Things I’m Loving Friday #458

After an unintentional one-week hiatus, we’re back in action with Things I’m Loving Friday this week! It’s an especially good Friday in our house right now because this weekend we will be welcoming some of our favorite visitors in town. My dad is feeling well enough after his surgery to make the drive to North Carolina and since he said cabin fever was starting to set in big-time for him as he was resting and recovering in Florida, he and my mom are taking us up on our always-open invitation to come for a visit.

The boys are thrilled knowing Mae and Pop will be heading this way and we’ve already selected some homebound activities we can do with my parents that still allow for some solid rest for my dad. On the agenda: Lego building, car puzzles, homemade ice cream and plenty of quality time. We are ready!! It’s also an extra long weekend for our crew as all of the boys are out of school today and Monday so it’s time to unplug and enjoy lots of family time.

First, though, let’s chat about some things we’re loving, Things I’m Loving Friday style!

Things I’m Loving Friday

• Acrylic Counter Protector

This counter protector is my latest mom hack! Well, technically it’s a clear cutting board but when I saw a video of someone using it on Instagram my first thought was how awesome it would be for protecting various surfaces from kid crafts, messy meals, etc. I read reviews and went with this one because it was non-slip and had a lip and it has been a slam dunk of a purchase. We’ve had it for months and use it every single day in our house. We move it all over the place and use it to cover our kitchen counters, dining room table, coffee table and more! Anything that helps me be a more chill mom is something I find invaluable. Using this acrylic counter protector lets me relax a bit as I watch the boys (mainly Rhett at this point) paint their hearts out, experiment with puffy paints and glue, color anything and everything and express their creativity in myriad ways.

• Eyelash Comb

A few years go, I had to toss out the eyelash comb I had from high school (yes, high school) because too many of the comb teeth broke off. I’ve thought about that broken comb a million times since I threw it away so why it’s taken me this long to order a replacement, I’ll never know. I finally added an eyelash comb to my makeup collection again earlier this week and my eyelashes are all kinds of happy. I cannot stand clumpy, spidery eyelashes and this eyelash comb is a dream for separating lashes with its super-fine yet gentle teeth and allows my mascara to stay on my lashes but separates them to give them a fluffier, more natural appearance. I’ve missed this thing so much!

• Motion Sensor Nightlight

These nightlights are the BEST and we have them all over our house. We were a little concerned with how the boys would take to living in four homes in a six month timeframe over the past year and wanted to make sure new dark hallways wouldn’t been too spooky for them if they came out of their rooms in the night. I bought a bunch of these motion sensor nightlights to use in our rental homes and they’re now a permanent feature in our new house, too. The nightlights come with three settings — Auto = motion sensor and only comes on when it senses movement, on and off. While we mostly use the auto setting, we also leave one of them on all night long in the big kids’ bathroom. It lights up their bathroom enough for them to see if they have to use the bathroom in the night but it isn’t overpowering. We love these nightlights so much!

• The Address by Fiona Davis

My rating: B+

Fiona Davis is one of my all-time favorite historical fiction writers. Along with her interesting characters and plotlines, I love the way she uses real places and incorporates some elements of history in her novels. (If you’re new to her work, start with The Lions of Fifth Avenue! That’s still my favorite!) The Address was another winner and, true to typical Fiona Davis fashion, flip flops back and forth between two time periods, 1884 and 1984. (Worth noting: I MUCH preferred the 1884 chapters!) The book is a little longer than it needed to be as most of the action happens in the last third of the book but it’s still an interesting read and one I looked forward to diving into at the end of the day.

Currently working as a servant in an upscale hotel in London, Sara Smythe’s world is turned upside down after a run-in with hotel guest and up-and-coming architect Theodore Camden. Theo is ambitious and captivating and when he offers Sara a job at The Dakota Apartment House in New York City, she is instantly intrigued by the possibilities. His proposal promises more responsibility, increased pay and more time with Theo, a man she quickly comes to find herself drawn to despite the fact that he is married and has three young children.

Fast forward 100 years and Bailey Camden is struggling after a stint in rehab. She’s broke, jobless and in desperate need of a job and when her cousin, Melinda offers her the opportunity to oversee renovations at the Dakota, Bailey cannot resist. Melinda and Bailey are related through the Camden family; Melinda is Theodore Camden’s granddaughter while Bailey’s grandfather was his ward, and yet Bailey’s grandfather, and therefore Bailey and her father, received none of the family’s multi-million dollar inheritance. As Bailey embarks on overseeing renovations of the historic building, she begins to uncover long-kept secrets, secrets surrounding the murder of Theodore Camden and secrets that could change everything.

• Friday Flashbacks

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookie Dough Overnight Oats (Highlighting this favorite since I made it for breakfast twice this week!)

No Gym No Problem Workout (A workout you can do anywhere without any equipment)

Question of the Day

What is one thing you’re loving this week?