Things I’m Loving Friday #502

Now THAT was a fast week! With Chase out of school on Monday and the little guys out yesterday and today, it felt like a funky week in our house schedule-wise but we made it through. The weekend is here! How was your week? Valentine’s Day was certainly a highlight for us (more on our Valentine’s Day below). And the weather was gorgeous so we spent a lot of time outside. I’m hoping for more sunny outside time this weekend!

Before signing off, I wanted to share this week’s roundup of favorites with you guys — and a few of them are 100 percent inspired by YOU! Enjoy your weekend, my friends. And I hope to see ya back here on Monday!

Things I’m Loving Friday #502

• Valentine’s Day

I know Valentine’s Day isn’t a huge holiday. But anytime we can spread a little extra love around, I’m all about it. We didn’t do anything big to celebrate in our house (we mostly celebrated over the weekend with our Annual Valentine’s Day mission) but the boys woke up to some fun surprises (Pokémon cards, small Lego kits for the big kids + mini building blocks for Rhett, surprise-inside bath bombs and a few little sweet treats) and we had a seafood feast in the evening! The boys got so into our seafood dinner and were psyched to dig into wild-caught snow crab legs, lobster, shrimp and scallops. (I majorly lucked out and bought everything in the frozen section of ALDI a few weeks ago.) Another highlight? White chocolate fondue!

All the boys share Ryan’s affinity for white chocolate (I’m 100 percent team milk or dark chocolate) and loved dipping strawberries and marshmallows into melted white chocolate for dessert. It was a deliciously sweet way to end the day!

• ELEMIS Superfood Glow Priming Moisturizer

Sometimes free samples work! I received a sample size of ELEMIS Superfood Glow Priming Moisturizer with a Black Friday order of two of my ELEMIS favorites (Naked Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm + Dynamic Resurfacing Pads) and I threw it in my travel makeup bag and took it to Vegas to try when I knew I’d be wearing more makeup than usual. To say I was shocked by the results would be an understatement. I know this sounds dramatic but I didn’t expect much from a primer other than the ability to act as a decent base and help my makeup stay put but this one is somethin’ special. It has an almost blurring effect. And I swear it instantly made my pores look smaller and my skin look healthy and brighter. There is a 100 percent chance I will be ordering this when I run out of my mini sample bottle!

• A Few Solid “Help My Nails” Finds (Olive & June Mani System + Kure Polish)

You guys did me a solid and are helping my nails in the aftermath of two back-to-back gel manicures that left them brittle and weak. I took your recommendations to heart and ordered a few of the items you recommended that I truly believe are making a difference. My nails are not back to their normal strength yet. But the difference I’m seeing in their overall appearance and health in just two weeks is noticeable. So you all deserve a huge thank you for putting these products on my radar.

Up first: Olive and June!

I went on a deep dive learning about their manicure system which led me to watching YouTube videos about nail care and how to do an at-home manicure. While this may sound obvious to nail aficionados out there, I’m definitely a beginner when it comes to really understanding how to do my nails well and ended up walking away with a few helpful tips, especially when it came to cuticle care, buffing nails, etc. My favorite Olive & June finds: The cuticle serum (my #1 fav — I’ve been using it 2-3 times a day and have seen a noticeable difference in my nails and cuticles — they’re not nearly as dry), the flat-bed nail trimmer (I love the straight edges!), the super-glossy top coat (it has a gel-like finish and I truly believe it has helped prolong my at-home manicure) and the gentle nail polish remover pot (this thing is magic)

Up next: Kur Illuminating Nail Concealer.

OH MY GOSH you guys this stuff really is a miracle in a bottle. It was recommended repeatedly by you guys which is why it was something I knew I had to try. It’s priced high for a bottle of nail polish but I believe it is worth every penny of the $20 I spent because it really does have the most incredible blurring effect over bumps and ridges. It instantly made my nails look 10 times healthier. I liked it best when I took the time to apply three coats of the “milky” shade and already ordered a brighter pink shade for spring!

• Don’t Forget to Write by Sara Goodman Confino

My rating: A

What a gem of a book! I majorly lucked into this one. When I was looking for a new novel to read and sorted my Libby app by “available reads,” this one caught my eye. So I downloaded it to my Kindle knowing nothing about it and dove in. Don’t Forget to Write instantly charmed me and made me laugh. I’d file it under the “fun beach reads” category and loved it from start to finish. The book is a lighthearted novel set in the 1960s that centers around two likable characters.

Don’t Forget to Write begins when Marilyn Kleinman sneaks off and is caught kissing a rabbi’s son in the middle of service. Her parents are mortified and, not knowing what to do with their rebellious daughter, send her to her great aunt Ada’s house in Philadelphia for the summer. When Marilyn arrives, she isn’t sure what to make of the strict woman known to most as the premier matchmaker in the area. Ada is smart and confident and doesn’t seem to miss a thing, with an attention to detail that makes Marilyn wonder if she’ll be able to get away with anything during their time together.

Ada soon informs Marilyn they will be spending most of their summer at the Jersey Shore and Marilyn will help Ada in her work as a matchmaker. Though Marilyn can help find matches for Ava’s clients, finding a match for herself is strictly off limits. Will Marilyn be able to resist the temptation around her and fall in line with her parents’ and society’s expectations? How will she handle Ada and her many rules? Is there more to Ada than meets the eye?

• Friday Flashbacks

Air Fryer Pesto Salmon (An easy and delicious weeknight meal idea for you!)

Refreshing Green Smoothie (Packed with greens and perfect for days when you need a natural boost of energy.)

Question of the Day

Did you do anything fun to celebrate Valentine’s Day?

What is one thing you’re loving this week?