We’ll also be celebrating Father’s Day while we’re camping (this is truthfully a big part of why we planned this trip for this weekend since a lot of emotions are swirling around related to this holiday this year) and Ryder turns FIVE on the same day. I’m hoping to have pictures to share with you guys on the blog next week but until then, keep on scrolling to see a little roundup of some things that made me smile this week!
P.S. Book lovers, pay special attention to the book Nora Goes Off Script at the bottom of this post because I finished that one last night and it was an absolute gem.
Things I’m Loving Friday
If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, you likely already know I almost exclusively wear bralettes and have zero tolerance for uncomfortable bras. That being said, I’ve found myself wearing one of my old underwire bras more often because it has straps I can transition to cross in the back that work well under a lot of summer tank tops. I don’t love this option because it’s just not comfortable so when I saw this True & Co. bra get rave reviews from @ashleyspivey on Instagram, I added it to my cart since the racerback style and more narrow straps seemed like they would work well under a lot of tanks. The minute I slipped this bra out of the package, I loved the feel of the material. It’s silky soft and feels so comfortable on my skin. It’s also flattering and shapely (I leave the removable pads in) and looks great under form-fitting white tanks and my favorite $8 Target tanks, too!
Talk about a random purchase that ended up being a slam dunk! This NYX Lip Oil called to me when it popped up on Amazon because it made me remember trying my friend Merri’s Clarins Lip Oil and loving it during our trip to Virginia two weeks ago. I figured the NYX version was worth a shot since it’s basically a third of the price of Clarins Lip Oil and I’m happy to say it’s fabulous! I ordered the Newsfeed color and while it looks quite bright in the tube, it applies in a gorgeous pinky color that’s not too vibrant but still adds some color to my lips that otherwise totally blend into my face. Highly recommend!
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The Forest of Vanishing Stars by Kristin Harmel
My rating: B+
I’m on the waitlist at my library for The Book of Lost Names by Kristin Harmel (I’ve heard the best things about it!) and while I’m waiting I figured I might as well dive into The Forest of Vanishing Stars. I previously loved The Winemaker’s Wife by the same author so my hopes were high.
The Forest of Vanishing Stars is interesting and intense and… just a lot. While most WWII historical fiction is hard to read because of the atrocities surrounding the Holocaust, this one was particularly difficult. Plus, the plotline of this book stressed me the heck out! If you’re looking for a page-turner this book certainly fits the bill and I was stressed out enough by it to finish it in two nights. (I was up past 1 a.m. reading because I had to know what happened.) Did I like the book? Yes. Did it turn me into a giant ball of anxiety? Also yes.
From Amazon:
After being stolen from her wealthy German parents and raised in the unforgiving wilderness of eastern Europe, a young woman finds herself alone in 1941 after her kidnapper dies. Her solitary existence is interrupted, however, when she happens upon a group of Jews fleeing the Nazi terror. Stunned to learn what’s happening in the outside world, she vows to teach the group all she can about surviving in the forest—and in turn, they teach her some surprising lessons about opening her heart after years of isolation. But when she is betrayed and escapes into a German-occupied village, her past and present come together in a shocking collision that could change everything.
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Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan
My rating: A
When my friend Gina described this as a “sweet little cupcake of a book” and rave about it, I borrowed it from my library immediately as I was looking for something light after I finished The Forest of Vanishing Stars. This book is simply a delight. I smiled so much while reading it and while it absolutely falls into the romance/beach read category, it feels like more than that and comes along with humor, a creative plotline, likable but not too predictable characters and dialog that that’s not at all eye-roll inducing. It’s a fantastic summer read and one I wholeheartedly recommend to anyone looking for something light but packed with wit and sweetness that feels a little more special than your average beach read.
The book begins with the filming of The Tea House, a movie created around a script written by Nora Hamilton, the woman behind countless cheesy movies features on The Romance Channel. Only The Tea House is different. It’s a film that bares Nora’s soul and shares the real deal behind the relationship she shared with her ex-husband, Ben, a relationship that was a lot more “take” than “give” on Ben’s part. Leo Vance, the most popular actor in Hollywood, is cast in the film to play the part of Ben and shows up along with the whole crew in to Nora’s home to film the movie in her backyard tea house.
When the movie wraps, everyone leaves… except for Leo. He offers to pay Nora $1,000 a day to let him stay for a week as he’s feeling increasingly lost in the world of glamor. He’s oddly infatuated with simple things — shopping for bananas, her 10-year-old son’s school play — and Nora finds herself agreeing to his offer and making a deal that will change her life.
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Friday Flashbacks
My Favorite Influencer Finds (aka the influencer favs that live up to the hype!)
Cheesecake Cookies ‘n’ Cream Ice Cream (If you love Oreos, you must make this recipe! The base of this vanilla ice cream includes a hefty helping of cream cheese that does not overwhelm the ice cream at all. It simply adds to its creaminess and helps cut the super-sweetness a little bit. I’d even venture to say that it’s not that noticeable in the recipe so if you’re just hoping for a super-creamy cookies ‘n’ cream recipe, give this one a try and I think you’ll be very pleasantly surprised!)
Questions of the Day
Camping: Yay or nay!?
What is one thing making you smile this week?
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Big YAY to camping – I’m heading to West Virginia in two weeks for a week-long trip! Have a great time.
Also Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren is incredible. Highly recommend!
I LOVE Christina Lauren books!! That one was great! And I hope you have the best time in WV!
I love camping. I grew up tent camping with my cousins every year. It was so much fun. We have done some island camping at the lake, but since our littles have been here, we haven’t chanced it. I have kids around the same age as you, so I am interested to hear how they handle it, specifically the 2.5 year old. There is nothing like the fresh air, beautiful scenery, and camp food!
Looking forward to your review of The Book of Lost Names. I read it before The Forest of Vanishing Stars and liked it a lot more. It still has that WWII stress but I think the plot was easier to take in. I loved Nora Goes Off Script too so I’m excited to read her newest!
Have a great weekend camping!
Taking our kids camping this weekend too! They are 3.5 and 2 so it should be interesting. We’re taking the easy way out (camping at a site right by a playground that is about a 30 second drive from our house 😂) My 3.5 year old has been several times and loves it. Hope you guys have fun!
Sounds like a smart idea!!! We are also camping only an hour from our house for an easy bail-out if we need it — haha!!
THANK YOU for posting that bralette, I’m one of the people that messaged you about what to wear under the Target tank 🙂 I also found a Calvin Klein one here on clearance:
https://www.calvinklein.us/en/invisibles-lace-lightly-lined-bralette/790812401781.html?cid=paidsearch_ggl_us_pla_bau_g-usa-shopping-women-bra-smart_na_na_ad-group_na&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIhduW24PI_wIV9RZ9Ch1p9QhXEAQYByABEgL6E_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
Thank you for posting this. I just ordered this one. You can get free shipping Calvin Klein with code FREESHIP129 too 🙂
Eileen – THANK YOU to the Calvin Klein sale site!! And Greta, for the free shipping code. You ladies rock!
Have you read the Nightingale? Highly highly recommend if not! It’s similar to the book of names (which I loved) but honestly so much better. The winemakers wife is on my shelf to read soon 🙂
Julie – hoping that this weekend will be a fun one for your family and that Ryan’s first Father’s Day without his father will be filled with the many happy memories he always shared with his dad and that helps with the pain of spending this first Father’s Day without his dad. I can’t wait to hear how the boys (and you, Ryan and Pepper!) enjoy your first family camping trip. Happy Birthday also to Ryder! Happy Father’s Day to Ryan, your dad and Ross and to Greg as he spends his first Father’s Day in Heaven.
My husband wanted to go camping this weekend. Had to nix that. It’s 96 here and humid, oh so humid! Maybe in the fall. Have fun you five!
We’ve camped with our kids since they were 3 weeks old! #coloradolife. It’s the BEST – hope you enjoy it!
I just finished another book by Annabel Monaghan called “Same Time Next Summer.” Also a super cute and easy read! Have a great time on your camping trip:)
I’m on the waitlist for that one at the library! Woop!
The Book of Lost Names is a page-turner!
We used your ice cream recipe last summer and it was incredible, possibly the best cookies and creams I’ve ever had! We’d tried for years to find a good homemade recipe and finally found it! We also tried it with some added mint extract, and mint Oreos and it turned out great too!