Attention Apex friends...

Costco. We've never lived so dangerously close to one as we currently do: from our door to Costco's front doors, it's 2.2 miles. Because of this, we end up there with our kids at least once a week. Sometimes it's just for gas. Other times it's to stock up on produce. And often, it's to let Liam run the aisles when it's too cold to play outside. We even buy our Christmas tree there. It's like our neighborhood all-in-one spot.

Here are some of our favorite Costco things... 

The gas - If all we bought at Costco was gas, it would be well worth a yearly membership for us. It's always cheaper than other gas stations, clean, well-lit, and the attendants are friendly.

The produce - Amazingly, Costco is the largest organic grocer in the country. But besides that, we love buying produce in bulk - from berries to oranges to sweet potatoes.

The best photos - We've printed all of our family photos at Costco for years with the best results. I just order them online and pick them up later that same day.

Kirkland brand - From olive oil to dried fruit to paper towels, we haven't found a Kirkland brand  (Costco's house brand) item we didn't like. And if we did, their return policy is pretty amazing.

Costco recently started carrying the Honest Co brand, which is one of our favorites

We're excited that today, a brand new Costco has opened just a few miles from Raleigh in Apex, North Carolina. In the next couple weeks, I'll be hosting a giveaway here for local readers for a Costco gift basket, so keep your eyes peeled for that. In the meantime, there's a special offer available for new Costco members at Apex: new Executive Members will receive a $20 Costco Cash Card, and new Gold Star and Business Members will receive a $10 Costco Cash Card.

Do you have a Costco in your neighborhood? What's your favorite thing to buy there?

This post is in collaboration with Costco, a store we've loved for years. All of the ideas expressed are my own.