All is well over here and even though today is supposed to be a dreary one and there’s some rain on the forecast for the weekend, I’m sure we’ll make the most of it and enjoy lots of family time. I just realized it has been a couple of weeks since I’ve shared a weekend recap so maybe I’ll bring that back on Monday!
Before I sign off and wish you all well over the course of the next few days, I wanted to share my weekly roundup of Friday favorites, Things I’m Loving Friday style! As always, I welcome your comments and love reading about something that is making you smile each week in the comments section of these posts, too!
Have a great weekend, my friends!
Things I’m Loving Friday #364
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ALDI + Dollar Tree Affordable Easter Finds
I haven’t given too much thought to our boys’ Easter baskets this year beyond a few new Dragon Masters books for Chase but thankfully some impulse buys at ALDI and Dollar Tree make me feel like I’m ahead of the game at the moment. Check out these awesome finds! I think the boys are going to love the water blasters for water play this summer and since any kind of ball is always a hit with both Chase and Ryder, I figured the $1 whistling footballs would also be a great Easter basket addition. And then check out ALDI comin’ in hot with kinetic sand!? What!? #addtocart
Oh and in case you’re wondering how many Reese’s eggs are left in our house from the six pack I bought two days ago, the answer would be two. I think that’s pretty good, right!?
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Unruffled Podcast by Janet Lansbury
This podcast is a favorite of mine because it tackles so many common parenting struggles and I can almost always find an episode that touches on something we might be going through with our boys at any given time. Janet Lansbury tackles everything from toddler meltdowns and parenting during a pandemic to strong-willed children, aggressive behavior and sensitive kids in a way that feels respectful and kind. I’m telling you, this podcast has it all and just listening to an episode often makes me feel better equipped to tackle whatever parenting challenges might come my way on any given day. It’s definitely worth a listen if you’re going through life with little ones right now.
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LimonCello LaCroix
I am not sure when this flavor made its debut but I remember first seeing it last spring. It initially didn’t intrigue me all that much because I’m not too crazy about lemon LaCroix but man oh man am I glad I gave this flavor a shot! It has since become my all-time favorite LaCroix flavor. It has the perfect pop of lemon and I almost taste a hint of vanilla or something. I told Ryan it reminded me of some kind of a lemon cream soda without and sweetness. That likely makes no sense at all but if this flavor caught your eye and you haven’t tried it yet because lemon LaCroix isn’t your thing, this one is absolutely worth a sip and I have a feeling it will blow you away, too!
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The Rose Code by Kate Quinn
Having previously read and loved The Alice Network by Kate Quinn, when The Rose Code popped up as a recommended read for me on Amazon, I was instantly intrigued. Historical fiction, three strong women characters, a bit of royalty and a lot of secret codebreaking work? Sign me up!
The book flashes back and forth between 1940 and 1947 and primarily centers around Bletchley Park, a mysterious estate where some of the smartest men and women in Britain go to secretly try to break German military codes. It’s through assignments at Bletchley Park that Osla, a bright and beautiful debutante (who also caught the interest of Prince Philip of Greece), meets Mab, a strong-willed young woman on a mission to create a better life for herself. When Mab and Osla are billeted at the home of a married couple with a young daughter their age, they find Beth intriguing both for her brilliant mind and shy demeanor and set out on a mission to break her away from her sheltered life. Beth soon finds herself on assignment at Bletchley Park where she quickly becomes one of the brightest cryptanalysts.
Fast forward to 1947 and the three former best friends detest each other, having been torn apart by secrecy, loss, lies and war. After not speaking for years, seemingly out of the blue, Mab and Osla receive an encrypted letter from an psychiatric asylum that they know could only have come from Beth. She’s on a mission to identify the traitor who wrongly had her locked up for years but she needs help from her former friends to get to the bottom of one of the biggest secrets to ever come out of Bletchley Park.
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Friday Flashbacks
Easter Gift Ideas for Kids (A roundup of some of our boys’ favorites and other little gift ideas I think little ones would love!)
Lemon Sugar Cookie Icebox Cake (If you’re looking for a dessert recipe to make for Easter this year, this one is bright, flavorful and a big-time in our house! I’ll be making this one for our family this year!)
Question of the Day
What is one thing making you smile this week?
Vera says
Never heard of the kinetic sand.
Is it messy?
What do you use it and store it in?
Thinking it might be a good activity for my kids while we are stuck inside on rainy days!
Sara Wilson says
Those PB eggs are my most favorite candy EVER!
Laura says
Limoncello is so delicious!! Have you tried the Key Lime flavor? It is similar and creamy as well. Both are such a treat!
Debbie says
I LOVE the Limoncello LaCroix! It reminds me of vanilla coke I would drink as a kid lol So delicious over ice as a “mocktail”
Megan says
I love the Unruffled podcast too! Also definitely want to check out that limoncello la croix!
Emma says
Have you read Janet Lansbury’s books? Loved them even more than her podcast, which I really enjoy and search through when there’s a parent/child topic I’m dealing with.
Amanda Peterson says
Love the Limoncello LaCroix flavor, it’s by far the best! Key lime is great too! Have you tried the strawberry mango flavor at Target from Good and Gather. Another favorite!
LB says
We found similar puzzle boxes at Aldi and they have kept our two and four year old entertained for weeks!