Things I’m Loving Friday #415

Friday is here! Woohoo! I hope you all had a good week. We searched for lots of creatures in our yard…

Attended a lemonade and popsicles afternoon get-together at Ryder’s preschool…

Filled our afternoons with two trips to Discovery Place Kids (it’s a gem and practically deserted an hour before closing on weekdays)…

(Overalls: A throwback pair I ordered from Amazon during the postpartum period of life after I had Ryder. I still reach for them when I want something comfy that works well for mom life. / Sandals: Tkees / Clear Crossbody: Amazon / Sunglasses: QUAY) 

And we counted down the days until Ryan arrived home again! Ryan was gone for a few nights for work this week and arrived home yesterday evening. We’re so glad to have him home again especially with Mother’s Day weekend on the horizon. Give me all the family time! I hope to have a moment to sit down at the computer this weekend and catch you guys up on our weekend activities but until then, let’s dive right into this week’s Things I’m Loving Friday roundup of favorites!

Things I’m Loving Friday

• Dr. Brandt Liquid Sun Shield Daily Brightening Mineral Sunscreen

I gave Dr. Brandt’s Liquid Sun Shield Daily Brightening Mineral Sunscreen a brief shout out in my Mother’s Day Gift Guide this year but felt it needed to be properly highlighted in a Things I’m Loving Friday blog post because it is easily one of my favorite beauty product discoveries in months. (Is sunscreen for your face a beauty product? I’m going with yes!) You guys, this stuff is a DREAM for your face. It is so smooth and lightweight and DOES NOT feel like sunscreen. We’re talking no thick, sticky mess and it glides over my skin almost like a makeup primer. (Truth be told, most mornings lately it’s taking the place of my primer!) It leaves absolutely NO white cast and goes on completely clear. I am now a stickler for wearing sunscreen on my face — something I wish I took more seriously when I was younger — and love the SPF 50 protection from this mineral sunscreen. I even have Ryan hooked on it now, too!!

• She Regrets Nothing by Andrea Dunlop

My rating: B+ 

This book is a hot mess of rich people drama, social climbing, relationship scandals and family secrets and I mean that in the best possible way. It features a slew of wealthy characters, the vast majority of whom aren’t particularly likeable, and the main character isn’t particularly likeable either… and yet the book rises above this mess of unlikability to emerge as an intriguing read that left me excited to dive into it before bed every night.

She Regrets Nothing centers around Laila Lawrence, a twenty-three-year-old woman who recently lost her mother, and whose mother’s funeral unites her with three cousins she never knew she had… Three very rich, very well-known cousins who immediately leave Laila wondering what could have been.

Curious about these “secret cousins,” a few years later Laila accepts their invitation to move to New York City equipped with no money and nothing more than the knowledge of a secret scandal within their family that her three cousins seem to know nothing about. As she becomes increasingly enamored with their want-for-nothing lifestyle and intrigued by men who have captured the eyes of her cousins, Laila begins to feel like she missed out on something that was rightfully hers as the dark side of the Lawrence family’s secrets begin to emerge.

• Beauty by Earth Self Tanner Tanning Lotion

A new sunless tanning lotion king is in town! I’m not sure if it was just my Instagram feed but about a month ago it seemed like every influencer was posting their “sunless tanning routine” and it involved 10 steps, protective gloves and way more effort that I knew I’d pour into trying to achieve a sun-kissed look. I’m all about low-maintenance tanning and when I saw Juli of PaleOMG recommend Beauty By Earth sunless tanning lotion it seemed similar to my beloved NKD SKN sunless tanner I can no longer find anywhere. (I am SO bummed it seems to no longer be available because it was my favorite for years! Bring it back please, NKD SKN!!)

Anyway, since I was in the market for a new sunless tanning lotion, I figured this one was worth a shot and ordered primarily for these three reasons: 1. It’s made with clean ingredients. 2. It’s a lotion and doesn’t require gloves or a mitt to apply. 3. It builds a tan within a couple of hours and reviews said it lasts!

Upon first use I was sold! It felt nourishing to my body and moisturized my skin and the tan that emerged looked wonderfully natural with no streaks or orangey appearance. It also does not smell which is a HUGE perk! I’ll be buying this one again without a doubt! (Note: I bought the medium to dark shade and it worked well on my skin.)

• Michelob Ultra Organic Seltzer

We first discovered Michelob Ultra Organic Seltzer last summer when Ryan randomly picked up a case to include in our wonderfully tacky blow-up palm tree pool we had on hand for Ryder’s birthday party last year. We’ll grab a case here and there when we are in the mood for it and I finally remembered to snap a pic of a can when I was enjoying a few drinks last weekend during the Queen’s Cup! It’s a great spring/summertime beverage — super light and refreshing and not too sweet — and I love the unique flavors!

• April 2022 Top Ten

In an effort to be better at taking the time to analyze some of my analytics, last year I began sharing a monthly recap in my Friday posts highlighting my top 10 blog posts and your top 10 favorite finds from the blog + Instagram. Hopefully this will also help you check out some blog posts you might have missed or help you easily locate an item I’ve mentioned in the past that got buried in blog/social media mayhem.

Here’s a peek at was you guys liked best in April 2022!

Top 10 Blog Posts

• Easy Orange Juice Marinated Chicken Thighs
• Life with 3 Kids 1.5 Years In (Part Two)
• Favorite Clean Finds for the Home
• Instant Pot Butternut Squash Beef Stew
• Mother’s Day Gift Guide 2022
• Greek Yogurt Rotisserie Chicken Salad
• St. Simons Island Spring Break Kick Off
• Jax Beach Spring Break + Easter 2022
• Merri’s Baby Shower
• Giant Amazon Haul: 10 Fashion Finds, 10 Kid Finds, 10 Home Finds

Top 10 Favorites

• Button Down Coverup: Lightweight, universally flattering and covers the booty.
• Dr. Brandt Liquid Sunshield Daily Brightening Sunscreen SPF 50: I cannot recommend this stuff enough especially if you typically hate the way sunscreen feels on your face! It’s a game-changer and goes on super lightweight (NOT sticky!) with ZERO white cast. I feels fantastic on my skin and almost works as a primer as well. I’ve been using it every single day since I discovered it last month!
• QUAY Australia Sweet Dreams Sunglasses: My favorite! Took advantage of a sale and ordered them in two colors!
• GAP Modal Supersoft Lounge Set (Top + Joggers): So ridiculously comfy and cute enough to wear out of the house. Perfect combo of pjs + loungewear.
• Bissell Handheld Vacuum: Perfect for small spaces, vacuuming cars, strollers, handbags, etc.
• Clear Crossbody: I was surprised to see this as a bestseller because it’s kind of a weird one but you guys clearly are my people and love this odd find as much as I do! I’ve also heard from some of you who have been loving it for concerts/sporting events where clear bags are a requirement.
• Storage Bag Organizer: Aka Ryan’s fav find of the month! Eliminates the need for boxes and makes organizing Ziploc baggies feel lovely!
• Puracy Stain Remover: The super clean enzyme-based stain remover I’ve been using on tough stains for years!
• Curvy Extra High Waisted Jeans: The Old Navy jeans I’ve been wearing non-stop for months. Particularly flattering for those who need a smaller waist but more room for hips and a booty.
• Knit Tank: An Amazon find I adore and have in olive, rust and black! I recommend opting for darker colors as the lighter colors were too sheer for my liking.

 

• Friday Flashbacks

Flying with a Baby For the First Time (My takeaways after my first time flying with Chase when he was a baby.)

Total Body Medicine Ball Workout (All you need is a med ball to complete this total body burner!)

Question of the Day 

What is one thing making you smile this week?