Friday, August 14, 2020

FRIDAY FAVORITES #137

 Oh my goodness. It's the first time we've really really appreciated a Friday in a very long time around here! Today is Day 2 of distance learning for my boys and although it's fun and exciting for the first few days, I know they are definitely going to appreciate having their weekend. Yesterday Mason said, "The only thing I don't like about school is that it takes up so much of my day." 😂 It's going to be a huge change to go from doing whatever you want all day every day to sitting in front of a computer for 7 hours, 5 days a week.


Thankfully though, the first day was a breeze for both boys. I made sure they were both logged on in the morning and that everything was working correctly and they took it from there. I peeked in on them from time to time to check on things but they seemed to have it all under control and honestly, I have never felt so relieved to have not had that third kid. How do you mamas do it with the little ones? Kindergarten through 3rd? I'm guessing you have to sit right next to them all day long in order to click where you need to and help them figure everything out, not to mention keep them from just running off to play! What if you have to work?

Again, I'm so thankful my boys are old enough to handle the majority of this stuff on their own and my heart goes out to all of you that are trying to juggle little kids doing distance learning plus trying to work as well. I know it can't be easy! Hang in there, mamas!

And stay tuned for next a Day in the Life post next week on what our first day of school looked like! I remembered to take pictures throughout most of the day but it also reminded me of what I don't do many day in the life posts... It's definitely not a thriller. 😂

But let's get to those Friday Favorites!

As always, I'm going to go through a bunch of favorites from my week in a ton of different categories so here we gooooo....



Amazon.com: Watch The Twilight Saga: New Moon | Prime Video

I'm going to let y'all in on a little secret. It's a little embarrassing but I can't help myself. I am a total Twihard.  🙈 I mean that in a fairly normal way though...I don't have Edward Cullen on my pillowcases or anything. But many years ago, one of the ladies in our Culdesac Crew was really really wanting to see the 2nd Twilight movie at the theater and wanted us to all go together. Most of us had never seen Twilight or read any of the books so we weren't too sure. Vampires and werewolves? Really? It did not seem like my cup of tea.

But we decided to get together and watch the first movie at someone's house for a fun little Girls Night In to see what we thought. And OH MY GOSH. We all fell so hard for Twilight! Who woulda thought?! Of course, we all ended up going to the theater to watch the next movie, and waiting a year for the next one was going to be torture. I had to see what would happen so I read all the books to tide me over. The books are just as good as the movies...I honestly don't know which I love more. I was just so thankful I didn't have to wait 2 years (for the next two movies) to find out what happens to Bella, Jacob and the Cullens! (I feel like such a dork as I type this but if you've seen Twilight--all of them--then you probably get it.)

Last week a new Twilight book, Midnight Sun, was released and it is (from what I can tell) the entire saga told through Edward's point of view as opposed to Bella's. 

Midnight Sun by [Stephenie Meyer]

I want to read it but I wanted to re-watch the movies first so that's what I've been doing all week while I work and at night after Craig falls asleep. The final movie is my favorite. The ending is absolute perfection and no other movie has ever made me feel so.many.feels. Is that stupid? I don't care. I adore these characters so much. Edward and Bella's relationship, Jake's unconditional love for Bella and then Renesmee (gah I hate that name though), Carlisle's kindness and capabilities and Alice...I love Alice!

So there you have it. Favorite movie(s) of the week: The Twilight Saga.

#suchadork #butdangitsgood

Ok moving on to something (slightly) less embarrassing.

Big Brother 22” All-Stars Rumors! - San Francisco News

Big Brother is back and it's just not summer without hearing the words "I vote to evict...". I really like the cast although I would have replaced a few with some that would have been more fun. I would have loved to see Brendon play this game without Rachel for once. 

Rachel Reilly and Brendon Villegas - Big Brother, Seasons 12 and ...

She's pregnant with their second baby right now though so I would assume that he'd turn down the offer if it was presented anyway. 

I loved Britney Haynes and thought she was so funny and pretty level headed.

2. Britney Haynes

And I would have loved to see James!

What Has James Been Up To Since 'Big Brother'? He Was Ready To Return

Now as for who I'm rooting for? I've got to go with one of the Nicoles (1st and third from left on the bottom row), Cody (between the Nicoles) or maybe even Memphis who is growing on me! I didn't watch his season so I have no idea who he is but I like his calm energy.

Big Brother 22: How Much Is Each All-Star Paid To Be On The Show?

Are you watching Big Brother?? Who are you rooting for!?!


This week I listened to The Bright Side of Going Dark and what drew me to it in the first place was that it was about a social media influencer who realizes she's kind of lost herself. She's got half a million followers, sponsorships for thousands of dollars for a single product mention, and a "perfect" life. After a surprise announcement from her fiance on the days leading up to their (fully sponsored) wedding leaves her questioning whether or not she can continue this online charade, she decides to "go dark". No phone--because she hurls it off a mountain top--and no social media whatsoever. She realizes that life is so much better when you're living it authentically and not a life filtered, photoshopped, and posed just to make it look like it is.

52679870. sx318 sy475

This book is written by the same author as The Overdue Life of Amy Byler if you read that one! It's also free with your Kindle Unlimited membership in both the Kindle or the audio version!

Obviously, I'm no mega-influencer but I do know how it all works so it was an interesting read! (Listen...not read. I'm an audio girl, remember?) Four stars! :)

I didn't go anywhere worthy of an "outfit" again this week so I'm going to show you an outfit I can't wait to wear!

I just got this top in and it is so pretty! Perfect for a date night or girls night out!

1 Up A Notch Blue Print Off The Shoulder Top at reddress.com

And these Golden Goose look-alikes were just $34 and they come in a ton of colors. I got the rose gold ones. 

1 Getting Better Rose Gold Sneakers at reddress.com

These will be so cute with skinny jeans and may even spice up my "basic baseball mom" look. 😂 (AKA, jeans and a tee/sweatshirt/hoodie...)

I'm pretty obsessed with this whole boutique actually. They have the cutest stuff!!

It was finally my turn to shop the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale this week!! Not a cardholder? Don't worry! The sale will open up to everyone else on the 19th. For now, though you can go in and add things to your wish list for easy shopping as soon as you can order! That made it so much easier to shop!

Now, I was a little more practical this year. Here's a rundown on what I've ordered. I mostly chose things I could wear over and over again.

I skipped right over all the booties because I still have so many from last year that I love in any color I could need. How many pairs of black booties is too many? haha  But the one thing I DID want were these boots! I was so happy they were in stock when I went to shop yesterday morning! They were most definitely my splurge item but since the olive green Barefoot Dreams circle cardigan, it left some room in my budget. (Although I'm still thinking about grabbing the light grey if it comes back in stock in my size.)

I did pick up a new pair of Kut from the Cloth jeans because I love the brand and the whiskering on the front.

This Natori bra is buttery soft, lined but not padded, and has the prettiest lace straps. And its hands down the comfiest bra I own. I've got several of these now and absolutely love them. I highly highly recommend!!

And because I'm trying to be practical and I know that 80% of my life is spent being as cozy as I can be at home, I grabbed these joggers in both black and grey.  And then I saw these that were very similar so I bought those too and will see which ones win out. The biggest perk to working at home is having joggers and tees be your work uniform. ;)

So to add to my uniform, I also got this tee for $11.90 in 3 colors after I saw it on another influencer the other day. Basic, comfy and will be with my joggers and under my Barefoot Dreams cardigans.

And that's it. I may go back and do a little more browsing at some point this weekend but for now, I'm happy with what I've ordered.

I did want to point out that one of my favorite pairs of earrings is part of the sale again this year and these are always such a huge hit!! Give them as a gift to teachers, moms, friends, sisters--they will love them! And they are under $16 right now in the sale!


There are so many other great items in the sale though! Cute tops, tons of shoes, beauty, home, men's, kids...so be sure to check it all out!


It's not a favorites day without a picture of my shaggy-haired friend! Charlie has been dealing with some super gunky and very red eyes for the past week so we've been at the vet and applying prescription eye goop to those eyes twice a day. He is so good about letting me try to get in there and apply the gel and try to pick the crusty eye boogers out of his fur around his eyes. But man that stuff gets in there and LOCKS ON. #sogross


I also need to take him to the groomers but didn't want to go until he was looking a little less contagious. 😂😂 So once this is cleared up, a haircut is in order and maybe they can do something with the crusty gunk too.


He was clearly too embarrassed to show his face in these pictures. 😂 Mason's bedhead from Sunday morning could rival Charlie's gross eyes though!



Favorite purchase of the week has to be Mason's desk!! I still can't believe how lucky I got to find one and have it arrive the very next day. You can read all about both boys' desk situations plus how our district is handling back to school here in my post from Tuesday.


His new desk chair should be here on Tuesday and he's so ready for it! After one day of sitting in this kitchen chair we pulled upstairs to stand in, he was moaning about how it hurts his back.


How about a fun hair product?!  So this particular product is just for blondes. I saw another influencer talk about it on her stories the other day and just had to try it for myself.

My hair goes golden very quickly after I get it highlighted. My buttery yellow or platinum highlights just get dark and gold within days. It's not ugly. I don't mind the color but sometimes I want my hair to be lighter and brighter. 

Enter KeracolorKeracolor Clenditioner comes in a bunch of different colors. Pink, purple, blue, etc. You shampoo it in, let it sit for 20 minutes and bam. You've got yourself an easy dye job that will wash out with a few washes. But they also have one in Platinum and it's basically a purple shampoo on steroids.  It lightened my hair from golden and a little bit brassy to a shade or two lighter, minus the brass. This was a before and after with one wash. They say you can do multiple washes to get it even lighter or use it on dry hair for an even bigger change. I have yet to do that but may do it this weekend just to see what happens. Bonus? This stuff smells like vanilla cupcake body lotion or something equally yummy!


I took these after I finished blow-drying with my favorite hair tool EVER. It always leaves my hair soft and smooth without having to use any styling tools.


Those poor unfortunate souls!! 😂😂😂

when kids go back to school after a summer of their moms doing ...

Happy Friday, friends!!


SHARE:

22 comments

  1. I was a part of the Twilight fan club too. So embarrassing! I read all of the books with my Book Club and then we went to all the movies in the theater. I need to check out her new book!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have no idea how it sucks you in so quickly but it does!!

      Delete
  2. Ummmm.... I admit, I also loooooove the Twilight series. So silly, so embarrassing... but I just do! I didn’t know a new book iS out. Audible here I come! Have a great weekend!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yay! I'm not alone!! Also, be sure and click on the sample on Audible so you can hear the narrator. The reviews on him are not great. I have no idea why they would pick him to narrate this story! He's a middle aged man--nothing like you would think of for Edward's voice! I may have to read it instead.

      Delete
  3. Will you keep us posted on the fit of the GG dupes? Just wondering how they fit you so I know how best to order.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I am so intrigued by the shampoo!!! And I don't understand the Twilight thing... ;)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. No one was more surprised than me when I loved it!! I did NOT see that coming. That being said, I don't think you'd like it!

      Delete
  5. Adding shampoo to cart now! Have you tried a filter on your shower head? My hairstylist recommended it and I've noticed a difference in how quickly my hair turns more golden.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. No, but it sounds like I need to!! I'll check that out. Thanks!

      Delete
  6. I'm so excited for BB! I love Ian, he's just so dang cute. I have never watched a season live and actually just started watching it a few weeks ago. I watched seasons 19 and 20 so far. What other seasons are good?!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ian is super cute! I wouldn't be mad if he won again! I didn't start watching Big Brother until Season 12 but over the past few weeks I've binged Season 6 (it was ok) and then rewatched Seasons 12 and 13. Highly recommend those because you can't really be considered a true Big Brother fan unless you've endured a season (or two) of Rachel and Brendon. 😂 And then Season 15, 16 and 18 were also favorites! I feel so spoiled now having watched all of those on CBS All Access and being able to binge an entire season in a week or so. I'm hating having to wait days before the next episode now! I think I'm going to binge another season to get me through the waiting periods! ;)

      Delete
    2. The weird part about rewatching some of these is that I don't remember who won so it's almost like watching it again for the first time!

      Delete
    3. I'm so excited! I always need something on in the background while I work, either a show, movie, podcast or book, so this is perfect. Going to start Season 12 today!

      Delete
  7. I was thinking the same thing about online learning as you-- how on Earth do mom's of littles do it? My sister has a 2nd grader and a kindergartner this year and I just can't see how she's going to facilitate both of them if they have to be online all day.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It has got to be so hard. My heart goes out to them!

      Delete
  8. Anonymous3:13 PM

    Love the Golden Goose dupes, I just can't get myself the purchase the real ones. These will do for me:)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh my goodness...I would NEVER! Especially since they're just a fad. Now $30 dupes that are just as cute? I can totally get on board with that. ;)

      Delete
  9. I was also guilty of totally being into the Twilight books/movies! I remember renting the first movie to see how ridiculous it was and then to my surprise I loved it! I immediately got the book and read it(even though I had just watched the movie and knew what would happen). After the first book, I was hooked. Loved all of them, and loved the movies too. Thank you for the Kindle unlimited book recommendation! The Bright Side of Going Dark is really good so far. I am always lost when looking for books that are part of the kindle unlimited, so I appreciate your suggestion.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's exactly how I felt! I thought it was going to be absolutely ridiculous and then I was like "Ummmmm okkkkkkk...this is amazing." It's so much more than "vampires". That love story is epic.

      Delete
  10. I can’t wait to read The Bright Side of Going Dark. I love Kelly Harms’ books! My wish list keeps growing on Nordstrom. I’m not a card holder but hoping everything is still there next week. Those pictures are the perfect way to end the post - hilarious! Have a great weekend!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hope you're able to get some goodies in the sale!!

      Delete

I love hearing from you! Drop a comment below!

BLOGGER TEMPLATE CREATED BY pipdig