Things I’m Loving Friday #463

Hello friends. Before I dive into today’s roundup of favorites, I have to say a big thank you for your comments on my last blog post where I shared my thoughts on growing our family. I absolutely poured over your words and you guys blew me away. You met me with open hearts, honesty, kindness and vulnerability and made me feel less alone in this wishy-washy place I’m living in while simultaneously giving me a lot to think about and consider.

I honestly found myself wishing we could all gather together in my living room together to talk about this at length in person because I felt such a deep connection to so many of you through your words and comments. It’s clearly a topic that hits home for many of us for many different reasons and while our situations may vary, I felt a sense of underlying understanding. Motherhood is not for the faint of heart and thinking about growing a family — whatever that may look like — it not a decision many of us make flippantly. Thank you for allowing me to share my heart in this space and meeting some of my more open and vulnerable posts with love. I appreciate you guys so much more than you’ll ever know.

On the personal side of things, this week was a whirlwind. Laurel, one of my best friends from college, came to visit and am so glad we were able to spend some quality time together. I don’t live near any of my childhood or college friends so when I get time with any of them, it fills my heart right up.

Laurel’s visit was also timed fairly well because it provided me with adult company while Ryan was away. He’s been gone for a week but thankfully returns this evening! Ryan left for India last Friday for another work trip and we are so, so ready to have him back. It’s been crazy communicating with him when it feels like he is living a full day in the future from us but we talked when we could and are looking forward to having lots of time together this weekend. I’m sure catching up on sleep and adjusting to the time change are on Ryan’s agenda, too.

I’m hoping to recap our weekend on the blog on Monday for you guys but until then, keep on scrolling for a roundup of this week’s favorites, Things I’m Loving Friday style!

Things I’m Loving Friday

 

• Spring!

I will never forget our first spring in North Carolina. It absolutely blew Ryan’s mind. As a born-and-raised Florida boy he was used to everything being green year-round and could not get over budding flowers and trees, emerging greenery and temperatures in the upper 60s. Springtime in Charlotte greets us with cool breezes and sunny skies and it’s nature at its finest. Our boys certainly agree and are spending every spare second of their days outside. We’ve already made a few visits to their favorite “tadpole pond” to catch and release little fish and tadpoles and it has me feeling so, so excited for spring and summer fun in the Charlotte area. Our creature-loving kids are already in heaven!

• A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Mass

My rating: A- 

It’s been a hot second since I’ve read a fantasy novel but Sarah J. Maas’ A Court of Thorns and Roses series was recommended by so, so many of you that I had to give it a shot. It’s safe to say I am ALL IN on this series. I flew through the first novel and immediately began reading the second. (I’m about a quarter of the way through it — it’s a long one — and already liking it even more than book one!) It’s imaginative, action-packed, steamy, creative and intriguing enough that it kept me reading way too late into the night. I’ve heard the series only gets better and I have a feeling it’s going to be hard for me to pick any other book up until I make my way through all 5 books.

The book begins when Feyre, a resourceful young woman tasked with the burden hunting to feed and care for her father and two sisters, kills a wolf in the woods. The wolf is huge and beautifully terrifying but the beast that enters her home following Feyre’s kill is all the more dangerous and deadly.

Revealing Feyre’s kill was not simply a wolf but a magical faere, Feyre is bound by a treaty to go with the creature who enters her home to live in his magical land forever. Feyre is both terrified and intrigued by her captor and her feelings of intense hatred begin to soften as she live with Tamlin, the faerie who brings her into his impressive home and feeds her, clothes her, cares for her and treats her with more respect than she expected.

As Feyre grows closer to Tamlin and learns more about his world and the blight that plagues the magical lands, she realizes she is not the only one in danger. Tamlin and everyone in his world are at risk and it becomes increasingly clear Feyre may be the only one who can save them.

• Icelandic Provisions Cold Brew Coffee Extra Creamy Skyr Yogurt

Slap an “extra creamy” label on a cup of yogurt and you better believe my interest will be instantly piqued. Add “cold brew coffee” to the label and it’s an instant *add to cart.* This Icelandic Provisions skyr is so thick and creamy and I’ve been loving it as a late afternoon or morning snack topped with a sprinkle of pine nuts, cacao nibs, pumpkin seeds and pecans. (I buy it at Publix.) It’s a coffee-and-yogurt lover’s dream!

• Daisy Jones and the Six (Amazon Prime)

With Ryan out of town, I took full advantage of wide-open evenings and began streaming Daisy Jones and the Six on Amazon Prime. As you may know, I absolutely LOVED the book by Taylor Jenkins Reid (it was my favorite book of 2019) and I couldn’t wait to see how it was adapted into a mini series. The first episode was okay and didn’t immediately pull me in but I stuck with it and it just got better and better. I could not wait for a little solo time after the boys were in bed so I could watch another episode and ended up making it through the whole mini series. I was in tears at the end and while the book definitely reigns supreme in my eyes, I absolutely enjoyed the show, too.

• March 2023 Top Ten

Below you will find a recap of the top 10 most popular blog posts and your top 10 favorite items from March 2023. 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:

• Egg White and Oatmeal Protein Pancakes
• Meeting Luke and Visiting Family in Florida
• Three Months with Pepper
• All the Books I’ve Read So Far in 2023
• Roundup of Recent Looks
• Transition from 2 to 3 Kids: Q&A
• Greek Yogurt Rotisserie Chicken Salad
• Easy Orange Juice Marinated Chicken Thighs
• Easter Gift Ideas for Kids
• Chicken Sausage Sweet Potato Bake

Your Top 10 Favorites:

• Biggie Beads (I think these would make such a fun Easter basket addition! They’re the bigger version of traditional perler/melty beads and our kids are 100 percent obsessed!)
• ELEMIS Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Pads (I don’t wash my face in the morning but use these right after I wake up to cleanse my skin.)
• Beauty By Earth Sunless Tanning Lotion (Checks all my boxes: Easy to apply – no mitt required, no funky smell, looks beautifully natural, clean ingredients!)
• TUL Gel Pens (The reviews don’t lie. I’m glad my fellow bougie pen lovers are obsessed with these, too!)
• Target Metal Picture Frames (Gorgeous and many size options. We have them all over our house!)
• Trunk Organizer (I’ve had this for years and swear it helps prevent the trunk of my car from looking like a tornado went off back there.)
• Amazon Hoodie (You guys went crazy for the new blue color of our fav hoodie just like I did!)
• Dr. Brandt Liquid Sun Shield SPF (The sunscreen I apply to my face every morning. Zero white cast and I swear it works almost like a primer and makes my makeup look better!)
• LeapFrog Academy Tablet (The tablet our boys love for road trips. I trust the content 100 percent!)
• Eyelash Comb (No more clumpy eyelashes! Separates eyelashes after you apply mascara for beautifully fluffy eyelashes.)

 

• Friday Flashbacks

My Mom’s Monkey Bread (Our Christmas morning favorite that often makes an appearance on Easter, too!)

10 Easter Brunch Recipes (For anyone menu-planning in advance for next weekend!)

Question of the Day

What is one thing making you smile this week?