Hello friends. And happy Friday. Well mostly.
Wednesday was Valentine’s Day and all across the nation hearts were breaking, not because they weren’t delivered a floral bouquet at their door, but because 17 people lost their lives because of a senseless tragedy.
Friends, did you know this fact: NBC News’ Lester Holt reported that rom January 1 to February 14, there have been 18 school shootings in the U.S…. EIGHTEEN shooting in just FORTY days. I had no idea there have been that many. How is it even imagineable that once again, AGAIN, the nation is talking about another mass shooting? And at a school! Where we tell our children they are safe, cared for, and loved.
I realize this isn’t the type of content you come to for Friday Faves, it’s fun, links, recipes and more! But this situations isn’t something any of us can pretend isn’t happening, because it’s affecting us all.
My head is spinning. My heart hurts. I’m scared for my daughter, her friends and teachers, and for our country. This article sums up my feelings in much better I ever could.
But as these tragedies continue to occur, we cannot allow ourselves to become numb to the fact that they are happening. To become immune. This isn’t normal. And we can’t let it become the new normal.
Because there are only so many televised condolences and candlelight vigils and flags set to half staff that we all witness on TV and online before the day comes when we’re participating in them and mourning one of our own.
Let your elected officials know that what you think about they are and are not doing. I have. Find a list of your own elected officials at the official US gov site here.
Sending all the love and prayers to the Florida families and to anyone who has been a victim of gun violence before.
What Went Up This Week…
This week had a lot of recipe testing going down in the FC test kitchen aka my kitchen plus the recipes below going up on the blog. If you have any recipe requests, I’m happy to serve…just email me at [email protected].
- 20 Chicken Dinner Ideas You Can Make on the Sheet Pan because can we ever really have too many chicken recipes? Also, long live sheet pan dinners forever and ever, amen.
-
How to Make an Easy Asian Hot Pot because it’s a crave worthy classic you can totally make at home. Plus, cooking at the table is ridiculously fun!
- 30-Minute Turkey and Spinach Penne Pasta with Video! and a little bit of a Mexican kick :)
And now onto this week’s list of Friday Faves…
How to make meaningful connections in this modern world.
My friend Kristin started this video series and it just.makes.me.happy. And I could use a dose of happy this week. Would something like this would be fun for me to do here on the Friday Faves? Not that I want to be a copycat…but…she’s inspired me :)
Attention parents: My friend Lori shared this and it is really worth a read.
I want to live my life like these kids.
and…
A really important article on smartphone addiction.
4 ways to strengthen your relationship in February.
You know I’m a list maker, and I love the perfect felt tip stroke I found in my new favorite pen! In ombré! (their whole site is so dang cute!!)
Is binge watching ruining our sleep?
5 wellness trends to try this year.
and…
I’ve been seeing these eucalyptus showers in everyone’s IG story feeds but these eucalyptus shower melts would be good too because Smudge could turn them into a DIY project and I wouldn’t have to lift a finger!
and…
Are you following this IG yet? Lauren’s pies will blow your mind.
Speaking of IG, you might want to read this. You’ve been warned!
Love, love, LOVE. Also, I would like a copy of each, thank you.
Does your resumé need a revamp? Make sure you’re including this one thing.
4 books to read this month. What are you currently reading?
Have you and your partner ever asked yourself these 36 questions?
This mini origami art is totally clever. How’d they do that???
The best winter beauty foods to add to your diet. I’ll have a kale salad with roasted butternut squash, pears, and radishes, and a mug of matcha, please!
We’ve had a round of sicko around here…another reason I’m using my essential oils.
and…
Taking heed of this homemade cough remedy.
and…
Thinking these sore throat popsicles would be the ultimate soother.
This grilled cheese is the cheese-pull winner.
Instant Pot recipe alert because SOUP IS ON!
This sweet dinner for two would be perfect for a cozy date night in.
Dying to make this one-skillet pasta.
Also, pasta + rosé? YAAAS, please.
If you’re a fan of pancakes, you need to try these.
I keep seeing stuff about oat milk…Have you tried it?
Here are 5 chocolate treats I want to devour in the name of love this week:
- Ultimate Chocolate Cake with Fudge Frosting
- A Big Amaretto Brownie Heart
- The Most Amazing Salted Dark Chocolate Tart
- Easy Chocolate Mousse
- Mini Chocolate Sheet Cake for Two with Raspberry Frosting
This is so totally my dream home!!!. That landscaping! The openness! The windows! Those views! And I already have the rocker in slide 11 that my mom used to rock me in as a baby!
Ah, but this cabin!! Now I want to buy and decorate a frigging cabin!
I’m in the market for a new coffee table for our family room. We have a lot like this but since getting the new couch last year, it’s just too bulky to get around. I’m thinking we need one that is round like this one. What say you? (btw, the couch is the comfiest EVER!)
This is such a cute top. Love those sleeves.
And really liking this dress (also great sleeves).
I need to get this jacket for my Smudge so she’ll quit stealing mine.
These weekend mugs are fun. They remind me of Pantone swatches.
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zeshan
Its a very nice post thanks for sharing this post..
Sijan
Shelley, Thanks for talking about shooting in your blog. All we have seen for years that once shooting happens we just talk for couple weeks and gun control topic dissapears. We should have strick weapon laws. In some states we do background verification for new job but not for guns.
Ana
Hi, Heidi! Just wanted to share this article with you: https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/no-there-havent-been-18-school-shooting-in-2018-that-number-is-flat-wrong/2018/02/15/65b6cf72-1264-11e8-8ea1-c1d91fcec3fe_story.html?utm_term=.7f12e216fada
I too was alarmed by the statistic and thought it best to clarify. I am saddened by the needless violence that these kids and teachers had to go through.
Jessica
Thank you for your <3.
Jill
Thank you for touching on this tragedy.
We have to have this conversation about guns and the lack of laws to control them. While the 18 shootings is not quite correct, I understand you sharing it as it was in all the major news outlets and that’s ok. The gist is that we have had too many already.
My teens went off to school yesterday to a high school probably much like the one in Florida: an affluent town noted as one of the safest in Texas and one of the best places to raise children. Someone brought a gun. Kids and officers acted fast. Rumors were like wildfire and someone else posted that that boy’s friend was going to finish the job today. Many kids were scared and many did not go to school today…mind did.
We have a lack of gun laws problem. Mental health issues exist in peer nations but because other countries chose to do something by restricting access and enforcing the laws on the books, they don’t have the mass shootings that we do.
Let’s keep the conversation going. I sent another donation to the Moms Gun Sense group and will continue to pressure my very republican elected officials. Change gun laws or change Congress. Vote in November. Check the amount donated to Congress from the NRA. It is astounding.
Shelley
Heidi-Thanks for your heartfelt and right on comments re the most recent school shooting. Good for you and good for us! Prayers can only do so much. Our gun laws , written by congress (and the NRA), need to be rewritten. It’s time to start protecting innocents rather than the gun manufacturers’ profits!! Do we REALLY need assault weapons in the hands of civilians??
RJ
One school shooting is too many. This is unacceptable, but there have not been 18 school shootings this year. That “fact” has been debunked by Politifact and other fact checkers. It hurts the cause to engage in misinformation.
Hi RJ, thanks for the note about the number. I took that statistic from the NBC report from Lester Holt noted in the video below. And I totally agree, even one shooting is too many.