Five on Friday - July 26, 2024

Hello!  Thanks for popping in Five on Friday.   Let's see what we have today ~

1.  Paris Olympics

It's finally here - the 2024 Summer Olympics!  Today you will be able to watch the spectacular opening ceremony held along the River Seine.  It has been strongly hinted that Celine Dion and Lady Gaga will be there to perform a duet.  The games run through August 11 and will feature a wide range of sports, including the new additions of breaking (breakdancing) and skateboarding.  Let the games begin!

2.  All the Colors of the Dark

Chris Whitaker's new book, All the Colors of the Dark, was picked by the Read with Jenna Book Club, and sounds so fascinating.  Here's the summary ~

1975 is a time of change in America. The Vietnam War is ending. Muhammad Ali is fighting Joe Frazier. And in the smalltown of Monta Clare, Missouri, girls are disappearing.

When the daughter of a wealthy family is targeted, the most unlikely hero emerges—Patch, a local boy, who saves the girl, and, in doing so, leaves heartache in his wake.

Patch and those who love him soon discover that the line between triumph and tragedy has never been finer. And that their search for answers will lead them to truths that could mean losing one another.

A missing person mystery, a serial killer thriller, a love story, a unique twist on each, Chris Whitaker has written a novel about what lurks in the shadows of obsession and the blinding light of hope.

Available HERE

3.  Annual Liter Sale at Beauty Brands

Now's the time to stock up on shampoo at the Beauty Brands Annual Liter Sale!  Pop in a store near you or order online.  Use the code 20963 to get $8 off all liters $27 or more.  There are tons of brands to choose from and the prices can't be beat! 

4.  Personalized Labels

As the school year approaches, you'll have lots of items that need your child's name on them. Make things simpler with personalized labels! These labels are dishwasher-safe and waterproof. You can choose from a variety of colors, fonts, and symbols to customize them.

Available HERE

5.  I love books...

Have a great weekend!  We are headed to Memphis to visit family and meet our newest great-niece.  See you next week!

Giggles and Adventures 2024 Recap

Hello!  Thanks for stopping by Thinking Out Loud Thursday where I share something I'm thinking about and invite you to link up and do the same.  Today I'm recapping the visit of our niece and three nephews last week.  

Our quiet house of two came alive last week when three eight-year-olds and a five-year-old came for a visit.  It was a nonstop, fun-filled few days!

Thursday we were up bright and early.  We made colored pancakes for breakfast.  The kids got a lesson in what two colors you mix together to make the popular orange most selected.  After breakfast, we loaded up to go swimming!

You might recall from my post last week that I had sent all the kids letters with activities to choose from.  Swimming at cousin Ian and Kayla's was selected by all four kids!  I can't thank them enough for letting us come over and frolic in the water!

After lunch, our next stop was Sky Zone.  This place is great for kids to run around and burn off some energy!

Before returning home, we swung by a park for the kids to play and have a shaved ice snack.

After dinner, we played a round of putt-putt golf and then fed the fish before baths and bedtime.  I'm pretty sure they were as worn out as I was!

Friday was zoo day!  St. Louis has an awesome zoo and we spent most of the morning roaming around looking at everyone's favorite animals and riding the carousel and train.  The weather was perfect for our outdoor activity!

After the zoo, we did the activity that was highest on my niece's list.  She had been wanting to visit Build-A-Bear for months and we finally had an opportunity to go!  She admitted to me the night before that she was so excited about going that she wasn't sure she could sleep.  It was the first time I had experienced the whole building experience, and I have to admit it was pretty special!  I'm glad I got to take them!

We walked out with three dinosaurs and a rabbit!  That night we watched Inside Out and all the kids wrapped their new friends in their arms.

Saturday was another busy day!  We had a few more items to cross off the list and our time was running out.  The day was kicked off with breakfast at I-Hop followed by visiting the Whimsical Woods at Faust Park, playing on a playground and taking a nature hike. 

From Faust Park, we went to the Missouri Botanical Gardens.  You might think that a botanical garden is an odd place to take a bunch of kids, but they have an awesome kid's playground complete with a splash pad!  Perfect place to cool down from our nature walk!

We hauled our four wet kids home for dinner and had a little rest before going to Chuck E. Cheese for more action!  

Sunday we were taking the kids back to their homes.  On the way, we pulled in a movie theater and watched Inside Out 2.  We all enjoyed it!  

By the time the kids reached home, we had managed to check off all 12 items on the list of things they wanted to do while visiting Aunt Penny and Uncle Eric.  It was a successful trip!

Now we are trying to get used to the quiet of our house again and I'm already planning the things to do during their next visit!

What are you thinking out loud about today?  Link up and share!

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Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop - July 23, 2024

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 | X
4. Tammy – MY LIFE ABUNDANT | FB | IG | PINTEREST | X | YOUTUBE
5. Denise – THIS IS MY EVERYBODY | FB | IG | PINTEREST | X | YOUTUBE

TOP VIEWED

The Perfect Summer Salad: Lemon Pesto Caprese Salad with Crispy Prosciutto

VERY POPULAR

Poolside Dip

4 Things to Do When Moving Into a New Home

EDITOR'S CHOICE

Repurposed Garden Boots Planter in 3 Easy Steps

LET’S GET THIS PARTY STARTED!

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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.

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Five on Friday - July 19, 2024

Happy Friday!  We are all wrapped up in our visitors today.  Our niece and three nephews are here through the weekend and we are doing all things fun!  Let's get right to Five on Friday so I can get back to the kids ~

1.  Twisters

Twisters opens today!  I still remember when the original Twister movie came out.  Tornadoes were never the same to me again.  Here's the summary of this version ~

Edgar-Jones stars as Kate Carter, a former storm chaser haunted by a devastating encounter with a tornado during her college years who now studies storm patterns on screens safely in New York City. She is lured back to the open plains by her friend, Javi (Ramos) to test a groundbreaking new tracking system. There, she crosses paths with Tyler Owens (Powell), the charming and reckless social-media superstar who thrives on posting his storm-chasing adventures with his raucous crew, the more dangerous the better. As storm season intensifies, terrifying phenomena never seen before are unleashed, and Kate, Tyler, Javi and their crews find themselves squarely in the paths of multiple storm systems converging over central Oklahoma in the fight of their lives.

2.  Summer Olympics

The summer Olympics is just days away! If you're planning a viewing party or will just be watching with family, wave an Olympic flag to show your support.  These come in a pack of 20, so you can use a few for waving and the rest for decoration.  

Available HERE

3.  JFK Jr.

A new book about JFK Jr. was released this week.  It was a 5-star rating on Amazon and sounds so interesting!  Here's the summary ~

The first oral biography of John F. Kennedy Jr. is an extraordinarily intimate, comprehensive look at the real man behind the myth. Sharing never-before-told stories and insights, his closest friends, confidantes, lovers, classmates, teachers, and colleagues paint a vivid portrait of one of the most beloved figures of the 20th century, revealing how the boy who saluted became the man America came to know and love who still captures public imagination twenty-five years after his tragic death.

Born into the spotlight, John F. Kennedy Jr. lived a short but remarkable life filled with expectation, ambition, family pressures, love, and tragedy. JFK Jr. dives deep into his complicated psyche and explores the what-ifs, illuminating both the cultural and political moment he inhabited and the way this son of a president, so full of promise and possibility, embodied America’s most cherished hopes.

Available HERE

4.  Blue Bell Cookies 'n Cream Cheesecake Ice Cream

Did you know that July is National Ice Cream Month?  Blue Bell is celebrating by introducing a new flavor - Cookies 'n Cream Cheesecake.  I know people that love cookies 'n cream and cheesecake flavor so this should make them very happy!  It's in stores now so be on the lookout for it!

5.  Ever had one of these days...

Now I'm getting back to the four kiddos we have visiting!  If you missed my Thursday post about their visit, you can catch it HERE.  See you next week!

Giggles and Adventures 2024

Hello!  Thanks for stopping by Thinking Out Loud Thursday where I share something I'm thinking about and invite you to link up and do the same.  Today all my thoughts are on the upcoming visit of my niece and nephews! 

I'm scooping up my niece and three nephews this week and bringing them to my house for a few days.  Our house will basically be taken over by three eight-year-olds and a five-year-old!  And we love it!  This year I decided to mail each of the kiddos a list of possible activities and they got to vote on their top five things they would like to do.  I also asked them to tell me three foods they would eat.  Just for fun, the letter also had a sheet of scratch-and-sniff stickers tucked inside!

The next few days are going to be action-packed for us!  There were many items on the list for them to choose from and only one item got votes from all four kids.  The goal is to check off all the items that got votes.  Here are the activities we'll be working to check off the list ~

Visit 6 Playgrounds

Go to Build-A-Bear

Visit Splash Pads

Play Putt Putt Golf

Hike a Nature Trail

Go to a Movie

Go to Sky Zone

Go to the Zoo

Go to Chuck E Cheese

Feed the fish

Swim at Ian and Kayla's House

Go to breakfast at I-Hop

Setting the table for their arrival is always a fun chore for me!  Here's what will be greeting the kids when they arrive ~

There's a basket for each child and I've tried to keep things color-coordinated.  I've found that cuts down on some of the bickering on which thing belongs to which kid.  

One of the activities is feeding the fish in our neighborhood ponds.  Each basket has a bag of food we'll take to the water with us.  It's pre-divided and everyone can carry their own.  

I'll be sharing some of our activities on Instagram.  Follow me at PennysPassion for all the fun!

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

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Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop - July 17, 2024

 

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 | X
4. Tammy – MY LIFE ABUNDANT | FB | IG | PINTEREST | X | YOUTUBE
5. Denise – THIS IS MY EVERYBODY | FB | IG | PINTEREST | X | YOUTUBE

TOP VIEWED

White Chocolate Raspberry Drizzle Cake

VERY POPULAR

Let There Be Light

DIY Vintage Garden Decorations & Ideas

EDITOR'S CHOICE

DIY Farmhouse Coffee Printables

Bucatini Pasta with Anchovies, Castelvetrano Olives, and Lemon: A Symphony of Flavors

LET’S GET THIS PARTY STARTED!

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

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Party entries appear in REVERSE. This way your entries 

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Five on Friday - July 12, 2024

 Hello!  Welcome to Five on Friday.  Let's get right to it ~

1.  Fly Me to the Moon

Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tutum's new movie, Fly Me to the Moon, released today and it looks worthy of a trip to the theater!  Besides Scarlett and Channing, the film also has Woody Harrelson and Ray Ramono.  Here's the summary from Fandango ~

Starring Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum, Fly Me To The Moon is a sharp, stylish romantic comedy set against the high-stakes backdrop of NASA’s historic Apollo 11 moon landing. Brought in to fix NASA’s public image, sparks fly in all directions as marketing maven Kelly Jones (Johansson) wreaks havoc on launch director Cole Davis’s (Tatum) already difficult task. When the White House deems the mission too important to fail, the countdown truly begins…

2.  The Summer Pact by Emily Giffin

I'm excited to add Emily Giffin's new book, The Summer Pact, to my reading list.  It sounds like the perfect book to have on vacation!  Here's the summary ~

Four freshmen arrive at college from completely different worlds: Lainey, a California party girl with a flair for drama; Tyson, a brilliant scholar and aspiring lawyer from Washington, D.C.; Summer, an ambitious, recruited athlete from the Midwest; and Hannah, a mild-mannered southerner who is content to quietly round out the circle of big personalities. Soon after arriving on campus, they strike up a conversation in their shared dorm, and the seeds of friendship are planted.

As their college years fly by, their bond intensifies and the four become inseparable. But as graduation nears, their lives are forever changed after a desperate act leads to tragic consequences. Stunned and heartbroken, they make a pact, promising to always be there for one another, no matter how separated they may become by circumstances or distance.

Ten years later, Hannah is anticipating what should be one of the happiest moments of her life when everything is suddenly turned upside down. Calling on her closest friends, it soon becomes clear that they are all facing their own crossroads. True to their promise, they agree to take a time out from lives headed in wrong directions and embark on a shared journey of self-discovery, forgiveness, and acceptance.

In this tender portrayal of grief, love, and hope, Emily Giffin asks: When things fall apart, who will be at our sides, helping us pick up the pieces?

Available HERE

3.  Reese's Medals

The Olympics are coming!  When the Olympics happen, my whole world revolves around the games.  How fun would it be to have these Reese's shaped medals around to snack on while you're watching all the action!?!  If I put together Olympic goody bags, these are definitely going in them.  Do you have an Olympic event coming up?  Better stock up with some Reese's medals!

Available HERE

4.  Hidden Picture Puzzle

Are the kiddos starting to wear you down this summer?  Need a quiet activity for them to do?  Check out this hidden picture puzzle book!  I'm getting ready for my niece and nephews to visit and am stocking up on fun things to keep them busy when we have downtime.  There will be four kiddos here and while one is taking a bath or finishing breakfast, the others can search for the hidden pictures.  I think they will love it!

Available HERE

5.  Simply fact...

Have a great weekend!  I'm working with my next bride tonight to get their save-the-dates ready to go.  Speaking of brides, I blogged about the wedding we did in May this week.  If you missed it, you can see it HERE.  Sunday we are celebrating our 23rd wedding anniversary!  Boy, did those years go by quickly.  See you next week!

Sarah and Travis Get Married

Welcome to Thinking Out Loud Thursday.  It's a time when I talk about something I'm thinking about and invite you to link up and do the same.  Today I'm reflecting on a wedding we coordinated this past May!

On a beautiful day in May, Sarah and Travis had the most magical wedding and reception.  I had worked with the couple for almost a year getting ready for their big day and the planning paid off.  Their wedding was beautiful!  Let's take a look ~

Photo credit: Rachel Myers Photography

Luckily, my friend TW came into town to help pull off this event.  People often ask what we do when coordinating a wedding and the answer is whatever it takes to make the day a dream come true for the bride and groom!  For this wedding, we did many of the paper products like invitations, menues, programs, welcome sign, table numbers, etc., etc., etc.  

Sarah chose The Jewel Box at Forest Park in St. Louis for their ceremony venue.  It was a great decision!  The botanicals made the most beautiful background for their nuptials.

As the guests trickled in, they were welcomed with the beautiful music of a harpist, Sonja Westberg, and violinist.  It set the stage for the wonderful event about to happen.  

Programs were available at the entrance ~

After an exquisite wedding ceremony, everyone traveled to the reception site at the St. Clair Country Club in Belleville, Illinois.  The bride did a quick dress change into her reception dress and we were ready for the evening!

In place of a traditional guest book, guests were asked to leave a message on the mat of a picture of the Jewel Box.  I personally love this idea!  

Guests could drop their cards in a vintage mailbox ~

We also had welcome table set up with pictures of the bride and groom's parents and grandparents wedding pictures.  

Everyone could find their table from the seating chart displayed in the lobby ~

Inside the reception area, the flowers by Flora Milou transformed the space into something magical ~

An element I love to do at weddings is creating a little basket of essentials for the ladies restroom ~

Another element that's becoming very popular at weddings is creating a QR code for guests to share their pictures.  This is such a great idea!  Sarah used Never Miss Moments.  We shared the code on the menus and had on signs at the bar.

Desserts at receptions have been all over the place lately, but I have to say I love a good old fashion wedding cake.  Sarah and Travis's cake was gorgeous and delicious!

The party was taken up a notch when the light sticks came out!  Everyone loves these things!

Light Sticks available HERE

I can't thank my two wedding buddies enough for all their help pulling off the decorating, organizing, glueing and everything else needed to make this wedding a success.  Thanks Eric and TW!

Good luck Sarah and Travis!  I wish you a lifetime of happy memories and blessings.

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