Friday, June 2, 2017

Friday Favorites - We Love Summer Edition

I'm happy to report that our first week of summer has been everything I hoped it would be - full of rest and relaxation.  Being totally honest I left the house twice this week and the rest of the time we were in the pool, in the playroom playing games or on the couch reading.  I've slept in until 8:30 every day (#allthepraisehands), put on makeup once and cut myself some major slack on my to-do-list.  It's been perfection.



Erika, Narci and I are all sharing our Friday Favorites and we'd love for you to join us!  Grab our graphic, link back to one (or all!) of us and link to your blog at the bottom of this post.  Easy!


First up on my list of FAVORITES today is pool time! All three kids are doing great in the water this year and for the first time in about 9 years I feel like I can kind of relax poolside.  I'm still watching them while they're in the water, but I don't have to be in the water with a kid on my hip - which is lovely.  I'm sure once the water warms up I'll be right in there with them, but for now I'm enjoying the sun from the side ;)


I mean!!!




There's not a whole lot better than swimming, lunch outside followed by more swimming. 


This flamingo float is a new FAVORITE as is the Matilda Jane bathing suit I blogged about a couple of weeks ago.


And we're LOVING the unicorn float from Uncle Stephen and Aunt Cynthia!


I've confessed before that doing hair is SOOOO not my FAVORITE.  I feel like it always takes me forever and I pretty much stink at it :)  That said, I've been practicing my french braid skills and am getting better!  This is my current FAVORITE way to do G's hair because it keeps it out of her face while she swims and lasts all day.



Since we've been spending so much time in the water I got the kids some new pool toys and a really cool cart to hold them all.  We had a deck box but the hail busted holes right through it and I didn't love that "critters" (read: snakes) could be hiding in there with the kids going in and out to get things and put things away.

It's kind of sad how excited I am about it - but it's my new FAVORITE toy ;)


Everything has a place and can drip dry and the whole thing can roll around the deck while they play and then roll to get put away when we're done.  LOVE IT!!!


You can find the cart and a few of our FAVORITE toys below:



While we're out at the pool we have been LOVING this speaker.  Sheaffer recommended it a while ago and I bought it for Dave for Christmas.  It's wireless and connects to my phone with bluetooth and I can play all of our FAVORITE music from my phone while we swim and play.  



As fun as the pool is - one of my FAVORITE parts are the sleepy eyes that come when we get out of the water ;)



The summer snuggles are Jack Bauer's FAVORITE as well ;)



While the kids nap and/or have their quiet time I've been diving into some summer reads.  Reading isn't something that I have a ton of time/energy for during the school year but this summer I'm making a point to sit down with a book for a couple of hours a day (I know!!! it's crazy! hahaha)


I'm hesitant to share my whole stack with y'all right off the bat since I don't know what's going to be good and what's not, but I read One True Loves in 2 days and it's AMAZING!!!

I was torn between wanting to read every spare minute I had so that I could know how it ends and not wanting the book to end because I was going to be sad it was over.  The premise of the book is that the main character's husband is lost at sea in a helicopter accident and then years later she is engaged to someone else when HER HUSBAND IS FOUND!!!  It's a crazy situation and really made me think.  One minute I wanted her to stay with her fiance and the next I was rooting for her husband.  I thought it was really beautifully written and I absolutely loved the characters.  I didn't think it was too "cheesy" and couldn't have asked for a better ending. 


Here are the other books that are currently in my "to read" pile...



I'm about halfway through The Hate U Give and will let y'all know what I think next week.



I feel like if we're not in the pool or on the couch I'm doing laundry.  But I'm not complaining because summer laundry is my FAVORITE laundry ;)  Is there anything better than folding clean, warm, fluffy towels??? 


The one time I wore "real clothes" this week I wore one of my FAVORITE tops (it's actually a dress - but it's a little shorter than what I normally wear as a dress and I love it as a tunic) with jeans and clogs.  Easy, comfy and great for a summer night out.  (I bought my top last summer so this exact color isn't available anymore, but it comes in several other great ones!)


And does anything say summer nights more than Blue Bell?  If you have access to Blue Bell locally you MUST try our new FAVORITE, "Groom's Cake".  



On a totally random note - Antique Farmhouse is one of my FAVORITE daily deal sites for cute decor pieces and they reposted one of my pictures this week!  How fun is that?!?!  I love that in their feed full of beautiful, pristine homes there's my kids (and dog and unicorn!) smack dab in the middle of a giant pile of blankets ;)


And last but not least...



... our friends Meagan and Tim are adopting!!!  As if their precious crew could get any cuter :)  Right now if you place a Matilda Jane order 20% will go straight from MJ to the Ruse's adoption fund!  Another reason that Matilda Jane is my FAVORITE!

 Directions on ordering are below...


 ** Adoption fund, not fun ;)

Today I'm taking my three FAVORITE people to the Perot Museum, to meet Uncle Mark for lunch and to the Dallas World Aquarium.  I'm already tired :) 

Happy Friday, friends!

PS - This post contained affiliate links - thanks so much for supporting my blog!



19 comments :

  1. I have many of the same books on my "to read" pile. You MUST read Wonder. I teach 5th grade and we read it as a class every year. It is incredible. A must-read for every kid and adult!!!!

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  2. I want your yard!!! How awesome to have a pool!! I would never leave either :)

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  3. I'm so glad you read One True Loves! So far, it's my favorite book of 2017!

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  4. The speaker is AMAZING, so glad y'all love it too! And you're getting pretty dang good at the french braids, lady!

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  5. Sounds like you're going to have a fun day! I have a lot of those same books on my to read list too.

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  6. I'm so glad you're making some time for relaxing! We need to chat books the next time I see you. Have fun today!

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  7. Sounds like you are loving summer!! That's great, mama! Enjoy!

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  8. Will you share the brand of your cute clogs?

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  9. Love that speaker! We love it so much we have 3 of them! Haha! It matches great with our echo dot ;)

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  10. Oh my goodness! That ice cream sounds amazing! I wish we had Blue Bell around where I live! Also, I love that you are reading a lot this summer! Definitely keep us updated on all the books you are reading! I'm trying to read a lot this summer too!

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  11. Read Nightingale next it is amazing!

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  12. Is Megan your friend who was fostering? I've thought of them after reading Shay's posts about her awhile back. We're they able to adopt those children?

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  13. Sounds like you had the perfect first week of summer! So good. Alright, I've seen One True Loves all over the place but with your recommendation it's going on my library list:) And, I second Nightingale, I read that two years ago and I still remember it so that's saying something.

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  14. I love those floats!!! We had a similar turtle and whale one when I was a kid and we LOVED them! So much fun! And I am loving that pool toy holder!!

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  15. What a precious braid!! I have TWO daughters and I still haven't mastered it yet! Looks like yall are having a perfect start to summer!

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  16. ordering One True Loves right now on Amazon! I am so excited for you to read Wonder- such a good story and I feel every child and parent should read it!!

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  17. One True Loves is next on my list! Right now I'm listening to Confessions of a Domestic Failure on Audible and it's hilarious. And the pool pics and couch pics make me want yall to adopt me. ;) You're speaking my language! Happy Summer!!

    That Inspired Chick

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