My parents deserve a load of praise and thanks for offering to come in town to hang out with me and the boys for a few days while Ryan was away!
Their visit was such a gift to me and we had a great time filling our days with visits to Discovery Place, bike rides and playtime amid the usual weekday commitments. Obviously my favorite part of their visit was the quality time we spent together but I was also able to do some things I normally cannot do without childcare or help (like attend a Burn Boot Camp live and volunteer at Chase’s school during Rhett and Ryder’s normal preschool pickup time) and that was such a nice treat, too.
Normalcy will resume in our house next week and then Thanksgiving is coming and then Christmas and phewww this holiday season already feels like it’s flying. I’ve had more than a few requests to share my gift guides earlier than usual and I’m going to do my best to make that happen so please stay tuned.
I hope you all have a great weekend and thanks for checking out today’s roundup of favorites, Things I’m Loving Friday style!
Things I’m Loving Friday
I joined the Burn Boot Camp live team again on Thursday morning! It was so fun to be back in the studio sweating under the lights and doing a workout I love so, so much with such a great team. I fell in love with Burn’s online workouts during Covid and continue to turn to them all the time in my garage when I want to knock out a workout but cannot make it to an in-person camp. If you want to sweat with me, you may check out the online upper body workout here! It was a great one that targeted my shoulders, back, biceps and triceps.
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Southern Christmas Show
(Jeans: GAP / Sweater: Old Navy but old — this one from GAP is similar! / Lug Boots: Amazon / Bag: Target)
The Southern Christmas Show is back in town!! The only way to describe the Southern Christmas Show is pure holiday magical mayhem. I knew I wanted to attend early because it can get crazyyy and thought it would be the perfect location for a night out with my mom. I booked a babysitter (my dad had to head back to Florida early) and we had the best time exploring the booths, shopping and laughing together. I left with a few small gifts and the holiday spirit raging!
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Such a Quiet Place by Megan Miranda
My rating: B+
Megan Miranda writes my kind of thriller. Her books are twisty and suspenseful and lead you in different directions without being too creepy or gruesome. I’ve read a handful of her novels in the past and enjoyed them all and Such a Quiet Place was no different. It was a little slower to pull me in than other Megan Miranda novels but once I was in, I was all in.
The book begins with the return of Ruby Fletcher, the twenty-something woman convicted of murder in the quiet community of Hollow’s Edge. Ruby’s conviction was overturned and she’s back, confusing and upsetting the tight-knit community who have no idea why she’d want to return to the place where the neighbors whose testimonies implicated her still reside. Ruby shows up on the doorstep of her former roommate Harper. Unable to find it in her to kick Ruby out, Harper is on edge and terrified, unsure whether Ruby is guilty or innocent and what her intentions are now that she’s back in Hollow’s Edge. It doesn’t take long for suspicions to rise and strange things to begin to happen as neighbors begin to question Ruby all over again… and also begin to question each other.
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The Last to Vanish by Megan Miranda
My rating: A-
While I was reading Such a Quiet Place by Megan Miranda, I was also listening to the audiobook of another one of her novels, The Last to Vanish. I found myself enjoying the audiobook more and loved the premise of The Last to Vanish.
Abby Lovett moved to the town of Cutter’s Pass, North Carolina 10 years ago. Cutter’s Pass is a quaint mountain town with easy access to beautiful hiking trails and stunning views but it is best known for its mysterious history involving multiple unexplained disappearances. The most recent disappearance of journalist Landon West inspired his brother Trey to visit the town and rent Landon’s old room at The Passage Inn where Abby works. Looking for answers about his brother, Trey begins digging and Abby begins to uncover more about her beloved town and the people in it than she ever imagined. As evidence surfaces that could provide insight to long unanswered questions, Abby begins questioning everyone and everything, including her own safety.
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Around the Internet
Food: Butternut Squash Curry Soup / Cilantro Lime Rice / Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad / Best Vegan Soup Recipes
Fitness: Tips for Exercising in Cold Weather / 2 Total Body Strength Workouts
Weekend Sales: 50% off everything at Old Navy with code CHEER (lots of fun holiday pajamas + our boys love their holiday fuzzy socks — their Elf on the Shelf brings them when he arrives every year — + the unisex skinny jeggings I love for the boys are only $10) / Extra 30% off sale at Anthropologie / 50% off outwear, jeans and long-sleeve tees at GAP (I love the not-too-skinny but not-too-baggy fit of their barrel jeans + these pajama joggers look so cozy and are only $13!) / Up to 20% off at Caraway Cookware with code CYBER22 (the non-toxic cookware we love) / 55% off + free shipping at LOFT with code LUCKY / Extra 25% off clearance at Nordstrom (I ordered the next size up in 2 colors of these moto joggers for Chase because we loved Chase’s last 2 pairs so much) / 30% off outerwear at Abercrombie
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Friday Flashbacks
10 Recipes to Make for Thanksgiving This Year (Sharing some of our family’s all-time favs for anyone planning their Thanksgiving menu already!)
Chicken Sausage Sweet Potato Bake (An easy meal but a good one!)
Question of the Day
What is one thing making you smile today?
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It’s so nice your parents were able to spend time with you and the boys. I loved seeing the photo of you and your mom at the Christmas show – what a great mother / daughter outing. Is your mom’s foot/ankle ok? I noticed she has a boot on.
I’m smiling extra big today for 2 reasons: first, we had our final walkthrough at our new house and there are only a few minor things to be done before we close in 2 weeks. Second, the buyers purchasing our current house have now had their loan approved (already did inspection, radon test, etc) and so we are all set to close on our old house. We are very excited for all the new opportunities that we will have.
Thank you for checking in on my mom! She broke a small bone on the side of her foot and it’s been such a pain to heal. It happened over the summer and she’s still in a boot. I feel awful for her long recovery but she’s doing well with it — just hoping for some good healing news at her next x-ray.
And that is SO exciting about the new house!!!!!! So so exciting! And I’m glad it sounds like all is going smooth with selling your home. I know that can be crazy stressful and I hope everything goes well as you make such a big change!
What’s your secret to being able to read so many great books with 3 boys ?
I read before bed every night and get in bed EARLY. We aren’t huge TV people (I truly never watch it during the week) and getting in bed fairly soon after the boys are in bed (often by 8:30) is huge for giving me an hour or two of time to read before I go to sleep. It’s honestly something I look forward to at the end of every day and something very important to me, as it truly helps me unwind and relax and feels like a gift to myself!
I’ve also recently be into audiobooks and will listen to those while multitasking — doing laundry, the dishes, etc.