns to honor us with its presence even for a minute. I’m tip toeing through parking lots trying not to fall on ice and plans are  getting cancelled left and right due to winter weather blah. I’m sure you can relate.

Anne @ Modern Mrs. Darcy has made it a tradition to share a list of things saving her life right now on February 2, the halfway point of winter when we are all very much in thick of it and totally over it. Positive thinking can be a miraculous thing.

Here’s my list of life saving little things worth being thankful for:

Crock Pot Oatmeal. I don’t know why having it premade makes it so much easier than, say, microwave oatmeal. Technically I have to microwave both after the second day. But my brain is convinced it’s easier so I am much more likely to go through the effort of making myself breakfast when there are half a dozen little containers pre-measured and ready to go. I use our smaller crock pot or there would likely be at least a dozen servings.

Also crock pot liners. Because cleaning crusted on oatmeal out of a crock pot is one of the most soul sucking chores known to man. Also a big fan of precut parchment paper by the way. Hurray for not needing to cut in a straight line.

Chopped Salads. I thought I didn’t like salad, but I really just don’t like munching on giant leaves. Chopped salads are my life line – and all the grocery stores have them! I’m sure there are terribly clever moms out there making their salads from scratch but I’m not there yet. It’s a season of convenience for me right now. #knowthyself

Hello Fresh meal deliveries. Speaking of a season of convenience. I’ve been in the world’s most mundane recipe rut so I’m trying out this service for a bit to get some new, healthy, fresh food focused recipes into our repertoire and bellies. The recipes so far have been super yummy and I kind of love having all the guess work and decision making taken out of the equation for a couple meals a week. Follow this link for $40 off your first box.

Heated mattress pad. Because winters in Wisconsin are no joke. See also space heater under my desk and heated seats in my car. Also:

Thermal under layers. Cuddle Duds are like the super hero of my wardrobe these days – they keep me much warmer but have very little bulk.

TIVO. I told you guys about how we cut our cable bill in half recently. Still loving our TIVO and Hulu subscription and I love how TIVO keeps everything organized.

Friends so great they might as well be family. We’re at a good place right now – we have a handful of amazing friends that make Wisconsin feel more and more like home every day. And when our friends are married to people that our spouse also likes – and maybe our kids all get along, too? Bliss.

What about you? What’s saving your life right now?