Things I’m Loving Friday #584

Good morning, my friends! I hope your Friday is going well so far! We had a very normal week over here which I always appreciate — if life has taught me anything it’s to find gratitude and joy in the normal — and we are looking forward to a weekend filled with family time… and martial arts thanks to a flag sparring tournament we have on the agenda on Saturday.

As for today, it’s time to dive right on into this week’s roundup of favorites, Things I’m Loving Friday style! Feel free to take a moment and share something that’s making you smile this week below, as I always love reading about what’s going on in your lives, too!

Things I’m Loving

• Acrylic Purse/Bag Organizer

This is one of those random not-too-big purchases that has been well worth every penny for the unexpected calm it has brought into my life (Does that sound dramatic? Probably but have you ever eliminated clutter only to realize it was frustrating you more than you thought?) I’ve always just sort of shoved my purses into this top cubby in our closet and it was a jumbled mess. It worked well enough but I also realized I wasn’t using some purses I loved because they were hidden under other bags I shoved on top of them. Hooray for a little space for each bag! This organizer I ordered from Amazon was easy to put together and you can also move the spaces to make room for bigger bags if you have larger bags you want to organize. I’m a fan!

• Water Bottle Sling Bag

When I was in Anna Maria Islands with my girlfriends last month, as we walked to a local coffee shop, my friend Merri mentioned how she wished she had packed her water bottle bag for the trip. She said her husband got it for her for Christmas and she didn’t know how handy it would end up being, as there are so many times all she wanted to bring with her on her way out the door was a water bottle, phone and keys. I was instantly intrigued because I’m the same way, especially on my walks with the dogs. I typically just carry a portable dog water bottle in the summer months but love the idea of having a simple sling bag on hand with water for me and the dogs as well as a few extras.

I ordered this sling bag and have absolutely loved it! I use it multiple times a day on my dog walks and refer to it as my “puppy pack” since I keep it stocked with extra dog poop bags, training treats, my keys, my phone, lip balm and water. It’s big enough to hold my 35-ounce Bru-Mate water bottle and a small collapsible bowl for the dogs but I’ll also sometimes pack a slimmer water bottle for myself since I can squeeze both my water bottle and the dog’s portable water bottle into the single water bottle slot. I’m loving this thing now but I can only imagine how much more I’ll love it when the weather warms up and we’re sweatin’ in the summer. (For any Disney friends, they also have Mickey and Minnie + other Disney versions of the bag that would be so fun for Disney!)

• Knight Manager

If you have kids who might enjoy screen-free audio entertainment, I have a recommendation to send your way! Our big kids recently discovered an interactive story/game on our family Alexa called Knight Manager and they are so into it! (Simply use the prompt “Alexa start Knight Manager” and your child can take it from there.) It’s basically an interactive story-game where kids name a knight and then make choices to help him turn from an amateur knight into a powerful one. They can send him on adventures, make him duel other knights, upgrade his weapons at the blacksmith, etc. It’s been highly entertaining for our big kids! (Rhett, at 5 years old will listen along sometimes but it’s a little over his head.)

• Physical Therapy Update + Hip Mobility YouTube Videos

Back in October, I began going to physical therapy once a week for TFL pain that majorly flares up when I run or walk with a weighted vest. It’s been a journey without a ton of progress but within the past three weeks I’m starting to see the light! I managed to run for 10 minutes without my TFL flaring up (it wasn’t fast or pretty, but I did it!) and it gave me so much hope! (My focus through physical therapy has largely been on hip mobility, balance and strengthening my hip adductors and glute med muscles.)  I’ve overhauled my workouts and prioritized stability and mobility in ways I never have before and I have been loving all of the hip mobility YouTube videos out there! They make going through hip stretches and mobility exercises a little less boring and have been a very helpful resource for me outside of my assigned physical therapy exercises and workouts. This 10-minute hip mobility video from Nourish Move Love is my absolute favorite and the one I do most often: 10 Minute Hip Pain Relief + Mobility

• Flip 7 Card Game

Can you tell we are in our card game era in our house right now? Playing card games with the boys at the end of the day is truly one of our very favorite ways to spend time together as a family after dinner. Everyone is cozy in their jammies, relaxed and engaged and the boys are (mostly) at ages where they can handle not winning every single game which makes family games a million times more enjoyable. Flip 7 is a new-to-us game we’ve played nearly every single night this week because it was such a hit.

It’s a game of risk where you’re trying to accumulate the most number of points without “busting” by flipping over a duplicate number card or receiving a penalty card from another player. While Rhett’s too young to do the math involved in scoring even he gets the general idea/risk involved and has a blast with this one! It’s a game filled with excitement at every card flip and one we’re all equally enjoying right now.

More card game favorites: Sleeping Queens, Rat-a-Tat Cat, Skip-Bo

• Friday Flashbacks

Super Seed Oatmeal (Warm, comforting and a texture-lover’s dream breakfast!)

Easy BBQ Meatloaf (This recipe will forever remind me of the early days of our marriage when we made it weekly. It’s still a favorite!)

QUESTION OF THE DAY

What is one thing you’re loving this week?