Weekending - August 26, 2016

Happy Monday!  Did everyone enjoy their last weekend in August?  It was HOT here in the St. Louis region with isolated pop up showers. We didn't let it slow us down (too much).

On Friday night we were headed to an outdoor art show.  By the time I got home, this was looming overhead.

As we were looking out the back door pondering what to do, it started pouring!  We decided to make it a pizza date night in our family room instead of trying to fight the weather.

Saturday we woke to much brighter skies and headed to the art show.  The Midwest Salute to the Arts is held each year in Fairview Heights, Illinois and hosts 100 artists from all over the country in a beautiful park setting.  For years I volunteered at this event, but stepped away from it about 8 years ago.  It's always fun going back to see people I worked with and artists I know.  It's also a great place to pick up a few Christmas gifts!  This year it seemed the clay artists captured my eye more than some of the others.  This is a picture of Laura Hohn's work.

After perusing the artists' tents and visiting with friends, we headed to Augusta to check out a winery where I'll be helping with a wedding in October.  The bride and groom live in Hong Kong and I'll actually be seeing them on my trip there, so I wanted to check out the venue before leaving on Friday. They chose a wonderful site - Noboleis Vineyards and Winery.  As if I wasn't excited to be helping before, after seeing the location I'm dying to work on this wedding!  It will be so beautiful this fall!

While we were there, we couldn't pass up the opportunity to do a wine tasting.  They have a wonderful outdoor area to sit and enjoy their live music.  Great way to spend a Saturday afternoon!

On the way home, we stopped at a little place we saw in Defiance, Missouri call Trail Smokehouse.  Very casual.  They, too, had live music playing.  The BBQ Nachos sounded good so we gave them a try.

There was a "scenic overlook" we couldn't drive past without stopping.  I'm so thankful that Eric is always willing to oblige me taking a couple selfies!

We did a little retail therapy at the outlet malls on the way back home and called it a day.  Pretty perfect way to spend a Saturday if you ask me!

After a nice morning walk and church on Sunday, my friend Tracy and I decided run by the art show in the afternoon in addition to checking out some Halloween decor at various stores in town.  The rest of the day was spent getting ready for the week and my upcoming trip.  I leave on Friday for Hong Kong.  Yes, I'm a bit excited!!

Hope your weekend was everything you had hoped it would be.  Please do pop back in on Thursday and link up at our Thinking Out Loud Thursday party.  See you soon!

Check out what others were up to this weekend.

Champagne and Suburbs

B Loved Boston

More Pieces of Me

Bella and the City
The Quinntessential Mommy
How To Get Organized At Home
Over the Moon

This post contained affiliate links.  I may receive a small commission if you click on the link and purchase.  Thanks!

Five on Friday - August 26, 2016

Hello Friday!  This week has been a doozy!  I didn't get a weekending post done, but last weekend we moved a couple TVs in our house to different rooms and it caused quite the chain reaction.  A new piece of furniture had to be purchased, we moved two other pieces of furniture to different rooms ~ the list goes on and on.  I would pretty much have to attach a flow chart to explain it.  But that caused a disruption in three separate rooms and they are still not completely back to normal.  So this weekend I'm cleaning, cleaning, cleaning and maybe doing a little throwing away (not something I'm very good at).

Before all that action, here's my five for today.

1.  National Dog Day
Even though we don't currently have a dog living in our house, I know many, many of you do -- so today is the day for you to celebrate your furry friend!  There are several articles suggesting owning a dog can help lower your blood pressure and improve your mood.  And there's no question they are the most loyal things around.  If you have a pup, give it an extra squeeze today and celebrate National Dog Day!

2.  Dolly - Pure and Simple
I have a thing for Dolly Pardon.  It could be that I remember my parents listening to her when I was growing up and her voice triggers my mind to think of those wonderful memories.  She was on Jimmy Fallon this week and she's just such a lovely person.  Her newest album - Pure and Simple is available now HERE.  By the way, Jimmy said Dolly has sold over a 100 million albums!  Now that's a lot of albums.



3.  Popcorn Indiana 
So last week as I was rushing through Sam's Club, this bag caught my eye.  I tossed a bag in my cart on the way by and didn't look back.  I've been munching on it all week and this stuff is GOOD!  If you see it, you might want to try it too.  It has just the right amount of salt and is low cal.  Win-Win.

4.  Pumpkin Placemats

Look at these adorable fall placemats that are on sale at Kohl's.  Set of 4 for only $10.40.  With September knocking on the door, I feel like I need to bust out some fall decor around the house.  These would make a perfect addition to our kitchen table.  Want some?  Click HERE to check them out.

                 

5.  Okay, sometimes this might be me....

If you live in the St. Louis area and are looking for some outdoor fun this weekend, there's a splendid  art show happening not far from downtown in Fairview Heights, Illinois called The Midwest Salute to the Arts.  The festival is Friday, Saturday and Sunday.  Besides the art, there's great entertainment and an area dedicated to kids.  Best part -- it's all FREE!  Eric and I will definitely try to stop by the Salute sometime over the weekend.  

Enjoy the last weekend of August.  Hope to see you back next week.

Linking up with:

Rebecca at XOXO Rebecca

Jennie at The Diary of a Real Housewife

Amy at The Farmer's Wife

Amanda at Meet At The Barre

Erika at Little Bit of Everything

Simply Sweet Home
High Five for Friday

5 on Friday 
The Triplet Farm
Why Girls Are Weird

This post contained affiliate links.  I may receive a small commission if you click on the link and purchase.  Thanks!

Friday Favorites Linky Party - August 26, 2016

Welcome to Friday Favorites!  Hope you enjoy the features this week and link up below.  I featured some fun lunchbox notes for those of you who have kiddos headed to back to school.

Please support and follow our lovely blog party hostesses:

Jerri at Simply Sweet Home - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst

Christine at Light and Savvy - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst

Jen at Creatively Homemade - Twitter | G+ | Pin

Dawn at LeroyLime - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst | BL

Maisy at Becoming Alice - FB | G+ | Pin

Sheree at Stage Presents - Twitter | FB | Pin | Inst | Inst

Lisa at Condo Blues - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst

Amy at A Day of Small Things - Pin

Penny at Penny's Passion - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst

Kelly at Under a Texas Sky - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst | BL

If you are featured this week, be sure and grab a featured button for your blog!

<a href="http://www.simplysweethome.com/category/friday%20favorites/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i372.photobucket.com/albums/oo163/JHRivers/Friday%20Favorites%20Featured%20Button.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo Friday Favorites Featured Button.jpg"></a>

You can show your love for this week's favorites by going over and commenting on the posts and by pinning or sharing!

And if you love all of this week's favorites, please pin, share, and invite your friends to this week's linky party!

Jerri at Simply Sweet Home chose

Portable Homework Helper w/ 3 Sets of Printables from Our Peaceful Planet

 

Lisa at Condo Blues chose

DIY Picture Frame Wreath from Celebrate & Decorate with Chloe Crabtree

Dawn at LeroyLime chose

5 Back to School Prayers for Moms by While I'm Waiting

Kelly at Under a Texas Sky chose

Fresh Corn Dip from Lou Lou Girls

Sheree from Stage Presents chose

Painted Metallic Books from Savvy Apron

Maisy at Becoming Alice chose

Vegan Tofu Feta Cheese (Gluten-Free, Nut-Free, Oil-Free) from Sprinkle of Vanilla Sugar

 

Jen at Creatively Homemade chose

Burlap Scarecrow Garden Flag from The Country Chic Cottage

Amy at A Day of Small Things chose

Butterfly Snack Bags at Lolly Jane Blog

Penny at Penny's Passion chose

Printable Lunch Box Jokes from Gluesticks

Christine at Light and Savvy chose

How To Make Seashell Chargers by Celebrate and Decorate

   

Thanks so much for partying with us this week! Please add your links below.

All family friendly posts are welcome, including recipes, crafts, decor, household tips, and more!

And please support your fellow party goers by visiting other posts linked up to the party!

Thinking Out Loud Thursday - August 25, 2016

Hello!  Welcome to Thinking Out Loud Thursday!  Vanessa from X-tremely V and I  are so glad you joined us today for our linky party.  

Today I'm thinking out loud about a little BIG trip I have coming up.  My friend, Debbie, and I are jetting off to Hong Kong in a week!  We started planning this trip in February and back then September seemed so far off.  Now it's a week away and I'm so excited I can barely stand it.

What I'm thinking about mostly right now is the hours I'll be spending on the plane.  We will be flying from St. Louis to Dallas then straight to Hong Kong from there.  The Dallas - Hong Kong portion of our flight is nearly 17 hours.  That's a L O N G time for me to sit!  So I need your help.  What are some things you would do on a plane for that long?

I've purchased a new inflatable neck pillow (hoping that will help me sleep).  The chick in the picture on Amazon looks like she's sleeping pretty well so hopefully I will too.  :)

My Kindle is loaded up with books.  Speaking of Kindles, I have to say I LOVE my Kindle!  I'm so glad I don't have to pack lots of heavy books in my suitcase.  Some of the books I'm looking most forward to reading are:

The Island by Elin Hilderbrand

It's on sale right now for $7.99 on Amazon

Click HERE if you want to buy it.

"Birdie Cousins has thrown herself into the details of her daughter Chess's lavish wedding, from the floating dance floor in her Connecticut back yard to the color of the cocktail napkins. Like any mother of a bride-to-be, she is weathering the storms of excitement and chaos, tears and joy. But Birdie, a woman who prides herself on preparing for every possibility, could never have predicted the late-night phone call from Chess, abruptly announcing that she's cancelled her engagement. 

It's only the first hint of what will be a summer of upheavals and revelations. Before the dust has even begun to settle, far worse news arrives, sending Chess into a tailspin of despair. Reluctantly taking a break from the first new romance she's embarked on since the recent end of her 30-year marriage, Birdie circles the wagons and enlists the help of her younger daughter Tate and her own sister India. Soon all four are headed for beautiful, rustic Tuckernuck Island, off the coast of Nantucket, where their family has summered for generations. No phones, no television, no grocery store - a place without distractions where they can escape their troubles.

But throw sisters, daughters, ex-lovers, and long-kept secrets onto a remote island, and what might sound like a peaceful getaway becomes much more. Before summer has ended, dramatic truths are uncovered, old loves are rekindled, and new loves make themselves known. It's a summertime story only Elin Hilderbrand can tell, filled with the heartache, laughter, and surprises that have made her page-turning, bestselling novels as much a part of summer as a long afternoon on a sunny beach."

Take Me With You by Catherine Ryan Hyde

It too is on sale at Amazon for $4.99

Click HERE to grab it.

"August Shroeder, a burned-out teacher, has been sober since his nineteen-year-old son died. Every year he’s spent the summer on the road, but making it to Yellowstone this year means everything. The plan had been to travel there with his son, but now August is making the trip with Philip’s ashes instead. An unexpected twist of fate lands August with two extra passengers for his journey, two half-orphans with nowhere else to go.

What none of them could have known was how transformative both the trip—and the bonds that develop between them—would prove, driving each to create a new destiny together."

I got several more books, but those are the two that's at the top of my list of read.   And then there's Candy Crush to occupy my time.  Seems like I can always get lost in playing that!  Oh, side note.  You know the striped candies you get when you connect four regular candies in a row.  I just learned that the direction of the stripe is the direction it clears the row.  Did everyone know that but me?!?

Debbie and I have lots to talk about and there's movies too.  So hopefully the plane ride will pass quickly and we'll be roaming the street of Hong Kong before we know it.  But I would love to hear any and all ideas you have to make the trip over and back more enjoyable.

So that's what I'm thinking out loud about today.  What's on your mind?  Link up below and let us know!

Enjoy more Thoughts for Thursday at:

Home of Malones

East Coast Chic

Thursday Favorite Things Blog Hop

The Deliberate Mom

This is How We Roll

Bows and Clothes

Party at My Place
This post contained affiliate links.  I may receive a small commission if you click on the link and purchase.  Thanks!

Five on Friday - August 19, 2016

Happy Friday!  This has been one of the fastest weeks I've had in a long time.  Where did the days go?!?  I'm pretty pumped about having a few days to spend at home and work on my to do list.  I might actually be able enjoy a little Saturday afternoon nap!

Check out my five for this week ~

1.  Thelma and Louise
This Sunday is the 25 release anniversary of Thelma and Louise.  Twenty-five years!!  This flick made me fall in love with Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis.  It is dubbed as one of the greatest road movies of all time.  If you haven't seen this classic, you should give it a rent.  Maybe that's what I'll do on Saturday afternoon.

2.  The Catch
Eric and I taped The Catch last Spring, but never had a chance to watch it.  This week I binged the entire season and loved it!  Maybe I was just missing Peter Krause showing up on TV.  Have you seen this newest Shonda Rhimes show?  If not, your might want to catch it before the new season starts this fall.



3.  Coola Makeup Setting Spray
My friend Debbie turned me on to Coola Makeup Setting Spray.  Here's what Amazon has to say about this setting spray, "Makeup meltdown and uv exposure have met their match. Introducing the first 70 percent plus certified organic spf 30 makeup setting spray from coola. A weightless, matte finish mist protects the sensitive skin of your face while keeping your makeup looking fresh all day. This highly advanced formula includes both cucumber and aloe vera extracts to help soothe and refresh skin; and hyaluronic acid, known to bind moisture and help soften, tone and rehydrate skin. Reduce the appearance of pores, fine lines and wrinkles, and protect your skin from the sun’s harmful uv rays with broad spectrum spf 30 protection. Protect as you set."  See why it's so great!  Click HERE if you want to try it.

4.  Lay's New Flavors

Have you seen the new Lay's flavors in your stores?  We tried the Greek Tzatzki one this week and I wasn't a super fan.  They are out for a limited time and are inspired by the Summer Olympics.  The flavors are Chinese Szechuan Chicken (inspired by Sichuan peppers), Brazilian Picanha (skewered-grilled steak with chimichurri sauce), Wavy Greek Tzatziki (flavored with dill, garlic and other spices) and Kettle Cooked Indian Tikka Masala (a tomato-based dish with tumeric and cumin).  Let me know if you've tried any of the other flavors and if you liked them.  Don't want to miss the opportunity to have a good chip.

5.  Olympic humor...

Have a great weekend.  I'm going to do some serious relaxing and I might even make a recipe or two to share on the blog.  See you on Monday!

Linking up with:

Rebecca at XOXO Rebecca

Jennie at The Diary of a Real Housewife

Amy at The Farmer's Wife

Amanda at Meet At The Barre

Erika at Little Bit of Everything

Simply Sweet Home
High Five for Friday

5 on Friday 
The Triplet Farm
Why Girls Are Weird

This post contained affiliate links.  I may receive a small commission if you click on the link and purchase.  Thanks!

Friday Favorites Linky Party

Welcome to Friday Favorites Linky Party!  We have some great feature posts for you today.  Hope you enjoy our favorites and find a few of your own.

Please support and follow our lovely blog party hostesses:

Jerri at Simply Sweet Home - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst

Christine at Light and Savvy - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst

Jen at Creatively Homemade - Twitter | G+ | Pin

Dawn at LeroyLime - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst | BL

Maisy at Becoming Alice - FB | G+ | Pin

Sheree at Stage Presents - Twitter | FB | Pin | Inst | Inst

Lisa at Condo Blues - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst

Amy at A Day of Small Things - Pin

Penny at Penny's Passion - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst

Kelly at Under a Texas Sky - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst | BL

If you are featured this week, be sure and grab a featured button for your blog!

<a href="http://www.simplysweethome.com/category/friday%20favorites/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i372.photobucket.com/albums/oo163/JHRivers/Friday%20Favorites%20Featured%20Button.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo Friday Favorites Featured Button.jpg"></a>

You can show your love for this week's favorites by going over and commenting on the posts and by pinning or sharing!

And if you love all of this week's favorites, please pin, share, and invite your friends to this week's linky party!

Jerri at Simply Sweet Home chose

29 Oatmeal Add-Ins from The Gracious Wife

Sheree from Stage Presents chose

Sorbet Rose Cocktail from If You Give A Blonde a Kitchen

Amy at A Day of Small Things AND Jen at Creatively Homemade chose

Funfetti Cake Batter Popsicles from Unusually Lovely

Kelly at Under a Texas Sky chose

Chicken and Fruit Salad from Miz Helen's Country Cottage

Penny at Penny's Passion chose

Shrimp and Pasta Salad from from Nancy on the Home Prudent

Lisa at Condo Blues chose

DIY Exotic Sunroom Back Porch Makeover from Sew Can Do

Christine at Light and Savvy chose

Milk Can Table from Artsy VaVa

Dawn at LeroyLime chose

DIY Burlap Aisle Runner from The Country Chic Cottage

Thanks so much for partying with us this week! Please add your links below.

All family friendly posts are welcome, including recipes, crafts, decor, household tips, and more!

And please support your fellow party goers by visiting other posts linked up to the party!

Thinking Out Loud Thursday - August 18, 2016

Happy Thursday!  Glad you popped in to this week's Thinking Out Loud.  Vanessa from X-tremely V and I would love for you to link up below and tell us what you're Thinking Out Loud about today.

Today I'm thinking about some random things that just flat out make me happy.  If you know me, you know it doesn't take much for me to get excited.  Which I'm okay with.  Let's face it, sometimes it's a rough old world out there.  We all need to take advantage of any little thing that makes us smile.  Here are a few of those things for me ~

It's summer and one of my favorite summer foods is corn on the cob.  What isn't my favorite is eating the corn off the cob.  I always cut it off and eat the nice little pile of corn on my plate.  This Pampered Chef kernel cutter makes cutting the corn so darn easy -- I just LOVE it!  They are only $9.50 and worth every penny.  Want one?  Click HERE to order.

Another thing that makes me happy is a good sale.  I love finding bargains and getting good deals.  You can imagine my delight when I realized my favorite mascara was on sale at Beauty Brands!  I use the Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes 4-in-1 mascara and love it.  But there are 22 mascara types on sale so you should check it out and see if your favorite is on sale also.

Another thing that puts a smile on my face is when my quarterly Ebates big fat check lands at my house. One arrived earlier this month.  Are you an Ebates fan?  This is seriously getting money for doing nothing but shopping online for products you buy.  Do you have an Ebates account?  Sign up HERE if you're interested.  Here's how it works ~ after you sign up for an account, go to Ebates.com and search for the company you are going to do some shopping at, click through to that website and shop away.  Your discount amount will show up on your Ebates account and once a quarter they will mail you a check.  It's just that simple.  Yep, getting that check always makes me smile.

So that's some things that put a smile on my face.  What makes you smile?  Would love to hear from you!  Link up below and share one of your favorite posts or just leave a comment about something that makes you smile.

Enjoy more Thoughts for Thursday at:

Home of Malones

East Coast Chic

Thursday Favorite Things Blog Hop

The Deliberate Mom

This is How We Roll

Bows and Clothes

Party at My Place
This post contained affiliate links.  I may receive a small commission if you click on the link and purchase.  Thanks!