Things I’m Loving Friday #429

Hey friends! How are you guys doing? How was your week? We had a good one over here and celebrated Rhett’s birthday (more on that below) and had Meet the Teacher days for our two youngest boys.

(Rhett’s romper: Amazon / Shoes: Vans slip-ons — gifted / Backpack: Etsy — Chase and Ryder had the same one! The smaller size is perfect for a 2-3 year old but I opted for the larger size for Rhett this time so it will last longer.) 

Rhett didn’t crack a single smile but he made himself right at home with the toys so we’ll call it a win.

(Backpack: Herschel Supply — I swear by this brand for our big kids’ backpacks. Great quality! / Shirt: 704 Shop / Shorts: Hand-me-downs from Chase / Shoes: Vans slip-ons — gifted)

Ryder is thrilled Rhett will be attending his preschool two mornings a week and seems to be taking his role as supportive big brother seriously. It’s so sweet to see Ryder stepping into the role Chase took for him when he attended preschool for the first time!

And now let’s keep things moving with a peek into this week’s roundup of favorites. I hope you all have a great weekend and I hope to see you back here next week!

Things I’m Loving Friday

• Celebrating Rhett!

We celebrated Rhett’s second birthday on Monday and had the best time making our two-year-old feel extra loved! We knew right away we wanted to spend his birthday at the pool because there’s not much Rhett loves more than water! He jumped into the pool no less than 20 times (truly) and had a blast!

We had to laugh when it came time for cake for two reasons: First, in all the moving mayhem, at the last minute I realized I had NO idea where I packed our candles. I found two number candles in our birthday box but no number two sooo we made it work. 3-1 = 2, right!? Haha!

Second, Rhett was full-on obsessed with blowing out his candles… before they were even lit! The moment we put his cake he front of him, he would not stop blowing out his still very much UNLIT candles.

He blew and blew and when we finally lit his candles, we had to hold him back from extinguishing them with his breath the second we lit them so we would sing him “Happy Birthday.” It was too funny and a memory I know I’ll keep close forever.

• On a Quiet Street by Seraphina Nova Glass

My rating: A / Genre: Mystery/Thriller

After reading a million breezy beach reads in a row, I was in the mood to change things up and opted for a mystery/thriller. I actually listened to the audiobook version of this novel and highly recommend it!!! I loved all the voices and thought it was read very well. On a Quiet Street is a twisty page-turner and I found myself looking for any opportunity I could find throughout the day to press play on my Hoopla app so I could listen to the story unfold.

The book is set in picture-perfect Brighton Hills, an upscale community located in Oregon. The residents of the neighborhood are beautiful and successful and connected in ways that may go deeper than the façade of friendly neighbors.

Paige is a grieving mother who lost her son to an unresolved hit-and-run last year. She’s determined to figure out how her beloved son died and is convinced someone in her neighborhood is at fault for his death. When her best friend and fellow neighbor Cora confides in her, yet again, about her suspicions of her husband’s infidelity, the two hatch a plan to catch Finn in the act, a plan that Paige is all to eager to spearhead, as she has no qualms about crossing the normal lines of acceptable surveillance.

In addition to increasing questions about Finn’s fidelity, Cora finds herself becoming more and more curious about their mysterious neighbor Georgia, a stunning young mother who, according to her husband, is riddled with anxiety and depression and is terrified to venture our farther than her own yard. Is there more to Georgia than meets the eye? Is the quiet street of Brighton Hills really as safe and picture-perfect as it seems?

• Avocado Oil

We are on a huge avocado oil kick in our house and I don’t see it ending anytime soon. Ryan recently went in for a physical and it included a looot of bloodwork. (Note to self: Schedule a physical with looots of bloodwork, too. I hate to admit it but I haven’t been to see a doctor since I had Rhett and it is time!) Ryan’s bloodwork was overall good but one area of concern is his cholesterol. This wasn’t a big shocker because high cholesterol runs in his family but he’s taking some tips from the dietitian he met with who encouraged increasing the amount of fiber he’s eating and swapping our beloved butter and coconut oil for olive oil and avocado oil. I’ve been using avocado oil for years but mainly in salad dressings but now that it’s serving as the “base oil” of a lot of our dishes, I’ve come to fully appreciate how deliciously buttery it tastes. It’s more mild than olive oil and I also love that it has a higher smoke point (500ish degrees), making it great for high-heat cooking!

• The Perfect Marriage by Jeneva Rose

My rating: B+ / Genre: Psychological Thriller 

The Perfect Marriage has been MAJORLY hyped and I get it. I really do. It’s a twisty thriller and the kind of book you will absolutely fly through because it leaves you guessing and has so many loose ends that somehow get tied together chapters later only to be followed with more loose ends.

I suspected every single character in this book and found my predictions about the murderer bouncing around constantly. The ending of this book is the part that seems to be polarizing and I know it’s a shocking ending for many but I’ve read my fair share of psychological thrillers so it didn’t leave me completely taken aback. (Honestly, it left me a little frustrated.) I didn’t find any of the characters in this book likeable but I have no qualms recommending it because it is so darn entertaining!

The Perfect Marriage flip flops back and forth from the perspectives of Sarah and Adam Morgan. The couple has been married for 10 years and are deeply in love. Or so it seems. Sarah is an ambitious and successful defense attorney in Washington D.C. Adam experienced a bit of success as a novelist but it’s been years since he’s written anything of merit. He’s struggling professionally but finding personal happiness outside of his marriage with his mistress, Kelly. And then Kelly ends up dead in Sarah and Adam’s lake house bedroom.

Adam is an immediate suspect and when he’s arrested for Kelly’s murder, he has to call on the one person he knows can help him out of this mess: His wife. When Sarah agrees to defend Adam, she takes on the hardest case of her career, shocking everyone by defending her husband in the murder trial of his mistress.

• Labor Day Weekend Sales

Rounding up some Labor Day weekend sales that caught my eye!

APPAREL + ACCESSORIES 

• Old Navy: 30% off sitewide (Includes holiday pajamas! I ordered these tube socks and these joggers for the boys as well as few fall dresses for my nieces. And I couldn’t resist this glow-in-the-dark skeleton onesie for myself for trick-or-treating on Halloween!)
• Madewell: 30% off fall favs + Extra 40% off sale with code LONGWEEKEND
• H&M: Free shipping site wide (one of my favs for super cute kid clothes!)
• LOFT: Up to 75% off + 30% off full-price new fall fashion with code YAY
• Athleta: Extra 30% off sale (Love the blue color of these joggers and they’re majorly discounted!)
• Abercrombie: Up to 50% off select styles
• Carter’s: 50% off everything (includes their Halloween and holiday pajamas!)

HOME

• Target: Lots of various home deals! I ordered this mirror for above a bathroom vanity as well as this mirror and woven TV stand (in natural) and plan to use them in the boys’ bedrooms in the new house.
• Pottery Barn: Warehouse Sale — up to 70% off
• Wayfair: Up to 70% off
• McGee & Co.: Up to 25% off (Sales are the only time I shop this site! I’ve been eyeing this gorgeous mirror for our primary bath in the new house and just snagged it!)

 

• August 2022 Top 10

Below you will find a recap of the top 10 most popular blog posts and your top 10 favorite items from the month of August 2022! Hopefully this will help you check out some blog posts you may have missed or help you easily locate an item I’ve mentioned in the past that got buried in blog/social media mayhem.

Top 10 Blog Posts

• Greek Yogurt Rotisserie Chicken Salad
• Back in NC and Back to School
• Best Books I’ve Read This Year
• Orange Juice Chicken Marinade
• Egg White and Oatmeal Protein Pancakes
• Jacksonville Beach Kid Activities
• Chase Update: 7 Years Old
• Transition from 2 to 3 Kids: Q&A
• Poison Ivy/Oak + Summer Randomness
• Chase’s Reptile Birthday + Leopard Gecko Surprise

Your Top 10 Favorites

• Mesh Beach Bag (Great Amazon find that holds a lot, allows sand to shake right out and doesn’t feel too cumbersome when packed with beach/pool essentials)
• Personalized S’mores Sticks (A Christmas gift to Ryan from me and the boys last year that he loved!)
• Amazon Deep-V Bralettes (aka the super comfy skinny-strap bralettes I wear non-stop)
• Kid Chore/Daily Tasks Charts (Great checklists to help motivate the boys to stay on track with their daily responsibilities.)
• New Balance Sneakers (Comfy enough to walk for miles and I love the blush pink.)
• Choo-Me Pouch Toppers (Game changer for independent feeding. Goes on top of a baby food pouch and prevents spills and messes!)
• Amazon Jumpsuit (Crazy comfy and a million times cuter in person than it is online!)
• Honeycomb Mesh Laundry Bags: Keeps the liners in bralettes sports bras and tanks.
• Cuisinart Oil Mister (The only add-your-own oil mister I’ve tried that isn’t a giant pain!)
• Memory Box (So helpful for organizing the boys’ school work, crafts, medical records, etc.)

• Friday Flashbacks

Chopped Broccoli and Brussels Sprouts Salad (One of my favorite salad recipes because it can be prepped ahead without any wilting!)

Lemon Sugar Cookie Icebox Cake (If you have a gathering on the agenda for this weekend, I urge you to make this delicious dessert before lemon desserts are replaced by all things pumpkin!)

Question of the Day

What is one thing making you smile this week?