Things I’m Loving Friday #251

I have some of the very best news to share with you guys today! Leslie and Ross welcomed their beautiful baby girl into the world on Wednesday night! Our whole family is so in love with their sweet little one!!! When I found out Leslie was having contractions, I wanted to cry and scream and dance and sing because I was so ridiculously excited for them and knew they were on the cusp of experiencing the very best moment. Well, their baby is here and she’s incredible!

Leslie and Ross were apparently pretty convinced they were having a baby boy so when their little girl was born they were shocked (in a good way, of course!) and as of first thing this morning she still doesn’t have a name but hopefully that’s coming soon. I am dying to get down to Florida to meet my precious niece and we’re hoping to make that a reality late next week but until then, I’m trying to be content with lots of FaceTime and pictures. Congratulations to Leslie and Ross!!!

Clearly the newest addition to our family is far and away what I am loving most right now but I still wanted to take a moment and share a little bit about a few more things that made me smile this week in true Things I’m Loving Friday fashion.

Let’s get to it!

Things I’m Loving Friday

• Toddler Athletic Socks

We’ve always purchased large packs of no-show socks for Chase to wear with his sneakers but I randomly threw in a trio of toddler athletic socks in with my most recent Bombas order and I cannot get over the cuteness. Chase thinks his new socks are really cool and I’m beginning to wonder if Chase may have inherited his dad’s love of unique socks. Random fun fact: I almost always buy Ryan a pair of quirky work socks for his birthday and Christmas and he’ll often sport shark socks, wolf socks and socks with crazy designs on them to work. Perhaps Chase is following in his footsteps? (Ugh, again with the puns. I cannot help myself.)

• Girl, Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis

I swear this book is everywhere right now! I’ve had it downloaded and ready to read on my Kindle for ages but kept putting it off for one reason or another. (I’m pretty picky with my evening reads and really have to be in the mood to select a self-help book over fiction.) After finishing my most recent book, I was too lazy to look for a new read and began reading Girl, Wash Your Face since it was already on my Kindle and ready to go.

I was instantly hooked by Rachel Hollis’ approachable and often hysterical writing style. Reading the book made me feel like I was talking with one of my closest friends thanks to her candor and humor and I absolutely flew through this one! If  you’re looking for a book that will make you laugh out loud while simultaneously lighting a fire within you and motivating you to make positive changes in your life, check it out!

• Bee Pollen

This was my latest random Thrive Market “throw in” — aka a Thrive Market impulse buy — after I had a conversation with a friend who recently began incorporating it into her diet for its immune-boosting and anti-inflammatory abilities. Since I’m always up for trying new superfoods, I figured it was worth a shot! I’m not sure how to describe the flavor but think it tastes almost like a slightly nutty honey with a somewhat earthy taste but the texture reminds me of chewy hemp hearts. I’ve been using a small sprinkle of bee pollen on top of everything from yogurt and oatmeal to chia pudding and smoothie bowls and love that it’s an easy way to get a nice boost of protein, vitamin A, magnesium, iron, zinc and B vitamins into my diet.

• Fall Nail Polish

With October on the horizon, I packed away my beloved shades of bright pink nail polish and took out a few fall-friendly colors to use on my toes and nails earlier this week. As a pink nail polish lover through and through, I was mildly surprised to find myself looking forward to using some deep purple, smoky gray, olive green and rich navy colors on my nails in the coming months. If only the Charlotte weather would get the memo that it’s officially fall!

• Tina’s Mom’s Apple Crisp

If apple picking is on your autumn agenda, I have a recipe you must bookmark to come back to when you have a billion apples on hand and you aren’t sure what to do with your giant stash. Make Tina’s mom’s apple crisp!!! No lie, we’ve made this apple crisp SIX times already this season because it’s so fantastic. It’s the easiest apple crisp I’ve ever made (no need to peel the apples) and the ingredients are simple — cinnamon, flour, butter and sugar — so we always have them on hand.

This apple crisp is also the kind of recipe that’s hard to mess up. I actually forgot to set a timer and way overcooked the apple crisp the third time we made it and it was still great. We love this apple crisp by itself or served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and homemade maple cinnamon whipped cream. It’s like autumn in a bowl!

• Friday Flashbacks

Pumpkin Paleo Oatmeal (Looking for a healthy pumpkin-flavored breakfast? Add this comforting bowl of oatless oatmeal to your list of must-make pumpkin recipes this fall season!)

Cardio + Abs Workout (This workout incorporates bursts of cardio to make you sweat while challenging your core!)

Question of the Day

What is one thing you are loving this week?