Things I’m Loving Friday #593

Aaand just like that, our family’s chapter on the preschool days has come to a close. I need to take a minute to type out the swirling mess of emotions I’m experiencing relating to Rhett’s preschool graduation and our family’s conclusion of the preschool days but it’s a LOT and it’s one of those moments of finality that popped up in motherhood way faster than I imagined. It had me feeling like a bit of a mess yesterday if I’m being honest but we are so proud of Rhett and so grateful to have had the very, very best preschool experience at a preschool we absolutely adored for 9 years. How are we here already!?!?

While Rhett is officially done with school, our big kids have school through next Friday. We’re planning to celebrate Rhett’s big milestone (and the end of the school year with our boys this weekend in the form of a family “Yes Day.” Thankfully a bunch of you weighed in with you advice on how to format this kind of a fun day for the boys on Instagram and they are beyond psyched! I’m sure I’ll share more on the blog next week but for now let’s dive into this week’s roundup of favorites.

I hope my American readers out there enjoy the long weekend and join me in taking time to remember why we have this extended time off. We are acutely aware in our house that we have the life and freedoms we do because of the heroic men and women who gave their lives for our country. We are so grateful.

Things I’m Loving Friday

• Fishwife Tinned Fish

Alert for my fellow seafood lovers: Fishwife tinned fish is on another level. The company sent me a couple of their tins to sample and earlier this week, I popped a can of the smoked salmon to use on top of my lunchtime salad. Well, I didn’t end up using it on top of a salad because it was so dang good, I ate it right out of the tin. I mean do you see that salmon filet!?! It was flaky and buttery and not at all try. To say I was blown away by the quality of their fish is an understatement. I flew to their website to order more and saw that their Memorial Day weekend sale is going on right now — and apparently it’s one of only two sales they run every year (Black Friday is the other) — get 20% off with code SUMMER20. I stocked up and am thrilled to have an easy high-protein option on hand that isn’t just another protein bar.

• Swim Skirt

(Swim Top: Albion Fit / Swim Skirt: Albion Fit — code MDWJULIE saves 15%)

I know swimsuit bottoms are getting cheekier by the day but can I interest you in a swim skirt? Ha!! I got my first swim skirt in preparation for our first Disney cruise because I wanted something I could wear from the pool or beach to the buffets without feeling the need for a cover up. I loved it so much that I ordered another one (my code MDWJULIE saves 15% site wide!) and it’s been such a great find for me. As someone with a booty, I am often self conscious of my butt in bathing suits, mainly because my butt cheeks tend to eat swimsuit bottoms and I hate feeling like I have to pull and tug on them to get decent coverage. I also am quite active in a swimsuit (the life of a mom with 3 boys), so a swim skirt has been such a great option for me when I’m running around with the boys. I wore it to Rhett’s preschool graduation pool party and swear half the moms in his class asked me to text them a link to it. Anything that makes me feel more comfortable and confident in a swim suit is something I’m going to fully embrace!

• 40-Ounce Era Flip BruMate

I got this 40-ounce Era Flip BruMate for my birthday because Ryan saw how much I loved and used my 35-ounce Resa BruMate. This version was an instant hit for me because it fits in the cupholder of my car, has a handle, keeps my electrolyte water cold, and — and this is new! — it was a cover you can slide in place to protect the straw. I also adore the happy little pattern and think it feels so joyful and summery!

• Multi-Level Resistance Bands

Bless Ryan for adding these resistance bands to our home gym! He had one set up on his squat rack the other day and when I went over to investigate, I noticed the band was labeled with a weight. I then realized it was part of a set where you can swap out the handles on bands that offer various resistances which I thought was a genius concept. Since I do a lot of my workouts at home these days and rely on resistance bands for a handful of exercises in the Move Together workout challenge I’m doing, these bands ended up being one of those great little discoveries I never knew I needed. They’ve been especially helpful for back exercises, core work and triceps press-downs. Thanks, Ryan!!

• Memorial Day Weekend Sales

Sharing a roundup of the weekend sales that popped out at me below!

Up to 70% off Clearance at EVEREVE (I have and love this Z Supply dress, this top and this tank, all on super-sale right now!)

Up to 75% off Sale at Beyond Yoga (THIS is when I shop Beyond Yoga! I adore their athletic dresses! They also have free shipping and returns which makes it easy to try a bunch of things/sizes which I appreciate.)

50% off Old Navy (Here is everything I bought earlier this week! I am most excited about this super lightweight $13.99 dress and this $17 one-piece that actually works with my long torso.) 

Buy One, Get One Free Bras + 5 for $60 Underwear at Eby (My favorite seamless briefs + the bras everyone loves so much. I have their wireless bralette and it’s great!)

Save 20% on Bundles from Quince (I ordered this top + leggings set for $54!)

40% off Summer Styles at Athleta (I have and love this flowy workout tank.)

25% off Material MK Free Cutting Board (This one is my favorite for cutting meat, watermelon and anything juicy. The lip catches all the juices! It’s also very slim, dishwasher safe, non-porous, non-toxic and free of permanent microplastics.)

Super Savings on ELEMIS Resurfacing Pads (The gentle exfoliating pads I use every single morning! I refuse to pay full-price though so I always order them when they’re on sale. They’re usually $60+ for ONE full-size container, so this deal on three full-size containers is a good one!)

Free Canvas Pouch with $100+ Orders from Merit (For my clean beauty + natural-looking makeup friends, their Complexion Stick is a personal favorite. I use it over tinted moisturizer/SPF for a little lightweight coverage. It’s a great summertime find because it doesn’t feel or look heavy in the least. I use shade sand.)

30% off + Free Shipping from Paula’s Choice (The liquid exfoliant I’ve used for years!! I truly believe this has made a difference in my skin clarity, texture and coloring. A little bit goes a long way and I use it 3x a week so one bottle lasts me forever.)

25-50% off At Home (Don’t sleep on this sale if you have any home goods you might need.)

30% off Velvet Caviar (This is where I got my butter yellow MagSafe phone case + grip ring! They have so many super cute summery cases.)

• Friday Flashbacks

Day Trips from Charlotte (For any local friends on the lookout for fun things to do with kids this summer!)

Arugula and Beet Salad (Forever one of my favorites because it’s SO dang easy and so refreshingly delicious.)

QUESTION OF THE DAY

What is one thing you’re loving this week?