Now I hope you’re ready to chat about what we’re loving most this week because it’s time for your usual Things I’m Loving Friday blog post! Below you will find a short roundup of things that are making me smile right now and, as always, I’d love to hear a little bit about what you’re loving in the comments section of this post.
Have a great weekend!!
Things I’m Loving Friday
- Mimi’s Peel-And-Eat Shrimp Recipe
I shared my grandma’s peel-and-eat shrimp recipe on Instagram yesterday, but it’s so easy and delicious that I had to share it here, too! We made it for dinner on Wednesday night and I ended up making another batch on Thursday during Chase’s morning nap just so I could have some tasty shrimp on hand to grab throughout the rest of the week when I wanted a high-protein snack or a tasty salad topper.
Here are the recipe details:
Combine 1 tbsp salt, 1 tbsp + 1 tsp Old Bay seasoning, 1 tsp dry mustard, 1 tsp celery seed, 1/4 cup vinegar, 3/4 can beer and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil and add two pounds large, shrimp. Reduce heat and simmer for approximately 10 minutes. Drain, allowed to cool slightly, peel and enjoy!
- Finally Finishing The Last Anniversary… And Starting A New Book
Ugh. This book. I should’ve taken the advice I’ve heard over and over again and stopped reading The Last Anniversary when I realized about halfway through that it just wasn’t very good, but I forged on and finally finished it. I’ve LOVED Liane Moriarty’s other novels (What Alice Forgot, The Husband’s Secret and Big Little Lies are all fantastic!), but this one was a dud. I’m glad it’s over. I kept waiting for something grand to happen that would make me love it, but that never happened. (There was a twist, but by the time it happened, I was so over the book that I didn’t even care.) Now I’m psyched to start a NEW book and just bought The Girl With All The Gifts to begin reading this weekend. Hoping this one is better!
- My Mom
My mom deserves far more than a simple shout out in a TILF post, but I just had to include a brief mention of her in today’s round up of things I am loving because she really is the best. Though she left yesterday, having her here with me this past week was such a treat. Her genuine love and enthusiasm for her grandson melts my heart and having someone here to help with Chase during the day so I can get things done has been a big blessing. She also did such a wonderful job of making my birthday extra special by decorating the kitchen before I woke up and making me a tasty cookie cake. I felt like I was 13 again! Plus, my mom is so much fun to talk to and always helps me feel better when my new mom mind starts to wander and worry. I love you, Mama!
- Kilwin’s Toasted Coconut Ice Cream Cake
I know I’ve blogged about my love for this cake before, but since it’s not something I get to enjoy very often, I had to give it a shout out today since Ryan and my mom surprised me with it on my birthday on Wednesday evening. I cannot recommend this cake enough if you happen to love coconut and ice cream. It reminds me a lot of an ice cream version of a Samoa Girl Scout Cookie but with the most incredibly fluffy marshmallow topping. It’s unreal and such a great treat for a special occasion.
- Jogger Pants
A few of you guys asked about the pants I wore to Discovery Place KIDS last weekend so I wanted to be sure to share the details. They’re basically glorified pajama pants – super comfy joggers with an elastic waistband and soft, lightweight fabric – so they’re perfect for running around when you’re looking for something casual, comfortable and forgiving. I actually received them in a Golden Tote shipment a while ago and the brand is Lime & Chili. I cannot find them online anymore, but here are a few patterned jogger pants I think are similar and adorable:
- Friday Flashbacks
Watermelon Pineapple Popsicles (With summertime approaching quickly, you must make these popsicles ASAP! I couldn’t get enough watermelon when I was pregnant and fell in love with these popsicles last year. Bonus: They only require THREE ingredients – watermelon, pineapple and mint – and are so refreshing!)
55 Minute Treadmill Walk/Run Workout (The workout only includes 15 total minutes of running but the running is spread out throughout the workout, so if you’re not a big fan of running on the treadmill, this workout doesn’t include a ton of it! But don’t be fooled… The inclines are TOUGH.)
Question of the Day
- What is one thing you are loving this week?
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I want to be fashionably adventurous and try the joggers- they look so cute and comfy. Any luck with your camera??
I’m loving that I will be headed off to Vermont in a few hours for a sponsored trip!
I love ordering peel and eat shrimp when out, I will have to try this one at home.
I love those pants so much!
Moms are the best! And there’s nothing like having them around with a new baby – such a treat and big help! This week I’m loving roasted edamame!
Roasted edamame is SO good! Do you roast it yourself? I’ve been loving Seapoint Farms wasabi roasted edamame but kind of want to try roasting it myself, too…
Aw So glad you’re mom was able to be there for your birthday–moms are awesome! 🙂 This week I’m loving Ghiradelli’s Intense Orange dark chocolate squares! Sooo good!
Those really are SO delicious! We always get a chocolate orange in our Christmas stockings every year so those squares remind me of Christmas. 🙂
I requested the Last Anniversary at the library after seeing you were reading it and I just received an email last night that my hold on the book was in. Now I’m wondering if I should even bother reading it!
Have you read any of Liane Moriarty’s other books? If not, I highly recommend the three I mentioned above in my post over The Last Anniversary!!
Yum! Those shrimps look delicious! I like how the recipe is so simple and easy! One thing I’ve been loving lately is my Baby Bjorn carrier (such a mom answer, lol!) But seriously, it’s so much more convenient to take my son out in it when we go for walks instead of pushing a stroller around for miles!
It’s so special when Mom comes to visit you as an adult! I had my mom stay overnight last weekend and it was a blast hanging out with her. Plus, she does little things like washing up the dishes that make me appreciate her so much.
Love your Mimi’s recipe. My grandmother passed away this weekend and her recipes are something that I will always remember her through. When you mentioned that you stumbled upon one of your blog recipes in her recipe books, it sounded so familiar to me. My grandmother kept up with my blog and always had my recipes laying around her kitchen. Even when she was too tired to cook anymore, she still asked for my newest recipe. Love grandmas!
I’m so sorry sorry for your loss, Chelsea. <3 Grandmothers are so incredibly special.
hey Julie..I’m presently reading The Memory Box
http://www.amazon.com/Memory-Box-Eva-Lesko-Natiello/dp/0692239006/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1461176252&sr=1-1&keywords=the+memory+box+by+eva+lesko+natiello
About half way through and liking it thus far. Think its something you might enjoy too
thank you for the recommendation! i’m always on the lookout for new good books to read!
anytime…not sure if you only prefer hard copies..but do let me knw if you’d like it on your tab,,can email it to you..did you check out behind close doors by B.A. Paris?
I can’t wait to see how you like The Girl With All The Gifts. It’s coming up on my list of books to read, and it looks good! This week, I’m loving outside family time in the nice weather. I’m hoping to get some park time in for my 2 year old!
Jogger pants are where it’s at! Both Scott and I love them. (Haha … yes, Scott.) Enjoy your weekend!
Mom time is definitely the best time!! I’m currently trying to figure out a plan for a memorial day weekend with my own mom! It’s hard living far from my mom, but it makes our visits SO much more special!
Love when my mom comes to town!! That shrimp looks so good! I really need to make these popsicles… we have a really good popsicle place by us but it is expensive so I need to start making my own again! thanks for the reminder! have a great weekend!
Hey Juli- I saw on snapchat that you dyed your hair for the first time! What was the process called again? Are you going to include that in a separate post? I would love to hear the details.
Ahh sorry I posted too quickly- ***Julie 🙂
Shrimp is my all time favorite food and I could eat it everyday I think haha. Yes, I totally feel you on The Last Anniversary. I powered through it just so I could get to the next book.
Julie: you are so lucky to have such a wonderful Mom….. please give her an extra hug from me…
Comfy pants for the win! My husband and I were in a little boutique the other day and found this cute book called “Letters to My Grandchild”. We bought one for both grandma’s so that our son would be able to open and read something special from them throughout his life. I think your mom would probably love it for Chase!
http://www.amazon.com/Letters-My-Grandchild-Treasure-Forever/dp/145214575X
I know what to do with the remaining 1/4 can of beer! ;-D
Have a great weekend!
Ugh – it’s SNOWING here in Denver, so I don’t want to hear about your potential rain, ha!
This is embarrassing to admit, but I’ve never actually made shrimp at home! I usually just buy the ready-to-go options at the store and add them in where ever makes sense. Though it doesn’t look too difficult. I’ll have to give it a shot!
Moms seriously are the best! I don’t know what I would do without mine. 🙂 Joggers are my favorite right now too. I am 38 weeks pregnant and they are just so comfortable. 🙂
The watermelon popsicles look great. So refreshing.
This week I’m loving iced coffee and paleo banana bread muffins from my favorite local coffee shop!
I don’t get to comment as much as I’d like now that I have two little kiddos, but I still enjoy reading your posts so much! Been here since the beginning! Have a great weekend!
How exactly do you make the Popsicles? They look great!
Oh no! Girl With All the Gifts is turning out to be a MAJOR dud for me. It kept coming up on my lists of recommendations on Audible but, man, it is sllloooowwwww and overly dramatic. I just finished reading all the Cormoran Strike Novels (3 out so far) and I think I loved them so much, that Girl With All the Gifts was bound to fail 🙁
I am in love with the Popsicle molds as well!! I have been using those exact ones to make healthy Popsicles for Teddy, my 18 month old—I blend bananas, strawberries, spinach, and blueberries along with some plain Greek yogurt and freeze it in the molds!
I am reading the Girl With All the Gifts right now (I am about 300 pages in) and I am liking it even though it is outside of the genre that I normally read in.
I think it’s SO SO sweet that you featured your mother on this list. It’s not that typical to feature other people on a favorites roundup–it’s mostly items, recipes, places, posts, something a bit more surface-level–and this is what makes this particular Things I’m Loving Friday special! 🙂
That ice cream cake looks amazing!
So, I follow you on Snapchat (love your adorable snaps!) and I have a request: please, please, please do some vlogs? Seeing video updates from you and Chase and Ryan would be so amazing! I loved just seeing the movement through your videos. BTW you are unbelievably gorgeous, even more gorgeous in video than in your photos! xo ps I have a little boy who is 10 months old so I can relate to all that you are going through! I also have a 3.5 year old. Mwa!
Thank you so much, Jaclyn!!! I really appreciate your sweet comment!! I’ve thought about doing some vlogs but I feel so awkward!!! I just have no idea what I would say! Ha! 🙂 And I love that you have two little ones. <3 <3
Moms are the best! Can’t wait to try the watermelon pineapple popsicles! I’m loving Fox and Trove Kindness is the Coolest women’s and children’s tees! http://www.foxandtrove.com
I love that you included your mama in this post! Such a sweet thing. Mother’s are the best 🙂 Something I am loving: all of the warm weather these past few days, and I am also loving the new Zumba class my sister and I discovered last week. We will be going to class #2 tonight!