Things I’m Loving Friday #418

Friday is here and it feels like the first official Friday of summer for our family. Chase wrapped up school on Wednesday and we’re leaning into summer mode big time! My parents will be arriving in town for the weekend later today so you better believe we’ll be filling our days with lots of fun with Mae and Pop! With temperatures predicted to be in the mid-80s, I have a feeling most of our activities will center around the pool and the lake. Bring on the water fun!

Before I sign off and fully immerse myself in family time, I wanted to share a roundup of weekly favorites with you guys in keeping with my usual Things I’m Loving Friday tradition! Scroll down to see a few things that are making me smile this week and feel free to share a little bit about what you’re loving right now in the comment section! Have a great weekend, my friends!

Things I’m Loving Friday

• Baby Pig Encounter

After kindergarten pickup on Wednesday, I took the boys to Great Clips for some much-needed haircuts. We were in for quite the surprise when we turned to take our seats to wait and saw the tiniest piglet wrapped up in a woman’s arms. Apparently little Milo was recently rescued by the woman and lots of love in addition to regular bottle feeding. Milo’s new mom had his little bottle with her and we flipped out and were floored when the woman offered to let us hold her sweet piglet. It was the most random, unexpected encounter — especially at Great Clips — but made for quite the afternoon story!

• Zip-Front One Piece

I’ve been on the lookout for a swimsuit that offers decent coverage and protection from the sun, specifically on my shoulders and back, since I know we’ll be living at the pool and lake this summer. I immediately fell in love with the print on this one-piece suit and when I read that it had lined cups for the chest — something that’s oddly hard to find in swimsuits with a rash-guard look — I was sold.

When it arrived, I was so excited because the print looked the same in person as it does online and the quality felt great. I wore this suit to the pool a couple of times this week and so far my only complaint is that some of the material on my lower back pulls away from my body a little rather than sitting flush, but I think this is likely because of my long torso. (One pieces on the whole can be tricky for my torso.) I actually liked the booty coverage even more when I tried it on at home because it looked like it had the potential to be cheeky online so that was a pleasant surprise. I’m not down with the whole buttcheeks on display look and this suit offers modest booty coverage which I appreciate!

Also, if you’re not as concerned about sun protection, the smocked one-piece and the bikini in the same print are both adorable!

• Jane Iredell Forever Pink Just Kissed Lip Stain

Have you guys heard about the lip balms out there that adjust to your skin tone and color your lips the perfect shade of pink for your face? I’ve always thought the concept was cool but was admittedly skeptical. I received a small tube of Jane Iredell’s Forever Pink Just Kissed Lip Stain as a free sample in a recent beauty order I purchased and when I tried it, I was blown away! I thought it was just a sheer lip balm but noticed my lips quickly turning a perfectly light and bright pink. I then Googled the product and when I saw that it was one of those changing lip balms, it all made sense! I’ve already ordered a full-size tube of this lip stain because I love it so much! It feels like lip balm/Chapstick when you apply it which I adore since it feels incredibly hydrating. It quickly develops into a richer color that still has an incredibly natural look — think “no makeup makeup” but with just the right amount of color to enhance your natural lip color. I’m a big-time fan!! An added bonus: It’s a clean beauty find!

• The Best Kid Goggles

If you’ve ever purchased goggles for children, you know most pairs leave a LOT to be desired. We’ve been through many goggles through the years and I’ve had gripes to share about each and every pair. When I saw Brittany share a pair her daughters have used and loved for years on Instagram, I couldn’t order them fast enough. When I saw the Aqua Sphere goggles blew us away immediately, I mean it! They check so many boxes — they’re EASY to adjust (this was a HUGE one for me), fog-resistant (look at the clarity in the above pics!), leak free and scratch resistant. One perk I didn’t anticipate? As a mom I love that the lenses of the goggles are big so I can easily see the boys’ eyes and tell if their goggles are on straight or if they have them twisted somehow. 10/10 recommend these goggles for little ones!

• Party of Two by Jasmine Guillory

My rating: B+

Jasmine Guillory gets a lot of love from those who love sweet, romantic stories but I admittedly wasn’t all that enamored with The Wedding Date, the first book I read by this author. Thankfully, a handful of you encouraged me to give her work another try and I am so glad I did! I finished reading Party of Two this week and loved the story so thank you all for the nudge. I wish I would’ve read Party of Two sooner because it would’ve absolutely claimed a spot on my list of summer beach read recommendations!

Olivia Monroe recently moved to LA to start her own law firm with her best friend. She’s ambitious and ready to make a difference and, having been sorely let down in the past, decidedly not looking for a relationship. It is only after a memorable night of talking and flirting with a handsome man at a hotel bar that Olivia turns on her TV and realizes the mystery man she cannot stop thinking about is junior senator Max Powell.

Still committed to avoiding relationships at all costs, Olivia puts the senator out of her mind until they run into each other and he follows up their chance meeting with a cake and a sweet message delivered to her office. She’s admittedly intrigued and still very, very skeptical. Is Max more than just some rich, hot-shot politician? Could he really be interested in her? And if so, is she up for the scrutiny that would come along with being a senator’s girlfriend?

• Friday Flashbacks

Maple Ginger Grilled Salmon (My favorite salmon marinade! This works great for grilled salmon, baked salmon and salmon cooked in a skillet!)

Upper Body + Plyo Workout (I love the format of this workout so much because it makes the workout fly by!)

Question of the Day

Please share one small thing that brought you a little joy this week. I know we could all use it!