The weekend is heeere! Woohoo! Do you guys have anything fun on the agenda? We will be spending this holiday weekend close to home but have plans to attend a Memorial Day cookout with some friends on Sunday which should be a blast. We’re all definitely hoping for lots of sun and fun on the lake!
Before the weekend kicks off, it’s time to dive into my weekly Things I’m Loving Friday blog post! Below you will find a short roundup of things that are making me smile this week and, as always, I’d love for you to join in by sharing something you’re loving in the comments section.
I hope you all have a fantastic weekend!
Things I’m Loving Friday
- Chase’s Native Shoes from Zappos
Earlier this week, Chase got a new pair of kicks just in time for summer! I chatted up a mom whose son I saw wearing a pair of these rubbery shoes with holes all over them at our local splash pad early last week because I’ve been seeing them everywhere! She told me they were Natives and praised the shoes and told me I needed to get a pair for Chase for the summer.
I quickly ordered a pair from Zappos.com and within a couple of days, Chase’s new shoes arrived on our doorstep. I am so pleased with these shoes because they easily slip on and off, don’t require socks and seem to let Chase’s feet breathe without giving him blisters. (Ryan and I both have ridiculously sweaty feet – a trait poor Chase seemed to inherit.) I feel like these shoes are a mom’s dream because you can simply hose them off to get rid of any dirt or sand and they’re super low maintenance.
They’ve been perfect for the splash pad, trips to and from the pool for swim lessons, splashing around in our water table and running around outside, just being a kid!
If you happen to have a child who gives you their best stank face (see below) whenever you try to make them come inside to get cleaned up, I think you’ll love these easy-to-clean shoes, too!
Thank you so much to Zappos for Chase’s new shoes. He loves them… but I think I might love them even more.
- Midweek Date Night
On Wednesday, Ryan texted me from work asking if I wanted to join him at Thursday’s NASCAR qualifying event (I still don’t really know what to call it – total NASCAR newbie over here). Ryan received two tickets through work and since we had a lot of fun when we went to a race last year despite our severe lack of knowledge, I said yes, scheduled a babysitter and a date night was on the books!
I love date nights with Ryan and a midweek date night was such a great way to breakup the week. We had a blast and arrived home saying what we say after every date night… We need more of them in our lives!
- Energy Bites
We’ve been riding the energy bites train hard in our house for a while now and I don’t see that stopping anytime soon. I love making different creations for Chase because he seems to enjoy trying new flavors and whenever I add cocoa powder to the mix, he loves calling them his “chaclahs” (chocolates) which makes me laugh. Let us hope he always thinks chocolate is this healthy!
I know I hopped on the Moana bandwagon a little late (I blame RedBox for being sold out of the movie for weeks!) but now that I’ve seen it, I’m 100 percent in love with the music and was a little too psyched to see that the soundtrack is available to stream for free on YouTube. If you also cannot stop singing “See the line where the sky meets the sea? It calls me! And no one knows, how far it goes!” you will probably want to check out that snazzy free feature immediately and belt out every word along with me.
- Memorial Day Weekend Sales
Old Navy: 50% off tees, tanks, shorts and swim
Nordstrom: Up to 40% off (Love this shirtdress – reminds me of the denim dress I wore to the zoo! I think it would be cute with wedges or slip on sneakers!)
ASOS: 20% off with code LIT20
Express: Up to 50% off everything
LOFT: 40% off everything with code VACAY
Macy’s: Extra 20% off with code SUNNY
Ann Taylor: 40 – 50% off with code SUMMER
- Friday Flashbacks
Some favorite recipes to try this Memorial Day weekend in case you have a cookout on the agenda:
Black Bean and Brown Rice Salad (I’m making this one for the cookout we’re attending!)
Simple Summer Chopped Salad (My aunt served this at my baby shower and it was amazing!)
Gluten-Free No Bake Double Chocolate Icebox Cake
Question of the Day
What is one thing you are loving this week?
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Julie, those shoes you bought Chase are so cute!! My birthday was on Sunday, and this week I decided to use all the money I received to book a two night stay at a beach front condo in Gulf Shores. I surprised my husband and my Aunt (she hasn’t been able to go to the beach in four years and it is her favorite place) and their reactions were priceless! Our 16 month old daughter did well when we were there a few weeks ago, so I’m looking forward to some beach fun with just the three of them. I hope you enjoy your cookout this weekend! ❤️
Oh my gosh! That is so wonderful! I am sure you will all have the best time! Enjoy every second! <3
I need to see Moana still!! I’ve only heard great things about it! Love weeknight date nights–it really perks me up during the work week. My dad loves Nascar and we went to a practice/qualifying together a few years ago and it was really fun! Isn’t it amazing how loud and fast they are in person versus on tv?!
yes!!! i also feel like it is way more interesting in person! it’s hard not to feel a rush of adrenaline when the cars are SO fast and SO loud!
I’m loving the Moana soundtrack too! It’s really the only music we can agree on during writing time in my classroom 🙂 It’s so cute and such positive messages!
We are heading to the beach for the holiday eeekend and I just snagged a pair of the shoes for Mitch. Glad to hear such great reviews!
We’re spending the long weekend at our cabin, Hawkes Landing. One thing I’m loving this week is Dove Promises mint and dark chocolate! Cheers!
My 3.5 year old daughter has been wearing Natives since she was 18 months old, and now she’s on her fourth pair! They are absolutely essential! Love the color of Chase’s!
I’m loving seeing my little guy with his grandparents, long walks in the sunshine, and improved baby naps!
That gym bag is so cute!!
Those shoes are so cute! I may need to get my kiddos some for the splash pad this summer. I am loving sunflower butter this week. It is the first time I had tried it, it is delicious!
I love the look on Chase’s face in that picture where you’re telling him it’s time to come in. He’s clearly thinking “But mom, so many more things I have to do out here!”
That gym bag is super cute. I love that it has a separate compartment for shoes. Mine are always so stinky.
Yessss Moana! The music is too good.
My son isn’t walking yet but those shoes are amazing… is it too early to buy some ? Things I’m loving this weekend is an adult only wedding! Ben and I get to spend the night in a hotel, and sleep in! Doesn’t get much better than that ?
Chase’s shoes are so cute! That’s so fun that you went to a NASCAR race for a random date night. I wish Michigan had more unique options like that to do! The thing that made me happiest this week was booking our honeymoon! Have a great weekend 🙂
Those shoes are adorable! Funny enough, my husband is slightly obsessed with the Moana soundtrack. He and my daughter dance and sing to it on weekend mornings. Cracks me up!
Love that! Ryan actually really liked the movie, too!
I LOVE those shoes on little Chases’ feet! He seems like such a sweet boy.
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Sorry for picking up on the least interesting tidbit in your post lol, but have you found any ways that actually work to deal with your sweaty feet? I feel like I’ve tried everything and I continue to ruin every pair of shoes I own!
LOL!!! I wish! I honestly don’t know what to do about it! Both Ryan and I seriously have the sweatiness feet. Ick! I wish I had a tip to share!
I cannot get enough of the Moana soundtrack! I didn’t expect it to become my favorite Disney princess movie when I went to see it in November, but it definitely is. I think the story is fantastic, and then to have amazing music on top of that? Disney perfection!
I hope you enjoyed Pole Night! I work at the Speedway and would highly recommend our Summer Shootout Legends Cars series on Tuesday nights starting June 13th. Very family friendly and you can come for a while and see some racing and then get home for bedtime 🙂
Oh awesome! Thank you for sharing! Chase LOVES cars so he’d probably love it!
Oh man, Chase definitely has a good stank face going on! My daughter, Daisee, is the same way about coming inside, or getting cleaned up!
I got onto the Moana bandwagon a little late too! I just purchased the soundtrack a few days ago and have been listening non-stop! Can’t get “How far I’ll go” and “You’re welcome” out of my head!
Coming inside is probably the worst part of Chase’s day every day! Haha! And I love “You’re Welcome” too — such a catchy song!
I’ve had the Moana soundtrack in my car for months, I love it!! It’s written by the same guy as Hamilton! You should check out his other broadway soundtrack “In the Heights”.. so good!
Have a great weekend!!!
Songs from “In The Heights” pop up when I listen to the Hamilton Pandora station and it is really good!
Love Native shoes!! I feel like such a cheapie but we have the knock off Target ones haha – they’re so cute! I’ve been dying to order her a pair of pink Native ones though and had no idea Zappos carried them!
Natives! I’ve seen them EVERYWHERE. I’m eyeing them for my girl. She’s 18 months and has only worn soft soled moccasins. I need to transition her to hard sole shoes but, like everything baby, I have no idea what to buy since I’m a first time mom. I’m seriously considering Natives since I’m seeing them everywhere and they’re adorable. Also, we’ve been listening to the Moana Pandora station constantly. I haven’t actually seen the movie, but I do own it so I may need to break it out this weekend. Hope you guys have a great one!
Chase LIVED in moccasins and loved them! He cried for like 5-10 minutes when we put him in his first “real” shoes but thankfully seemed to be fine after that. He definitely loved his mocs!
I’m loving listening to the Anastasia soundtrack from the new Broadway show! The whole thing comes out on June 9 but they released a few songs early. I took my students to see it in New York and it was AMAZING! I feel like this would be right up your alley. 🙂
Hi Julie! Chase has a super cute stank face. And when Dave and I lived in Orlando — our group of friends would always go to the Daytona 500 — it’s super loud, but the tailgating was awesome. Yay for a mid-week date for you! I LOVE finding old things that feel new again too. Enjoy your weekend! 🙂
I love having energy bites around too! It’s like a dessert snack always on hand.
Will be ordering a pair of the native shoes for my 19 month old daughter, thanks so much for the suggestion! How is the fit on these? I noticed some of the reviews said that they run a bit big, just wondering what your thoughts were on sizing.
Thanks so much, have a great weekend!
I think they’re pretty true to size actually! They LOOK big when you take them out of the box though so I thought they weren’t going to work at first but Chase’s normal size fit him just fine!
Glad you found Natives! They are our favorite for my twin boys who are 3. This year will be the third summer they have gotten some and I am still in love!
I am loving that I’m going to be spending a nice long weekend down the shore. Can’t wait to relax & put my toes in the sand 🙂
Happy Friday!
I still haven’t seen Moana but I heard it is coming to Netflix in June so I am excited!
Good to know! I’m loving watching all of these types of movies with my son!
Chase is so cute in those little shoes!
I’m loving that I’m finally done with graduate school. I so much more free time!
Yay! I am absolutely belting out every word of Moana with you, Julie!! Those shoes are just too cute on Chase! Thanks for letting us know about the weekend sales, I will probably be hitting some of those up this weekend 😉 One thing that I am loving this week is finally getting to squeeze my nephews after being away for a week! I missed them so much! Hope you enjoy your weekend! Xoxo
I need to get those for my son!! I have daycare change his socks twice a day because his feet away so much! He inherited my sweaty feet too lol! What a lifesaver for the summer!! Do they fit similar to other shoes that Chase wears?
Baby shoes are so freaking cute!!!! Love that gym bag, I always try to be a minimalist when it comes to the gym then wish I had just brought a bag! Hope you have a fun weekend!
Fun fact about Natives…you can throw them in the dishwasher! Sounds kind of odd I know but I throw both of our kiddos in almost every night. Just turn off the “heat dry” cycle and they will be perfectly clean 🙂
This is amazing!
I am loving RX Bars! I do love energy bites too!
I just got my daughtea pair of native shoes! Shes 2 and loves them – so perfect for the splash pad too!!
I don’t put our natives in the dishwasher. I use an old munchkin bottle brush to clean the inside of natives with some dish soap! Quick and simple.
Oh my gosh, tiny kid’s shoes are my kryptonite. In fact, all the friends and family in my life point out tiny shoes to me whenever we’re at a store etc. And those little Natives in that pretty blue are just so adorable on Chase!
Love date nights! It’s about to be my 9th anniversary with my husband next week, so I’m looking forward to a bunch of date nights very soon! Hope you have an awesome weekend!
I lOVE the vibrant color of your gym bag! I’m excited for my pool to open and for a weekend of nothing! Which seem a contradictory on a holiday weekend but I’ve been so busy I don’t hate it!
I have been enjoying so many of the recipes you post on your blog! Most recently, I’ve made the Paleo Blender Muffins, Black Bean and Rice Salad and coffee with coconut oil. I love these and all of the others I’ve tried! Thank you!
I am so, so glad to hear it! Thank you!!
I am loving fun summer clothes! Aka my pineapple shirt I shared on the blog. Those shoes are cute! I am going to have to look into them.
I love our Natives! We actually have the same ones as Chase. My son always choosing to wear his Natives over his Keens!
I definitely need to get some Native’s for my son! I’ve seen them around a bit and had been curious as well. Thanks for the recommendation!
Hi Julie!! Love your blog:) Those Native shoes for your little guy are so cute!! I want to get a pair for my 14 month old son but not sure about sizing? Up until this point hes worn Freshly Picked moccs in a size 3. Thanks so much!
I think they fit true to size! When they arrive they honestly look BIG but Chase’s normal size (size 5) fit him perfectly!
Old Navy has shoes just like the Natives – I bought my daughter’s for $10.