Five on Friday - July 11, 2025

Happy Friday and welcome to Five on Friday! I always enjoy sharing a few fun things with you to wrap up the week. Here's what I've got for you today ~

1.  Superman Movie

Looking for something fun to do this weekend? Head to the theater and check out the new Superman movie! If you’re a fan of action-packed adventures, this one’s a must-see. Both critics and audiences are giving it high marks. Here’s a quick look at what it’s all about ~

When Superman gets drawn into conflicts at home and abroad, his actions are questioned, giving tech billionaire Lex Luthor the opportunity to get the Man of Steel out of the way for good. Will intrepid reporter Lois Lane and Superman's four-legged companion, Krypto, be able to help him before it's too late?

2.  Selena Gomez Oreos

Be on the lookout for Oreo's new Selena Gomez cookies!  Picture this:  a layer of chocolate and cinnamon flavor creme atop another layer of sweetened condensed milk flavor creme with cinnamon sugar inclusions, sandwiched between two Oreo chocolate cinnamon flavored wafer cookies!  Yum!  Within the package you'll find six unique designs.  Bring them on!  But they are only here for a limited time so get them while you can.  Don't forget to scan the pack's QR code to unlock exclusive content.

3.  Happy Wife

The July Read with Jenna book selection really caught my eye—it sounds like such a compelling read! Happy Wife was just released at the end of June, and it's already generating a lot of buzz. I added it to my library holds right away, but I’m currently number 55 on the waitlist, so it might be a little while before I get my hands on it. Fingers crossed it’s worth the wait!

Nora Davies doesn’t exactly fit in to Winter Park, Florida, where old-guard Floridians mix with the tax-fleeing coastal elite. Twenty-eight and barely making ends meet working at a country club, Nora feels like she’s going nowhere fast. Enter Will Somerset: a prominent forty-six-year-old lawyer, father to a teenage daughter, and recently divorced. The two set Winter Park’s social scene agog when they fall in love and marry after a whirlwind Cinderella-style courtship.

But Winter Park is fully upended when Will disappears the morning after a birthday bash Nora throws for him. Going back and forth between Nora and Will’s romance and the search in the wake of Will’s mysterious disappearance, Nora must answer the question from all angles: Where. Is. Will?

Combining breathless suspense, glittering and juicy social dynamics, and an unforgettable cast of characters, Happy Wife is a clever and subversive novel that explores marriage, wealth, and the secrets that lurk behind closed doors.

Available HERE

4.  Sneaker Cleaner

My sneakers have definitely seen some miles this summer—the soles are starting to look pretty worn. It’s time to give them a good refresh with Sneakerasers. These handy little cleaners are specially designed to brighten up white soles. The white sponge side gently scrubs away dirt and naturally wears down as you use it, while the orange side helps remove any lingering scuffs or marks. If they look familiar, you might’ve seen them featured on Shark Tank!

Available HERE

5.  Yep...

Let’s get this weekend started! We’re excited to welcome some out-of-town guests and are heading to the Cardinals game together on Saturday—it should be a great time. Let the fun begin! Wishing you a wonderful weekend, and I’ll see you back here next week.

It's Amazon Prime Days!

Hi there, and welcome to this week's Thinking Out Loud Thursday! I'm sharing what's been on my mind lately and would love for you to link up and share your thoughts too. Today, I’ve been thinking about Amazon Prime Days!

We're right in the thick of Amazon Prime Days! Now through July 11, Prime members can take advantage of some fantastic deals. Not a Prime member yet? This is the perfect time to join! Wondering what comes with a Prime membership? Here's a look at the benefits ~

Delivery benefits
FREE Two-Day Delivery: Millions of items delivered fast and free.
FREE One-Day Delivery: Available on more than 15 million items with no minimum purchase.
FREE Same-Day Delivery: Available, in select areas, on over 3 million items for qualifying orders that meet the minimum threshold of eligible items, in as fast as five hours.
Ultrafast Grocery Delivery: Get two-hour delivery on a wide selection of groceries, including meat, seafood, produce, snacks and household essentials. Prime members also have exclusive access to unlimited free delivery for $9.99 a month on orders $35+. Check availability in your area.
Free Grubhub+: Enjoy unlimited $0 food delivery fees, exclusive savings, and more with a free Grubhub+ membership.
Amazon Key: Get your packages conveniently delivered inside your garage. Exclusive for Prime members. Check your eligibility.
FREE Release-Date Delivery: Be among the first to get new video games, books, music, movies and more. Choose Release-Date Delivery on qualified items and receive your package by 7 p.m. on that date.
FREE No-Rush Shipping: Don't need your Prime order right away? Select No-Rush Shipping and earn rewards for future purchases.
Amazon Day: Simply pick a day that works for you, shop with Amazon Day throughout the week, and we'll deliver orders together on the day you choose.

Streaming and digital benefits
Prime Video: Prime Video is a one-stop entertainment destination offering customers a vast collection of premium programming in one application available across thousands of devices. On Prime Video, customers can find their favorite movies, series, documentaries, and live sports, including Amazon MGM Studios-produced series and movies; licensed fan favorites; and programming from partners such as Max, Crunchyroll and MGM+ via Prime Video Channels add-on subscriptions. Customers can also go behind the scenes of their favorite movies and series with exclusive X-Ray access.
Amazon Music for Prime members: Shuffle play all the music and listen to the largest catalog of top podcasts without ads—included with Prime.
Amazon Music Unlimited: 100 million songs on-demand and the most ad-free top podcasts. Listen offline and in HD audio—starting at $10.99/month with Prime.
Prime Gaming: At no additional cost, Prime members enjoy free games, a Twitch channel subscription, and more gaming benefits every month.
Amazon Photos: Prime members get unlimited full-resolution photo storage and 5GB for video storage with Amazon Photos. a Customers can easily order printed products or use Amazon Photos to personalize their Echo Show or FireTV.

Shopping benefits
Prime Member Deals at Whole Foods Market: Exclusive discounts and offers on qualifying item(s) for Prime members in-store and online.
Prime savings at Amazon Fresh: Enjoy exclusive savings like periodic dollar-off coupons in-store and online. Prime members also enjoy free delivery on their first three online orders.
Prime Day: Exclusive shopping event for Prime members delivering incredible savings and deep discounts on deals across every category.
Prime Exclusive Deals: Enjoy deals every day on thousands of items available only to Prime members.
Prime Visa: Earn 5% back at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market, and on Chase Travel, and at least 1% back on all other purchases. In addition, earn 10% back or more on select products as a limited time offer.
Prime Store Card: Earn 5% back every day on Amazon.com purchases and access exclusive promotional financing offers. In addition, earn 5-15% back on select rotating items throughout the year.
Amazon Prime Secured Card: Build your credit while earning 2% back on Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh and more.
Prime Early Access: Get 30-minute early access to Lightning Deals on Amazon.com.
Prime-Exclusive Shipping Benefits on Woot!: Prime members get free standard shipping on all Woot! orders and free express shipping on Shirt.Woot purchases.
Buy with Prime: Enjoy Prime shopping benefits like fast, free delivery, easy returns, and a seamless checkout by shopping directly at participating online stores beyond Amazon.

Reading benefits
Prime Reading: Read as much as you want from a rotating selection of thousands of eBooks, popular magazines, comics and audiobooks. This includes single-sitting reads from Amazon Original Stories that brings bestselling authors, acclaimed storytellers and new voices to readers in digital and audio format.
Amazon First Reads: Amazon First Reads offers readers early access to an editorially curated selection of new books one month before they officially publish. Every month, Prime members can choose one Kindle book from our editors’ picks for free — $1.99 for non-Prime members. Downloaded titles are yours to keep.
Books with Audible Narration: Available through the free Kindle app and Audible’s free listening app on smartphones, tablets and Alexa devices, look for the “Read and Listen Free” on Kindle book pages or browse the catalogue of hundreds of narrated books.

Medical care and prescription benefits
RxPass: Prime members, get all of your eligible medications for just $5 a month—no matter how many prescriptions you have.
One Medical: Get a care team on call for everyday health concerns and more. Only $9/mo for you and $6/mo for each additional family member (up to 6 total members).
Prescription Delivery and Savings: Enjoy fast, FREE Two-Day Shipping on prescriptions from Amazon Pharmacy, plus exclusive savings when paying without insurance.
Save on Prescriptions: Search, compare and save up to 80% on prescriptions at over 60,000 pharmacies, including Amazon Pharmacy.

Other benefits
Share Your Prime Benefits: Link your account with one other adult to share shipping, streaming access to movies and TV shows, Prime Reading and more for free.
Free Shipping at shopbop: Enjoy free two-day shipping and next day shipping at shopbop.com.
Free Titles at Audible: Prime members are invited to start an Audible Premium Plus trial with 2 credits that can be used on any titles.
Free Upgraded Shipping at Zappos: Get free expedited shipping on all Zappos orders.
Prime Fuel Savings: Link your account to save 10¢ a gallon on fuel at over 7,500 participating stations.
Early access to Alexa+ for Prime members: Sign up to get notified when free early access is available to you. Experience a more conversational, helpful, and personal Alexa.

Sign up HERE

Now, let's look at a couple of my favorite Prime Day deals!

Available HERE

Available HERE

Available HERE

Available HERE

Available HERE

Check out Amazon for all the deals!  There no time like the present to start checking off those Christmas list ideas or stockpiling a few birthday gifts!

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 - July 9, 2025

 

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

Save

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

HIGHLIGHT LINKS FROM LAST WEEK

Lime Curd

Chocolate Strawberry Dessert Kabobs

Mediterranean Salsa

Blueberry Mango Smoothie

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

Recent Prime Purchases (June 2025)

Happy Monday! I’m excited to join Doused in Pink and Living on Cloud Nine to showcase a few recent Amazon purchases.

My son and I took a trip with our friends and they introduced us to a fun new name - Elimino!  I ordered one immediately and it was waiting for us when we arrived home.  It's small enough to go in our travel bag, so we'll be playing this on all our upcoming vacations too!

Available HERE

Another addition to our travel bag was the new set of scorepads for Qwixx. They put a fresh twist on the classic game and make it even more fun. It’s a fantastic variation on one of our longtime favorites.

Available HERE

I bought this shirt in two different colors and have been wearing them on repeat so far this summer!  Yellow and pink were the colors I ordered and I'm seriously thinking about adding a few more to my wardrobe.  They wash up like a dream and are very comfortable. 

Available HERE

This cute dress is what I ordered for the Fourth of July.  It's adorable!  The quality is great and it even has pockets!  I'm looking forward to wearing it again when we go out to dinner or meet friends at happy hour.  It comes in a couple of patterns also.

Available HERE

We picked up this 5-tier tote rack for our basement, and it didn’t take long to fill all five totes! I’m seriously considering getting a second one.  It will feel so great to finally get our holiday decorations organized!

Available HERE

Get ready - Prime Days are July 8-11.  I can't wait to see what bargains are available!  

Five on Friday - July 4, 2025

Happy 4th of July!  Hope you are like me and ready to enjoy a long weekend.   Thanks for stopping by to check out my Five on Friday post.  Let's go ~

1.  Jurassic World Rebirth
If you are looking to avoid the heat this weekend, take a break in a theater and watch the newly released Jurassic World movie!  Here's the summary ~

Five years after the events of Jurassic World Dominion, the planet's ecology has proven largely inhospitable to dinosaurs. Those remaining exist in isolated equatorial environments with climates resembling the one in which they once thrived. The three most colossal creatures within that tropical biosphere hold the key to a drug that will bring miraculous life-saving benefits to humankind.

Side note:  We saw F1 last weekend and it was fabulous!  I would see that one again.

2.  The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau

Kristin Harmel has a new book out and it sounds pretty intriguing to me!  This one is going on my TBR list.  Here's the summary ~

Colette Marceau has been stealing jewels for nearly as long as she can remember, following the centuries-old code of honor instilled in her by her mother, Annabel: take only from the cruel and unkind, and give to those in need. Never was their family tradition more important than seven decades earlier, during the Second World War, when Annabel and Colette worked side by side in Paris to fund the French Resistance.

But one night in 1942, it all went wrong. Annabel was arrested by the Germans, and Colette’s four-year-old sister, Liliane, disappeared in the chaos of the raid, along with an exquisite diamond bracelet sewn into the hem of her nightgown for safekeeping. Soon after, Annabel was executed, and Liliane’s body was found floating in the Seine—but the bracelet was nowhere to be found.

Seventy years later, Colette—who has “redistributed” $30 million in jewels over the decades to fund many worthy organizations—has done her best to put her tragic past behind her, but her life begins to unravel when the long-missing bracelet suddenly turns up in a museum exhibit in Boston. If Colette can discover where it has been all this time—and who owns it now—she may finally learn the truth about what happened to her sister. But she isn’t the only one for whom the bracelet holds answers, and when someone from her childhood lays claim to the diamonds, she’s forced to confront the ghosts of her past as never before. Against all odds, there may still be a chance to bring a murderer to justice—but first, Colette will have to summon the courage to open her own battered heart.

Available HERE

Speaking of books, yesterday I blogged about the books I read in June.  If you missed it, you can see it HERE.

3.  Sleeveless Dress

I picked up a new dress from Amazon for the holiday and love it!  The quality is remarkably good (it's even lined). It's supposed to be a hot one here, so the sleeveless design will definitely be welcomed.   It's machine washable so caring for this beauty will be a breeze too.  

Available HERE

4.  Dot's Buffalo Seasoned Pretzel Twists

We’re big fans of Dot’s Pretzels, and they’ve just introduced a new flavor to their lineup: Dot’s Buffalo Seasoned Pretzel Twists! These crunchy twists are baked with a bold, zesty blend of spices that buffalo lovers won’t want to miss. Keep an eye out—they’re expected to hit store shelves nationwide this July.

5.  Me Cleaning Out My Closet...

Wishing you a safe and fun weekend! We’re heading to a friend’s house Friday night to watch fireworks and spending Saturday with some other friends. Fingers crossed the heat isn’t too unbearable! See you next week.

What I Read in June 2025

Hello and welcome to Thinking Out Loud Thursday.  Thursday is a time when I talk about something on my mind and invite you to link up and share what's on yours.  Today is the first Thursday of the month so I'm talking about the books I read last month!

June turned out to be an amazing reading month! Every book I picked up was a winner, and I’d gladly recommend each one for your TBR list if you haven’t checked them out yet. Let’s dive into what I read ~

Say You’ll Remember Me by Abby Jimenez
I’m a big fan of Abby Jimenez.  Her books make me laugh, cry, and every emotion in between.  Say You’ll Remember Me was a great story and I found it hard to put down.  Here’s the summary ~ 

There's no such thing as a perfect guy, but Xavier Rush comes disastrously close. A gorgeous veterinarian giving Greek god vibes—all while cuddling a tiny kitten? Immediate yes. That is until Xavier opens his mouth and proves that even sculpted gods can say the absolute wrong thing. Like, really wrong. Of course, there’s nothing Samantha loves more than proving an asshole wrong . . . unless, of course, he can admit he made a mistake.

But after one incredible and seemingly endless date, Samantha is forced to admit the truth, that her family is in crisis and any kind of relationship would be impossible. Samantha begs Xavier to forget her. To remember their night together as a perfect moment, as crushing as that may be. Only no amount of distance or time is enough to forget what's between them. And the only thing better than one single perfect memory is to make a life—and even a love—worth remembering.

Available HERE

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith

This was our library book club's book of the month.  We chose it because we had recently read When Books Go to War and learned A Tree Grows in Brooklyn was one of the most requested books for the men in the war to read.  What a great selection!  This classic book is definitely worth reading if you haven’t before and rereading if you have! 

From the moment she entered the world, Francie Nolan needed to be made of stern stuff, for growing up in the Williamsburg slums of Brooklyn, New York demanded fortitude, precocity, and strength of spirit. Often scorned by neighbors for her family’s erratic and eccentric behavior―such as her father Johnny’s taste for alcohol and Aunt Sissy’s habit of marrying serially without the formality of divorce―no one, least of all Francie, could say that the Nolans’ life lacked drama. By turns overwhelming, heartbreaking, and uplifting, the Nolans’ daily experiences are raw with honestly and tenderly threaded with family connectedness. Betty Smith has, in the pages of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, captured the joys of humble Williamsburg life―from “junk day” on Saturdays, when the children traded their weekly take for pennies, to the special excitement of holidays, bringing cause for celebration and revelry. Smith has created a work of literary art that brilliantly captures a unique time and place as well as deeply resonant moments of universal experience. Here is an American classic that "cuts right to the heart of life," hails the New York Times. "If you miss A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, you will deny yourself a rich experience."

Available HERE

Free with Kindle Unlimited

 

Five Star Weekend by Elin Hildebrand

Another book club I’m in read Five Star Weekend.  It was a reread for me, but I didn’t mind one bit!  I loved this book and it would be the perfect vacation read if you’re looking for a book to slip in your suitcase. 

Hollis Shaw’s life seems picture-perfect. She’s the creator of the popular food blog Hungry with Hollis and is married to Matthew, a dreamy heart surgeon. But after she and Matthew get into a heated argument one snowy morning, he leaves for the airport and is killed in a car accident. The cracks in Hollis’s perfect life—her strained marriage and her complicated relationship with her daughter, Caroline—grow deeper.

So when Hollis hears about something called a “Five-Star Weekend”—one woman organizes a trip for her best friend from each phase of her life: her teenage years, her twenties, her thirties, and midlife—she decides to host her own Five-Star Weekend on Nantucket. But the weekend doesn’t turn out to be a joyful Hallmark movie.

The husband of Hollis’s childhood friend Tatum arranges for Hollis’s first love, Jack Finigan, to spend time with them, stirring up old feelings. Meanwhile, Tatum is forced to play nice with abrasive and elitist Dru-Ann, Hollis’s best friend from UNC Chapel Hill. Dru-Ann’s career as a prominent Chicago sports agent is on the line after her comments about a client’s mental health issues are misconstrued online. Brooke, Hollis’s friend from their thirties, has just discovered that her husband is having an inappropriate relationship with a woman at work. Again! And then there’s Gigi, a stranger to everyone (including Hollis) who reached out to Hollis through her blog. Gigi embodies an unusual grace and, as it happens, has many secrets.

The Five-Star Weekend is a surprising and captivating story about friendship, love, and self-discovery set on Nantucket. It will be a weekend like no other.

Available HERE

Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Taylor Jenkins Reid has hit it out of the ballpark again with Atmosphere.  It had a few twists I didn’t see coming and the ending had me an emotional mess.  Definitely recommend this one! 

Joan Goodwin has been obsessed with the stars for as long as she can remember. Thoughtful and reserved, Joan is content with her life as a professor of physics and astronomy at Rice University and as aunt to her precocious niece, Frances. That is, until she comes across an advertisement seeking the first women scientists to join NASA’s space shuttle program. Suddenly, Joan burns to be one of the few people to go to space.

Selected from a pool of thousands of applicants in the summer of 1980, Joan begins training at Houston’s Johnson Space Center, alongside an exceptional group of fellow candidates: Top Gun pilot Hank Redmond and scientist John Griffin, who are kind and easygoing even when the stakes are highest; mission specialist Lydia Danes, who has worked too hard to play nice; warmhearted Donna Fitzgerald, who is navigating her own secrets; and Vanessa Ford, the magnetic and mysterious aeronautical engineer, who can fix any engine and fly any plane.

As the new astronauts become unlikely friends and prepare for their first flights, Joan finds a passion and a love she never imagined. In this new light, Joan begins to question everything she thinks she knows about her place in the observable universe.

Then, in December of 1984, on mission STS-LR9, it all changes in an instant.

Fast-paced, thrilling, and emotional, Atmosphere is Taylor Jenkins Reid at her best: transporting listeners to iconic times and places, creating complex protagonists, and telling a passionate and soaring story about the transformative power of love—this time among the stars. 

Available HERE

 
Finlay Donovan is Killing It by Elle Cosimand

This is a fun first book in a six-book series!  I fell in love with the characters and can’t wait to read the next books.  Finlay is a single mom who is an author and has an awesome nanny.  It has a Stephanie Plum vibe.  Already started book two! 

Finlay Donovan is killing it . . . except, she’s really not. She’s a stressed-out single-mom of two and struggling novelist, Finlay’s life is in chaos: the new book she promised her literary agent isn’t written, her ex-husband fired the nanny without telling her, and this morning she had to send her four-year-old to school with hair duct-taped to her head after an incident with scissors.

When Finlay is overheard discussing the plot of her new suspense novel with her agent over lunch, she’s mistaken for a contract killer, and inadvertently accepts an offer to dispose of a problem husband in order to make ends meet . . . Soon, Finlay discovers that crime in real life is a lot more difficult than its fictional counterpart, as she becomes tangled in a real-life murder investigation.

Fast-paced, deliciously witty, and wholeheartedly authentic in depicting the frustrations and triumphs of motherhood in all its messiness, hilarity, and heartfelt moments, Finlay Donovan Is Killing It is the first in a brilliant new series from YA Edgar Award nominee Elle Cosimano. 

Available HERE

Free with Kindle Unlimited

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

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop - July 2, 2025

 

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

HIGHLIGHT LINKS FROM LAST WEEK

Patriotic Oreo Truffles

Homemade Salsa and Star Chips

Chocolate Banana Pops

Patriotic Tissue Paper Mason Jar

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