Friday, August 30, 2019

Five on Friday - August 30, 2019

Happy Friday!  Do you have a long weekend ahead?  I'm so looking forward to being off on Monday!  We've had a busy week, so an extra day off is just what we need.

Enjoy my five for today ~

1.  Starbucks's New Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew
Ok - did you wait in line at Starbucks on Tuesday to be one of the first to try their new Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew?  The baristas are busy whipping up the cold brew with vanilla, topped with frothy pumpkin cream cold foam and a little sprinkle of pumpkin spice topping.  This is their first new pumpkin-infused coffee drink since the famous PSL (pumpkin spice latte) in 2003.  If you've tried it, let me know what you thought.


2.  The Pioneer Woman Magazine
Something new showed up on the news stands this week - The Pioneer Woman Fall Magazine!  This publication only comes out quarterly and I have to admit, I get a little giddy each time a new one arrives in the mail.  Hoping to find some time this weekend to sit back and thoroughly enjoy each and every page.  Want a subscription?  Click HERE to get started.


3.  National Toasted Marshmallow Day
Celebrate today's national holiday by lighting up the firepit and roasting some marshmallows!  What a day to celebrate!  How do you like your's cooked?  Do you stick them straight in the fire until they are ablaze?  Or do you keep them just above the flame and let them get nice and gooey?  I'll take them either way because toasted marshmallows are one of my favorite things! 

National Toasted Marshmallow Day - August 30

4.  OPI Nail Polish
I got a new OPI polish this week and, I have to admit, I bought it just because I loved the name.  It's called Tickle Me France-y.  So cute!  Who gets the job to name nail polishes anyway?!?  I would love to just sit in on one of those meetings.  Anyway - back to the polish.  It's a wonderful neutral color perfect for the transition between summer and fall.  Click HERE to grab some for yourself.


5.  Reminder for the weekend.....

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Hope you have a great weekend!  We don't have a lot planned.  Tonight we're having dinner out and the rest of the weekend is up for grabs.  Maybe, just maybe, I'll try to do a little cleaning in the basement.  Doesn't that sound like fun!  Somewhere down there is a recipe for homemade apple butter.  It would make my week if I could find it.  Wish me luck!

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Thursday, August 29, 2019

Friday Favorites Linky Party - August 30, 2019

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Walmart Beauty Box

Welcome to Thinking Out Loud Thursday where I share something I'm thinking about and invite you to do the same.  Link up below and share what's on your mind today.

It always makes me smile when I pull down the door on the mailbox and there's a package sitting inside waiting for me.  That's just one of the many reasons I'm in love with the Walmart Beauty Box.  Four times a year, once each season, Walmart delivers to me a little box of happy.


Did you know Walmart even had such a magical thing?  I've been a subscriber for some time now, but I'm not sure I've ever shared this secret with you.  For only $5 per season (shipping included), they will send you a box full of goodies from the best beauty brands sold at Walmart.

Let's take a peek at what was in my latest arrival ~


Soleil Sensitive Disposable Razor
3 Flexible Blades
Comfort Shield Helps Protect Skin from Nicks & Cuts
Effortlessly Glides for Silky Smooth Skin
Soothing Moisture Strip Enriched with Aloe Vera


Blistix Conditioning Lip Serum
Blistex Conditioning Lip Serum's ultra-rich
daily use formula soaks in to thoroughly moisturize and 
completely revitalize lips.


ROC Eye Cream
Refresh & Revitalize the Skin Around Your Eyes
3 Age-Defying Results
Visibly reduces the appearance of puffiness, dark circles and fine lines around the eye by 50%


Silhouette in Bloom Fragrance
Christian Siriano Silhouette in Bloom is the sophisticated, feminine and
elegant vision of women translated into a flowerful fragrance.


Neutrogena Blackhead Eliminating Strip to Scrub
An innovative new strip that
transforms with water into a scrub


All this for the low price of $5.  Heck, the excitement of having a package in the mailbox alone was worth the five bucks!  In all seriousness, I love this subscription box because 9 times out of 10 the items are ones I will truly use.  The sizes are convenient to throw in my travel bag too.  

Want one for yourself?  Click HERE to get started.  I don't think you will be sad you did!

Now it's your turn.  Share what you're thinking out loud about today.


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Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop - August 28, 2019

Welcome to the Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop!

Welcome to the Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop where we enjoy linking up posts about recipes, crafts, DIY, everyday life & more every Tue at 7:00 pm EST #wwbloghop

I hope everyone had a wonderful week! Fall is definitely coming and you can tell by all the posts with pumpkins!  Are you ready for the new season?  I'm still hanging on to summer, but can feel the shift slowly starting.  Enjoy all the goodness this week ~

Top Viewed




Very Popular


Instagram Swipe-Up Feature Without Having 10K Followers




Some New Old Stuff…The Camp Edition







Editors Choice


So let's get this party started!
Welcome to the Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop where we enjoy linking up posts about recipes, crafts, DIY, everyday life & more every Tue at 7:00 pm EST #wwbloghop
Thanks to all of our party hosts for making this blog hop possible!
Take a moment and follow us
Simple party guidelines:
  • Please TWEET our party ♥
  • Add as many of your family-friendly posts as you would like to. No Etsy shops, adult sites or blog parties, please.
  • Visit others. Let them know you stopped by!
  • If you are NEW to Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop, let us know in the comments so that we can follow you back. ♥ Help us find your posts – tell us the title.
  • NOTE: party entries appear in REVERSE. i.e. the most recent entry goes to the top! That way all of our guests will have a really good chance to be seen no matter when they arrive.
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Monday, August 26, 2019

Ireland - Day 3

Today I'll be sharing Day 3 of our trip to Ireland.  If you missed Days 1 and 2, you can catch up HERE.  Disclaimer:  Not a single picture we took completely captures the beauty of the actual scenery.

After exploring Dublin on Days 1 and 2, we were ready to hit the road and see some of the countryside.  We had booked the Northern Ireland Coast and Belfast City Full-Day Tour with Wild Rover Tour Company for Day 3.  The scheduled departure time was 7:00 am, so we were up and out of the hotel early.


It seems several tours meet at Upper O'Connell Street, so when we got there we had to figure out exactly what we were doing.  It didn't take long to find a tour guide and he pointed us in the right direction for our specific trip.  Once loaded on the right bus, we sat back and listened to Kevin the tour guide tell us interesting facts about northern Ireland and Belfast as we worked our way to the first stop.

You had a choice of the political black taxi tour of Belfast or the Titanic Museum.  Eric and I chose to check out the Titanic museum.  Kevin had our tickets ready to go, so we bypassed the line and walked straight into the displays.


The museum is located on the docks where the big ship was built and first launched.  It opened in 2012 to mark the 100th anniversary of the maiden voyage.  We meandered through the creative displays which took us through the building and launch of this infamous vessel.  Our allotted time for this stop went by very fast.


Our next stop was the Giant's Causeway.  This stop was top on both Eric and my list of things we wanted to see in Ireland.  Legend has it that the columns are the remains of a causeway built by a giant.  The basalt columns are truly an epic sight.  We didn't personally count the hexagonal-shaped pillars that date back to almost 60 million years ago, but we understand there's over 40,000 of them!








We grabbed a bowl of seafood chowder in the visit center then loaded the bus to get to our next stop - Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge.  Originally designed for fishermen, this 90-foot-high bridge crosses a 65-foot wide chasm between two islands.  I'm not going to lie - Eric and I both questioned rather we wanted to do this.  It was a bit adventurous for us, but we were both so happy we did it!

The trek to the bridge was gorgeous - and a bit strenuous!  My fitbit was getting a workout!



Wasn't really sure how I felt when we ran into this ~



Eric and I marched right across like pros and felt pretty invigorated in the process.





After our exciting day, we loaded the bus to head back to Dublin.  Luckily, the days in Dublin were long.  It didn't get dark until around 9:00 pm, helping us see all the beauty for hours in every day.  We arrived and walked back to the hotel to grabbed dinner at the bar.  Over our meal, we reflected on Day 3 and planned Day 4.

Day 4 was taking us to the Wicklow Mountains.  I'll be summarizing that day soon.
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Thursday, August 22, 2019

Five on Friday - August 23, 2019

Oh boy - this has been the week after vacation and I'm needing this weekend!  I love coming home from vacation and feeling all energized. But I'm also looking forward to having a few down days to catch my breath again.  Before any of that, here's my five for this week~

1.  Maple Creme Oreos
Guess what Walmart has - maple creme Oreos!  I'm going on the hunt for them this weekend.  Can you imagine the kitchen at the Oreo factory.  Those guys have been on overdrive lately with all the different flavors they've been whipping out.  This one though - it could possibly be my favorite.


2.  Angel Has Fallen
Definitely on our list of movies to see is Angel Has Fallen.  Starring two of my favorites, Gerard Butler and Morgan Freeman, makes this one look pretty promising.  Here's the synopsis from Fandango:
When there is an assassination attempt on U.S. President Allan Trumbull (Morgan Freeman), his trusted confidant, Secret Service Agent Mike Banning (Gerard Butler), is wrongfully accused and taken into custody. After escaping from capture, he becomes a man on the run and must evade his own agency and outsmart the FBI in order to find the real threat to the President. Desperate to uncover the truth, Banning turns to unlikely allies to help clear his name, keep his family from harm and save the country from imminent danger.
                       

3.  Lifestride See This Shoes
Mama got a new pair of shoes recently and I'm so in love with them.  I wore them to work for the first time yesterday and got tons of compliments.  Don't you love when people notice you're wear something new!  These babies are both stylish and comfortable.  Grab a pair while they are still in stock.  Click HERE and use code LS10OFF to get 10% off and free shipping.  With a deal like that, buy a couple pairs!

LifeStride See This Women's High Heels
4.  Underbed Storage
I'm always looking for more storage space and these containers are a perfect way to utilize that wasted space that's under your bed.  They have 4 wheels built in to make pulling them in and out so much easier.  Tuck away those sweaters in the summer and shorts in the winter in this handy container!  Click HERE to get a pair for yourself.


5.  When I'm old.....

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Okay guys - have a great weekend.  I'm visiting with a couple friends tonight, hosting a wedding meeting tomorrow morning and then enjoying the afternoon with a couple other friends at the Midwest Salute to the Masters in Fairview Heights, Illinois.  So much fun ahead!   Pop in next week to hear more about our vacation in Ireland.  See you soon!

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Friday Favorites - August 23, 2019

Please support and follow our lovely blog party hostesses:
Jerri at Simply Sweet Home - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Lisa at Condo Blues - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Penny at Penny's Passion - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Kelly at Under a Texas Sky - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst | BL
Jennifer at Busy Being Jennifer - Twitter | FB | Pin | Inst
If you are featured this week, be sure and grab a featured button for your blog!
You can show your love for this week's favorites by going over and commenting on the posts and by pinning or sharing!
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Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Thinking Out Loud about Vacation - Dublin Day 1 and 2

Welcome to Thinking Out Loud Thursday!  So glad you popped in today and hope you link up below and share your latest post.  Eric and I recently returned from a week long vacation to Ireland and that's what I'm thinking out loud about today.

Way back in February, Eric and I started talking about where we wanted to vacation this year.  Barcelona was high on my list, but Eric really wanted to go to Ireland.  Since 99.5% of the time we vacation at my top destinations, I thought it would be nice to let Eric's choice win out this year.

After deciding we would travel in August because it's one of the warmest months in Ireland, I started checking vacation packages on Travelocity, Orbitz and Priceline.  We found a deal fairly quickly that fell in our budget and travel specifications and booked it.  I ordered the Ireland and Dublin travel books by Rick Steves.  Then I let the trip sit.  And sit.  And sit. The thought of tramping around in the cooler temps and rain wasn't making me overly excited to plan our excursions until I could see the weather forecast closer to our trip. 

By the way, I ended up booking on Travelocity going through Ebates (or Ratuken as it's now called).  If your not familiar with Ratuken, check it out HERE.  Every quarter I get a big fat check for doing nothing special other than clicking through their site when shopping online or in stores!

Both Eric and I had ideas of some things we would like to do while in Ireland and we literally sat down the night before our flight left and booked a couple tours outside the city of Dublin.  More on those in later posts.  Today I'm going to talk about our Day 1 and Day 2, which were spent in Dublin.   And by the way, going to Ireland was a fantastic decision.  We had a magnificent time!

Day 1
We landed a little late and headed straight to the hotel via number 700 Air Coach.  Although a bit apprehensive about taking the bus versus a car service or taxi, we were willing to give it a try.  For a mere 6 euros a piece, it was a wonderful option.  Air Coach was easy to find at the airport and there was a drop literally right outside our hotel.

The Clayton Burlington Road was our home away from home for the week.  After checking in and dropping our luggage, we headed out to explore the city.  It was a short 15 minute walk to St. Stephen's Green.  The park got it's start in 1664 and was originally a medieval commons.



We meandered down Grafton Street and let the sounds and sights sink in.  Street musicians were everywhere and it was nice just to pause and listen to their talents.  Flowers adorned many of the building, making them beautiful to look at.






Seeing the Visitor Center, we went in and purchased our Dublin Pass for the next day and also booked a tour for one of our open days.  Eric and I both were looking forward to busting out of the city and getting to see the country side.

Our bellies were telling us it was time to eat so we wandered in a pub.  The football game semi final was on the television and it was a fun atmosphere to enjoy our first meal in Dublin.

We closed out the day by getting some gelato and walking back to the hotel.  The following day we were going to conquer Dublin!


Day 2
Dublin here we come!  We were up and out the door early to catch the Hop On Hop Off bus.  It delivered us to our first stop - the Guinness Brewery.  I'm not going to lie, after visiting this is one stop I could have skipped.  We have the Anheuser-Busch brewery in St. Louis and their tour is so much more than the Guinness one.  The best part was the Gravity Bar located at the top of the building with a 360 view of the city.


After leaving Guinness, we ventured to a couple churches and then accidentally became extras in the filming of Normal People in the courtyard of Trinity College.  Oops!




Ireland has a long list of film locations.  If you're a fan of The Tudors, Christ Church might look very familiar to you.


We had a very satisfying lunch at Boxty and were ready to check some things off the list.  The afternoon was filled by seeing the Temple Bar, City Hall, Dublin Castle, and Penny Bridge.




Most of the things on our list inside Dublin were checked off so we headed back to the hotel to get a good night's sleep.  Day 3 was going to take us to Belfast.  Pop in next week to see our adventures on that trip!

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