Five on Friday - February 16, 2024

Hello friends!  Thanks for stopping by Five on Friday today.  Let's get right to it ~

1.  Bob Marley One Love Movie

We have seen the previews of the new Bob Marley movie a couple of times and it looks pretty look.  It released this week and I'm hoping we can see it soon.  If nothing else, I bet the soundtrack will be great!  Here's the summary ~

BOB MARLEY: ONE LOVE celebrates the life and music of an icon who inspired generations through his message of love and unity. On the big screen for the first time, discover Bob’s powerful story of overcoming adversity and the journey behind his revolutionary music. Produced in partnership with the Marley family and starring Kingsley Ben-Adir as the legendary musician and Lashana Lynch as his wife Rita.

2.  Tree Hut Pink Hibiscus Shea Sugar Scrub

Is the cold winter weather taking its toll on your skin?  It might be time for a little scrub action to take away some of that flakiness.  Exfoliating your body removes the dull, dry skin and reveals the glowing, soft, smooth skin underneath.  This product is vegan, paraben-free, sulfate-free, alcohol-free, and has a long-lasting fragrance.  Spend some time pampering yourself!  You deserve it!

Available HERE

3.  Shamrock Window Clings

Our Valentine's decorations will be coming down soon and I will replace them with our St. Patrick's Day things.  One of the new things I'm buying this year is new window clings.  We put them on the sidelights by our front door, mirrors, and any place else they will cling to.  Each set comes with over 100 clings, so you should have enough to cover every surface your heart desires!  

Available HERE

4.  Vanilla Cupcake Goldfish

A friend of mine at work introduced me to Pepperidge Farm's vanilla cupcake goldfish this week.  OH MY GOSH!  The flavor reminded me of a vanilla wafer.  They are a great snack - 35 fish are only 140 calories and are made with no artifical preservative or flavors.  They are going straight in my shopping cart when I go to the grocery store this weekend.

5.  Here's a thought...

I'm so excited that this is a long weekend for me!  We're off work on Monday for Presidents Day!  I have a list a mile long of things I want to get accomplished.   One of the things is to finish the book I'm reading for book club, which is Monday night.  That's one of the more fun things on the list!  

See you next week!

2024 Galentine's Party

Hello!  Thanks for stopping by Thinking Out Loud Thursday where I talk about something on my mind and invite you to link up and do the same.  Today I'm thinking about the Galentine's party we had last weekend!

We can all thank Leslie from Park and Rec for introducing us to the concept of "Galentine's Day".  Even though my party wasn't on the official Galentine's Day (February 13), a group of my friends gathered together over the weekend and celebrated with each other.  The group of friends I invited was our small group from church.  I'm just getting to know many of these wonderful ladies and the party was a way to have a shared experience.

The party was set for 2 hours and I knew we would have no problem filling the time!  The plan was to have the guests pick up a clipboard with the games attached when they arrived.  We had four games to play, one being a game to get to know the other attendees.  Etsy has no less than a thousand games you can download and print from home.  The ladies worked on answering their game cards as everyone arrived.

I have used the small clipboards numerous times at showers and parties.  I had no idea when I bought them 10 years ago how many times they would be used!  

Clipboards            

As the guests continued to arrive, the ones finished with their game cards could make a Valentine's card.  I had set up several card-making stations with all the supplies needed to complete their creation.  There were samples to follow, but the creative people at heart could branch out and make their own designs.  The cards could be taken home or left here for me to drop them off at a local assisted living care facility.  

For snacks, we had a sundae bar with lots of toppings, fruit salad, chocolate-covered pretzels, Caprese skewers, and spinach artichoke bites.

Before the party began, I scooped up the ice cream into balls and refroze them.  This was the best idea ever!  Popping a scoop of ice cream into the bowls couldn't have been easier!

Keeping with the pink theme, the punch fit right in!  It was made by putting a quart of raspberry sherbet in the punch bowl and adding ginger ale and a splash of cranberry juice.  Ladle it into cups and top with a raspberry.  So delicious and cute!

We gathered around an extended table to eat the snacks and play a few games.  I love playing games like this or that and people bingo so we can learn about each other.  And who doesn't love winning prizes!

Speaking of gathering around the table, it was fun to dress the table with the log candle holders my dad had made for me to use at a wedding years ago.  I have a feeling I'll be using them for years to come.

As predicted, the two hours flew by!  I'm so grateful I decided to have this party.  Having people around to share in conversation, offer encouragement, empathy and a listening ear is the very best part of friendship.  Gatherings like this are the perfect way to build long-lasting friendships!

Now it's your turn - what are you thinking out loud about today?  Link up and share!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop - February 14, 2024

 

Welcome to the Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop!  We are so glad that you stopped by.

Here you will find inspiration from dozens of bloggers including recipes, home DIY, gardening, decor, family fun, traveling, fitness, and so much more.

A friendly reminder to our guests that as a courtesy to the hosts, we ask that you follow every host on at least one social media channel.

If you are a blogger, then be sure to link up below. You may be our next feature! 

Before we get this party started, let’s meet the hosts and check out this week’s featured favorites.

MEET THE HOSTS

1. Bev – ECLECTIC RED BARN | FB | IG | PINTEREST
2. Penny – PENNY’S PASSION | FB | IG | PINTEREST
3. Sinea – DUCKS ‘N A ROW | FB | IG | PINTEREST | TWITTER
4. Tammy – MY LIFE ABUNDANT | FB | IG | PINTEREST | TWITTER
5. Tara – STILETTOS AND SHIPLAP | IG | PINTEREST
6. Denise –THISISMYEVERYBODY | FB | IG | PINTEREST | TWITTER

TOP VIEWED

January Favourites

VERY POPULAR

French Breakfast Muffins

Soul-Warming Delights

EDITOR'S CHOICE

DIY Planters for St. Patrick's Day

LET’S GET THIS PARTY STARTED!

Please follow all hosts on AT LEAST 1 of their social channels.

Add as many family-friendly posts as you would like to. NO Etsy shops, adult sites, or blog parties please.  Visit others. Caring is sharing. Like, comment, and pin posts.

Party entries appear in REVERSE. This way your entries will be seen no matter when you arrive. Please TWEET our party and invite others to join.

Let’s Party!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Five on Friday - January 9, 2024

Hello!  It's Friday!  Who's ready for a weekend?  This is going to be a great one - I'm having a Galentine's party on Saturday then the big game on Sunday.  Love it when we have fun things all weekend long!  But first, let's look at my five for this week ~

1.  National Pizza Day

In honor of National Pizza Day, we will be celebrating by having pizza for supper tonight!  Studies show that 1 in 8 Americans eat pizza on any given day.  If National Pizza Day has you wanting to eat some for supper tonight, be on the lookout for special pizza deals at many of your favorite places.  Dominoes, Pizza Hut and Papa John's will all be having specials today.  Celebrate big!

2.  Abbott Elementary

Season 3 of Abbott Elementary started this week.  This show just cracks me up!  From all the dedicated teachers to the inattentive principal and the eccentric janitor, the cast really works well together to pull off the show.  This season has 14 episodes.  Can't wait to see how this season unfolds!

3.  The Women by Kristen Hannah

Kristin Hannah's newest book was released this week titled The Women.  Typically I love her books and this one definitely is going on my TBR list.  This one is about women and the Vietnam War.  I haven't read many things about the Vietnam War.  World War 1 and II, yes - but not Vietnam.  Sounds like a very interesting read.  Here's the summary ~

Women can be heroes. When twenty-year-old nursing student Frances “Frankie” McGrath hears these words, it is a revelation. Raised in the sun-drenched, idyllic world of Southern California and sheltered by her conservative parents, she has always prided herself on doing the right thing. But in 1965, the world is changing, and she suddenly dares to imagine a different future for herself. When her brother ships out to serve in Vietnam, she joins the Army Nurse Corps and follows his path.

As green and inexperienced as the men sent to Vietnam to fight, Frankie is over-whelmed by the chaos and destruction of war. Each day is a gamble of life and death, hope and betrayal; friendships run deep and can be shattered in an instant. In war, she meets—and becomes one of—the lucky, the brave, the broken, and the lost.

But war is just the beginning for Frankie and her veteran friends. The real battle lies in coming home to a changed and divided America, to angry protesters, and to a country that wants to forget Vietnam.

The Women is the story of one woman gone to war, but it shines a light on all women who put themselves in harm’s way and whose sacrifice and commitment to their country has too often been forgotten. A novel about deep friendships and bold patriotism, The Women is a richly drawn story with a memorable heroine whose idealism and courage under fire will come to define an era.

Available HERE

4.  Krispy Kreme Valentine's Doughnuts

Valentine's Day is right around the corner!  Krispy Kreme is celebrating the occasion with the most adorable doughnuts.  Their four heart-shaped confections are titled You're Berry Sweet. I Love You a Choco-Lot, You Color My World and Without You I'd Crumble.   For a limited time, they also have mini chocolate iced and strawberry iced with Valentine's sprinkles.  So cute!  Fun thing to bring into the office or share with a friend!

5.  Some days...

Now I'm off to get through work today and start the weekend!  Hope you have a wonderful few days.  See you back next week.  Go Chiefs!!

What I Read in January 2024

Hello and welcome to Thinking Out Loud Thursday.  Thursday is the day I share something I’m thinking about and invite you to link up and do the same.  Today I’m thinking about the books I read in January.

 

January was one slow reading month for me.  I only finished two books!  One was for book club and the other was for my pleasure.  Here they are ~

                                   

A Long Way Home:  A Memoir

Our book club selection this month was A Long Way Home:  A Memoir and I found it quite interesting.  Many of you may be familiar with the story of Saroo Brierley.  He was five years old when he got lost in India and separated from his family.  The book became a movie in 2016 titled Lion.  Before reading the book, I vaguely remembered the story.  I can’t imagine losing my child or a five-year-old going through what Saroo survived.  Here’s the summary ~

At only five years old, Saroo Brierley got lost on a train in India. Unable to read or write or recall the name of his hometown or even his own last name, he survived alone for weeks on the rough streets of Calcutta before ultimately being transferred to an agency and adopted by a couple in Australia.

Despite his gratitude, Brierley always wondered about his origins. Eventually, with the advent of Google Earth, he had the opportunity to look for the needle in a haystack he once called home and pore over satellite images for landmarks he might recognize or mathematical equations that might further narrow down the labyrinthine map of India. One day, after years of searching, he miraculously found what he was looking for and set off to find his family.

A Long Way Home is a moving, poignant, and inspirational true story of survival and triumph against incredible odds. It celebrates the importance of never letting go of what drives the human spirit: Hope.

The Keeper of Happy Endings

In the description of this book, it mentioned a bridal salon and Paris – two of my favorite things so I immediately wanted to read it!  It did not disappoint.  It was kind of a story inside a story and had a couple twists I definitely did not see coming.   The author is Barbara Davis and I don’t remember reading any other books by her.  Several of her books are free with Kindle Unlimited, so I’m adding a few to my library now.  Here’s the summary of The Keeper of Happy Endings ~

Soline Roussel is well schooled in the business of happy endings. For generations her family has kept an exclusive bridal salon in Paris, where magic is worked with needle and thread. It’s said that the bride who wears a Roussel gown is guaranteed a lifetime of joy. But devastating losses during World War II leave Soline’s world and heart in ruins and her faith in love shaken. She boxes up her memories, stowing them away, along with her broken dreams, determined to forget.

Decades later, while coping with her own tragic loss, aspiring gallery owner Rory Grant leases Soline’s old property and discovers a box containing letters and a vintage wedding dress, never worn. When Rory returns the mementos, an unlikely friendship develops, and eerie parallels in Rory’s and Soline’s lives begin to surface. It’s clear that they were destined to meet—and that Rory may hold the key to righting a forty-year wrong and opening the door to shared healing and, perhaps, a little magic.

 Now it’s your turn – what are you thinking out loud about today?  Link up and share!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop - February 7, 2024

 

Welcome to the Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop!  We are so glad that you stopped by.

Here you will find inspiration from dozens of bloggers including recipes, home DIY, gardening, decor, family fun, traveling, fitness, and so much more.

A friendly reminder to our guests that as a courtesy to the hosts, we ask that you follow every host on at least one social media channel.

If you are a blogger, then be sure to link up below. You may be our next feature! 

Before we get this party started, let’s meet the hosts and check out this week’s featured favorites.

MEET THE HOSTS

1. Bev – ECLECTIC RED BARN | FB | IG | PINTEREST
2. Penny – PENNY’S PASSION | FB | IG | PINTEREST
3. Sinea – DUCKS ‘N A ROW | FB | IG | PINTEREST | TWITTER
4. Tammy – MY LIFE ABUNDANT | FB | IG | PINTEREST | TWITTER
5. Tara – STILETTOS AND SHIPLAP | IG | PINTEREST
6. Denise –THISISMYEVERYBODY | FB | IG | PINTEREST | TWITTER

TOP VIEWED

Valentine Pocket Pillow with Vintage Elements

VERY POPULAR

What's Up Wednesday

Book Review:  Love, Naturally

EDITOR'S CHOICE

Chocolate Covered Cherries Cakeballs and Cake Pops

LET’S GET THIS PARTY STARTED!

Please follow all hosts on AT LEAST 1 of their social channels.

Add as many family-friendly posts as you would like to. NO Etsy shops, adult sites, or blog parties please.  Visit others. Caring is sharing. Like, comment, and pin posts.

Party entries appear in REVERSE. This way your entries will be seen no matter when you arrive. Please TWEET our party and invite others to join.

Let’s Party!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Five on Friday - February 2, 2024

Hello! Happy Friday and happy Groundhog Day!  Please Mr. Groundhog, don't see your shadow!  I'm over winter and definitely would not like six more weeks of it!  It's not too cold where I am right now.  I'm coming at you today from Sedona where I'm enjoying a girls' getaway with two of my friends.  This place is pretty amazing and I can't wait to share the details with you in future posts.  But for today, let's look at my five for this week ~

1.  National Wear Red Today

When you're getting dressed today, remember to throw on a splash of red - it's National Wear Red Day!  Wearing red today shows your support for women's heart health and saving lives.  Did you know that heart disease and stroke kill one in three women?  According to the Go Red for Women's official website, 80% are preventable.  Let this day also serve as your reminder to schedule your physical, know your numbers, and keep your heart healthy!

2.  Dear Sister

Michelle Horton's new book Dear Sister was released this week and it sounds so good!  Michelle crafts a memoir about her and her incarcerated sister.  Here's the summary ~

In September 2017, a knock on the door from police upends Michelle Horton’s life forever: her sister had just shot her partner and was now in jail. Everything Michelle thought she knew about her family unraveled in that moment. During the investigation that follows, Michelle learns that Nikki had been hiding horrific abuse for years.

Stunned to find herself in a situation she’d only ever encountered on television and true crime podcasts, Michelle rearranges her life to care for Nikki's children and simultaneously launches a fight to bring Nikki home, squaring off against a criminal justice system seemingly designed to punish the entire family.

In this exquisite memoir, Michelle retraces the sisters’ childhood and explores how so many people, including herself, could have been blind to the abuse. An intimate look at a family surviving trauma, Dear Sister is a deeply personal story about what it takes to be believed and the danger of keeping truths hidden. Ultimately, Horton turns her family’s suffering into hard won wisdom: a profound story of resilience and the unbreakable bond between sisters.

Available HERE

3.  Turn the Lights Back On

For the first time in 17 years, we can say Billy Joel has a new single out!  That's right, his new ballad was released on Thursday and is titled Turn the Lights Back On.  Billy Joel will be making a stop in St. Louis this summer and I'm excited we have tickets.  I better get busy learning the lyrics to this new song before his concert!

4.  Suction Hooks

From the time we moved in our house over a decade ago, my bath towel hung over the tub.  Eric uses the one towel rack and there really isn't a good place for another one.  Well, a few weeks ago I saw these large suction hooks on Amazon and immediately put them in my cart!  I suctioned it to the glass shower and viola - now I have a handy place to hang my towel.  It's been up for over a week and hasn't fallen or slipped yet.  They come in a pack of two and in many different finishes.  Now I need to find a place for the second one! 

Available HERE

5.  Come on over...

Okay - I'm getting back to my vacation now!  Today we're taking a train trip through a canyon.  Can't wait!  Hope you have a great weekend.  See you next week!