Things I’m Loving Friday #529

Florida friends, how are you? How are you doing? Back-to-back hurricanes is so, so much to handle and I am thinking of those who were impacted and especially those who were impacted twice over. Thank you to those who have reached out to check on our family. They are all okay and with my mother-in-law living in Sarasota, we are feeling extra grateful. As resources begin to surface on ways to help, please pass them along and I will also share.

As for our week, it felt like fall decended upon North Carolina and I’m not going to lie, I was awfully excited to wear sweaters, boots and cozy clothes again this week. I know enough to know by now we still likely have a few warmer days in our future before autumn officially settles in, but at least the days of profusely sweating at the pumpkin patch are hopefully behind us.

Our weekend plans are up in the air, though we’re hoping to do something fun in the form of heading out to a local corn maze love in our area. I hope to share a recap on Monday but until then, keep on scrolling if you’d like to check out this week’s roundup of favorites. Have a wonderful weekend, my friends!

Things I’m Loving Friday #529

• Divided Snack Organizer Tray

I am so psyched for this snack organizer! I ordered it through the Amazon sale on Tuesday (it arrived overnight) and I have already used it a few times. It’s been such a great find already and I can only imagine how much use it will get as our boys get more and more into sports and after-school activities. I packed it up for a park playdate after school this week and also just had it all filled up and waiting for the boys at home one day and they loved the number of snack options available to them. (And I also liked being able to cover it and throw anything uneaten in the refrigerator.)

I really like the idea of using the snack tray to pre-slice a bunch of fruit and veggies to have on hand for our family as well to make healthy snacking a little easier/more convenient. (FYI, the same snack organizer we have is still on sale!)

• St. Tropez Bronzing Water Face Mist 

Now that my summer tan is all but gone, I’m a sucker for any product that promises me a golden glow. This bronzing face mist is such a unique find and it really, really works! You simply spritz a few sprays on your face, neck and chest (before or after makeup — I’ve been doing it after skincare but before makeup in the morning or right before bed a couple times a week) and over the course of a few hours, a very natural-looking golden glow develops. I was honestly a little skeptical because the facial mist seemed so lightweight and simple but it works and it works like a charm! Hooray for a little color on my face again!

• Lock Every Door by Riley Sager

My rating: B / Genre: Mystery/Suspense

I’ve enjoyed Riley Sager’s novels in the past and have found a lot of his thrillers crazy suspenseful and creative. I’m no stranger to understanding the need to suspend my sense of belief in order to enjoy a novel I had a hard time feeling invested in this one, and was more frustrated by the main character than anything. I liked a lot of things about the novel — the setting within the Bartholomew, a luxurious but mysterious NYC building and the premise of uncovering the mysteries within the building — but so much of the novel felt a little too predictable and unrealistic to me for it to be one that really blew me away. I do still think fans of Riley Sager will still enjoy this book but it simply wasn’t my favorite of his work.

Lock Every Door begins when Jules Larsen is hired as an apartment sitter at The Bartholomew, a luxuriously historic but mysterious building located in Manhatten. She’s convinced she hit the jackpot — the job pays $1,000 a week for her to simply live there — but the strict rules begin to make her scratch her head and ask questions. Jules then meets a fellow apartment sitter named Ingrid whom she instantly likes and who also reveals to her a little bit more about the building’s dark past. When Ingrid is gone without a trace the next day and all of Jules’ phone calls and texts go unanswered, she’s determined to get to the bottom of Ingrid’s disappearance and figure out the secrets held within the walls of the Bartholomew. As Jules begins to dig, her own safety is clearly in jeopardy and she wonders if she’ll ever get the answers she desires.

• Siggi’s Plant-Based Yogurt

A while back, during one of my parents’ visits to our house, I stocked up on Siggi’s plant-based yogurt for my dad. He eats mostly dairy-free yogurt so I try to keep a few cups on hand for him when he visits for breakfast and easy snacks. After he left, a couple Siggi’s yogurts remained and I popped one open, assuming I’d be disappointed by watery, less-than-flavorful yogurt, as that had been my experience with most plant-based yogurt in the past. That was not at all the case with Siggi’s and I’ve been buying their plant-based yogurts for months now!

They’re rich and thick with a coconut base (if you don’t like coconut, I’d steer clear but I LOVE it) and it’s delicious mixed with plain Greek yogurt and topped with berries, nuts or granola. I’ve enjoyed it most in the afternoon as a little pick-me-up and have yet to try a flavor I don’t like.

• Around the Internet

Food: Build Your Own Harvest Bowls / Instant Pot Vegetable Soup / Vegan Halloween Recipes / Gluten-Free Pumpkin Blondies

Fitness: 10-to-1 Upper and Lower Body Workout

Weekend Sales: Deals are taking over the week this week but Target and Walmart’s deals seem to be the best ones out there right now. Here are a few finds that caught my eye:

TARGET CIRCLE WEEK

• Buy one, get one 50% off Halloween snacks + treats
• Buy one, get one 50% off Halloween costumes + candy
• 30% off sweaters, sweatshirts and bottoms

Here are a few of the Target fashion finds that jumped out at me:

• High-Rise Denim Trousers: If you are a fellow pear shape, order these immediately!! I cannot tell you how flattering they are! You can adjust the waist to bring them in and there is still plenty of comfy room in the hips and the booty. They fall just right and are wide leg pants that are somehow magically slimming. I sized down (to a size 4, which I never am) and was glad I did.  I initially ordered the cream color but also ordered the black and denim while they’re on sale because I love them so much.
• Cargo Joggers: I ordered these in the tan color and have high hopes! I think they’ll be so cute with sneakers and a sweater.
• Crew Neck Sweater: I wore the crew neck sweaters I bought from Target last year on repeat all winter long. They nail this basic every year!
• Studio Sweatshirt: Cozy and cute without looking sloppy.
• Denim Maxi Skirt: Love a denim maxi skirt and this one has fantastic reviews.
• Kid’s Joggers (Boys/Girls) + Toddler Joggers: Love that they have a slimmer fit than most kid pants.
• Kids’ Zip-Up Hoodie (Boys/Girls) + Toddler Hoodie (Boys/Girls): Our big kids bring a zip-up to school every day because their classrooms are cold!

Walmart

• Cane Cabinets: The pair of cabinets we love so much are on sale! We have a pair of them and the finish it 10x more beautiful in person. (You may seen them in our home here.) We use them to store our kids’ craft supplies, games and puzzles. My sister ordered a pair as well after loving ours so much!
• Open-Shelf Book Case: I just ordered this one and can’t wait to style it!
• Ninja Creami: I finally splurged and ordered this one (at the lowest price I’ve seen). I’ll report back!
• Kids’ Crocs: The exact pair Ryder has, on sale for $10 off. I bought him the next size up!

 

• Friday Flashbacks

Pumpkin Spice Rice Krispie Treats (Make your basic Rice Krispie Treats a little more festive this fall with this fun recipe!)

Pumpkin Bark (This homemade bark uses simple ingredients including coconut oil, pumpkin puree, almond butter, and warm spices for the perfect fall treat!) 

Question of the Day

What is one thing making you smile this week?