Does anyone else love driving through really nice neighborhoods at night? From the street you can get a glimpse inside these big, beautiful houses with the soft, warm glow of lamps inside and bright beautiful lights lighting up dressy landscapes.
I love the way a lamp looks right at dusk and into the evening. The way it makes the room seem cozy and warm is my favorite. Every time I go antiquing I look for lamps for our home. The problem is that they are all way too expensive! I think Home Goods and Amazon have way better deals! I’m on the hunt for some new lighting. We got new sconces for one of our staircases, since some little boys and some very big boys decided to play a little too rough with Nerf guns one night. I’m looking to put a lamp in every room and eliminate more of the overhead lighting. It’s just so cozy! Here are some I’ve got my eye on and some we already own.
These can charge your phone too!AddLon floor lampOneach lamps are fancy and warm looking.QiMH lamps are sleek and modern.This lamp is neutral yet classic.Pusu are awesome for parties instead of candles with their messy wax.VerRon makes nice sconces.Tengiants sconce is sleek.Ornesign leaves the prettiest lights on the ground. I love to line my sidewalk with them!Zivasa has a discount right now.Zivasa discountKichler are the identical to the ones we bought.
I’m definitely hoping that I get one or more of these for my birthday and Christmas!
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October 10 and 11 are Big Deal days on Amazon Prime. I’m crossing my fingers that a few of the items I’ve had on my save for later cart are marked down then!! What am I keeping my eyes on? Let me show and tell you!
I’ve wanted weights like these for a while. They would be great to have at home on the days I can’t make it to the gym.
We are redecorating our bedroom, and chairs like this one would go beautifully in the space.This is the softest rug I’ve ever stepped on! I’ve had it in my cart for almost a year. I’m definitely hoping that it will be on sale! One of our daughters is hoping this bed will be on sale. I’m not super consistent with the essential oils, but our children love them to help them fall asleep at night. I need a new diffuser, and don’t want to spend a fortune. At Christmas, our foyer is decked out in nutcrackers. This year we’ve decided to do our dining room tablescape in the same theme. These little guys would be perfect for that!I’m on the hunt for a new pan. I use my current one several times a day, and it has reached the end of its life. I’m hoping this one will be marked down, so I won’t feel guilty about spending so much on a single pan.One of my daughters needs a vacuum for her room, and this one would be perfect. I’ve had my eye on this machine for a while. I really want it!Mother jeans are my favorite. This cut is so cute! If I can get a deal then they are mine.My fall boots don’t fit well anymore. I love a pair like this.I’d love a treadmill that I could work from. Since we are redecorating our bedroom I would love a sleeker mirror like this one.One of my daughters loves cookbooks. I think she will love this one!I go through sneakers rapidly (3-4 months), so I don’t like to spend a fortune. These are so cute that if they go on sale they will be mine.
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For my husband’s birthday this year we decided to go on a weekend away in Nashville. We are Hilton Diamond members, so we tend to always look for a Hilton hotel. I found Hotel Fraye. My husband’s one big request was a big pool on a rooftop or at least up high with a fun vibe.
We arrived Friday evening. We were instantly impressed by the decor and ambiance. The room was lovely. I loved the little things the most, like motion sensor lights under the bed, the little pocket reading lights on the bed, the chaise, the decor, and the little hidden fridge. The bathroom was beautiful too.
I loved the mixed textures and sophisticated colors. The lobby and restaurant are classic and bold. I loved the furniture so much that I’m on the lookout for a couch just like the ones there.
The gym was exceptional. My one and only complaint about anything at all with this hotel was that the Peloton bikes didn’t have cages for shoes other than Peloton cycling shoes, and those weren’t available, so if you didn’t pack your own you couldn’t ride (also, if you have cycling shoes with SPD cleats they will NOT work).
The pool was everything my husband hoped it would be. The vibe was sophisticated and upscale, all while being fun and laid back. They had a poolside bar that had yummy drinks and snacks. The frozen grapes are a very nice refreshing treat. We met lots of really interesting people. The cool thing about Hotel Fraye is that it shares the gym and pool with an attached apartment building. This allows visitors to meet people who live right there in Nashville, and get real locals suggestions on what to do and where to go in the city.
Photo credit: Hotel Fraye
I was able to go for a run near the hotel both days without any issues.
Looks like a Golden Globe in one of the attached apartments. You better believe if I had one of those babies I’d be showing it off too!!
Right outside the hotel is Hattie B’s Hot Chicken and Chuy’s. Obviously, Chuy’s is a chain that you can find just about anywhere. Hattie B’s is a Nashville creation. We tried to go there, but the line was just too long. The hotel has a restaurant as well, but I didn’t see anything on the menu that looked good to me.
Super cool lighting in the lobby
We had the best weekend at Hotel Fraye, and are thinking about what future weekend trips we can take sooner than later. If you’re on the lookout for a cool, eclectic hotel in Nashville, I feel confident in recommending Hotel Fraye!
The beach is one of my favorite vacation spots. With a big crew, I find that being prepared is absolutely necessary. I keep beach bags already packed in my closet (hey, at least if I get a last minute chance I’m ready). I have a large Bogg bag and a smaller one as well. I also have two bags dedicated to towels.
Photo credit: Bogg Bag
In the larger bag I put sunscreen, towels, a first aid kit, a little kit with disposable cutlery, Lysol wipes, and hand sanitizer. In the first aid kit for the beach, I have BleedStop, bandages, tweezers, gauze, Benadryl, wound closures, aspirin, antiseptic wash, antibiotic ointment, itch cream, jellyfish sting spray, and steri-strips. I know this may seem overboard, but with our parents being on blood thinners, fall risks, and highly allergic to various things, I just want to be prepared.
I also keep another First Aid kit in the house. I make sure that as soon as we unload the car the kit is somewhere centrally located, and that everyone knows where it is.
I also have a travel bag that comes with me EVERY SINGLE TIME we travel by car. It has Dramamine, Advil, Benadryl, Sharpies, Ziploc bags of various sizes, collapsible containers, sweeteners, snacks, sewing kit, disposable cups, cutlery, paper plates, and Lysol wipes and spray.
Photo credit: Lilly Pulitzer
I also always pack a compact bag that can be unzipped to become a large tote. These are always one of my favorites.
I know that for us school has already started, but I’m looking forward to fall break in a few weeks. These are just some tips and tricks I find invaluable when planning and executing a vacation with multiple generations and lots of people.
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With two birthdays within a week of one another, two of my girls always have a joint birthday party. As they are no longer kids, they wanted something everyone could enjoy. We looked into send away pottery, but it is very expensive for more than just a couple of pieces. We looked on Amazon for a pottery wheel. They were affordable, and getting them early allowed us to have time to practice and have them for later use.
We also had a pour paint area. If you’ve never used this stuff, it is awesome. It makes really unique paintings. It is easy to use and really fun!
We also had regular painting available. It’s always fun to see what people choose to paint. We got paint from Amazon and Michael’s. I got plastic tablecloths for easy cleanup. I also used plastic cups to clean the brushes.
Of course, we HAD TO do tie dye. I bought cheap white shirts and got tie dye kits from Amazon.
I made balloon garlands with colorful balloons. We made hanging “pouring paint buckets” garland for the kitchen. We set up the tables with all the things people would need to create their masterpieces.
They gave us some trouble by not wanting to point downwards. We also had air dry clay for those too intimidated by the wheel (which turned out to be almost no one).
If I’d lived in a more metropolitan area, I might have pursued art or art history because I love it. I’ve tried to make sure that my children have had lots of exposure to art in all its forms. I was excited that they wanted to have a party with art as a theme! I hope you’ve enjoyed following along.
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I don’t know about you, but I feel like I have a million tabs open in my brain all the time. I have so many things to do and things I want to do all the time. I feel guilty for the time I spend not being productive, even though I know everyone needs to have some time that they are not “on”
I know for my husband listening to the radio while he drives helps clear his mind. To me, it feels far less relaxing. It makes me feel more anxious and my mind doesn’t ever seem to calm down at all. Music is great when I run or cycle though. It motivates me to go faster, to push through the uncomfortable. During a walk or while I’m driving I find listening to books to be my favorite thing. I find that I feel like I am truly making the most of the time. Lately, I’ve been listening to more books since my driving times have increased. I finished “Honey, Baby, Mine,” by Laura Dern and Diane Ladd. This book was more like a conversation, and I really enjoyed it. Another book I recently finished was “Atomic Habits” by James Clear. I finished this book in just a few days. I felt like I got a lot of great motivation, along with facts, in this book. I also just finished “The High Five Habit” by Mel Robbins. I enjoyed her stories and the science behind her book. Her story about the painting made me cry. I listened to all of these on Audible. I’m currently listening to a children’s book called “Moon Over Manifest” by Clare Vanderpool. To be honest, I love children’s books. When I was in college I had to take a Children’s Literature class. We had to read 250 children’s books. I found new favorites. One of my professors at the time admitted that her favorite books were almost always children’s books, and that she would never be ashamed of it. Good literature is good literature!
I’ll keep sharing what I’m listening to, even the duds (and there have been a few). Audible does allow you to return books for a credit if it’s within a certain time frame. Are there any books I should be listening to? Let me know in the comments. Happy Listening!
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The great thing about baby showers is their versatility. Some moms want a big, over the top party, while others are happy with some snacks and a few decorations. Showers can have a theme, or they can just have a color scheme. Over the summer we hosted two different baby showers. One of them was themed as an enchanted woodland party. The other was only the baby’s name and the mom’s desired color scheme. The enchanted woodland shower was one where the baby’s sex was unknown, so it needed to be more engender neutral. Some of the things we did that I enjoyed the most were: baby predictions, freezer foods, embroidered sibling writing, and decorations for both. At one of the showers (we meant to do it at both, but forgot) we did a baby prediction. It included date of birth, time of birth, hair color, weight, and length, along with their address. I saved them and the person with the closest and most correct answers was sent a gift card in the mail.
Another idea I enjoyed carrying out was asking family members of the momma to bring a meal or two for her freezer. I purchased an XL cooler bag and put them all inside. We gave them to her at the end of the shower. This helped provide her and her family with meals for the first week and a half after baby was born. The other mom didn’t want freezer foods, so I gave her a gift card instead (and also brought a freshly made meal after baby was born).
One of my favorite touches was the embroidered sibling writing. I had the two sisters write their new baby brother’s name on paper. Then my amazingly talented daughter embroidered them on pajamas, swaddling blankets, and towels. I don’t know if the mom used any of these or not, but I know they would be a keepsake for me. I love the idea of saving that sweet little kid writing. We also used it as a decoration. We spray painted a canvas navy blue and then wrote with a gold pen the name of the baby in one of his sisters’ handwriting on the canvas. I thought it was a sweet touch.
The decorations were completely different at the two showers, but one thing was the same- balloon arches. I bought the balloons on Amazon. For the woodland theme, I got some woodland creatures at Michael’s. I purchased stick on baby creatures from Amazon for the wall. Many years ago we had several trees cut down, and I asked the man doing it if he would save me a few slices. He informed me that they had to be kept in water for a week or they would split (news to me). After that week they’ve been out to good use since. I often pull them out as decoration. We used mason jars with fairy lights as well.
Napkins were from EtsyNeutral color scheme Plaque from Hobby LobbyWoodland creatures and balloons from AmazonSibling writing on canvas. Balloons from Amazon “Oh Baby” from Walmart
We made individual meals for the first shower of the season due to a rise in Covid numbers in our area. The second shower we did a food table. The woodland shower features all picnic type foods. We had chicken salad, potato salad, pasta salad, fruit salad, and “mushroom” cake pops. The individually wrapped party featured chicken salad on a croissant, cucumber salad, chips, and a cookie. I also served cake pops at this shower as well. The shower gifts were bath bombs at one and a sugar scrub at the other. We purchased some games and printable off of Etsy. I was very displeased with one, but will link the other.
Food labeled with cedar tree slices and a SharpieHomemade (by LF) “mushroom” cake popsHomemade and individually wrapped cake pops Organic bath bombs from AmazonJars from Amazon with homemade body scrubPrintable from Etsy
Overall, I think these showers went well. I hope the mothers enjoyed themselves, and got all the things they needed and more.
Calcium and bone density seem like things only “old” people need to worry about, but now I’m thinking that’s just not true.
When I was a small child I broke several bones. I wasn’t a huge milk drinker, but I did enjoy cheese and ice cream. We chalked up my broken bones to being Little Miss Clumsy, and went on with our lives. I lived through my teen and young adult years without breaking anything but a toe here and there. While I was on a keto diet for years and years, I never once thought about how much calcium that diet naturally provides. Once I realized my body no longer was responding well to cow’s milk I eliminated it from my diet entirely. I never thought about how the lack of dairy could affect my bones.
Back in January it was really icy and cold. Our driveway is steep and curvy and our car was sliding backwards into the road. I came down to give my husband a helping hand. I slipped on some ice that I never even saw. When I fell I extended my arms and saw and felt my left wrist completely break.
My arm in the ER
I shattered part of my ulna and broke my radius in more than three pieces. It was one of the most physically painful things I’ve experienced. It required surgery (ORIF), and it was an incredibly long recovery.
After all of it was done there was a lightbulb moment of “maybe my bones have lost strength and density due to the missing calcium in my body”. Since then, I’ve been taking supplements, and also trying to get more calcium from non-dairy sources. According to healthline good non-dairy sources of calcium include: seeds, tofu, amaranth, fortified foods and drinks, spinach, salmon, almonds, sardines, kale, figs, and white beans. There are others, but here’s a good start for anyone curious about what foods have a good amount of calcium.
If you’ve experienced low bone density or broken bones, let me know about your experiences and if increasing your calcium intake helped.
One year ago this month we celebrated our sweet Olivia’s birthday. The very next night we were startled by a frantic banging on our bedroom door. I heard fearful yells from upstairs. I sprinted upstairs to see my second daughter, Lillian, putting Olivia in the recovery position as she was in the middle of a tonic clonic seizure. David had woken up to the feeling of her kicking him on the trundle bed he sleeps on right under her bed. He has a pretty broad knowledge of health related facts for a kid. He recognized she was having a seizure and needed help. She had a couple more little seizures between the first big one and us getting her to the hospital. They started her on anti-seizure medication and sent us home.
When she was a little kid she had a different kind of seizure called Panayiotopoulos syndrome (occipital seizures), but was not on medication. She also had ”spells” during her period which we now believe were catamenial seizures.
Fortunately, she has done very well on the medication and being mindful of her lifestyle. We are also very blessed with a close friend who runs a nonprofit for women and girls with epilepsy called My Epilepsy Story. She is full of knowledge and a great help when looking for resources.
Epilepsy has changed our lives in some ways, but overall things are mostly the same. We are fortunate to have a great neurologist and support system. Not everyone is as fortunate. If you or anyone you know is affected by epilepsy I’d love to hear from you on what has been a blessing on your journey. Please check out my friend’s site for more information on women and girls with epilepsy.
The Choice: Embrace the Possible by Dr. Edith Eva Eger is a phenomenal book. The story of Auschwitz survivor, Edith Eva Eger, is a moving, compelling, and important story. As we move further in years from the Holocaust, I believe it is more important than ever to remember and study the stories of that time. Yes, there are parts that are deeply painful to hear. I believe we honor those who lived and died by memorializing their stories. For those who have lived through trauma this story offers hope and power.
“Though I could have remained a permanent victim –scarred by what was beyond my control– I made the choice to heal. Early on, I realized that true freedom can only be found by forgiving, letting go, and moving on. So I turned my life around and vigorously pursued a career in psychology. Combining my formal education and my own life challenges, I have helped countless others lead full lives by moving beyond their problems –no matter how insurmountable they believed them to be. This is my life’s mission and I will forever strive to help people make the choice to heal and thrive. That’s a promise!” ~Dr. Edith Eva Eger~
Perhaps one of the greatest lessons she teaches is :
lovedinthesouth.com 