With the long days and nights of new motherhood, sometimes the smallest luxuries make the biggest difference in your day. Here are a few of mine right now...

1) Enfusia tea by NutriHarmony is an organic loose-leaf tea made with maté and three other herbs, and it is the sweet nectar of heaven. The maté gives you a boost without caffeine, so you never have a crash. I have sworn by this stuff for several years now and must have it every morning! It's helped a lot of people I know kick their coffee addiction as well. Here's how I like my Enfusia: brew it hot, add 1-2 tbs. coconut milk, Vanilla Creme stevia, and cinnamon, and it's like a creamy hot latté. God bless it.

2) Teeccino - This is another coffee alternative I was introduced to recently at our homeopath's office. It's an herbal coffee beverage with no caffeine and no acidity. To me, it tastes like a cross between coffee and hot chocolate, and who doesn't love that, right? The Vanilla Nut flavor is delicious. They even have a Pumpkin Spice flavor for fall!

One of the best ways to drink Teeccino is iced, with milk or coconut milk added - I promise, you won't even be able to tell it's not coffee.

3) Vibranz Peach-Passionfruit Kombucha - This is a new drink I tried yesterday that we've started carrying at our farm store. It was fizzy, fruity, and refreshing. Kombucha is a raw probiotic drink with amazing health benefits, and it made me feel like a million bucks.

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And now, a few cosmetic items I've been enjoying lately. Since I've had a baby, I've found that it really makes a difference when I snag a few minutes to moisturize my face and put on a little makeup. Thankfully, Luci Belle is in stage where she likes to lay on the bed and kick her hands and legs while staring at the ceiling fan, so I have a few hands-free minutes if I work quickly!

1) Burt's Bees Naturally Ageless Line Diminishing Day Lotion - A pretty big mouthful for a simple little moisturizer that smells really great, too. I didn't realize that nursing would dry out my skin so badly, because the baby takes every ounce of moisture she needs from my body. My skin was practically cracking until I tried this lotion, which I confess I bought because it was advertised on the back of Country Living. Sucker. But my skin now feels like it has taken a good, long drink, and the moisture lasts all throughout the day rather than drying out by evening.

2) mark Glodacious Illuminating Powder in Shimmied Up - I'm pretty sure the lack of sleep from new mommyhood has left me with permanent dark circles under my eyes. This wonderful powder takes away some of the haggard-ness and gives me a little glow. So at least I can have the appearance of getting sleep even if I'm not! I brush it on my cheeks, nose, and forehead after putting on concealer. It must work, because at my postpartum appointment today, two of the midwives said I looked well rested - HA!

3) Naturtint - You've heard me sing its praises before, and now I'm even more sold than ever on this amazing herbal haircolor. I'm now a 3N girl: Dark Chestnut Brown. After starting out with 5N Light Chestnut Brown, I realized the color does fade a lot after you first dye it, and the dark chestnut is much closer to my natural color. It's so rich and multi-dimensional and takes away all the gray.

The other day, I was on the verge of a meltdown from lack of sleep, and my graying roots were just too much. Then my dear friend Linda offered to come over and watch Luci Belle while I dyed my hair. It may sound shallow, but having freshly dyed hair changed my whole demeanor. I guess that's just what a girl needs sometimes!

Me: fresh haircut and freshly dyed 3N. Luci Belle: indulging Mommy with yet another photo.