Things I’m Loving Friday #545

Friday is here! Hooray, hooray! How are you guys doing this morning? How was your week? Ours was fairly normal over here although my gosh I cannot tell you how incredible it feels to have warmer weather back in our lives. And the GOOD kind, not too-hot-too-sticky kind. North Carolina is my favorite place I’ve ever lived for a myriad of reasons but high up there is the mild climate and the fact that we get all four seasons with the next season rolling around right as you’re over the season you’re in. Clearly we are ready for spring!

Do you guys have any fun plans on the agenda this weekend? We have a few things on our radar including a one-mile family fun run but mostly hope to just enjoy each other and spend time outside. I hope you all have a fun and relaxing weekend and hope to see ya back here next week. Keep on scrolling for today’s roundup of favorites, Things I’m Loving Friday style!

Things I’m Loving Friday #545

• Walk the Dogs Game

Walk the Dogs is the biggest hit with our family at the moment. It was a gift for Chase from my parents and though it says it’s for kids 8+, Ryder (age 6.5) very quickly picked it up and Rhett likes playing on a team with me or Ryan. The game comes with a bunch of little dogs (which in and of itself is fun for kids) that you line up in one giant line. The objective is then to create your own line of dogs with as many of the same breed together as possible. You draw cards to add dogs to your row only and to the front or back of your line. Cards pop up to shake things up as you play and we all get so into this one!

Tip: Lately when we’ve been learning new games together as a family, we’ve been into streaming YouTube video explanations of games as it makes it a million times easier to visually watch someone explain the rules rather than listen to one person read instructions. Here’s the video we watched to learn how to play this one: How to Play Walk the Dogs.

• Insulated Casserole Carrier/Cooler

Anyone else ever run into the issue for how to properly transport a casserole or two? I don’t want to lug them around in a large cooler but still want to keep food cold (or warm). When my aunt came to visit us for a night the last time Ryan was in India,she was incredibly thoughtful and brough dinner along with her in an insulated casserole carrier. I didn’t know something like this existed and immediately ordered one for our family!

The carrier isn’t a hard cooler but more of a soft insulted carrier that keeps food you need to transport somewhere hot or cold. I’ve been able to fit two casseroles inside (I use these slim ice packs when keeping the food cold) and it’s been so helpful for bringing a meal to a friend who just had a baby, bringing a dish to a game night we had at a friend’s house two weeks ago, etc. I only wish I would’ve had it when I made a giant egg casserole for our girls’ weekend in the mountains!

• Paradise (Hulu)

Remember how I stopped watching Landman after the first episode because it was too violent and stressful? Well, jokes on me because the next show Ryan and I began watching together was so freaking stressful as well… only it managed to rope me in from the first episode. Paradise is dark, depressing and a little eerie but extremely well cast and really, really good. I cannot fully recommend this show without mentioning I found a handful of the episodes hard to get through emotionally (namely episode 2 and the beginning of episode 3) but man this show had a hold on me.

Do you guys remember how obsessed I was with the sci-fi thriller book Dark Matter last year? Paradise reminds me very loosely of some of the things I liked about Dark Matter. I was so invested in the plot and the characters and the last episode of season one has me dying to watch season two.

Aaand for our next show, I’m intrigued by White Lotus. Thoughts? Is it going to freak me out and stress me out too much to enjoy or is it one even a not-so-brave person would enjoy?

• Do You Remember? by Freida McFadden

Genre: Psychological thriller/Mystery / My rating: B

I have mixed thoughts on Freida McFadden’s books as a whole. Her novels always begin with such fervor and intrigue but the dialog between her characters often makes me roll my eyes and sometimes it feels like she spends too many pages rehashing the same issues/drama rather than adding depth to her stories. That being said, I’ve come to realize her books are better as audiobooks for me personally. When I’m listening, I’m less picky about the quality of a story and more likely to appreciate a book as a source of entertainment while multitasking. That being said, I think this book would’ve frustrated me had I read it but as an audiobook, it was entertaining enough and was one I looked forward to listening to on walks, while folding laundry, etc.

The book begins when Tess wakes up to a life she does not recognize. Her last memories were of the night of her engagement to her beloved Harry, but the man she is now told is her husband, Graham, is certainly not him. Graham calmly explains to Tess that she was in an accident and suffered a brain injury that affected her memory. A note she wrote to herself encourages her to trust her husband, forget about Harry and do her best to accept and enjoy her day and her “new” life. Despite obvious challenges, Tess does her best to do just this until so many things don’t line up and so many new questions, and old memories, begin to arise. Can she trust her husband? Why did she end things with Harry? Is her “new” life really as good as everyone around her assures her it is?

• Friday Flashbacks

Day Trips from Charlotte (Sharing for any local friends who may be doing a staycation of sorts for spring break this year.)

Cottage Cheese Zucchini Breakfast Casserole (In case you’re looking for some Sunday morning breakfast inspo!)

Question of the Day

What is one thing making you happy this week?