Our friends Merri and Andrew arrived at our home with their two kids yesterday around lunchtime and will be staying with us through the weekend! We are so thrilled to have them here and cannot wait to soak up some quality time together! Before I do just that, I still wanted to take a moment to share a weekly roundup of favorites, Things I’m Loving Friday style. If that’s why you’re here today, keep on scrolling to check out a short list of a few things that made me smile this week. Have a wonderful weekend, my friends!
Things I’m Loving Friday
This DIY squishies kit was a birthday present for Ryder this week and oh my gosh was it the biggest hit with our kids! I figured they’d like it but it all three of our boys were so, so into it. Our first batch came out a little wonky but once we got the hang of it, they made a bunch of fun little squishy friends by using the animal molds, filling them with the magic glue and submerging them in a simple solution. (The kit comes with a ton of magic glue so there’s plenty of room for trial and error with little ones and they can make a TON.) It was so much fun that I already ordered another kit to bring with me to Florida for cousin squishy-making fun next week!
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FRÉ C Me Vitamin C Serum + Code PBFINGERS for 25% off!
I’ve understood the importance of incorporating vitamin C into my skincare regimen for years. I’m admittedly a sucker for trying out new vitamin C serums and fully believe vitamin C is KEY for brightening skin, reducing dark spots (a priority for me after years of lifeguarding and Florida living), evening out skin pigmentation and smoothing fine lines and wrinkles. It’s one of those skincare staples I see every recommended by skincare gurus time and time again and it’s something I apply to my face every single morning. Enter FRÉ C Me Vitamin C Serum! This serum is velvety soft and feels incredible on my skin. It absorbs well and truly seems to make my skin look brighter and more youthful, both after it’s applied and over time as it works its magic on my dark spots, pinkish pigmentation and fine lines. It’s also incredibly hydrating thanks to argan oil, a natural powerhouse that is rich in vitamins A & E, antioxidants and fatty acids that deeply nourish and hydrate skin. The downside? It’s a splurge-worthy skincare find. Womp, womp. I actually reached out to FRÉ to see if they might be willing to give me a discount code to help with the cost that I could pass along and they were kind enough to offer 25% off anything on their site with my code PBFINGERS.
Also, I have to give a shout out to their Bronze Me Sunkissed Mineral SPF 50, as I used my girlfriends’ bottle in Orlando and was so impressed with the color it gave my not-so-tan legs when they needed a little help! It’s kind of like a sunless tanning lotion + SPF in one and was great for a day at the pool when I wanted some color but also sun protection. It’s definitely bronzing (the liquid itself is bronze) and I cannot speak to how it works with clothes (as far as the color transferring) but in a swimsuit it was fantastic!
Prior to last October, I had not worn a fitness watch in years. I just got out of the habit and didn’t think any of them were all that cute. If I was going to wear a smartwatch to track my steps and workouts and provide other information, I wanted it to be something a little more feminine that I would wear with regular outfits that didn’t feel like a complete eyesore to me. I did zero research and just mentioned this in passing once to Ryan but he nailed it when he gave me a Garmin Lily 2 smartwatch for our anniversary. Ryan and my dad are obsessed with their Garmin smartwatches (we gave my dad his a few Christmases ago) and he had a feeling I’d like this one a lot and he was very right!
I’m going to keep my thoughts succinct for the sake of brevity, and also please know I have never worn an Apple watch so I cannot compare the two, but here are a few reasons I love my Garmin: I love that my texts/calls/notifications come through on it because I feel like I look at my phone a lot less. (I don’t use it to respond, but I like this!) The battery life is incredible (I charge it maybe every 5 days) and I mainly use it for tracking my steps, checking the time (this sounds silly but I didn’t realize how often I’d look at my phone to check the time), step count, the weather (this is oddly helpful) and GPS on my walks (love this for safety as well because Ryan and I share Garmin info). I know it can do a LOT more (including providing calendar info, tracking workouts, heart rate, menstrual cycles, creating goals, etc.), but I mostly stick to the basics. It also provides a sleep score every night which I don’t really pay to much attention to but my dad and Ryan are obsessed with this feature. (I also think you can turn this off it it is something that would impact the way you feel.) I absolutely love it!
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The Wedding People by Alison Espach
Genre: Domestic fiction/Dark comedy / My rating: A-
The Wedding People is one of those books I saw everywhere, yet I did not take the time to read anything about the plot and instead just added it to my library holds list. When it became available, I dove in and was surprised when I found myself laughing a lot, considering the semi-dark premise of the book. It has a bit of a clunky start but as I continued reading, I found myself absolutely loving this book. The characters are unique and interesting. The dialog is witty and hilarious. The premise is creative and tucked inside a unique plot are some tender and thought-provoking moments that give the book depth you don’t see coming. The Wedding People is one of the best books I’ve read so far this year.
From Amazon: It’s a beautiful day in Newport, Rhode Island, when Phoebe Stone arrives at the grand Cornwall Inn wearing a green dress and gold heels, not a bag in sight, alone. She’s immediately mistaken by everyone in the lobby for one of the wedding people, but she’s actually the only guest at the Cornwall who isn’t here for the big event. Phoebe is here because she’s dreamed of coming for years―she hoped to shuck oysters and take sunset sails with her husband, only now she’s here without him, at rock bottom, and determined to have one last decadent splurge on herself. Meanwhile, the bride has accounted for every detail and every possible disaster the weekend might yield except for, well, Phoebe and Phoebe’s plan―which makes it that much more surprising when the two women can’t stop confiding in each other.
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She’s Not Sorry by Mary Kubica
Genre: Mystery/Thrilled / My rating: B
She’s Not Sorry was an audiobook listen for me and entertaining enough for a background listen. It’s twisty (with one major twist I thought was awesome) but not overly thrilling from start to finish. I was invested in the plot and the characters but found the story redundant at times. The main character is the queen of bad decisions which is a little frustrating to read about over and over again but if you can get over that and just allow yourself to go along for the ride, it’s a decent quick-read thriller.
From Amazon:
A terrible accident.
Meghan Michaels is trying to find balance between being a single mom and working full time as an ICU nurse, when a patient named Caitlin arrives in her ward with a traumatic brain injury. They say she jumped from a bridge and plunged over twenty feet to the train tracks below.
A shocking revelation.
When a witness comes forward with new details about Caitlin’s fall, it calls everything they know into question. Was a crime committed? Did someone actually push Caitlin, and if so, who… and why?
No one is safe.
Meghan lets herself get close to Caitlin until she’s deeply entangled in the mystery surrounding her. Only when it’s too late, does she realize that she and her daughter could be the next victims…
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Top 10: May 2025
I’m a little late in sharing this roundup but see below for your top 10 blog posts and favorite finds from May!
Top 10 Blog Posts
- Easy Orange Juice Marinade for Chicken
- How to Make Salmon Bites
- Breakfast Meal Prep Recipes
- High Protein Breakfast Burrito
- Lasagna Recipe Using Cottage Cheese
- Day Trips from Charlotte
- Carrot and Apple Slaw
- Officially 40
- How to Make Protein Pancakes
- Banana Bread Protein Pancakes
Your Top 10 Favorites
- Supergoop Play Everyday Lotion SPF 50 (Clearly we all stocked up on our family’s favorite sunscreen!)
- ZSupply 100% Cotton Matching Set / Top + Bottoms (I am truly living in this comfy set. The minute it’s washed and clean, I swear I put it right back on. Lightweight, flowy and comfortable enough to sleep in.)
- Flowy Amazon Dress (Universally flattering and so many cute patterns options)
- Paula’s Choice EXFOLIATE (Non-abrasive, powerful but gentle and I swear I’ve noticed improved skin tone and reduced redness since I began using it 2-3x a week more than a year ago.)
- Watermelon Ball Pool Toy (A ball you can bounce, throw, kick and dribble underwater. Our big kids’ absolute favorite pool toy!)
- Rotary Grater (My love for this knows no bounds. I use it to grate carrots, apples, cheese, zucchini, etc. and also thinly slice cucumber, radishes and more.)
- Waterproof Beach Tote Bag (A great pool + beach bag that also makes a fantastic carry-on. Holds a ton but in an organized way thanks to lots of interior and exterior pockets.)
- Divided Plates with Lids (My latest “mom hack” for getting more nutrient dense snacks/mini-meals in our boys’ bellies on the go.)
- Nighthawk Ride-On (Such a hit with our boys. They’ve had them for 2 years and continue to love flying around on them!)
- Diamond Art Painting Kits (Our latest go-to calm and quiet kid activity.)
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Friday Flashbacks
Our Boys’ Favorite Imagination Games (Some of the games our boys come up with that keep them entertained for hours — truly HOURS!)
Simple Summer Pasta Salad (A favorite of mine to make and bring to any summertime cookout)
Question of the Day
What is one thing making you smile this week?
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