Five on Friday - March 29, 2024

Happy Easter Weekend!  I'm off work today and am excited to have an extra day this weekend.  Kicking off things by sharing my Five on Friday ~

1.  Summer Blizzard Menu

Dairy Queen announced its summer blizzard menu recently and on April 1 we can start ordering the new flavors!  Two of the flavors, the Frosted Animal Cookie and the Brownie Batter, are returning flavors.  New this year are the Peanut Butter Cookie Dough, Picnic Peach Cobbler, Ultimate Cookie, and Cotton Candy round out the summer menu.  The one that I can't wait to try is the Picnic Peach Cobbler.  Which one will you be ordering first?

2.  In the Land of Saints and Sinners

Liam Neeson's new movie, In the Land of Saints and Sinners, is released today.  I'm always up for a good Liam Neeson action film.  Hopefully, we can carve out some time to check it out this weekend.  Here's the summary ~

Ireland, 1970s. Eager to leave his dark past behind, Finbar Murphy (Liam Neeson) leads a quiet life in the remote coastal town of Glencolmcille, far from the political violence that grips the rest of the country. But when a menacing crew of terrorists arrive, led by a ruthless woman named Doirean (Kerry Condon), Finbar is drawn into an increasingly vicious game of cat and mouse, forcing him to choose between exposing his secret identity or defending his friends and neighbors.

3.  The Truth About The Devlins

Lisa Scottoline's new book hit the shelves on Tuesday.  It's titled The Truth About The Devlins.  You might recognize the author's name from her bestselling book What Happened to the Bennetts.  This book promises to be another pulse-pounding domestic thriller about family, justice, and the lies that tear us apart.  Here's the summary ~

TJ Devlin is the charming disappointment in the prominent Devlin family, all of whom are lawyers at their highly successful firm—except him. After a stint in prison and rehab for alcoholism, TJ can’t get hired anywhere except at the firm, in a make-work job with the title of investigator.

But one night, TJ’s world turns upside down after his older brother John confesses that he murdered one of their clients, an accountant he’d confronted with proof of embezzlement. It seems impossible coming from John, the firstborn son and Most Valuable Devlin.

TJ plunges into the investigation, seizing the chance to prove his worth and save his brother. But in no time, TJ and John find themselves entangled in a lethal web of deception and murder. TJ will fight to save his family, but what he learns might break them first.

Available HERE

4.  Women's Joggers

I had been seeing these women's joggers all over Instagram and decided to order a pair before our recent trip to Washington DC.  Holy cow - they were fantastic!  So comfortable!  There's a lot of love about these pants.  Let's start with the price - it can't be beat!  The pockets lay flat and are big enough to hold your cell phone.  The waist is wide and doesn't have a drawstring.  If black isn't what you need, they come in a boatload of other colors.  I might just have to add a few more pairs to my wardrobe!

Available HERE

5.  Think about it...

Hope you have a wonderful Easter weekend!  See you back next week.

2024 Easter Mantel and Tray

Thanks for stopping by Thinking Out Loud Thursday where I talk about something I'm thinking about and invite you to link up and do the same.  Today I'm thinking about our Easter mantel and tray!

With Easter just a few days away, I thought I better share our mantel and tray.  We went super simple this year on the mantel.  Nothing on the mantel was new, but we had never used these things together before.  

The rabbits are nestled into the spring flowers embodying the spirit of Easter joy.  

A few years ago I found the wooden egg Easter banner and have used it someplace every year since.  This year it found its' way to the mantel.

The flocked rabbits were so popular this year and I couldn't resist getting a few.  They are sitting on the tray we sit on our coffee table.  

I'm hoping to find a few more flocked bunnies after Easter on massive sale.  I'd love to decorate the whole mantel with them next year!  Happy Easter everyone!

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

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Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop - March 27, 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

Free Printable Spring Bucket List

VERY POPULAR

Cozy Breakfast Nook Ideas

Guilt-Free Delightful Low Carb Appetizers

EDITOR'S CHOICE

Bunny Bait

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! 

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Five on Friday - March 22, 2024

Hello!  Happy Friday!  We are taking a little trip this weekend and I can't wait to get it started.  It was on my bucket list to see the cherry blossoms in Washington, DC and that item just might get checked off the list this weekend!  Before we head out, let me share my five for the week ~

1.  Earth Hour

Have you heard of Earth Hour before? I just heard about this grassroots environmental movement for the first time this year and it seems pretty cool.  For one hour, starting at 8:30 pm, this Saturday night turn off all your lights.  Last year, over 410,000 hours were given to our planet by supporters in over 190 countries and territories.  Help make this year even bigger by turning your lights off for 60 minutes on Saturday!ng you love!

2.  The #1 Lawyer

Hey, James Patterson fans - his newest book was released this week.  Here's the summary ~

Biloxi’s best criminal defense attorney has never lost a case. Then his client’s beautiful wife is murdered, and America’s #1 lawyer suddenly becomes its #1 suspect.

Stafford Lee Penney is a small-town lawyer with a big-time reputation for winning every case he tries. In his sharp suits and polished Oxford shoes, Penney is Biloxi, Mississippi’s #1 Lawyer and top local celebrity.

Just as Penney notches his latest courtroom victory, his wife is scandalously killed. He spirals into a legal and personal losing streak, damaging his reputation and ruining his career.

That’s when Penney makes a bold decision. He stops trading on his power-lawyer identity and creates a new one: lawyer lifeguard. Moonlighting at the beach, showing up to court in flip-flops, mentoring a law student, the new Penney is at first unrecognizable.

It’s said that a lawyer who represents himself has a fool for a client. But when Penney is accused of murder, the #1 Lawyer will find a way to triumph.

Available HERE

3.  Rain Jacket

The weather for our trip kept showing rain, then no rain, rain, then no rain.  As of today, there's a 95% chance it will be raining on Saturday.  Luckily, I ordered a new rain jacket from Amazon last week and love it!  It has a hood in case you get stranded without an umbrella and flap pockets so nothing will tumble out of them.  It also comes in a boat load of colors!

Available HERE

4.  Indoor Fire Pit

I saw this indoor fire pit in an ad the other day and now I'm obsessed!  This is definitely going on my Mother's Day wish list.  I'm picturing sitting it on a table outside this spring and eating al fresco.  How cool would that be?!?  It comes in two sizes and has great reviews.  

Available HERE

5.  This is me...

Okay, I'm off!  If you follow me on Instagram, hopefully, you will see some pictures with a ton of cherry blossoms in them.  While we're strolling around DC, we will also be keeping an eye on the NCAA tournament scores.  (Thanks Kentucky for majorly screwing up our bracket!)  What an exciting weekend ahead!  Hope yours is great!

Easter Tiered Tray - 2024

Thanks for stopping by Thinking Out Loud Thursday!  This is a time when I share something I'm thinking out loud about and invite you to link up and do the same.  Today I'm thinking about our Easter tiered tray!

St. Patrick's Day and Easter were so close together this year, I decided to pass right over getting out all the shamrocks and leprechauns and jump right into bunnies and eggs!  As a matter of fact, I didn't even take away all the items I had used for the Valentine's tiered tray.  When we were transitioning the window into an Easter theme, we were in a hurry which helped us make the decision to leave a few things like the candleholders and just work around them.  

Bunnies landed on every tier of the tray.  Each layer of the tray is adorned with some bunnies, eggs, and carrots.

In the center of our window, we placed our large Every Bunny Welcome and added a couple cute little bunnies in front of it.

The flowers tucked in are a wonderful reminder that Spring is here!  

Spring, like Easter, brings a sense of renewal, as nature awakens from its winter slumber.  The days are growing longer and warmer.  It's such a beautiful time of year, filled with the promise of new beginnings and growth.

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!

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Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop - March 20, 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

Fruit Salad Cheesecake

VERY POPULAR

Pretty Table Setting for Savory Tea

A Bowl of Bunnies

EDITOR'S CHOICE

Spring Crudite Platter

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 - March 15, 2024

It's Friday!  I'm thrilled that we have another weekend right around the corner.  Let's kick off the weekend with my Five on Friday ~

1. Taylor Swift:  The Eras Tour (Taylor's Version)

If you weren't able to catch Taylor Swift's Eras Tour in person or in the theaters, you have a new chance to stream the concert film starting today!  Disney+ will be the exclusive streaming home of the film and will present the concert in its entirety for the first time.  This streaming version will include the song "Cardigan" and four additional acoustic songs.  Pretty excited to finally see this in the comfort of my own home!

2.  How to Walk into a Room

I've been listening to Emily P. Freeman's podcast The Next Right Thing for years and was excited to hear Emily announce she was writing another book.  Her newest book, How to Walk into a Room, was released this week and I can't wait to dig into it!  Here's the summary from Amazon ~

What do you do when you start to feel a shift and must decide if it’s time to make a change? When it comes to navigating big decisions about when to stay and go, how can we know for sure when the time is right? Though we enter and exit many rooms over the course of our life—jobs, relationships, communities, life stages—knowing how and when it’s time to leave is a decision that rarely has a clear answer.

Podcast host, spiritual director, and bestselling author of The Next Right Thing, Emily P. Freeman offers guidance to help us recognize when it’s time to move on from situations that no longer fit, allowing us to find new spaces where we can flourish and grow.

How to Walk Into a Room helps us begin to uncover the silent, nuanced, and hidden arrows for anyone asking questions like: How do I know if it’s time to move on? What if I stay and nothing changes? What if I leave and everything falls apart?

Through thought-provoking questions, spiritual practices, and personal stories, How to Walk into a Room will help you to know and name the caution flags in your current spaces, discern the difference between true peace and discomfort avoidance, navigate endings even when there is no closure, find peace for when you feel ready but it isn’t time, and courage for when it’s time but you don’t feel ready.

For anyone standing in a threshold, here’s a book to help discern the how, when, and what now of walking out of rooms and into new ones with peace, confidence, and a whole heart.

Available HERE

3.  St. Patrick's Day Doughnuts

In case you haven't looked ahead on your calendar, Sunday is St. Patrick's Day!  Make sure you dig out your green to wear.  Another fun way to celebrate is to pick up a box of these St. Patrick's Day doughnuts from Krispy Kreme.  Don't they look festive!  Their names are adorable too:  Luck of the Rainbow, Shamrock Cookies 'n Kreme made with Oreo, Plaid Party, and Shooting Shamrock.  

4.  Lego Easter Bunny

Are you looking for that fun gift to put in the kid's Easter basket?  Check out this Lego set!  It's three things in one box.  After Easter, the pieces can be turned into a parrot or seal.  Talk about the gift that keeps on giving!  The rabbit stands about 5-1/2" tall after being constructed from the 258 piece kit.  

Available HERE

5.  Just sayin'...

Have a great weekend!  I'm hoping to spend a bit of time outside enjoying the warmer weather.  Maybe I'll enjoy reading my new Emily P. Freeman book while sitting outside too!  See you next week.

Sedona Girls' Trip - Day 3

Welcome to 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 day 3 of our recent girls' trip to Sedona.

We had a special adventure planned for Day 3 of our girls' trip to Sedona.  The day started with breakfast at Coffee Pot Restaurant.  Believe it or not, their menu has over a hundred types of omelets!  Our food was good and the coffee never ran out.  After we ate, we browsed around the adorable gift shop attached to the establishment.  

When we stepped out of the restaurant, we were greeted with falling sleet.  It stopped quickly, but the clouds hung around most of the day.  

For the adventure of the day, we had booked a trip on the Verde Canyon railroad.  The train left from Clarksdale which was about a 30-minute drive from Sedona.  We arrived early enough to roam around a few shops in Clarksdale and tour the little museum at the train depot site.  

We boarded the train and got settled in.  Included in the ticket price was lunch, a snack on the train, and a glass of champagne.  There was a bar in each car if you wanted to have an additional cocktail.

The train takes you on a ride through the backcountry of Arizona.  It was quite the way to see the red-rock canyon!  You get to see what train travel used to be.  The seats were large and comfortable with panoramic windows.  If you wanted to step outside, there were open-air cars attached to each coach.  

Sitting outside wasn't as pleasant the day we were there because it intermittently rained the entire time.  We did step out between the rain showers to take in the beauty of the canyon.  

 The passage will take you over a trestle bridge and through a tunnel.  

From start to finish, the train is a four-hour journey.  We probably would have spent more time outside if the weather had been a bit better, but the seating inside was very comfortable.  

We were rewarded with a rainbow at the end of our journey!

On our drive back to Sedona, we got a great view of the snow dusting on top of the mountains.  I honestly did not think we would see snow in Arizona during our trip!

For dinner, we had reservations at Dahl & Di Luca.  This rare gem in the Italian culinary world is one of the restaurants created by Executive Chef Lisa Dahl.  We each ordered an entree and shared the dishes.  So, so delicious!  

Day 4 of our trip will be coming soon.  In the meantime, what are you thinking out loud about today?  Link up and share!

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