I have some things I need to do today to get the house ready for our guests (why do I always procrastinate!?) so I better get right to the point of today’s post and share a short roundup of things that are making me smile right now in your usual Things I’m Loving Friday feature! As always, I’d absolutely love for you to participate in the fun and tell me about something that you’re loving this week in the comments section.
I hope you all have a fantastic weekend!
Things I’m Loving Friday
- Water Dog Sadie
There’s something about watching a dog lovin’ life that radiates a seemingly contagious feeling of joy. The way Sadie acts when she’s on our boat is so fun to observe because she’s clearly in her happy place. She anxiously anticipates the moment Ryan throws out the anchor because she knows that’s “go time” and she’s allowed to jump off the boat and swim her little heart out. Though we’re all excited boat season is officially here, I think Sadie takes the cake for the member of our family who is the most psyched! I’m really looking forward to watching her enjoy her third summer on the water.
I ordered NKD SKN sunless tanner after I complimented one of my girlfriends on her beautiful tan and she said she owed it all to this stuff! I am very picky with sunless tanners since I think many can be streaky and orange and made with some horrible ingredients but this sunless tanner is fabulous! It doesn’t have a smell at all when you apply it (a very slight smell does seem to develop as your tan intensifies) and it is free of all perfumes, parabens and alcohol. It builds a tan gradually (I notice a tan begin to emerge about six hours or so after I apply it) and moisturizes my skin with aloe vera, shea butter and lychee. It’s one of the most natural-looking sunless tanners I’ve found and adds color to my skin while making it feel hydrated and smooth. (I ordered my sunless tanner off Amazon but ULTA currently has it available for buy one get one 50% off!)
- Coolhaus Salty S’Mores Ice Cream
I bought a pint of Coolhaus Salty S’mores ice cream on a whim last Sunday evening to enjoy after pizza for dinner (go big or go home, right!?) and it was a total SLAM DUNK. You guys know I have dreams of writing an ice cream blog one day (ridiculous but amazing, yes) and if that ever happens this flavor will definitely get a spotlight because it really was that fantastic. I am a sucker for anything s’mores flavored but usually feel letdown by the lack of graham cracker and marshmallow flavor. Not the case with this bad boy! The salted vanilla bean ice cream was thick and creamy and the graham cracker swirl is a graham cracker cookie butter marshmallow swirl so it’s obviously the jam. The dark chocolate pieces are deliciously crunchy but not overwhelming and I could’ve easily downed the entire pint in one sitting if I didn’t have a hungry husband next to me on the couch who made sure we split the pint evenly. A must-try for any other s’mores-lovin’ ice cream addicts out there!
Okay, okay this is another one of those features I know a bazillion of you will already be utilizing but I’m sharing it for those who may still be using the Google Maps app on their phone. You must switch to Waze immediately! This app is the best thing going when it comes to avoiding traffic, discovering alternate routes and arriving at your destinations earlier and less stressed.
I first downloaded it to use during our drive to Florida over Christmas and it quickly replaced the Google Maps app on my phone because of its accuracy and app’s ability to know more about traffic and alternate routes. I use the Waze app all the time now, even if I’m just going around town so I know what roads to avoid so I’m not stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic. For longer distances, the app is even better and helped us arrive at the Outer Banks 30+ minutes faster than the route Google Maps wanted us to take!
- Friday Flashbacks
Gluten-Free No Bake Double Chocolate Icebox Cake (A creamy, crunchy dessert that is easy to make and overflowing with chocolate flavor!)
Strength + Plyometric Leg Workout (A challenging leg workout that left me sore for two days!)
Question of the Day
What is one thing you are loving today?
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Thanks for sharing that map app! Definitely going to get that. Google Maps has been letting me down. Have a great weekend
You will fall in love with it FAST! It’s so helpful and seems much better at discovering side-streets and alternate routes than Google Maps.
Oooo thanks for sharing the app AND the ice cream!! I eat a bowl of vanilla bean ice cream each and every night, haha. Vanilla bean is my “go to” but I’m always down to try highly-recommended flavors and brands. I’ll be sure to pick this up this weekend!! Publix?! Fresh Market??!
-Sarah http://www.thefrugalmillionaireblog,com
I actually got it at Harris Teeter but I think Target carries the brand as well!
Hey Julie,
Thanks for the sunless tanner recommendation! I’ve been on the hunt for a good one! Do you have any problems with this one staining your clothes? Do you need to wear a mitt? Have a great weekend!!
No and no!! It’s a white lotion that somehow gradually builds a tan. I do wash my hands after applying but you definitely don’t need a mit and I haven’t experienced any staining.
I just looked on the NKD SKN website, and it’s actually cheaper ($14.50/250ml vs $19.50/200ml at Ulta). I’ll definitely check it out since I’m always on the hunt for a good sunless tanner!
Ice cream blogging, it’s a thing: http://www.onsecondscoop.com/
AH!!! Following this one for sure. And they JUST talked about the salty s’mores flavor last week, too!! Thanks for sharing!
OH that Ice cream sounds amazing! And it’s so hard to find a good sunless tanner that goes on right and doesn’t totally smell. One of my girlfriends sells Rodan & Fields and they sell a really good foam tanner that I like. I just hate how long it takes to apply and dry before you can get dressed.
Thanks for sharing the waze app. Google maps does funky things sometimes to save mileage but isn’t always faster. Looking forward to trying out this app.
Waze has been a game changer for me as well! I was able to miss a huge accident and saved a ton of time!
Oh man, I too am usually disappointed by the lack of graham in my smores ice cream! I must seek this one out! My friday fav for this week is some loose fitting gap t-shirt dresses. It got into the 90s in DC this week and it was great t have something nice to wear to work and be comfy & cool! (and only $15, woohoo).
Have a wonderful weekend with family!
That ice cream sounds SO good!!
Woah that S’mores flavor sounds amazing! Enjoy your weekend!! Im loving ice cream on my balcony and warm temps!
Waze is great!!! Probably the best navigation app out there. That ice cream sounds heavenly!
Things i am loving this Friday:
Eating your toddler approved whole wheat muffins with some organic peanut butter as slowly as possible so I can enjoy them longer. I love a breakfast bread with coffee and I know these are not like eating vegetables but it is nice to know the ingredients aren’t bad. My toddler does a nanny share with another kid who gets a lot of junk food which she has been eyeing, so these have totally solved her muffin envy! She was asking for one this morning: “Peaz, peaz!” (How she says please).
Yogi Bedtime Tea – I know you have mentioned before that you have trouble sleeping sometimes because your brain is spinning. I have the same problem too and also, sometimes I just have a hard time winding down at the end of the day. I have tried a bunch of different things (melatonin, etc.) but I really like this tea (and I am a coffee person like you).
Also just excited to have three days with my girl and my husband! We are city people but we are going to visit a farm on Sunday and I am excited to see my daughter’s mind blown when she sees all her favorite animals in real life!
Have a wonderful weekend Julie! And thank you so much for writing this blog.
Hooray! I’m so glad the muffins were a hit! 🙂 And I hope you have the best time on your trip to the farm. I’m sure your daughter will be in heaven!
Haha I love how I leave this post wanting to try an ice cream and a workout! That ice cream sounds amazing!! Also just curious, have you worked out with that sunless tanner? I really want to buy one but hate when you go to the gym and sweat brown! I’m
Not sure if that’s even possible though!
If you are ever in Dallas, LA, or NYC, Cool Haus has food trucks! I’ve been to the one in Dallas and they do amazing ice cream sandwiches!! I got one with coconut almond chip cookies and strawberry ice cream and it was the perfect hot summer day treat.
I love the idea of Waze, but I also hate that it means more drivers are playing with their phones than paying attention to the road. It’s user-sourced data, which means users actually have to give the app data, which requires typing things like “accident on 22nd St” or “police activity.” Don’t type and drive, people! (But if there’s a way to do this hands free, and I’m a dolt, please let me know!!)
Google maps bought out Waze sometime within the past year. They have started incooperating some of the traffic updates into their app! Waze is still better in my book. My only complaint is that they don’t say road names when providing directions. When your the only one in the car and can’t watch the phone it can cause you to miss a turn!
I am loving this toner/makeup remover/cleanser:
http://www.ulta.com/skinactive-micellar-cleansing-water-all-in-1-cleanser-waterproof-makeup-remover?productId=xlsImpprod13531029&sku=2504773&cmpid=PS_Non!google!Product_Listing_Ads&cagpspn=pla&CATCI=pla-18283950120&CAAGID=18002902230&CAWELAID=330000200001078186&catargetid=330000200000190441&cadevice=c&gclid=CjwKEAjwr_rIBRDJzq-Z-LC_2HgSJADoL57H63v9rCsMnuZG4dFMsLC1_xcidT3cFULWMvNpap42kRoCXWbw_wcB
I have very sensitive skin and this is part of my go-to routine after working out at lunch, morning, and bedtime!
I was visiting family in LA back in 2014 and they were going on and on about the Waze app! I think it was only useful in metropolitan areas like LA back then, but I remember thinking it was probably going to be a big deal one day. And it looks like that day has finally come! 🙂
YES! It’s the best!
Ah Waze. We have an interesting relationship. I still feel like Google maps is simpler and I like the traffic feature better but Waze has the cops and hazard thing…. difficult decisions ahead. My husband is all about the Waze.
There aren’t too many ice creams that I’m completely loyal to and can eat the whole pint in one sitting but Talenti’s Sicilian Pistachio is the best. Seriously my favorite ice cream!
The traffic app sounds awesome, I’ll have to check it out.
There’s a local ice cream company here in Calgary that makes the most amazing ice cream. My boyfriend took me there on one of our first dates, and to be honest I was a little unsure. It’s on a sketchy looking street downtown, not where you’d expect to find an ice cream place. But the ice cream was amazing (salted caramel is my favorite), and the first time I took my dad there (who loves ice cream and is picky about it), he said it was the best ice cream he’s ever had.
The Waze app is amazing!!! I am loving fresh flowers lately – I’ve got them all over the house since we’d had house showings!
The world needs more ice cream bloggers 😉 I am sure you would do a fabulous job! That tanner sounds amazing, I will have to check it out. Thank you for sharing.
Current, I am loving the silence in the house while my baby boy sleeps. I never used to be big on soaking in silence, but ever since becoming a mama, silence is golden and I thoroughly enjoy any chance for peace and quiet I can find! Although, nothing beats my little boy’s laugh. I could listen to that all day long 🙂
Just downloaded that app! I remember that icebox cake, this summer I decided I don’t have NEAR enough dessert recipes on the blog so I’m gonna get started… I’ll have to try the cake for some chocolate inspiration ! ha ha
This ice cream lovin’ girl would be right there with you! Where in Charlotte did you find that ice cream?
I might have to try out that self-tanner! I have always been terrified to use them….. And my fiance got me hooked on waze a few months ago and we are obsessed. You’re right – it takes you random routes that end up saving like 20-30 minutes. It’s amazing. Today I am loving the fact that we have no plans tonight! Have a great weekend. 🙂
Waze is absolutely amazing! I used to have three or four different apps for driving (boyfriend and I go back and forth a lot to different family homes), but Waze quickly replaced all of them. It’s comprehensive and easily navigable.
Hope you and your family have such a fun time hosting this weekend! Here is hoping you have some sunny weather for your time out on the boat and grilling.
i was just at ulta yesterday looking at sunless tanners and left without one, but i totally regret it now!! it’s overwhelming to look at all the varieties and not know which one isn’t going to leave you looking like an oompa loompa, so i appreciate your recommendation 🙂
the weather in LA is absolutely gorgeous today so that’s one thing i’m loving a lot today! have a great weekend 🙂
Live that dream and write that ice cream blog, Julie!! I’m sure you could find a lot of guest contributors from your readership alone.
Happy Friday, Julie! I’ve used that same sunless tanner, and it is definitely high quality! And I get SO annoyed with the Waze app, but yes, it is very helpful. As far as ice cream, I feel ya — I’ve been on a major kick too. And Sadie sure does look happy on the boat. I’m pretty sure my little dog would be terrified of a boat! Enjoy your family visitors! 🙂
I’ve heard a lot of really great feedback about the Waze app and always hear the local news I watch mention it when they do traffic reports. I definitely will plan to try it soon!
Waze is the best! It gets me from Columbus to Chicago in much closer to 5 hours than the slightly-more-standard 6, and my dad even uses it to get to work in the morning (and he’s worked at the same place for 20+ years) because it helps avoid traffic. Love it! And I need to keep an eye out for that Coolhaus – sounds amazing!
I have a S’more’s ice cream recommendation for you!! Wal-mart has S’mores ice cream SANDWICHES that are pretty darn delicious! I was surprised! I can’t compare them to your ice cream, because I haven’t had it, but considering the fact that I’ve been very let down by OTHER S’mores ice cream attempts, the Wal-mart sandwiches compared favorably! It’s worth a try!
Thanks for all the great recommendations, it sounds like you’ll be having such a fun weekend! Btw, after traveling a lot, I want give a WAZE tip: it does not work equally as well in every city/state you go to. It tends to work better in cities where the app has been around a longer time (and therefore, collected more data), and in cities where more users have participated in giving feedback (making the app more accurate in real time). Even in my own city Waze was a waste of time until recent years. And some of the other places I’ve traveled, it’s not been as accurate. I guess my main point is for users to be aware that the quality of the app fluctuates depending on what city you’re in, and what state, and how active the user base has been!
Try the Haagen Daz Peanut Butter Salted Fudge ice cream! It’s so good!
Regarding the Coolhais ice cream, the s’mores flavor is delicious but their Mint Chocolate Chip flavor is off the hook.
The peppermint they use tastes like freshly picked from the garden peppermint. It is AMAZING!!!
I can’t live without Waze in Chicago! 🙂
I love Waze!! It saves my commute to work. My friend likes to use the voices the app offers. Morgan Freeman giving us directions is everything haha!
How does that sunless tanner work as far as working out goes? I have stopped using them all together because sweating it off not only stains my clothes/sheets/etc. but makes me feel like I just wasted money on pointless self-tanner that never stays on. Have a great weekend!
Thank you for sharing about the Leith ruched tank dress in your Things I’m Loving post last Friday! I thought this dress would be a cute, flattering dress for this 6-week postpartum mama, and I was right:-) I look forward to these posts every Friday and have discovered a lot of great finds from you–thanks, Julie!! <3
YAY! So glad you liked the dress! And major congrats to you on your precious little one! <3
Do you use the sunless tanner on your face too? I need to find a tanner that looks natural but I worry about it causing breakouts. Thanks for the tips!!
I’m totally going to have to check out that waze app! I hope you and your family are having a great weekend! Xoxo
I am going to have to look into this tanner. My sensitive skin does not do well with self tanners normally =( Sad! I was meant to be pasty….
That s’mores ice cream sounds delicious!!I also love Waze. It’s as if you’re driving with buddies and you all have each other’s back. haha. And aw, Sadie!! I used to follow your blog years ago but fell out of writing & reading for a while. Good to see Sadie’s still the active girl she’s always been. <3
Thank you so much for checking back in! <3 Hope you are doing well!!
Hi Julie! I have been reading your blog for years and it was one of the first blogs that I “found” actually. Through reading your blog, I got the courage to start my own blog. I have always loved writing and want to thank you for showing me that this is an option to use as a creative outlet. Have a good day! ( http://www.thelushlobster.wordpress.com )
So awesome!! Hope you LOVE blogging!