Five on Friday - May 9, 2025

Happy Mother’s Day weekend! I hope you’re feeling celebrated, whether you’re spending time with loved ones, enjoying a little well-deserved rest, or simply soaking in the joy of the season. I know many of you have fun plans and special moments lined up over the next few days, so I’ll keep things moving—let’s dive right into my five favorites for today! ~

1.  Nonnas

This new Netflix movie drops today, and it looks like the perfect feel-good watch for Mother’s Day weekend! It stars some of my favorites—Vince Vaughn, Susan Sarandon, and Joe Manganiello, just to name a few—and it looks absolutely adorable. Here’s a quick summary ~

Vince Vaughn, 55, stars in this light-hearted comedy about a man who loses his mother and decides to honor her “food is love” memory by opening an Italian restaurant. Where’s the comedy, you ask? How about this: He hires four feisty Italian grandmas (including Susan Sarandon, 78!) as the restaurant’s “new” chefs. Joe Manganiello and Linda Cardellini costar. Stephen Chbosky, who helmed the criminally underseen 2012 coming-of-age film The Perks of Being a Wallflower, directs.

2.  My Friends by Fredrik Backman

Fredrik Backman’s brand new book, My Friends, was released this week, and the moment I heard about it, I knew it had to go straight to the top of my TBR list. I’ve loved everything I’ve read from him so far—his storytelling always strikes such a perfect balance between heart and humor. I can’t wait to dive into this one and see where he takes us next!

Most people don’t even notice them—three tiny figures sitting at the end of a long pier in the corner of one of the most famous paintings in the world. Most people think it’s just a depiction of the sea. But Louisa, an aspiring artist herself, knows otherwise, and she is determined to find out the story of these three enigmatic figures.

Twenty-five years earlier, in a distant seaside town, a group of teenagers find refuge from their bruising home lives by spending long summer days on an abandoned pier, telling silly jokes, sharing secrets, and committing small acts of rebellion. These lost souls find in each other a reason to get up each morning, a reason to dream, a reason to love.

Out of that summer emerges a transcendent work of art, a painting that will unexpectedly be placed into eighteen-year-old Louisa’s care. She embarks on a surprise-filled cross-country journey to learn how the painting came to be and to decide what to do with it. The closer she gets to the painting’s birthplace, the more nervous she becomes about what she’ll find. Louisa is proof that happy endings don’t always take the form we expect in this stunning testament to the transformative, timeless power of friendship and art.

Available HERE

3.  Ice Cream Scoop

With summer just around the corner, that can only mean one thing at our house—more ice cream! Whether it's for an after-dinner treat or a mid-afternoon cool-down, we’re always reaching into the freezer for a scoop. But there’s nothing more frustrating than trying to dig into rock-hard ice cream with a regular scoop. That’s why I’m so excited about this clever gadget—it actually heats up to 158 degrees, making it super easy to glide through even the hardest ice cream straight from the freezer. No more bent spoons or sore wrists—just smooth, effortless scoops every time!

Available HERE

4.  Strawberry Bread

I picked our first batch of fresh strawberries last week at a local orchard, and the moment I had them in my hands, I thought of this delicious Strawberry Bread recipe. We ended up devouring the berries so quickly that I didn’t even get a chance to bake it—oops! So it looks like another trip to the orchard is in my near future. If you’ve got fresh strawberries on hand (or plan to pick some soon), I wanted to share this recipe with you—it’s a sweet and simple way to enjoy them!

Recipe HERE

5.  Just a thought...

Wishing you a wonderful weekend ahead! Don’t forget to share a little extra love with the mom figures in your life—whether it’s a hug, a call, or just a kind word, it all counts. I’ll see you back here next week!