Things I’m Loving Friday #571

Hello, hello and Happy Friday to YOU! How are you? How was your week? Ours was a good one! Some very special visitors arrived on Wednesday and will be here through Monday! Ryan’s mom and Les are here for a few days and we’ve been celebrating Les’ birthday and just enjoying quality time together! We have plans to attend a Hogwarts-themed dinner event together this evening (we’re all big Harry Potter fans over here) and also hope to squeeze in a few other fun Halloween-y things over the weekend while they’re here.

But now it’s time to keep our eyes on the prize and dive into what you’re likely expecting to see here on the blog today: A weekly roundup of simple things that are making me smile!

Enjoy your weekend my friends! I hope it’s a good one!!

Things I’m Loving Friday

• Small Transfer Bag

I’m not sure what to call this so I’m going to label this one “small transfer bag” but the bag itself isn’t important! The real magic is keeping everyday purse essentials — for me that’s lip balm, a pen, hand sanitizer, a small brush, just-in-case feminine supplies, etc. — inside. Then, when you want to change bags, the things you really need/want in every bag you carry are much easier to transfer over. It also makes them easy to find within a purse which is no small feat sometimes if I’m carrying a bigger bag filled with snacks and little extras for the boys, too.

• Adding Pureed Cauliflower to Chicken Soup

This is such a simple little healthy hack but when I shared it on Instagram, I received a lot of DMs about it so I figured I would highlight it here, too! When I make a giant batch of chicken soup, I’ll often remove a cup or two of the broth an combine it with steamed riced cauliflower. I then blend it up (I just use my immersion blender) and pour it back in to the soup. It adds a subtle thickness (and a healthy veg!) to the broth and you cannot taste the cauliflower at all.

• $5 Target Halloween Crafts

(Light-Up Ceramic Dog Craft <– the best! / Stick Craft Kit / DIY Halloween Banner Kit) 

For anyone with little ones, take a hot second to peruse Target’s $5 seasonal crafts because they always have some serious gems! The boys and I did a Target run earlier this week and they each picked a craft to do at home. All three were so much fun for them but if you’re looking for a standout, this little ceramic trick-or-treating dog was the one I thought was the coolest (and easiest)! Ryder picked this one and we had no idea it actually lights up with a rotating rainbow light inside of it until after we bought it. (Yes it says “lit dog” but we clearly didn’t read — haha!) He loved painting the dog and then used it as a rainbow night light in his room the same night because it dried very quickly. FYI, there’s also a cute light-up ceramic pumpkin version online that wasn’t in stock at our store. It has great reviews, too!

(Full disclosure: I worked with Target on an IG partnership earlier this week but didn’t have to mention anything on the blog. We just really enjoyed the crafts and the price point is great so I wanted to share here, too!)

• Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Genre: Romance/Historical Fiction / My rating: A 

Taylor Jenkins Reid is one of my all-time favorite authors. She has a way with words that deeply moves me and a gift for storytelling that completely immerses me in her novels. I went into Atmosphere knowing nothing about the book other than glowing reviews from so many of you and from the very first page, I was all-in on this book. The book follows the story of Joan, a woman in training to become an astronaut in the 1980s. The facts about space and space exploration expertly woven into the story were fascinating to me (the boys also loved when I would share some of these random space nuggets with them) and learning more about that it was like for women working for NASA during this time only served to give me more respect for this incredibly talented and intelligent group of women. The love story component was moving (I don’t want to spoil anything, but online reviews will give you insight into this if you’re curious) and the way the author wrote about Joan’s love for her niece moved me deeply.

This passage in particular is one I bookmarked in my Kindle and wanted to highlight here, as it is something I’ve felt about motherhood for years that I’ve never been able to accurately articulate:

We just want all versions of our kids at all times.

Amazon summary: Joan Goodwin has been obsessed with the stars for as long as she can remember. Thoughtful and reserved, Joan is content with her life as a professor of physics and astronomy at Rice University and as aunt to her precocious niece, Frances. That is, until she comes across an advertisement seeking the first women scientists to join NASA’s space shuttle program. Suddenly, Joan burns to be one of the few people to go to space.

Selected from a pool of thousands of applicants in the summer of 1980, Joan begins training at Houston’s Johnson Space Center, alongside an exceptional group of fellow candidates: Top Gun pilot Hank Redmond and scientist John Griffin, who are kind and easygoing even when the stakes are highest; mission specialist Lydia Danes, who has worked too hard to play nice; warmhearted Donna Fitzgerald, who is navigating her own secrets; and Vanessa Ford, the magnetic and mysterious aeronautical engineer, who can fix any engine and fly any plane.

As the new astronauts become unlikely friends and prepare for their first flights, Joan finds a passion and a love she never imagined. In this new light, Joan begins to question everything she thinks she knows about her place in the observable universe.

Then, in December of 1984, on mission STS-LR9, it all changes in an instant.

• Around the Internet

Recipes: Pumpkin Crumb Cake Muffins (I made these earlier this week and they’re definitely more of a dessert than a healthy breakfast option but they were fantastic!) / 8 High-Protein Lunch Recipes

Fitness: Just giving a shout out to the at-home Madeline Moves workouts I’m doing because I cannot tell you how impressed I’ve been with the programming. They’re so intelligently done (created by true experts) and I feel like I’m completing workouts with true purpose right now which feels so good.

Weekend Sales: 

20% off Ruti Friends & Family sale: If you’ve been eyeing their splurge-worthy work pant — aka the black pants shown above that I’ve been wearing on repeat that have basically replaced leggings + joggers in my wardrobe and can ALSO be dressed up so well — now is the tiiiime! They are a splurge, I absolutely realize this, but I’ve paid for lululemon leggings before and know how much I truly value apparel like this that I will wear multiple times a week because they’re great for my personal casual, mom-life style that requires comfort and movement. (I wear my true size six.)

50% off lots of kid pajamas at GAP Factory: Includes a lot of super cute organic holiday prints — only $14.99! We got the boys’ Disney jammies here for our first Disney trip and they are SO cute but way cheaper than a lot of options! GAP always has a lot of favorite kids’ characters in prints that aren’t as cheesy.

For my fellow Supergoop! fans, they’re offering a free Triple Prep Daily Moisturizer — normally $48! — with $60+ purchases. Last month I ordered these glow drops and they’ve recently become a fav for a lightweight, skin-brightening SPF I’ve been using for extra protection under makeup.

35% off Dyson Hot/Cool Bladeless Fan: Such a random share, but I got this for Ryan for his birthday because he works out every morning in our garage and I knew he’d use it daily. He LOVES it so I figured it was worth mentioning since guys can be really hard to shop for during the holidays. It works great as a fan and also as a top-quality space heater. Code WELCOME20 should save an additional $20.

• Friday Flashbacks

Instant Pot Butternut Squash Beef Stew (I’ve loved this recipe for YEARS. The ultimate good-for-you feel-good comfort food.)

Sesame Cucumber Salad (In case you need a cold, crisp and refreshing side dish! I love this served with teriyaki chicken or salmon.)

Question of the Day

Your turn!! What is one simple thing making you smile this week?