Things I’m Loving Friday #523

Good morning! Happy Friday to YOU! I hope you’re stopping by the blog today after a good week. I know the school year is beginning for a lot of kids out there and I hope those of you who are in the midst of back to school mayhem aren’t feeling too frazzled. Though returning to school is always a bit crazy, I admittedly love the energy of back-to-school week.

As for the weekend ahead, it’s an intentionally free one for our family as we knew it would be sandwiched between two weekends filled with plans. And we’d likely want a “breather buffer weekend” to look forward to as the summer comes to a close. We’re hoping to get together with friends this evening and spend plenty of time outside!

Hopefully I’ll have a weekend recap of sorts to share with you Monday but until then, keep on scrolling if you’d like to check out this week’s roundup of favorites!

Things I’m Loving Friday #523

• Back to School

You probably knew this one was coming! The energy of back to school week had our family buzzing all week long.

Third grade kicked off for Chase on Wednesday and he said his first day was “awesome.” He came home with Nancy Drew & the Clue Crew book from his classroom library which only added to his excitement because he’s been loving the series so much! (He adores mysteries and, as a parent, I love that the series is picky parent approved — aka no bratty kids, no back talk to adults, no calling each other stupid, etc.) I’m just over here hoping Chase’s enthusiasm for school lasts as long as possible!

For Ryder, our kindergarten man, I attended a lemonade drop-in on Wednesday for one hour where we were able to ease into kindergarten with a scavenger hunt around the classroom, some story time, puzzles, lemonade and cookies. Ryder had the best time and didn’t want to leave. He immediately asked to go back the next day as we were leaving. And seems excited to officially begin on Monday! He’s ready but phewyyy my mama heart is not. Something about beginning elementary school just gets me. Time needs to slow down.

• Skoy Skrub Dish Scrubbers

One very random thing I love about traveling with friends is discovering new-to-us finds that another person or family loves using in their day-to-day life. (The Tangle Teezer brush was the best find of my girls’ trip to Scottsdale!) When we were in the mountains with friends last weekend, as I was helping with the dishes, I noticed these semi-rough cloths in the kitchen sink. There were no other scrub brushes or sponges to be found. So I began using the Skoy Scrub dish scrubbers to clean our plates, pots and pans.

I very quickly understood why they were a favorite with our friends! They were effective without scratching the surface of the pans we used. They never smelled and were easy to clean — we just popped them into the dishwasher and they came out as good as new! (Bonus: They’re sustainably made with remnant cotton fibers from the toweling industry and a non-toxic hardener.) I ordered a four-pack for our family from the mountains and have loved using them to do our dishes all week.

• Zucchini Muffins + Zucchini Loaf

Considering the fact that we’ve made these zucchini muffins countless times (and a zucchini loaf or two from the same recipe), I figured they deserved a shout-out in today’s blog post. In fact, I adore Sally’s Baking Addiction blog. And have turned to it for years as a trusted resource when I’m looking for delicious baked goods. Sally’s zucchini muffins are a hit with our entire family — a rarity at times — so we’ve been making them on repeat. We’ve been loving them with some fresh fruit and chicken sausage for breakfast. Or as a quick snack in the afternoon. Since our garden continues to overflow with zucchini, I’m sure we’ll be making this recipe a few more times before summer is over!

• The Berlin Letters by Katherine Reay

Genre: Historical Fiction / My rating: B

As an avid reader of historical fiction, I’ve read surprisingly few novels set during the Cold War. The Berlin Letters instantly intrigued me. The novel follows the present-day life of CIA cryptographer Luisa Voekler. With flashbacks to the life her father, Haris, a journalist whose eyes were slowly opened to the horrors of postwar East Germany, led before they were separated. Luisa recognizes a symbol from her childhood on a letter her coworker brings her way, her world is flipped upside down. Hidden beneath the floorboards of the home she now shares with her grandmother, Luisa discovers years of correspondence between her grandfather and her father, a man she believed died many, many years ago. As she pages through the hidden letters, Luisa begins to question everything and is more determined than ever to learn the truth.

There was so much I loved about The Berlin Letters, especially the well-researched approach to a plotline that centered around the Berlin Wall and the dual timelines. And yet for some reason the book failed to really capture me. I found myself feeling a little indifferent about the characters, despite knowing I should feel more for them. And I just never felt all that invested in the book though it was bubbling over with potential. I still enjoyed reading The Berlin Letters but would have a hard time wholeheartedly recommending it to other fans of historical fiction.

• Friday Flashbacks

Healthy Pantry Kid Snacks (Some of the boys’ favorite shelf-stable snacks we feel good about keeping on hand)

Blogger Recipes I Make Again and Again (Still some of my tried and true favorites!)

Question of the Day

What is one thing you’re loving this week?