Things I’m Loving Friday #581

Woohoo! It’s Fridayyy! And Ryan is currently flying our way from India where he’s been for the past 8 days for work. We’ve missed him a lot and cannot wait to tackle him when he arrives home later this evening. We’ve filled the past week with mom + kid sleepovers, stovetop donut holes, trampoline park visits, park playtime and playdates but nothing beats family time when we’re all together.

Ryan always has a bit of an adjustment period when he arrives back from India (there’s a 16-hour time difference) but our weekend plans are pretty lowkey… and they (hopefully) center around SNOW! We haven’t had a great snow in our area since 2018 so we are triple crossing our fingers we get a decent amount and can spend the weekend bundled up, playing in the snow and enjoying winter fun. Also, the boys have become quite invested in any and all football lately and so I’m sure we’ll tune in to see which teams make it to the Super Bowl even though our level of investment in the teams is low. (They love cool stories related to the teams/athletes/coaches, so if you have a team you’re rooting for in the playoffs with an interesting story, feel free to share please!)

As for today, let’s get things rocking and dive into this week’s roundup of favorites, Things I’m Loving Friday style!

Things I’m Loving 

• Valentine’s Day Decorating

(These cutie bow salt + pepper shakers were a HomeSense find but this set from Etsy looks similar!) 

Ever since our holiday decor came down at the beginning of the year, I’ve missed it! When I was putting away one last box of Christmas decor that went overlooked last weekend, I figured why not pull out our small box of Valentine’s Day decorations and sprinkle a little joy around the house again? We don’t have much in terms of Valentine’s Day decor — just a couple of inexpensive felt heart banners, a few kitchen items and some red/heart picture frames — but even just a little something made me happy! And all three of our boys have mentioned repeatedly how much they love our holiday decorations which makes me all the happier! I remember loving so much the way my mom would sprinkle little bits of joy into even the smaller holidays with a new festive placemat at the table or something fun like that and I get so much joy out of doing the same for our family.

• A Dog and a Stick

After we had kids and began taking them fishing, Ryan noted that it’s basically impossible to see a little kid with a fishing rod and not smile. I’d say the same thing applies to a dog with a stick. Somehow this just signifies the simplest form of pure joy and makes me smile every single time. Bonus points when a dog opts for a stick that’s entirely too big for their mouth but carries it along on their walk anyway.

Also, yes, that is Comet and yes, he is enormous!!! He blew past the tiny puppy phase and is a straight-up teething teenager now.

• Amazon Long Puffer Vest

(Vest: Amazon / Leggings: Athleta Ultra High Rise / Sweatshirt: American Eagle / Sneakers: Nike / Socks: lululemon / Bracelet Stack: All linked here / Phone Case + Grip: Velvet Caviar — code PBFINGERS20 saves 20%) 

When Ryan and I took the boys ice skating at the Whitewater Center on New Years’ Day, I saw a woman wearing a long black puffer vest and thought she looked so cute. Her look inspired me to order one of my own, as I had a feeling it would be an item I’d reach for over and over again during the fall and winter months in North Carolina. This is already proving to be very true… perhaps a little too true, as I cannot seem to stop wearing it! I love the Amazon vest I ordered, as it’s warm and cozy and the quality seems great for the price point. I also read one review before I ordered it that popped out at me — she said she particularly loved wearing the vest in the car because it was warm but kept her arms free. This was such an odd thing to highlight but also YES, I hate feeling confined in a puffy jacket in the car so I love that about this vest, too. Can ya tell I’m awfully happy with this purchase?

• Everyone Is Lying To You by Jo Piazza

Genre: Mystery/Thriller / My Rating: B

My friend Leah had me majorly intrigued by this book when she said it’s a mystery/thriller that centers around influencer culture. It certainly does just that, with a plotline that largely focuses on one fictional influencer in the trad-wife space whose life is not at all what it seems. While this influencer seems to be living a dream life on a gorgeous farm with a gaggle of children and a passion for baking, behind the facade her husband is abusive and she feels trapped in the life she’s essentially selling to the world. Much of the book takes place at Mom Bomb, a fictional mom influencer conference, and definitely makes you wonder how much of this is real and what all is complete fiction in the curated social media lives we see online that seem to good to be true. Though the book was an easy and creative read with twists sprinkled in the mix, I found it chaotic at times and unnecessarily verbose and played out at others. It was certainly entertaining read though and if your interest is piqued by influencer culture, it might be one you’d enjoy.

• Something in the Water by Catherine Steadman

Genre: Mystery/Suspense / My rating: C+ 

It’s not every day I finish a book feeling frustrated and immensely dissatisfied but this one did it for me. What in the heck was that!? My main takeaways: It’s a long book filled with a bunch of unlikable characters (except for an incarcerated criminal I somehow liked the most?), farfetched plotlines, an ending that left me with questions I only kind of cared enough to wish the author answered, and lots of frustrating emotions that bubbled up over and over again at so many careless (and unrealistic) decisions. But did I finish it? I did. There was enough intrigue peppered throughout the novel to keep me engaged but it’s not a book I’d recommend… though it has decent reviews on Amazon so perhaps I’m in the minority with this one?

Amazon summary: Erin is a documentary filmmaker on the brink of a professional breakthrough, Mark a handsome investment banker with big plans. Passionately in love, they embark on a dream honeymoon to the tropical island of Bora Bora, where they enjoy the sun, the sand, and each other. Then, while scuba diving in the crystal blue sea, they find something in the water. Suddenly the newlyweds must make a dangerous choice: to speak out or to protect their secret. After all, if no one else knows, who would be hurt? Their decision will trigger a devastating chain of events.

• Weekend Sales

Up to 40% off aerie Sweatshirts: This is the one I have in gray and light blue and have worn on repeat — you won’t find a softer sweatshirt!

40% off Tarte Shape Tape + Free Shipping: Tarte Shape Tape is the holy grail concealer! Great coverage that doesn’t look too heavy. I’ve used it for years and will never stop. (My shade is 29N.) I also love their blush tape for a pop of gorgeous color on my cheeks. (I love the peach shade.)

Clare V. End of Season Sale: Their bags are gorgeous and the quality is fantastic. They’re also a splurge and they don’t do sales often. Their end of season sale is actually when I nabbed my Grande Fanny bag last year! My top picks from the sale: Moyen Messenger (my fav of all! The size is fantastic for everyday wear — big enough to hold a ton without feeling cumbersome), Grande Fanny, Petit Moyen, Simple Summer Tote

• Friday Flashbacks 

10+ Healthy Winter Meals (A collection of some of our favorite healthy winter dinners)

High Protein Oat Bran (I’ve made this 4 times within the past 6 days and cannot get enough. If you love BIG, hearty portions, loved the texture of Cream of Wheat as a kid and also want to get some protein into your body first thing in the morning — 27 grams! — give this one a try!)

QUESTION OF THE DAY

What is one thing making you smile this week?