My family’s visit actually stemmed from a ski trip Ryan and my brother-in-law planned. (For new readers, my sister married Ryan’s best friend!) Ryan and Ross are heading to Colorado tomorrow and Chase will be joining them! Chase absolutely fell in love with skiing during our trip to West Virginia last month so Ryan, Ross and Chase will be having a guys weekend away and Chase could not be more thrilled. It’s been years since he’s been on an airplane and couple that with the promise of a few days of ski school and he is amped!
My mom, sister and I figured we’d take advantage of the guys’ weekend away for a little girl time with the younger four kiddos! I’m really looking forward spending time with Leslie, my mom, Callie and Collette and I know our boys will be in heaven with their cousins in town, too!
I hope to share a recap of everything if there is any downtime to type up a blog post this weekend but until then, scroll down for this week’s roundup of favorites, Things I’m Loving Friday style!
Things I’m Loving Friday
I have my friend Carrie to thank for introducing me to Tarte Maracuja Juicy Lip! I noticed her applying it during my trip to Idaho earlier this month and loved the shiny pop of color it gave to her lips. She let me try it out and I loved the way it glided on my lips like lip balm but looked more like a gloss with a subtle pinky tint. I was sold! I ordered two colors and love them both! I ordered the strawberry and grapefruit lip balm and love the way they nourish my lips with maracuja oil (rich in vitamin C and essential fatty acids) and give my lips a slightly plumper appearance without feeling sticky.
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Ryder’s Missing Tooth
A few weeks ago, Ryder fell and bumped his tooth on the playground at preschool. It quickly turned gray and then on Tuesday morning, as he was eating breakfast, it said his mouth felt funny. When I told him to open his mouth so I could peek inside, I saw his snaggly front left tooth chilling in his mouth… horizontally. I knew it was only a matter of time until it fell out and by dinnertime that evening, Ryder lost his first tooth.
We went to the dentist on Wednesday morning to have it checked out since he’s so young and all looks good! Ryder was super psyched about the whole thing (can’t you tell from that pic!?) and asked the tooth fairy to let him keep his tooth. Meanwhile I’m over here like where is my baby!?! Something about a little kid losing their first tooth feels like a mini step into adulthood and I wasn’t prepared for this at 3.5 years old! Haha! We’ll get used to Ryder’s sweet toothless smile soon, I’m sure, and we’d better because apparently it will likely look this way for years. The dentist told us kids who lose a tooth early from trauma (a fall, etc.) often experience a delay in their adult tooth coming through in that spot. Ohhh Ryder, you always keep us on our toes!
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Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren
My rating: A
I took a mini break from Christina Lauren’s novels but it didn’t last for long! I found my way back to this author duo’s novels earlier this week and was completely captured by Love and Other Words. The story goes back and forth from the past to the present as Macy Sorensen is recently reunited with her first love, Elliot Petropoulos. The two first met as young teenagers and bonded over a love for reading, a bond that turned into much more as they grew up together.
Fast forward eleven years and Macy and Elliot haven’t spoken since one night more than a decade ago changed everything. When they bump into each other at a coffee shop, feelings rush back — feelings that could change everything, including Macy’s engagement to prominent artist and the first man she’s felt comfortable with since Elliot.
The story is equal parts beautiful and romantic but the parts of the novel that really gripped at my heart centered around the way the authors wrote about teenage love, firsts and first relationships. It was so honest and pure and beautiful and I absolutely loved reading about Macy and Elliot’s young love. As the novel jumps to the present day, the plot was interesting enough to keep me engaged the entire time but the flashback portions of Love and Other Words will be what I remember most from this romantic read.
Somehow this silicone bowl cover slipped into the back of a cabinet but I found it a month or so ago when I was cleaning and it’s been such a handy little thing! I use it to protect and store food (marinated chicken, cookie dough, salads, etc.) and love it a million times more than using plastic wrap or foil. It’s easy to clean and even easier to use!
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Food Photographer Needed!
After several years of working with the incredibly talented Laura of Sprinkles & Seasalt, Laura is stepping away from food photography in favor of focusing on motherhood and her portrait photography business. I am thrilled for Laura and will miss her incredible talent and the beautiful recipe photos she captured for this blog so much!
I’ve been fairly candid on this blog and have shared that photography has never been a strong point for me nor is it an interest I have so hiring Laura was so helpful for me for a myriad of reasons. With Laura stepping away, I’m on the lookout for someone to help with recipe photos and food photography on a freelance basis. If this is YOU, I’d love to hear from you! Please email me at pbfingers@gmail.com if you are interested and please include samples of your work, links to your blog/social media, etc. Thank you!
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Friday Flashbacks
Chocolate Chip Cornflake Cookies (For anyone craving a little something sweet this weekend!)
12 Best Baby Toys for the First Year: One Toy for Every Month
Question of the Day
Have you read any good books lately? Please share!
What is one thing making you smile this week?
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People Like Her by Ellery Lloyd 🙂
Julie – no need to publish this comment, I just wanted to give a warning that I don’t think you’d enjoy People Like Her. I was excited to read a social media mystery but the mystery/twist ended up being something really hard to read. (Has to do with a baby/tragedy.) Follow Me by Kathleen Barber was a much more fun influencer-mystery.
Thank you for sharing this as well, Jen! I do typically try to avoid any books with child/baby tragedy so I appreciate this.
Thank you for the recommendation!
Enjoy family time! We have family coming to town as well to celebrate our son turning two, so looking forward to soaking up the quality time.
Happy birthday to your son!!!
Enjoy your weekend with your family Julie. I think that is so fun that Chase is going with Ryan and Ross for a skiing trip since he loved it so much. Can’t wait to see photos from that. When I read about Ryder losing his first tooth it brought back memories of my daughter (she is now 20) and her losing her first tooth. She got so shocked when her tooth finally fell out that she came running in the living room and threw it. It took us a while to find it because it was so tiny and we had light color carpeting. My husband and I still laugh about that moment all of the time. She was definitely our more cautious / timid child (she is not anymore) so when it came time to put her tooth out for the tooth fairy she wanted it left in the hallway by her door. She did not want a “stranger” coming into her room she said. Little did we know how much easier that would make visits from the tooth fairy for both her and later her little brother. Different stories about your children always bring back a flood of happy memories for me – so thank you for sharing. Have so much fun with your mom, sister and 2 precious little nieces!!!
Aw this story made me smile!! And our boys also don’t want their teeth under their pillows — they’ve been placed on a dresser in their room which definitely makes things easier for the tooth fairy! Haha!
My sister married my husband’s best friend, too! And they are both named Ben… so it can get confusing when our whole family is together- ha!
Aw I love that!!! And isn’t it great when the brothers-in-law genuinely love each other, too?! Makes things so fun!
The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides is the best book I’ve read in a long time. Totally did not see the end coming!
Local Woman Missing by Mary Kubica was really good too.
We are getting a night out and meeting up with a friend from high school and her husband. Even if all we do is sit, eat and chat all night I know it’s going to be the best time.
Since everyone is giving you books recs my fave light happy reads are Abby Jimenez books (lifeS too short was my fave but read in order- not necessary but makes them better imo), Kristy Woodson Harvey, Trish doller float plan was good too. A darker read I loved was in my hands I hold a knife by Ashley winstead (it is a thriller but did not bother me and I’m wimpy- a college thriller), the last thing he told me by laura Dave and 800 grapes by laura Dave too.
I always loved that your sis married Ryan’s friend! So cute! And yes I love the tarte juicy lip!! They also have a new eyeshadow/liner stick and I’m obsessed!!!