(He was a swordfish. Kindly do not judge my homemade swordfish costume that may or may not look more like a dolphin/narwhal.)
And a summer birthday ice cream party for Ryder man…
Can you guess which of the above pictures Ryder requested?
I’ll also be in a mad dash to assemble teacher gifts this weekend before Ryder is officially done with 3-year-old preschool next week and Chase is done for the summer the following Wednesday.
Let’s see… What else happened in our house this week? Junior swim team started for Chase and I’m excited to see his progress! Fortunately the pool where Chase’s swim team is meeting for 30 minutes every week day will also soon be open for me, Rhett and Ryder to enjoy while Chase practices with his friends. Let’s just say there will be a LOT of water time in our future!
That was a bit of a rapid-fire catch up and for those of you who are stopping by the blog today for my weekly roundup of favorites, your time has come! See below for a few small things that brought a little joy my way over the past few days! I hope you all have a great weekend and for those living in areas where temps are already reaching 90+ (like us — ah!), I hope you stay cool!
Things I’m Loving Friday
Our family went strawberry picking last Saturday and we’ve been enjoying our giant basket of strawberries all week!
(Jumpsuit: Amazon / Sandals: Tkees / Bralette: Free People / Hat: CALIA but from last year — this Banana Republic hat is almost identical / Bag: Freshly Picked Park Pack)
The highlight from our haul came last Saturday evening, however, when we made the strawberry crisp I found on the blog Celebrating Sweets. It blew us away and we loved it on top of vanilla ice cream! I think this also may have been the first time we’ve ever made strawberry crisp but you better believe it won’t be the last. I’m now dying to see if the oatmeal apple crisp recipe we love can be used to make strawberry crisp since it’s so easy and our family’s favorite!
Well if these aren’t just the cutest, handiest little notebooks! I ordered a set of three Rifle Paper Company notebooks as part of a gift for one of the boys’ teachers a while back and after writing a million notes all over my paper planner, I figured I could use them for our new home build notes, blogging notes and more. I love the size — they’re thin and small enough to throw in my bag — and the design is perfect for spring and summer. I first remember Rifle Paper Company products catching my eye when I saw them at Anthropologie and I love the way their patterns feel equal parts playful and beautiful.
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Ducklings!
If you follow me on Instagram, you know our family has been heavily invested in the mama duck who made her nest in the middle of construction chaos in our new front yard. She was perfectly camouflaged and seemed totally content to sit on her eggs as construction forged ahead around her but we were all so anxious that she’d get spooked or something would happen to her. Mama duck quickly became the very first thing we’d all check on whenever we swung by the new house and I am so, so happy to say her ducklings hatched on Monday! My picture is awkward because I was majorly zoomed in and trying to give her space but you can see two little ducklings underneath her and she stood up to fluff her feathers at one point and we think there may have been five ducklings in total. We panicked a bit when we went to check on the mama duck and her ducklings the next day and they were all gone but some quick reading about ducklings informed us that they typically leave the nest the day after they hatch and do not return. We wish them all long and healthy lives and hope they come back to visit us once we’re all moved in!
It’s that time of year again!! Supergoop!’s pre-summer sale is when I stock up on sunscreen for our family for the summer because their sunscreen has quickly become our family’s absolute favorite. All of their sunscreen is 20 percent off through May 24 and since Supergoop! rarely goes on sale, I take full advantage of the savings! (Also, for those interested in clean sunscreen, the majority of Supergoop! sunscreen I researched on the EWG website received a 2 or 3 rating which I personally think is great for a product we’re using daily in the summertime.)
Below you will find a breakdown of our family’s favorite Supergoop! finds. I also recommend their Bestsellers Starter Kit if you’re unfamiliar with Supergoop! to see if it’s a good fit for you. It comes with three of the products mentioned below that we love!
- Supergoop! Play Everyday Lotion SPF 50: We buy the giant 18-ounce size and I LOVE the pump because it makes applying sunscreen to three energetic kids a little easier. We go through SO MUCH sunscreen all summer long and this size is the best for our family! I keep it out on the counter in our laundry room/mudroom so we can easily pump some out and apply it as we’re heading out the door. It feels good on the skin — it’s not thick or sticky — and it does not leave a white cast on the skin at all.
- Supergoop! Play Everyday Body Mist SPF 50: Bless spray sunscreen! It’s the BEST for re-applying sunscreen when we’re out and about with the kids and this is our go-to!
- Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen SPF 40: If you’re looking for the clearest of the clear sunscreen for your face, Supergoop! has you covered with this 100% mineral sunscreen! It feels moisturizing to my face and is made with ingredients like bush clover extract to help reduce signs of aging. Win, win.
- Supergoop! Glow Screen SPF 40: Think of this as a hybrid sunscreen/makeup primer! It gives my skin a dewy look and is nearly sheer but there’s a subtle tint to it that I like because I feel like it makes my skin look a little better than sunscreen alone. I keep this in my pool/beach bag and love it for my face!
- Supergoop! (Re)setting 100% Mineral Powder Sunscreen: This genius product is perfect for giving your face SPF protection throughout the day without ruining your makeup! Just dust this powder over your face and be on your way.
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Friday Flashbacks
Where to Meet Mom Friends (I feel very fortunate to have connected with a great group of mom friends after I had Chase. This post details how I met some of the women I consider some of my closest friends after I had children.)
Easy Marinated Pork Chops (Sharing this super simple recipe because I made these pork chops for the 1,000th time last night and we continue to love them!)
Question of the Day
What is one thing making you smile today?
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Loved reading your Friday favorites!! So many fun (but busy) events near the end of the year! I definitely need to try supergoop sunscreen! Also, as someone moving to Charlotte this summer (even though I’m single and not a mom), I loved reading that flashback blogpost of how to meet mom friends!!
Thanks for the sunscreen reminder. I’ve been nagging my spouse about sunscreen and then realized my moisturizer has none! I ordered the superfood primer for the bathroom counter and we can share it. Love your blog and your dear family. I’ve followed you since you were in college–I found your blog when I was packing for Europe and wondered how I was gonna haul suitcases off and on trains–your two weeks in one carry-on saved me! Lots of great hints. The high school granddaughter we were taking on her first European trip is now a grown up married nurse in NC! I’ve recommended your blog to every young mom I meet. :o)
I personally think you did a great job on the homemade swordfish costume!
I have never heard of supergoop sunscreen before. Have to look into it. Here is the sunscreen I use for myself and my kids. We all have extremely sensitive skin and this blue lizard sunscreen works well for us.
Have a wonderful weekend!!!
https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Lizard-Baby-Mineral-Sunscreen/dp/B083VQQ64W/ref=asc_df_B083VQQ64W/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=459724228001&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=7942655330098113815&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1025580&hvtargid=pla-943651128229&psc=1
I’m a huge supergoop fan for myself but the Pipette mineral sunscreen has blown me away with how great it is for my daughter (she has eczema and it doesn’t exacerbate it) I’ve used the Pipette sunscreen on my face and body too with no issues. Also love the best sellers supergoop kit.
I discovered Supergoop in Montreal last week as we got a freak heatwave and I burn like bacon…I was afraid that it was that annoying Gwyneth Paltrow’s latest adventure but it was not … it worked amazingly and I cannot recommend it enough!!
That strawberry crumble looks delicious. I will be making that for my family next time I pick up strawberries. Something that made me smile today was my daughter who is in college and decided to stay at school for a summer internship texted us today to say she was chosen for a $1000 scholarship for fall. It was not a scholarship she applied for but rather they chose students based on their academic achievement. It is to be used towards her cross cultural exchange trip that she will be taking over winter break to Hawaii. It was a nice surprise and she was very excited (as were we!). Have a fantastic weekend Julie!