I feel like there is so much going on this weekend! Cinco de Mayo! The Kentucky Derby! Are you guys doing anything fun!?
(Flashback pic to my parents’ Kentucky Derby party when Chase was so teeny!)
Several of my girlfriends were incredibly thoughtful and teamed up to plan a baby sprinkle to celebrate our little one this weekend so it will be a very full but hopefully a very fun weekend. I’ll be sure to recap everything on the blog next week!
For now let’s dive right into the usual Friday shenanigans with my weekly Things I’m Loving Friday-themed blog post! Below you will find a short roundup of a few things that are making me smile this week. I’d love to hear a little bit about what you’re loving right now in the comments section.
Have a fantastic weekend!!
Things I’m Loving Friday
I briefly mentioned these slippers in this year’s Mother’s Day Gift Guide that I shared on the blog on Tuesday, but I have to highlight them in today’s post as well because I love them so darn much. I’m not sure what it is, but I’ve never loved walking around our house barefoot and generally prefer having something on my feet at all times. I’m a slipper girl through and through but now that temperatures are warming up outside, some of my wintery slippers aren’t calling to me like they usually do.
My mom clearly understands my love for slippers and gave me a pair of fuzzy pink open toe slippers for my birthday last Friday that I quickly dubbed my favorite springtime slipper. They’re still fluffy and comfy but my feet don’t overheat in them since my toes can breathe a bit. I’ve actually seen a nearly identical pair of slippers sell for $84 but this pair is a steal at $24 on Amazon! Woop! Unfortunately the slippers are quickly selling out of most sizes, but these are the same brand and very, very similar! I love the violet and gray colors and they’re only $22. (I also love these with the little poof ball on them!)
P.S. Kindly ignore my orange legs + incredibly pale feet. I experimented with a new all-natural sunless tanner when I ran out of my favorite one and the new one was a big fat fail and completely rubbed off of my feet when I wore sneakers! Ha! Let’s just say I’ve already ordered a replacement bottle of NKD SKN Gradual Glow sunless tanner and am anxiously awaiting its arrival.
- Bird Feeder Toddler Fun
Chase is becoming increasingly interested in birds and squirrels since all of the animals around our yard seem to be extra zippy now that spring is in full swing. We’ve had a bird feeder for ages and only fill it sporadically but now that Chase is super into the birds that come to eat our birdseed, we’re filling it up several times a week. They’re clearly a hungry bunch! I love spotting different kinds of birds with Chase and seeing his intense interest, excitement and curiosity over different kinds of birds is a lot of fun for me, too. Cardinals and robins are his favorite!
When my doctor recommended high-potassium foods and magnesium supplements for the intense cramping I’ve been experiencing in my calves and feet, I knew I needed to finally buy Natural Calm. So many of you have raved about this natural magnesium supplement and also said how much it helped with your sleep and since I’ve experienced my fair share of sleepless nights during this pregnancy, it seemed worth a shot for a myriad of reasons. It didn’t take me long to fall in love with Natural Calm and I honestly look forward to drinking a glass of it before bed almost every night.
I opted for the raspberry lemon flavor mainly because that’s what I found at my local Whole Foods and initially worried it would be too sweet or medicinal-tasting. (There are many flavors and options available.) The flavor is only slightly sweet and a bit tangy and I love it! I find it quite refreshing and have noticed a decrease in the number of foot and calf cramps I experience since I began using it. (They’re not completely gone, but I do think this has helped.) I cannot say it’s drastically improved my insomnia, but I do seem to sleep deeper and dream harder when I take it, so you better believe I’m going to continue regularly using Natural Calm!
- Around the Web
Fitness: Fitnessista Fit Guides are here!! Gina created customized workouts catered to your personal fitness goals and personality and they look amazing! You can take a quick quiz on her site to see what workouts will work best for you from home workouts to fit mom workouts and more. // Carrots ‘n’ Cake + Four Athletics Leggings are available for one more day! My blogging friend Tina created a functional but flattering pair of leggings that will withstand super sweaty and intense workouts. Congrats on this amazing collab, Tina!
Food: Easy Leftover Chicken Lunch Ideas / Avocado Spinach Artichoke Dip / Vegan Mediterranean Meal Prep Bowls / 4-Ingredient Samoas
Weekend Sales: 30% off everything at Old Navy with code THANKYOU (I just stocked up on some simple spring and summer staples for Chase this morning!) / Extra 25% off sale at Anthropologie / 25% Off $40+ Sitewide + $10 In Fun Cash for Every $25 You Spend at Carter’s with code CART4612
- Friday Flashbacks
Sharing a few party-friendly recipe favorites just in case you guys are doing something fun with friends and family for Cinco de Mayo or The Kentucky Derby this weekend:
Black Bean and Brown Rice Salad: A cold and tasty dish bursting with color, texture, flavor, healthy veggies and whole grains.
Chocolate Chip Almond Butter Bars: Made with coconut oil, oats and honey, these bars come together quickly and disappear even faster once you take them out of the oven.
Simple Shrimp Dip: A crowd-pleaser that’s easy to make and one of my most popular blog recipes ever!
Cold Quinoa Salad: Light, refreshing and easy to prep ahead.
Paleo Lemon Cupcakes: A citrusy sweet treat that’s Paleo-friendly.
Easy Cilantro Shrimp Appetizer: A one-dish recipe bursting with flavor thanks to cilantro and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.
Question of the Day
What is one thing that is making you smile this week?
![\"Quantcast\"/](\"//pixel.quantserve.com/pixel/p-1e3-7hOJ_U8Bg.gif\")
What great favorites! I love that Calm drink as well. I have been all about poke bowls this week.
I am CRAVING sushi right now and cannot wait for raw tuna/salmon back in my life! Poke bowls sound amazing right now — especially as the weather gets warmer and warmer.
I love Natural Calm! I have been a crazy, crazy sleeper since I have been pregnant and I totally agree with you that it actually makes me stay kind of still in the night and really intensifies my dreams, too! Glad you like it. 🙂
So glad CALM is working for you! Our whole family is loving whole wheat taco boats right now. Our toddler loves adding food to hers and even made a fruit taco boat, which was completely her own idea! They definitely make meals and snacks more fun for the littles.
https://www.amazon.com/Old-El-Paso-Boats-Tortillas/dp/B01K6NQ1DU/ref=sr_1_7_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1525434088&sr=8-7&keywords=old+el+paso+taco+boats
I’m loving natural calm during pregnancy too! Taking it regularly does wonders for pregnancy constipation too ?
HA! I didn’t realize that was another “effect” of Natural Calm but quickly realized it… 🙂
I am smiling because my baby made it another week before being born. I went into labor 2.5 weeks ago at not quite 33 weeks and thank God it was stopped with meds and bed rest. Thankfully I have had the last week of bed rest at home and not the hospital because after a week there I was more than ready to get out. But I am thankfully at 35 weeks now and the doctor says the baby should be good whenever I go into labor again. This weekend will be more bed rest. I cannot wait to be able to enjoy some of this beautiful spring weather, but this little one is worth the sacrifice.
Also am thankful and smiling because my work has let me be in “work from home” status and not had me have to start the 12 weeks of fmla yet.
Oh Susan! I am sure these past few weeks have been incredibly stressful! I am so, so happy to hear your doctor feels confident that everything will go so well when your little one is ready to make their debut. Prayers for a happy and healthy pregnancy, delivery and BABY! <3
I’ve never heard of Natural Calm…but thanks so much for sharing – I might have to give it a try!
Hope you have a great weekend!
Hope you have lots of fun at your baby sprinkle!
That Kentucky Derby picture is too cute!! Going to check out that Old Navy sale now!
I have got to remember this for when I start getting leg cramps. The pain is REAL. I mean, tears running down my face and hollering out pain! Hopefully I won’t get them too bad this pregnancy.
I am excited about a girls night staycation tonight! We are going to a really nice steakhouse (NOM NOM) and am going to treat myself to a glass of red wine with my steak! I usually have a glass here and there during pregnancy… That means I have a lot of water to drink today!
Hi Julie! I have loved following your blog and your little fam for years. You are a fantastic writer! I wanted to share a tiny piece of feedback. As a queer woman, I often feel a bit frustrated when people refer to platonic friends as “girlfriends.” I know this might seem like a small thing, but it feels like it takes meaning away from the way I refer to my significant other. Maybe you’d be open to using the term “friends” in your writing instead? Hope you have a great weekend!
Thanks for the feedback! I can definitely do this in the future and definitely wouldn’t want to detract from such a special relationship in your life! Thanks for sharing this with me as I refer to my friends a my girlfriends quite a bit and didn’t think anything of it until I read your comment.
I hope you have a wonderful baby sprinkle, Julie!! How sweet! I can’t wait to see pictures from it! Xoxo
I have made my husband a believer in Natural Calm as well. He finds it helps him in his pain and insomnia, and digestive problems. I accidentally bought the original, wooo is it sour! I will have to try the Raspberry.
I have a bird feeder in the back yard too, we love watching them. If you put up a bird bath, they stop by for drinks and little baths, and that is the cutest thing ever to watch! They like it near a tree, so they can fly up to a branch and fluff up to dry out. We have to clean it and fill it every few days right now, and don’t go too deep, or put a rock in it for them to stand on. Believe me, those little guys bathing will have all of you at the window to watch. I wound up buying a little fountain so I could listen to the water running too.
Aw! What a fun idea! Chase would love this!!
Also, random question, but do you ever take Natural Calm during the day? It says you should take it 2x a day but I’ve only been taking it in the evenings right now.
Both of us have only ever taken it at night. I’ve wondered if I should do 2x per day too.
I love your blog, thankyou for commenting back!
Oh my goodness I LOVE those slippers! I hate walking around barefoot and my feet ache by the end of the day (preggo problems) so I just bought a pair of knockoff Sanuks from Target this week as my summer “house slippers”. I think I might need those now too though!
Omg that picture of little Chase…haha so sweet! Those pink slippers look adorable, I’m all about being comfortable at home!
Hi Julie, hope you enjoy the baby festivities. By the way, you look wonderful. This weekend I am at Myrtle Beach for the DIVA’s 5K run with my 12-yr old, my best friend/cousin along with her mum and 8yr old son.
Thank you! That sounds like a fun weekend — enjoy every second!!
I’ve seen Natural Calm on other blogger’s sites! I just purchased the small container and will try it out in a few days! I read it can sometimes curb cravings for sweets and since I’m trying to kick my almost nightly spoonful or two of ice cream (Ben and Jerry’s Half Baked is life), maybe this will do the trick! Has anyone noticed this worked for them?! – Kaitlyn | http://www.poweredbysass.com
So crazy that you posted about natural calm! My sister in law JUST texted me a link to it on Amazon the other day – but recommended it to help with post-partum anxiety/depression. Her doc suggested she try a magnesium supplement before an anti-depressant. I have also been struggling with calf cramps while pregnant so started taking a magnesium supplement for that – but am thinking I’ll switch over to natural calm for when the baby arrives!
I ordered natural calm after seeing so many people raving about. I ordered it and when it came in some of the product had spilled out. Did you order yours from Amazon?
I bought mine at Whole Foods 🙂
Love that picture of you three! I have two books I think you would like that are a little similar but I really enjoyed both of them. How Will I Know You by Jessica Treadway and Everything You Want Me to Be by Mindy Mejia.
🙂
Oh, and The Secrets She Keeps too! By Michael Robotham! 🙂