Well I’m clearly already in vacation mode and our vacation doesn’t even kick off until next Thursday! Ryan and I planned a long weekend away to Atlanta because we’ve been dying to take Chase to see the whale sharks at the Georgia Aquarium and I am READY for it! We’ll likely be spending a portion of this weekend planning out next weekend’s mini vacation but other than that, our weekend plans are pretty darn clear.
The weather is looking hot, hot, hot so I’m hoping we’ll spend some time at our favorite lakeside beach and possibly grill out in our backyard one night. With fall on the horizon (hooray!!!), I’m determined to make the most of the end of summer.
Now let’s move right along with your weekly Things I’m Loving Friday roundup! Please feel free to chime in and share a little bit about something you’re loving in the comments section below.
I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! Hope to see ya back here on Monday!
Things I’m Loving Friday
On Sunday last weekend, I skipped my usual morning cup of coffee and had a headache almost all day long. I’m not sure if my headache could be 100 percent attributed to the lack of caffeine or possibly related to travel and travel-related dehydration but it was pretty miserable and made me think about my caffeine consumption. I don’t like feeling like I need coffee every morning to feel human or to avoid a headache so I felt prompted to try to decrease my caffeine consumption.
I will absolutely still have regular coffee when I want it but figured it might be smart to switch to decaf here and there to hopefully decrease my dependence on caffeine. I immediately remembered my friend Gina raving about Four Sigmatic’s organic mushroom coffee and, particularly, their decaf blend. I texted her about it and then it didn’t take me long to place an order for my first bag!
A few things intrigued me about this coffee beyond the fact that it was decaf. I LOVE that the coffee is organic since conventional coffee is among the most heavily chemically treated foods in the world and yet I’ve still mostly been drinking non-organic coffee because I am a sucker for flavored coffees and it can be hard to find deliciously flavored organic coffee. I was also really interested in the mushroom aspect of this coffee since that’s it’s major selling point even though it sounds a little strange at first. (FYI, you cannot taste the mushrooms in this stuff AT ALL.) So why put mushrooms in coffee? The decaf blend has a combination of reishi mushrooms which can help support healthy sleep and reduce stress and chaga mushrooms which offer powerful immune system support. Sign me up!
Thanks to Amazon Prime, I had the decaf coffee in my hands by Tuesday and have been sipping on a cup of it every morning since. It’s smooth and rich and tastes fantastic mixed with a generous splash of coconut milk or blended with coconut oil and collagen. I’m already looking forward to another cup tomorrow!
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Clean Eating‘s Clean Living Column
I’ve professed my love for Clean Eating magazine on this blog for years now and it continues to be a favorite of mine for healthy recipes that are typically easy to make and don’t require a ton of obscure ingredients. (FYI, their website is a wonderful resource for meal planning inspiration, too!) The magazine keeps healthy eating simple which is just the way I like it! Another thing I like? The magazine’s new(ish) Clean Living column! I look forward to checking it out in every issue and love the way the author breaks down simple, homemade versions of everything from bathroom cleaners and laundry detergent to sea salt hair spray and more. Let’s just say this section of the magazine has inspired me to put my castile soap and essentials oils to use!
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“Too Also”
I am not sure why I find this so adorable but Chase recently began pairing the words “too” and “also” together. While I know it’s not proper grammar I can’t bare to correct him just yet because it’s too darn cute. “Mom, I’d like some crackers too also.” “Can we go to the playground too also?” It gets me every time!
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Skinny Dipped Almonds
I cannot stop eating these almonds! Skinny Dipped Almonds are coated in a thin layer of creamy chocolate which I adore since most chocolate covered almonds I’ve tried seem to be overpowered by a ridiculously thick layer of chocolate that so often tastes almost waxy to me. I was recently sent an assortment of Skinny Dipped Almonds to try and loved every flavor. The dark chocolate peanut butter is my favorite and reminds me of a crunchier, healthier version of Reese’s Pieces. They’ve been a go-to snack for me when my sweet tooth hits!
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Friday Flashbacks
Abstainers vs. Moderators (An interesting breakdown of the two personality types and how understanding which one you are may impact your overall happiness.)
Refreshing Green Smoothie (A naturally sweet and creamy green smoothie that’s packed with vegetables, fruit and fresh mint. A naturally energizing and delicious go-to snack!)
Question of the Day
What is one thing that is making you smile this week?
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I was at a training for work last month and one of the instructors paired “as well” with “too”. He said “as well too” in almost every sentence he spoke, so much to the point where it was all I could hear. Chase’s “too also” is probably much cuter!
haha! oh i’m sure that would’ve killed me to listen to that over and over again from an adult. i think kids get a free pass on language slip-ups for a while and can pass them off as adorable! 🙂
Your vacation sounds like it will be a great one! The aquarium is always fun! One thing making me happy this week is facetiming with my sister and niece! It’s always fun to be able to see them and catch up and chat!
Have so much fun in Atlanta! I highly recommend checking out the Botanical Gardens while you are here. It doesn’t sound like something kids would be into, but my two year old and I go at least once a month. There’s a great Children’s Garden with a splash pad, a water wall to paint, climbing structures, and a place where you can build with huge blocks. There should be a “Show for Seedlings” going on as well if you are there on a Friday or Saturday. There are also frogs and turtles in the Orchid building and the exhibit that is going on now has (huge) sculptures of dragons, camels, mermaids and dogs. I think Chase would love it!
Highly recommend you check out Decatur to wander around and make a stop at Butter & Cream for ice cream!! There is also a great children’s bookshop in Decatur (little shop of stories).
I recently switched to 1/2 caf coffee. I like that I still have some caffeine but not as much. I never really thought about drinks being organic, but definitely will look into that next time I am purchasing coffee.
I would never survive a toddler and a baby without coffee! My 2 cups a day are what keep me alive haha but on another note, as a linguist I can tell you that kids self-correct grammar just from being immersed in language so you can just enjoy Chase’s too also phase and he’ll move out of it soon! 🙂
Did ya’ll end up getting a double stroller? Which one did you go with? Does Chase like it? We are on the fence about getting one, our 2 year old wants to WALK everywhere but we would prefer a double stroller for him and his 3 week old brother!
Would love to know too!
Making me smile this week is the fact that one of my very best friends moved from Denver to Charlotte! Bummed she now lives further from me (I live on the West Coast) but having her move to Charlotte is so exciting to me since I’ve been reading your blog for a few years- makes me feel like I can picture exactly where she lives and helps with the distance!! ?
Oh I always get SO excited before a vacation and need to count how many more wake ups, hours, etc, lol. And I’ve heard great things about Four Sigmatic but haven’t tried it yet, good to hear you’ve enjoyed it. Happy Weekend Julie!
I have to ask about your stroller! Is that an attachment for your same stroller or is it a new one. I have a 4 month daughter old who needs to ride in the stroller but my 3 year old daughter often wants to ride too, but there’s no room for her! I’ve debated getting something that it looks like you have…
I have to ask about your stroller! Is that an attachment you have for your same stroller or did you get a new one? I have a 4 month old girl who needs the stroller, but also a 3 year old daughter who still enjoys to ride.
Hi Julie! I’m sure you know this, but some of the Four Sigmatic products are contraindicated for nursing/pregnant moms — not sure which mushrooms. It’s probably not a big deal, (gosh it’s so hard out there what to know is right hahahha) there just aren’t any studies of what the adaptogens do inside your body in regards to milk and such. And I’m TOTALLY not trying to scare you, because I still drink kombucha occasionally while nursing, and that’s the same thing — so weird how healthy things become questionable, when they are probably HELPING not hurting. I think it’s probably fine if you are super hydrated, but may be asking your doc about if you haven’t already. Happy Friday, lady! I feeeeeeel ya on getting excited about vacations! I need one ehehehe!
And P.S. I am TOTALLLLLLY not doing a mom shaming hahahah — I hate it when I feel that way from others — I just wanted to mention it in case you wanted to research more. 🙂 Love ya, girl!!!!
I tried the same coffee for the first time on Sunday-Delicious! I try to quit drinking caffeinated coffee all the time and feel so much better when I don’t have it every day. It’s just hard to stick with it when tired!
I have got to try Four Sigmatic! I’ve heard so many things about it and I think it’s time for me to hop on that train and see what I think! One thing making me smile this week is my enthusiasm for life and actually pursuing things that make me excited! This week, I signed up for my first improv class in L.A. and decided I was going to run my second half-marathon. SO EXCITING. Ahhhhhhh!!!!! Very, very scary, but what is life unless we step outside of our comfort zones? – Kaitlyn | http://www.poweredbysass.com | @poweredbysass
I have been lovingggg four stigmatic, too!!! and I need to get my hands on those almonds…they sound perfect for an afternoon snack or dessert! have a great weekend 🙂
Oh my goodness, my niece used to say “too also”, this just gave me such a warm memory from years ago!! And if you asked her a question, she would always say “probably should”. “Maddie, should we buy some grapes at the store today?”. “Probably should!”.
Thanks for the review for Four Sigmatic. I’ve been wanting to try but haven’t pulled the plug yet. You might also want to try Dandy Blend (if you haven’t already) – that’s what I’ve been using since I’ve (mostly) ditched caffeine.
Oh, I consume a lot of coffee a day and plan my vacation to devote to reducing the concentration of caffeine in my body. I hope this is obtained 🙂
Too also! That’s so so precious!
I live near Atlanta and we just visited the Atlanta children’s museum today and it was a huge hit! So cute and lots to do- right down from the aquarium! (Plus much cheaper than the aquarium!)
Toddler language is the best… too also is SO CUTE! My son’s thing the past few weeks has been when he wants tell us something serious, or negotiate, it’s not just a Mom or Dad. It’s “Hey, Mom… I was thinking…” and then he says what he wants, like “you should get me some chocolate milk.” It’s too funny!!!
Where can we get those almonds?! Yum! I couldn’t find the peanut butter ones online. Have a great trip! We spent last week at the beach and having my husband’s help all week with our two boys, who are two and seven, was sooo nice!
I went to Atlanta this summer for work and snuck in a trip to the aquarium. I was absolutely blown away!! I have an 18 month old and am so excited to take her in a year or two. I went in the evening (it’s open until 9pm) and noticed it was wayy less crowded and admission was less expensive if that is something you guys would consider. Not sure when Chase’s bedtime is!
Another Atlanta reader here! Unsolicited advice: the sea lion show is perfect for Chase’s age! It’s much shorter and a much smaller venue than the dolphin show. We found the dolphins to be too loud and too far away for our son to really focus. The sea lion show is like 15 minutes and a small setting. Have fun!
Oh my goodness, “too also” is SO CUTE! I wouldn’t be able to correct it either!
Chase will love the aquarium! If you are looking for anything else to do around Atlanta, the children’s museum here is fantastic! It’s not expensive and is downtown, near the aquarium.