Five on Friday - June 17, 2022

It's Friday!  What a week it's been and I'm so looking forward to quitting time today!  Here's my five for today ~

1.  Father's Day

Sunday is Father's Day!  I can't wait to celebrate the day with my dad and to honor my husband for all the fatherly duties he's performed.  I've been so blessed to have a great dad and celebrating him will be a pleasure.  Interestingly, the first presidential proclamation honoring fathers on the third Sunday in June didn't happen until 1966 by President Lyndon B. Johnson.  It wasn't signed into law until President Richard Nixon in 1972.  We had been celebrating Mother's Day for over 50 years by then!  So give those dads a special pat on the back this Sunday and let them know how much you care.

2.  Lightyear

If you're looking for a family movie to go to this weekend, Lightyear is there for you!  The Pixar movie starring Buzz Lightyear opens in theaters today and is already creating quite the "buzz".  If you grew up with the Toy Story movies, you'll notice that it's not the voice of Tim Allen speaking for Mr. Lightyear.  This movie has also been banned in 14 Middle Eastern and Asian countries because of a same-sex relationship in the film.  But the reviews are pretty good and it's definitely on my want-to-see list.  Here's the summary from Rotten Tomatoes ~

Pixar returns to theaters with Lightyear, a sort of spin-off of their Toy Story franchise featuring the in-universe inspiration for the Buzz Lightyear toy (voiced here by Chris Evans). The first reviews of the movie celebrate its animated sci-fi action and adventure story and visuals, as well as its scene-stealing robot cat for comic relief, but it’s not necessarily the studio’s greatest release.

3.  Power Strip with USB Ports

It's time for us to upgrade our power strips to ones with USB ports.  Does everyone have these but us?  Having the outlets and USB ports is genius!  I'm going to throw one in our suitcase so we'll have it with us when we travel.  One is also going in our guest bedroom so guests can easily plug in.  

4.  ADVdesigns

I've found a new shop on Etsy that I love!  ADVdesigns has the cutest earrings and their prices can't be beaten.  I've ordered several times and they have never disappointed me.  In my latest order, I got the pair below which will be perfect for the Fourth of July.  Delivery takes about a week.  The mini and classic sizes are my favorite.  

5.  It's hot out there...

Let's get this weekend started!  I'm excited to see my family on Sunday and we're going to our son and daughter-in-law's on Saturday.  It going to be a fun few days!  I'll be back to share all the details on Monday.  Next week I'm also going to be posting about our three-tier tray decorations.  Hope to see you back next week!

All American Mantel

So glad you stopped by today for Thinking Out Loud Thursday!  Our mantel got a makeover this week and that's what I'm thinking out loud about today.

Last year we were getting ready for vacation over the Fourth of July so I didn't get out a single holiday decoration.  I didn't want that to happen again this year!  This week we transformed our mantel to an All-American theme worthy of patriotic bliss.

This year I was wanting something new to decorate with, so one stop by Hobby Lobby and I found some new treasures.  Three signs and a new vase quickly went into my cart and the new look was born.

Some of our old decorations made the cut to reappear.  The bunting banner has been around for years and is still hanging in there.

We have a whole collection of Uncle Sams.  A couple made their way to the mantel.

The candlesticks stayed from our Spring decorations and we added the wooden fireworks to finish off that side of the mantel.

We are ready for the fireworks!  I'm pretty happy how the mantel turned out and I'm excited to show you our tiered-tray.  It got a Fourth of July makeover too!  I'll be sharing it soon.

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 - June 15, 2022

Welcome to Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop

Welcome to the Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop and thanks for stopping 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

Please follow the hosts on at least 1 social media channel!

1. Ahna - HAMMERS N HUGS | FB | IG | PINTEREST
2. Anne & AnnMarie - SIMPLY 2 MOMS | FB | IG | PINTEREST
   
3. Bev - ECLECTIC RED BARN | IG | PINTEREST
4. Cindy - SIMPLE STEPS FOR LIVING LIFE | FB | IG | PINTEREST
5. Christin - MY HOMIER HOME | FB | IG | PINTEREST
6. Emily - LeCULTIVATEUR | FB | IG | PINTEREST
7. Jana - HARVESTING HOME | FB | IG | PINTEREST
8. Penny - PENNY’S PASSION | FB | IG | PINTEREST
9. Sinea - DUCKS ‘N A ROW | FB | IG | PINTEREST | TWITTER
10. Tammy - MY LIFE ABUNDANT | FB | IG | PINTEREST
11. Tara - STILETTOS AND SHIPLAP | IG | PINTEREST

Today's Features

Top Viewed

Front Yard Remodel Update

 Very Popular

Bang Bang Shrimp Pasta

Very Popular

Patriotic Summer

Editor's Pick

Easy Way to Reupholster Seats and Stools

Three Ingredient Nutella Brownies

Be sure to grab our Specially Featured graphic below if your post was featured this week, and hyperlink it to this post on your blog or sidebar. We love showing you off!

Let's Get This Party Started

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Weekending - June 10, 2022

I'm here for a little weekend rewind today!  It's graduation season and this weekend we celebrated the daughter of our friends!

This young woman is truly amazing!  Not only is she stunningly beautiful, but her heart is also just as spectacular.  It's a little hard for me to believe she's graduating from high school.  I can still vividly remember visiting her in the hospital when she was just a few days old.  Watching her grow up has been a joy!

I share something very rare and unique with her momma.  Sharyn and I have been friends since the first grade. Not many people have the honor of friendship with someone for that long!  Sharyn and I met our friend Linda in the sixth grade and we've been friends ever since.  

They did a great job decorating for the party.  I loved all the special touches!

One of the coolest decorations was the balloons floating out of the pool.  They looked great at night too.

Guess where she's going to college?  She is Auburn bound in the fall.  I'm secretly hoping she joins the same sorority I was in at another university.  

Sunday morning we met up with our friends again for breakfast.  Breakfast food isn't my most favorite, so I opted for the chili cheese fries with a side of pancakes.  Yum!

Eric spent Sunday afternoon doing yard work and I spend it on the couch finishing the season of Grey's Anatomy.  

We did get our ceiling fans switched over for summer.  Did you know that during the summer months, your ceiling fan blades should be set to turn counterclockwise?  Ours are now going in the right direction. We need all the cooling help we can get this week because the temps are supposed to hit 100 degrees most days.  It's HOT!

Hope you had a wonderful weekend and your week is off to a great start.  I'm going to be showing you our Fourth of July mantel later this week, so be sure to pop back in!

Five on Friday - June 10, 2022

Happy Friday friends!  I'm back to share my five for this week ~

1.  Jurassic World Dominion

I feel like we are finally getting some good movies back in the theaters!  After Top Gun last week, this week we're getting Jurassic World Dominion.  Here's the plot as reported by Movie Insider ~

Dominion takes place four years after Isla Nublar has been destroyed. Dinosaurs now live—and hunt—alongside humans all over the world. This fragile balance will reshape the future and determine, once and for all, whether human beings are to remain the apex predators on a planet they now share with history’s most fearsome creatures.

2.  Mini Air Conditioner

I'm sure a lot of you are spending your evenings and weekends sitting on the sidelines watching your kiddos play sports.  And it gets mighty hot doing so!  Years ago I invested in a couple mini air conditioners and they have been lifesavers!  These come with me to weddings to keep the bride and groom cool, outdoor concerts, parades, really anywhere I have to be out in the heat.  There's a sponge on the inside that you wet and that helps keep the air that's circulating through nice and cool.  You won't be sad to have a couple of these around!

3.  The Hotel Nantucket

Elin Hilderbrand's newest novel is being released this week.  Order now to have it arrive to you on the day it comes out.  It sounds like a great beach read!  Here's the summary from Amazon ~

Fresh off a bad breakup with a longtime boyfriend, Nantucket sweetheart Lizbet Keaton is desperately seeking a second act. When she’s named the new general manager of the Hotel Nantucket, a once Gilded Age gem turned abandoned eyesore, she hopes that her local expertise and charismatic staff can win the favor of their new London billionaire owner, Xavier Darling, as well as that of Shelly Carpenter, the wildly popular Instagram tastemaker who can help put them back on the map. And while the Hotel Nantucket appears to be a blissful paradise, complete with a celebrity chef-run restaurant and an idyllic wellness center, there’s a lot of drama behind closed doors. The staff (and guests) have complicated pasts, and the hotel can’t seem to overcome the bad reputation it earned in 1922 when a tragic fire killed nineteen-year-old chambermaid Grace Hadley. With Grace gleefully haunting the halls, a staff harboring all kinds of secrets, and Lizbet’s own romantic uncertainty, is the Hotel Nantucket destined for success or doom?

Filled with the emotional depth and multiple points of view that characterize Hilderbrand’s novels (The Blue Bistro, Golden Girl) as well as an added dash of Roaring Twenties history, The Hotel Nantucket offers something for everyone in this compelling summer drama.

4.  Denim and Rhinestones

Ready to hear some new music this weekend?  Carrie Underwood's new album, Denim and Rhinestones, is being released today!  She's bringing us 12 tracks, including her latest hit single, "Ghost Story".  It's sure to be another best-selling album to add to her long list of hits.

5.  Where I Am...

Have a wonderful weekend!  I'm determined to get caught up on some things around the house.  Truth be told, I've been off my game lately.  Hoping this weekend will give me a little time to get myself back together.  We also have a graduation party to attend.  Pop in next week to hear how it goes.

Thinking Out Loud Thursday - June 9, 2022

Hello friends!  Welcome to Thinking Out Loud Thursday where I talk about something on my mind and invite you to link up and do the same.

It's been a minute since I wrote anything for the blog.  The last couple of weeks have been a blur and it feels good to sit down to reflect on what's been going on around here.  I'm so grateful to have Eric by my side because he has a knack for keeping me at least half sane in times when my world gets a little stressful.  That's what I'm thinking out loud about today!

We did our annual trek to Kansas City over Memorial Day to participate in our friend's washer tournament.  Eric and I are blessed to have these friends in our lives and it was fun gathering with them for a weekend full of action!  Eric actually threw his way to become this year's champion!

My parents' house is on the way home from Kansas City, so we were able to stop in and see them on our way home.  

Last weekend was one of the two weddings I'm coordinating this year.    Every time I do an outdoor wedding, I'm obsessed with the weather forecast starting as soon as the date comes into view.  Thank heavens, the weather was absolutely perfect!  

Photo Credit ~ Jennifer Klink Photography

We worked with a couple new vendors and everything turned out lovely.  I'll be doing a more in-depth post as soon as some of the pictures come back from the photographer.  Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Paschal!

Eric and I snuck out Tuesday night to see the new Top Gun movie.  Both of us loved it!  I laughed, I cried, and I hid my face under my blanket.  Add them all up and it makes for a great movie in my opinion.  

Now I'm looking out over a mound of laundry and thinking how you could write your name in the dust that's accumulated on my dresser.  (Care to guess what I'll be doing this weekend?)  But I wouldn't have traded the fun from the last couple of weeks for anything!

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

Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop - June 8, 2022

          

 Welcome to Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop

Welcome to the Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop and thanks for stopping 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

Please follow the hosts on at least 1 social media channel!

1. Ahna - HAMMERS N HUGS | FB | IG | PINTEREST
2. Anne & AnnMarie - SIMPLY 2 MOMS | FB | IG | PINTEREST
   
3. Bev - ECLECTIC RED BARN | IG | PINTEREST
4. Cindy - SIMPLE STEPS FOR LIVING LIFE | FB | IG | PINTEREST
5. Christin - MY HOMIER HOME | FB | IG | PINTEREST
6. Emily - LeCULTIVATEUR | FB | IG | PINTEREST
7. Jana - HARVESTING HOME | FB | IG | PINTEREST
8. Penny - PENNY’S PASSION | FB | IG | PINTEREST
9. Sinea - DUCKS ‘N A ROW | FB | IG | PINTEREST | TWITTER
10. Tammy - MY LIFE ABUNDANT | FB | IG | PINTEREST
11. Tara - STILETTOS AND SHIPLAP | IG | PINTEREST

Today's Features

Top Viewed

 5 Ways to Hide Tummy Fat

 Very Popular

Easy No Bake Pink Lemonade Pie

Very Popular

Early Summer Entry with Bovine Beauties

Editor's Pick

Father's Day Pillow with Infusible Ink

Air Fryer Pretzel Bites

Be sure to grab our Specially Featured graphic below if your post was featured this week, and hyperlink it to this post on your blog or sidebar. We love showing you off!

Let's Get This Party Started

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter