Welcome to the Friday 5!
Every Friday I will highlight 5 things I am currently loving. This can be anything from habits that are currently serving me, clothes, apps, people I am currently loving, podcasts, food, mom hacks and everything in between!
What I am currently loving:
Living With Landyn Podcast
I’m not sure what it is about Landyn or her podcast, but you just feel like you are really her friend. She has a way of connecting with her followers that is just amazing. She shares her day to day life, motherhood journey, style tips, recipes and home décor. Also, she has become a self-admitted “crazy chicken lady” with the most beautiful chicken coop I’ve ever seen! Well, season 2 of her podcast dropped this week and I am so excited to listen to her conversations yet again. Last season she dropped two episodes a week, one with a guest and a solo one that was typically an FAQ show on various topics. They are just real conversations that are funny, heartwarming and can even teach you a little something. If you are looking for a podcast that is positive and leaves you feeling inspired with a smile on your face, this is it. Landyn is your girl. I know you will love her as much as I do.
Getting Up Before my Kids
Early bird gets the worm, right? Maybe, but the early bird definitely gets the quiet, at least in my house. I heard a quote a few years ago that said, “wake up for your kids, not to your kids.” And that really hit me. I don’t know about you, but my kids wake up like racehorses, their feet hit the floor and they are ready to go. Between the three of them, they need about 182 different things. I do not wake up like that. I need some time. I need to slowly sip my coffee and have a little quiet. Both of my parents are exactly the same, as well as both of their mother’s. So, maybe we are just morning people, but even if you are not, try getting up at least 5 minutes before your kids. I am also most productive in the mornings, after I have had a few sips of coffee, I can get so much done in the hour before the girls get up. I am currently typing this at 5:40am, because, come noon, when Ruby is napping and I finally have some quiet again, I am mentally done. Productivity mid-day is a real struggle for me, no matter how much sleep I’ve gotten or how my day has gone, it’s just not my time. Five in the morning is my power hour and I love it.
Bucklebee- Easy Buckle Release Aid
Y’all. How did I not know that this existed yet? I drive a big SUV, with a third row with two kids back there. Both are still in 5-point car seats. So, every day in carline, I have to get out, climb to the back and help unbuckle them. Lillian and Stella both can undo the chest clip, but not the buckle at the bottom. A couple months ago, I saw someone in a mom group on Facebook ask how other moms were getting their kids unbuckled from the 3rd row, she had just upgraded to the full-size SUV. I thought, well, you just climb back there. Nope, everyone suggested the Bucklebee. I immediately looked it up on Amazon. I’ve always been anxious about adding things to car seats, as I didn’t want to compromise anything to do with the safety of the car seat. But the design of this thing is brilliant and does not compromise safety of the car seat, in my opinion. It just slides on the bottom of the part of the push button and the child uses it to push the button to release the straps. I only purchased this for Lillian so far because she is a rule follower and I know she will not be back there unbuckling herself while we are going 70mph down the interstate. Stella has not earned this privilege yet. So, it is up to you if your child has the maturity to understand the tool and not use it as a toy. It is also a great tool for grandparents or caregivers who have arthritis or struggle with the button release on the seats.
The Graceful Host Shop
I stumbled upon Ashley’s Instagram page after my neighbor had an awesome balloon garland put on the front of her house for her daughter’s birthday last year. During quarantine, Ashley was running all over town decorating the exterior of houses with balloon garlands that celebrated birthdays to graduations and everything in between. Ashley was somewhat new to town and had a high-end wedding/party planning company, but when quarantine hit, she pivoted hard and started with balloons. Talk about our gain, she makes the most incredible displays. I couldn’t wait to have her create something for us. I threw a small, adult Halloween party last year, partially just to have her do a big balloon display in our backyard. And y’all, she killed it. It was amazing. And now, she has opened her own brick and mortar shop! She is still spreading joy with balloons for all occasions and now is selling everything you need to throw a party! Think the most beautifully curated plates, napkins and party décor you can think of. If you are local, go check out her shop in downtown Covington. If not, she ships her amazing stuff anywhere in the U.S. I am so excited to see how amazing Ashley does with this shop!
A Heavy Wooden Cutting Board
If you have read any of my previous posts, you know I didn’t grow up cooking in the kitchen with my mom. I have taught myself how to cook and prepare food over the past 6 or 7 years and am constantly discovering new things. When we first got married, I received a couple of really nice OXO plastic cutting boards. I used them for everything, they are non-slip (although they do move around a little bit) and dishwasher safe, which is perfect for my lazy heart. Because chances are, if it can’t go in the dishwasher, I don’t want to use it. But I started to notice chefs on cooking shows all using thick heavy wooden cutting boards for chopping everything except meat. So, a few years ago, I asked for this fancy wooden cutting board for Christmas. And my mother-in-law got it for me. GAME CHANGER. This thing is solid, doesn’t move and makes chopping vegetables so much easier. Seriously, I felt like I had a new set of knifes when I used this board. I now only use my plastic cutting board for raw meats. Everything else gets chopped on wood, and I gladly hand wash it daily. I don’t know why it is so much better, it just is. I also have a cheaper board from The Pioneer Woman, which I won in a gift exchange a few years ago, and I love it too.
I hope you found something helpful or inspiring in this week’s Friday Five! I’ll have 5 new favorites to share with you next week, have an awesome weekend!
