Also, THANK YOU for your Alaska recommendations!!! Reading comments from real people who know our family (virtually — but hey, it counts!) and our kid dynamics helps us have an innate trust in your recommendations and we appreciate them so much. Your insights and advice are invaluable to us and help a ton when we plan our family trips. Truly, thank you!
As for today’s blog post, you may keep on scrolling if you’re here for this week’s roundup of favorites! Enjoy your weekend, my friends!
Things I’m Loving Friday
Talk about a slam dunk of a birthday gift! My mom gave Ryder a 500+ piece container of Brain Flakes for his seventh birthday and they’ve been the biggest hit. They’re one of those unicorn toys that all three of our boys (age almost 10, 7 and 4.5) enjoy playing with equally. They remind me of the kind of open-ended play toys we gravitate toward in our house (like magnetic tiles, blocks, etc.) because they’re entertaining for years and allow kids to create, imagine and play for hours.
The boys have thoroughly enjoyed copying the patterns that came in the container as well as this Beginner Brain Flakes book my mom included with her gift but equally enjoy coming up with their own creations, characters and even games using the Brain Flakes. My mom also included a container of wheels and axels which have been huge for our transportation-loving boys as well.
Have you guys heard of hanni? I first discovered hanni after borrowing The Fatty Moisture stick from a girlfriend when I saw her applying it to her knees and on a girls’ trip. I was intrigued because I also have areas of my skin that feel perpetually dry — my knees, elbows, shins and hands — and was so impressed with the way the moisture stick worked instantly and, most importantly, kept my skin hydrated. I ordered a stick for myself and have used it and loved it enough to share when it was on sale for Amazon Prime Day. The company was then kind enough to follow up with me and send more hanni finds my way and then offered me a code we can all use directly on their site, should you be interested in trying anything for yourself! My code PBFINGERS15 will save you 15% off all hanni products site wide!
Here’s a quick roundup of the products I’ve tried and loved:
The Fatty Moisture Stick: The stick mentioned above! My friend Merri also said it’s been very helpful for her son’s eczema as well.
Splash Salve: Think of this like an ultra-hydrating lotion you apply in the shower that locks in moisture! It’s incredibly effective and nice to get my lotion application is done before I’m done with my shower rather than after.
Cocoon Cleanse: If tight skin from traditional soap bothers you, this cocoon cleanse bar is a dream. It’s a soap-free body cleanser made for sensitive skin and pH-neutral so it’s also safe for use in intimate areas.
Shave Pillow: So innovative and particularly useful for travel. The Shave Pillow allows you to dry shave without water or soap. You just apply it to the area you’d like to shave and then shave as usual. (My armpits especially appreciate this one and I’ve never had any issues with razor burn/bumps.)
Pregnancy and having babies changes a lot of things about your body but one thing I did not anticipate was increased sensitivity in my feet. Ever since I became pregnant with Chase, my ability to walk around the house barefoot for long periods of time went out the window. My feet are just too sensitive so I am always reaching for a pair of slippers or slides to wear. I recently was gifted a pair of Brunch slippers and I cannot tell you how lovely they feel on my feet. They’re truly the perfect summertime slipper as the material is soft and cozy but not TOO hot for steamy North Carolina days and nights. They were designed as an elevated version of a hotel slipper and certainly feel like a vacation for my feet! I’ve been wearing my slippers non-stop around our house and even ordered a pair for my sister for her birthday (the same pair but in the gorgeous blueberry color). Love them!!
Genre: Romance, Women’s Fiction / My rating: B
This book is the third a series by author Sarah Adams and, having read and enjoyed the previous two novels in the series, I was looking forward to diving into this one as well. The previous two novels read like cozy little Hallmark stories and the third was very similar, though my least favorite of the three. (When In Rome is the first novel in the series if you’d like to check it out. You may see my review in this blog post: Best Books I’ve Read So Far This Year.) All of Sarah Adams novels are wonderful stress-free vacation reads and this book was one I looked forward to diving into during my time in Jacksonville. It’s another novel that isn’t the most believable but it’s easy enough to just overlook some of this and enjoy the breezy story.
From Amazon: Emily Walker hates having her carefully crafted world disrupted by anyone, most of all her legendary nemesis, Jack Bennett. He’s the opposite of the wonderful heroes she dreams up in her double life as a romance writer, which is why Emily was perfectly happy when Jack left Rome, Kentucky, mid-school year with his fiancée. The last thing Emily saw coming was Jack’s return at the start of the summer after calling off the wedding and ending his relationship, but he’s here to stay—as her colleague and her neighbor.
Jack is glad to be back, eager to renovate his house and work on the next mystery novel under his bestselling pen name. But when he realizes he’s now neighbors with the one woman who has always pushed his buttons, he discovers something he’s even more excited about—thwarting Emily and her petty plans to sabotage his return.
With their chemistry-fueled animosity at an all-time high, Emily accidentally sends an email to their school’s principal that could reveal her secret literary side hustle. She needs to steal back her manuscript, and Jack—she hates to admit—is just the man to help her. Surprisingly, he agrees. Will their unlikely alliance put an end to their rivalry? Or could it lead to a steamy plot twist they never saw coming?
Genre: Sci-fi fiction / My rating: B
This book was added to my library holds list after a couple of you recommended it to me. I added it fully trusting your recommendations, as the premise didn’t exactly intrigue me. A robot woman main character? The world of AI? While this is exactly my typical interest arena, I’ve enjoyed my fair share of sci-fi novels in the past, so I figured I’d give it a shot. I’m glad I did because it instantly grabbed my attention and was a wildly entertaining read. Just a head’s up, the novel has its fair share of spice (robot spice — never saw that one coming) and it’s the kind of book you fly through that has you questioning things and empathizing with a robot.
From Amazon: Annie Bot was created to be the perfect girlfriend for her human owner Doug. Designed to satisfy his emotional and physical needs, she has dinner ready for him every night, wears the pert outfits he orders for her, and adjusts her libido to suit his moods. True, she’s not the greatest at keeping Doug’s place spotless, but she’s trying to please him. She’s trying hard. She’s learning, too.
Doug says he loves that Annie’s AI makes her seem more like a real woman, so Annie explores human traits such as curiosity, secrecy, and longing. But becoming more human also means becoming less perfect, and as Annie’s relationship with Doug grows more intricate and difficult, she starts to wonder: Does Doug really desire what he says he wants? And in such an impossible paradox, what does Annie owe herself?
Chicken and Chickpea Salad (I made this one again this week and it’s just the most deliciously fresh and summery lettuce-free salad!)
High Protein Breakfast Recipes (A roundup for those looking to jumpstart their day with a decent amount of protein in the morning)
Question of the Day
What is one thing you’re loving this week?
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