As for the weekend ahead, I’m hoping we’ll all be healthy enough to make the most of it. We have a 4-hour fishing trip on the lake scheduled for Sunday with a local fishing guide (a birthday present we got for Ryan) and really hope we’re all feeling up to it, as it’s something we’ve been looking forward to for the past month!
Things I’m Loving Friday
This popped up as a best seller when I was combing through my October analytics and I realized that while I mentioned it once on Instagram, I never shared it here! Since its on sale I figured now was a decent time to give it a shout out.
As some of you may know, our boys’ screentime is limited to our weekend movie nights but occasionally we’ll make exceptions. I bought this super-affordable retro handheld video game off Amazon for Chase as a surprise for his birthday during our Alaska family vacation. It was worth its weight in gold when our travel to Alaska ended up being quite a headache. The games are simple (and picky parent approved!) and all 3 of our boys think they’re super fun! Worth mentioning: Our kids don’t play many other video games so keep that in mind if your kids are big gamers because they might not think it’s as cool! For those with minimal video game exposure, it’s fantastic!
How have I not shared this clean beauty serum with you guys yet!?! I really need to do a full breakdown post with my updated skincare routine but until then I’ll just share some highlights as they pop in my head (aka when I reorder something and it comes to the forefront of my mind). Biossance Squalane + Copper Peptide Plumping Serum is one of my skincare staples. I swear my skin craves it, soaks it right up and exhales a sigh of relief when I apply it every morning and evening. It’s one of those skincare items you apply for the long-term benefits (reducing fine lines and wrinkles — the before and afters of this are crazy! — loss of elasticity, dullness, etc.) but it has the MAJOR added benefit of instantly making your skin appear plump (big hooray from those of us slowly losing collagen in our face), brighter and more youthful. It’s lightweight, hydrating without being too thick or greasy and works instantly and overtime.
Note: This one is included in the Sephora sale if you’re a Sephora Insider (aka you just register your email on their site) with the code EVERYTHING.
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Madeline Moves + Moves App Sale
I fell hard for Madeline Moves’ workouts during the 5-week Tighter Together challenge I did through the Moves app last month… so much so that I ended up subscribing to the Moves app for one year after the challenge was over. The programming is incredibly well done and incorporates so many of the things I know I need for a well-rounded fitness routine but am likely to skip when left to my own devices (ahem, stability and mobility, namely). I fully appreciate the immense value this app provides at a reasonable price point and it’s so clear so much knowledge and expertise is poured into the workouts by the Moves app team. They’re having their final sale of the year (it ends today though!) and it’s $15/month or $150/year for access to all of the workouts within the app. I am primarily following the Weekly Moves workouts right now and LOVE THEM. I just had to share this sale here because these workouts are workouts I fully believe are so incredibly beneficial for overall fitness, longevity, injury prevention and LIFE.
Mr. Willowby’s Christmas Tree is one of our family’s all-time favorite Christmas books. It’s the cutest story about a big Christmas tree that’s too tall to fit into the house of fancy-schmancy Mr. Willowby. He chops off the top, setting off a spiral of additional tree trimmings from various people and animals who all end up with a little piece of Mr. Willowby’s tree in their homes. The rhyming is adorable, the illustations are whimsical and our whole family loves this sweet story.
And now there’s a sequel!!!! Decades after the first Mr. Willowby book was published, the original author’s son discovered sketches and a manuscript for a sequel in an overstuffed file cabinet years after his father passed away. Is that not crazy!? Now his father’s work has been published and the second Mr. Willowby book, Mr. Willowby’s Head Over Heels Christmas, just came out. I ordered a copy so fast and am so happy to share it’s absolutely adorable and filled with the same creative, catchy rhymes and old-fashioned, playful illustrations.
Okay beauty lovers! It’s Sephora’s big sale with savings up to 30% with code EVERYTHING. I just wanted to share a few call-outs since some of my favorite beauty finds are included in the sale. The biggest savings are on items from the Sephora collection so I’ll highlight those first, as they’re 30% off.
Sephora Collection Items (30% off)
Sephora Moisturizing Lip Balm: The perfect pop of pink in a fruity watermelon flavor — Bonne Bell walked so this lip balm could run!
Sephora Totally Juicy Lip Tint: My lips are basically flesh-colored so I’m all about long-lasting lip tints and this one is a slam dunk in terms of lip color that lasts and lasts. It’s one of the best lip products I’ve tried in a while because it’s highly pigmented (without being overwhelming), doesn’t feather into the lines around my lips, and doesn’t dry out my lips at all the way many lip tints seem to do. It applies more like a gloss than a stain and somehow makes my lips look a little fuller, too, which isn’t easy to do with virtually non-existent lips like mine. My one complaint is that the lip stain has a perfume-like fragrance when you first apply it but thankfully that disappears once its applied.
Additional Sephora Favorites On Sale
ROZ Root Lift Volumizing Spray: I apply this on my damp roots after washing my hair right before blow drying. My super-fine lifeless hair needs all the help it can get and has no business looking as voluminous and fluffy as it does after I use this spray… and this is also without any stiff/stickiness! It’s one of my “instant re-orders” whenever I run out.
Tower 28 Sunny Days Tinted Sunscreen: I’m on my 4th bottle of this clean beauty find. I wear it in lieu of foundation for SPF 30 sun protection with a little bit of color that feels light but also makes my skin look more even and my face look brighter and more awake. (I use the shade 20 Mulholland.) For my gym friends, I call this the perfect daytime gym makeup because it’s just enough and not really too makeup-y at all but still gives you your daily sun protection.
Refy Blur and Hydrate Face Primer: Think of this like a primer + face plumper in one! It noticeably brightens my skin and provides hydration while doubling as a makeup primer. Plus, the applicator is oddly cooling and feels good on the skin. A random perk! I also love the lip gloss with hyaluronic acid by this same brand.
Hanni Splash Salve: I’ve mentioned my love for Hanni products a few times in this space and truly adore them. The Splash Salve is my all-time favorite for applying in the shower for extra skin hydration (I’ll often skip post-shower lotion all-together when I use it because it’s so moisturizing). It works incredibly well and smells like a dream.
Paula’s Choice EXFOLIATE Toner: I’ll never stop recommending this stuff! It’s been a skincare staple of mine for 2+ years after my friend’s super-hot aesthetician cousin said it’s an incredibly important skincare must. I use it 2-3x a week (one bottle easily lasts me an entire year) and it’s huge for keeping my skin clear and evening out my skin tone.
Laura Mercier Translucent Setting Powder: When I want to really bring the heat and ensure my makeup will last, there’s no beating this setting powder. I also use it if I feel like my skin looks a little too greasy because it’s the BEST at taking away greasy-looking shine. It’s a translucent setting powder that sets makeup and helps it last for hours and hours.
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October 2025 Top 10
Here are your top 10 favorites from October 2025!
Top 10 Blog Posts
- Lasagna Recipe Using Cottage Cheese
- Whole Wheat Pumpkin Muffins
- High Protein Breakfast Burrito
- Chicken Sausage Sweet Potato Bake
- Amazon Big Deal Days
- Blueberry Chia Pudding
- How to Make German Pancakes
- High Protein Broccoli Cheddar Soup
- How to Make Salmon Bites
- Instant Pot Butternut Squash Beef Stew
Top 10 Favorites
- Ruti On the Loose Work Pants (As someone who was looking for slightly more elevated pants to wear in lieu of leggings/joggers, these have been worth every penny and can be dressed up or down. They’re also crazy flattering!!)
- No Makeup Makeup (I could not love this makeup more if I tried. It’s SO natural-looking, lightweight and easy to apply. 10/10 makeup find!!!!)
- Target Easy Barrel Jeans (The fit on these is so good. I have the light wash and the black and have been reaching for them on repeat. I’m a 4 in the black and a 6 in the light wash, as I feel like the light wash runs slightly smaller.)
- Amazon Long Cardigan (The cardigan I’ve had and loved for years and style so many different ways. It’s just as cute with jeans and a tee as it is with sweats and cozy boots.)
- Target Christmas Tree Lights Magic Wand (This one is constantly sold out but if you set up a notification, they restock it fairly regularly so don’t lose hope!)
- Target Holiday Juice Glasses (I was only able to get these by ordering them for in-store pickup! They’re adorable and look so much like the Anthro ones but for only $7.99!)
- Tejari Vanilla Matcha Protein Powder (The protein powder I use to make my daily match lattes)
- Retro Amazon Video Game (the one I mentioned above!)
- Living Proof Dry Shampoo (The one I’ve used for years and the only reason this greasy hair can go 4-5 days between washes.)
- Rubbermaid Brilliance Glass Food Storage Containers (The glass containers I’ve used to store our food for years. Zero stinky fridge smells because they are truly air tight!)
QUESTION OF THE DAY
What is one thing you’re loving this week?
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