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Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites #135

Hello all!

Happy Friday! I hope you had great week. As we make our way to the weekend, I wanted to share some of my favorite highlights from this past week. It is the last day of February and I for one am thrilled to be a bit closer to spring.

Fresh flowers at the store made me very happy!

Even though, I know the snow won’t magically disappear, I’m excited for some warmer weather. There’s hopefully a little bit of something for everyone in this week’s edition of Friday Favorites! Let’s dive in as I link up with Erika and Andrea.

New Sneakers– One thing I have DESPERATELY missed this winter has been running outdoors. This has been my biggest complaint about the winter months. The snow, ice, and freezing temperatures have kept me inside and on a treadmill or on a turf as opposed to out running on trails. Although, I’m grateful to run inside, I can’t wait to get back outdoors not only for the paths, but to test out my new running sneakers. My current sneakers have a lot of miles on them, so I decided to upgrade. This is my first time trying Hoka (I’m typically a New Balance gal) but decided to give Hoka a try. I’ll have a thorough report after I can log more miles outdoors in my sneakers.

From Here to the Great Unknown– Wow! I can’t tell you the last time I raced through a book as fast as I did with this one. From Here to the Great Unknown is the memoirs of both Lisa Marie Presley and Riley Keough. The books discusses their lives and the life of Elvis told through their eyes. I loved the Elvis movie when it came out a handful of years ago and really enjoyed watching Keough in Daisy Jones and the Six, so I couldn’t wait to read this book and it didn’t disappoint. 5 Stars for me.

Scamanda– I mentioned this podcast in 2023 when I listened to it in the summer. It’s all about a woman who faked cancer and scammed thousands of people. I found the podcast to be very fascinating and was excited to learn a documentary would be made about it. Scamanda is airing in four parts on ABC and I have been loving it. It just wrapped up last week and I am got all caught up over the weekend. It’s very similar to the podcast, but you get to meet the people involved. I looked forward to the episodes every week. 

OJ Simpson Documentary– Another documentary I just finished was a new four-part series on Netflix about O.J. Simpson. Although I don’t remember the case, I have learned and read about it a lot through the years. I’ve watched different documentaries, specials, and adaptations on it too. I was curious to see how this one compared. I liked how it was broken into four parts and I liked the length of each episode too. I really appreciated how they brought back some of the key players, years later for updated interviews. Overall, very well done!

Fruit Bowls- We have had a long winter over here, so I’ve been trying to break up my days with things that bring me joy and that includes more fruit. I have been devouring these homemade fruit bowls. They are very simple to put together and you can alter them to your liking. I typically have Greek yogurt, fruit (bananas, berries, watermelon-whatever is on hand), some granola, and then mini chocolate chips for a sweet treat at the end of the day. I have been eating this as a snack, but it can be enjoyed for breakfast too. I have been loving the energy boost it gives me and the colors make me happy too. 

That’s a look into what I have been loving this week. What are some things that have been helping you get through this winter slump? 

Let me know in the comments below!

Happy Friday!

Categories
Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites #133

Hi everyone! Happy Friday and more importantly, Happy Valentine’s Day! I hope you are showing and getting some love today. I know I have been making some time for my girlfriends over the past few weeks. Whether it is with your significant other, spouse, girlfriends, or even yourself, today is such a good reminder to give yourself some extra love and maybe even treat yourself too!

I am out of town this weekend, for a little getaway, so I am looking forward to a break in the routine for some fun. However you are spending the day, I hope it’s enjoyable. Before we get to the weekend, I wanted to share some current favorites with you as I link up with Erika and Andrea for Friday Favorites

Simplified Bags and Pouches-We kick things off with travel accessories which ties in perfectly with me being on the road today. I got the Simplified tote and pouches for Christmas and have used them here and there, but was waiting for a trip to use and take advantage of them. I love the soft blue color and the quilted pattern. The size is great for running errands if you need to hold lots of things or for a weekend away. The pouches make organizing small items much easier too.

New Car Scent– My interior of my car has gotten very dirty this winter with lots of snow, ice, and salt. I try to keep up with cleaning it, but it just keeps getting messy. I can’t wait for spring and summer when I can really detail it. One thing I have kept up with is keeping my car smelling good. I swapped out car scents and am going for a fresh scent for a new month. I want to be better with the maintenance of my car this year by including monthly car washes and scent swaps. Here’s what I’m currently using from Bath and Body Works. I love the freshness that it provides to my car.

Valentine’s Day Playlist– It’s Valentine’s Day and I have been enjoying the month of love as much as I can. From doing some decorating, wearing my reds, pinks, and purples, and listening to lots of love music. I found this great playlist on Apple Music which has a little bit of everything, some classic songs, new hits, and all genres of love songs. This has been a go-to playlist for me as I drive or get things done. Give it a try if you are looking for some background music this weekend.

The Six Triple Eight- This has been on my watch list for a while on Netflix and I finally got around to viewing it. The Six Triple Eight is based on the all-black, female battalion in World War II who worked to help organize and distribute mail. I was first intrigued by it because it starred Kerry Washington was a Tyler Perry film, but the more I watched and read about it, the more invested I got. I really loved the historical storyline, and I think they did an incredible job showing just how challenging it was to be a woman of color in the army in World War II. They had a stellar cast who brought so much emotion and passion to the film. I wouldn’t be surprised if it got nominated and won awards for it. This would also be a great film to watch as we make our way into Black History Month.

Ice Scraper-This winter season has been oh-so cold.  We have dealt with record-breaking snow falls, blizzard warnings, freezing temperatures and everything else in between. Needless to say, winter tools have been my best friend this year. I got a heated ice scraper for Christmas, and it has been a game changer. You just plug it in your car, and it heats up and you can start scraping ice off your windshield or other parts of your car. It’s proven to be a big help especially when you don’t want to spend too much time outdoors.

That’s a roundup of things that have grabbed my attention this week! As we make our way to Valentine’s Day weekend, what are your plans and how will you be celebrating? Whether it’s by yourself or with loved ones, I hope it’s a wonderful day and weekend. Happy Valentine’s Day!

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Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites #99

Hello all! 

Happy Friday! I hope you had a great week and are doing something fun this summer weekend.

Before we begin the weekend, I want to share some things I have been loving this week as I link up with with Erika and Andrea.

We are in the middle of a heat wave with temperatures in the 90’s. Summer nights have set in which means ice cream runs- YUM!

The theme this week of favorites is new! You will see what I mean as we get into this week’s favorites!

New Kate Spade bag- I got this bag from Kate Spade for my birthday and it’s already been used a lot. It’s the perfect size to carry all the extra things you may not be able to fit in a purse (like a light jacket, planner, things to be mailed etc.) or if you are running errands and need a spot to throw all the extras. It’s also a great bag to use for a spare change of clothes. I often will have an extra outfit to wear after work if I have plans that requires a change. Not only is the size great, but so are the colors of the purse. This has been the perfect summer tote!

Moroccan Oil Shampoo and Conditioner– If you have been following along for a while then you know whenever I travel, I always like to use sample products to try out other brands before I make a purchase. I recently tried this Moroccan Oil shampoo and conditioner and really loved how it felt on my hair. After washing my hair, it felt silkier and smoother and that feeling didn’t go away for almost 24 hours. I also really loved the scent. I love the products I am using for my hair now, but I wouldn’t be opposed to trying this again in a travel size.

New Running Sneakers– Sticking with new items, I got these new sneakers for running and they have been a favorite. My brother picked them out for me. They have a ton of support, are comfortable, and I love the colors of the sneakers. I got the New Balance Fresh Foam 880s. They have been great running sneakers especially as I prepare for another race. I put a lot of miles on my old sneakers from last year, so I will be using those sneakers for the gym and these for running.

Mother of the Bride- If you are looking for a cute, rom com this summer, I have a recommendation! Mother of the Bride on Netflix was a hit for my mom and I! It’s all about a mother who helps prepare her daughter for her destination wedding. They arrive in Thailand only to find out the groom’s father is an ex of the mother’s. There’s a lot of messy history, but can they put their differences aside for their children? You will have to watch to find out. Super cute, summer movie for a girl’s night.

New Summer Sandals- I was on the hunt for a new pair of summer sandals that could be dressed up or down and I found them through DSW, are we surprised? These are the sandals I got. They are comfortable and supportive. I love the neutral color of black and I love how they can be dressed up with a sundress or skirt or dressed down with shorts or jeans. I know I will be getting  a lot of use out of them this summer.

That’s a peak into some things I have been loving this past week. What are some things that have brought you joy!? Share them with me in the comments below!

Happy Friday!