Five on Friday - May 17, 2019

It's Friday!!  A few days off work is sounding pretty good right now!  And I'm excited to share my five with you today.  Here they are ~

1.  The SkinnyTaste Air Fryer Cookbook
Months ago I got an air fryer.  I was going to use it everyday and save thousands of calories and lose 50 pounds.  In reality, we've used it one time to cook french fries.  But I have high hopes that we'll be using it more after today.  The SkinnyTaste Air Fryer Cookbook should be waiting for me when I get home tonight.  Do you need a bit of motivation to use your air fryer?  Buy one of these babies and let's cook up the same recipes together.

2.  The Village

I don't know where I've been, but thank goodness my friend Linda asked me if I was watching this show.  Guys - it's good!  Do you watch it?  It's on NBC and airs on Tuesday nights.  I started watching and just couldn't stop.  Here's the description from NBC ~

Welcome to The Village, an apartment building in Brooklyn that appears like any other from the outside but is quite unique inside. The people who reside here have built a bonded family of friends and neighbors. Sarah's a nurse and single mom raising a creative teen; Gabe's a young law student who got a much older and unexpected roommate; Ava must secure the future of her young, U.S.-born son when ICE comes knocking; Nick's a veteran who's returned from war; and the heart and soul of the building, Ron and Patricia, have captivating tales all their own. These are the hopeful, heartwarming and challenging stories of life that prove family is everything - even if it's the one you make with the people around you.

3.  Hunter Boots
I'm not sure if it was booking a trip to Ireland and seeing every packing list say to bring rain boots or all the rain we've been getting, but I pulled the trigger on getting some Hunter boots.   I'm not going to lie, they are FABULOUS!  Ian and Kayla even gifted me a couple pair of Hunter boot socks for Mother's Day.  Now when there's rain the forecast, I'm almost not sad!  Check them out HERE.

4.  Txix and Snickers Chocolate Lowfat Milk

Are you ready to take your chocolate milk to a whole new level?  Be on the lookout for these two new flavors - Snickers and Twix.  They should be showing up at convenience stores this month.  Looks like I'll be going inside to pay for my gas and then stalking the refrigerated section.

5.  Shopping List

Eric and I will be glued to the TV tonight watching the St. Louis Blues search for win number two in this round of the playoffs.  It's been too wet to get my flowers planted, so I'm hoping to knock that out on Saturday.  And I'm going to try very, very hard to whip up a recipe from my new air fryer cookbook.  Whatever's on your agenda, hope you have a wonderful weekend!  See you next week.

Linking up with:

The Peaceful Posse

Amanda at Meet At The Barre
Erika at Little Bit of Everything

Simply Sweet Home
High Five for Friday

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

Friday Favorites - May 17, 2019

Happy Friday!  Enjoy all the greatest today!

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Goodbye Big Bang!

Well, it's here.  Tonight will be the final episode of The Big Bang Theory.  And I'm feeling a bit sad about it.  I don't think I'm alone in feeling that way.  Last week this CBS show drew 12.6 million viewers, beating out Game of Thrones which had 12.5 million!

For 12 seasons, this nerdy comedy has been a show that Eric and I have enjoyed watching together. With my name being Penny, I can't even tell you how many people have done the Penny, Penny, Penny thing to me.  It was cute the first 10 or so times, but the other 48574892875 not so much.

What will you miss most?  Sheldon's Bazingas?  Fun with Flags?  The voice of Bernadette?

Here's some fun facts about this beloved sitcom ~

The original working title was Lenny, Penny and Kenny.  I'm thinking it was a pretty good idea to change that name!

Every episode is titled in the format of a scientific theory except the Pilot (which was named "Pilot").

Soft Kitty is an actual song. It's based on an 18th century tune written by an Australian teacher named Edith Newlin in the 1930s. Have you ever had that song stuck in your head?!?

Leonard loved Penny from the very first time he laid eyes on her.  It wasn't until episode 100 (The Recombination Hypothesis) that she agreed to go out with him.  Ironically, Penny wore the same shirt in both episodes!  Guess Leonard can truly call that his lucky shirt.

Mayim Bialik (or Amy Farrah Fowler to me) actually has a PhD from UCLA in neuroscience.  Crazy!

                        

I'm sure Eric and I will find another sitcom to enjoy together.  I remember feeling this same way when Cheers and Friends and Seinfeld stopped giving us fresh new laughs each week.  How are you feeling about the end of Big Bang?  Do you have a sitcom you love and could recommend taking Big Bang's place in our hearts?

So that's what I'm thinking out loud about today.  Now it's your turn - feel free to link up and share what's on your mind today.  

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Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop - May 15, 2019

Welcome to the Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop! We are so glad you are here. For you moms, we hope you all had a lovely Mother's Day! It is hard to believe that we are so close to finishing up another school year but for many of us it is only a few days or weeks away. Summer is right around the corner! Before starting today's party, let's take a look what you visited most last week. You all must LOVE farming. Two of our most popular for another week are great how-to posts from Unexplained Objects Underfoot!

Most Viewed

How To Start A Self-Sufficient Farm - Unexplained Objects Underfoot

Very Popular

 

5 Tips For Micro Gardening In The Urban Backyard - Unexplained Underfoot Objects

My Before and Afters - B 4 and Afters

   

Hands Down The Best Cake Filling You Will Ever Eat! - Oh! Mrs. Tucker

 

Editor's Picks

9 Cake Tools Every Home Baker Needs - Bakes and Blunders

   

Oriental Vase DIY Flower Pots - Pillarbox Blue

So, now, let's get this party started!

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BAKES AND BLUNDERS [Colleen] – FACEBOOK I INSTAGRAM I PINTEREST l TWITTER

DUCKS ‘N A ROW [Sinea] – FACEBOOK I INSTAGRAM I PINTEREST I TWITTER

ECLECTIC RED BARN [Beverly] – FACEBOOK I INSTAGRAM I PINTEREST I TWITTER

ENGINEER MOMMY [Jennifer] – FACEBOOK I INSTAGRAM I PINTEREST I TWITTER

LeCULTIVATEUR [Emily] – FACEBOOK I INSTAGRAM I PINTEREST

MY LIFE ABUNDANT [Tammy] – FACEBOOK I INSTAGRAM I PINTEREST I TWITTER

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SIMPLE STEPS FOR LIVING LIFE [Cindy] – FACEBOOK I INSTAGRAM I PINTEREST I TWITTER

STILETTOS and SHIPLAP [Tara] – INSTAGRAM I PINTEREST

THE SNYDER FAMILY [Brittany] – INSTAGRAM I PINTEREST

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Five on Friday - May 10, 2019

Happy Friday friends! Are you ready for the weekend?  We definitely are over here!  We were lucky enough to be at the St. Louis Blues hockey game 7 Tuesday night.  The game went into double overtime, so it was a late night - but so, so worth it!  We need a weekend to get caught up on our sleep.

Check out my five for this week ~

1.  Wine Country
Netflix is releasing a new movie today called Wine Country and I can't wait to see it!  They summarize it like this, "When longtime friends meet up for a wine-soaked birthday getaway in Napa Valley, their perfectly planned weekend turns messier by the minute."  I'm excited to see it because I love scenery from wine country and I love the actresses in it.  Sounds like a great weekend movie to me!

2.  SunGuard UV Fabric Protectant
Sunny summer days are on their way and this year I want to protect my bright outdoor umbrella, cushions and pillows from fading into pastel colors.  This SunGard Fabric UV Protectant sounds like just the stuff I need.  It works on indoor and outdoor fabric or decor materials and it will extend the life of your flags, pillows, drapes, awnings, inflatables, mats, mailbox covers, rugs, kits, umbrellas, and more.  You can get approximately 60 square feet per can.  Need some of this stuff at your place?  Click HERE to check it out.

3.  Sips by
Are you still looking for that one special gift to give someone special on Mother's Day?  This subscription box might be the perfect thing!  The subscription includes 4 premium teas from different brands around the world, all specially picked just for the recipient based on a questionnaire they fill out.  Every box will make 15+ cups or 45+ re-steeped cups.  Visit their website HERE to see all the details and enjoy $5 off your first box..

4.  Trader Joe's You Tube Channel

On April 23, something quietly began and very few people were aware of it.  What was it?  Trader Joe's started it's own You Tube channel.  WHAAAAT?!?  That's right.  Trader Joe's has it's own channel highlighting their products and showing you how to best prepare them.  It also has some behind the scenes segments explain how their products are made.  Excuse me while I go watch all of them.

5.  Happy Mother's Day

Hope you have a wonderful Mother's Day!  We are headed to my home town and will be attending a fund raiser tonight.  I'm going to bring my mom back home so we can spend a full day on Saturday together doing fun stuff.  Sunday we're going over to our son and daughter-in-law's house for brunch.  This is going to be a great weekend!  Whatever you're doing, I hope you do things that make you happy.  See you next week.

Linking up with:

The Peaceful Posse

Amanda at Meet At The Barre
Erika at Little Bit of Everything

Simply Sweet Home
High Five for Friday

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

Friday Favorites Linky Party - May 10, 2019

Welcome to Friday Favorites! Enjoy all the fabulous links today.

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

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

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!

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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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Book Review: Lost Roses

Welcome to Thinking Out Loud Thursday where once I week I spill what's floating around in my head onto this page and invite you to do the same.  If you're a blogger, please feel free to link up your latest post below and share what's on your mind.

For today, I'm thinking about the marvelous new book by Martha Hall Kelly that I just recently finished reading - Lost Roses.  As you prepare your summer reading bucket list, this one should be on it!  Actually, it would make a great Mother's Day gift!  Use your Prime account, order today, and have it in your hands before Sunday!  Don't have Prime?  No, worries.  Start your 30-day free trial by clicking HERE.

Now, back to the book review~

Click HERE to purchase

Let's start with the synopsis from Amazon ~

The million-copy bestseller Lilac Girls introduced the real-life heroine Caroline Ferriday. Now Lost Roses, set a generation earlier and also inspired by true events, features Caroline’s mother, Eliza, and follows three equally indomitable women from St. Petersburg to Paris under the shadow of World War I.

It is 1914, and the world has been on the brink of war so often, many New Yorkers treat the subject with only passing interest. Eliza Ferriday is thrilled to be traveling to St. Petersburg with Sofya Streshnayva, a cousin of the Romanovs. The two met years ago one summer in Paris and became close confidantes. Now Eliza embarks on the trip of a lifetime, home with Sofya to see the splendors of Russia: the church with the interior covered in jeweled mosaics, the Rembrandts at the tsar’s Winter Palace, the famous ballet.

But when Austria declares war on Serbia and Russia’s imperial dynasty begins to fall, Eliza escapes back to America, while Sofya and her family flee to their country estate. In need of domestic help, they hire the local fortune-teller’s daughter, Varinka, unknowingly bringing intense danger into their household.

On the other side of the Atlantic, Eliza is doing her part to help the White Russian families find safety as they escape the revolution. But when Sofya’s letters suddenly stop coming, she fears the worst for her best friend.

From the turbulent streets of St. Petersburg and aristocratic countryside estates to the avenues of Paris where a society of fallen Russian émigrés live to the mansions of Long Island, the lives of Eliza, Sofya, and Varinka will intersect in profound ways. In her newest powerful tale told through female-driven perspectives, Martha Hall Kelly celebrates the unbreakable bonds of women’s friendship, especially during the darkest days of history.

Here's my thoughts ~

I thoroughly enjoyed this book.  Written in the same style as Lilac Girls, the author writes each chapter to follow one of the three ladies' story, many times ending the chapter with a touch of suspense. Even with moving from character to character, the flow is smooth and easy to follow.

It's obvious that Martha Hall Kelly has done her research.  The story is woven through history and the book's descriptions of the times and places allows you to feel like you were there while the story is playing out.

The St. Louis County Library hosted Martha Hall Kelly at an author's event in April and I was able to attend.  While I had only read about half the book at the time of the event, it was enthralling to hear from her how she developed both Lilac Girls and Lost Roses.  She was extremely gracious, signing books and actually connecting with her readers.  I think this made me love the book even more!

Martha (I think it's okay for me to call her Martha since I got to stand right by her and all) elaborated on a future third book that also follows this family.  It should be released sometime in 2021 and is based in Civil War time.  She didn't let the entire title out of the bag, but offered us a hint that it will have the word "sunflower" in it.  Any guesses as to what it might be?!?

Now it's your turn.  What's on your mind today?  Link up and share!

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