Friday Faves

Hello, hello, and happy Friday!

I’m writing to you from the comfort of one of my best friends homes in Los Angeles. I’m sitting on her bodacious patio, staring at the twinkle lights shimmering over the pool as she slumbers in her bed. It early evening still, yet she’s wiped out. It was an active day for her that would be looked at by others as a normal one.

My friend has stage 4 breast cancer. So many things are different now.

But all in all, things are good. She’s super positive, tenacious, and ready for the fight. Good thing she’s a researcher because if anyone can figure out a plan, she can. Plus, she has a perfectly shaped head that thanks to my husband’s deft shaving hand and my determined ways of persuasion is now perfectly shaved and she is totally rocking it.

So why am I sharing all of this? As a reminder to:

• Get your boobies checked. Schedule your mammogram today. Her cancer appeared and shot to stage 4 in just 8 months since her last mammogram. Make the appointment.
• Find joy every day. This has been my friend’s mantra. Let the little things go. Enjoy life. Travel. Make it all count.
• Spend time with those you love and don’t waste time on those who don’t. Call your mom. Visit your best friend from college who you haven’t seen in 10 years. Snuggle with your kids, your mate, and your pets. Make the moments you spend with them count.

I’m not sharing any of this to get your sympathy, or as she says, to “play the C card”. I’m only sharing it to remind you and myself,  that we all hold the keys to our own happiness in the palms of our own hands and in the beliefs of our own minds.

To my sister, thank you to the moon and back for picking up my slack, and to my mama, I love you and I’ll be home to hold your cheeks still soon. xoxoxo

Now it’s time to dig into this week’s list of Friday Faves, so let’s get started!

Okay, I love ham and I love watermelon but this video makes me want to quit both of them. I mean, would you eat this????

This guy takes balloon animals to a whole new, totally incredible level!

5 secrets of people who give the best compliments. #1 is always my go-to.

We could all probably use a little more of these: 7 foods that work wonders for digestion.

The results are in: Does this expensive blender work better than the cheapy blender?

Urban Outfitters is having a kitchen sale and that means more kitsch for your kitch.

Woot woo! Busy days call for easy one-pot chicken dinners like this.

Creamy chicken and gnocchi? YES SIR!

What a cool idea for ice cream cones!

And stuff those cones with this no-churn coconut ice cream that you can bet I’ll be making.

This easy chopped salad has ALL the crunch.

And here’s one to meal prep for busy days at work.

I love shrimp so much, so obviously, I love this.

Instant Pot recipe alert: Beef Ragu!

I’m a crazy magazine lover (and former magazine designer) so I love the beginning of every month just for the covers. And I can’t believe how we’re reverting back to some of the old type faces I never liked in the first place.

So if you live in Minnesota, do you get the day off for their newest holiday? Beyonce and Jay-Z day is official.

Oh sweet Jesus. I thought it was only Mercury in Retrograde but apparently there are SIX PLANETS in retrograde right now! No wonder I feel like I’m living in the upside down!

and so…

5 self-care strategies to get you though retrograde without going crazy.

Smudge is going to be busy with these DIY face masks. 

I am totally going to buy this card game for all my favorite ladies. And, if you buy it direct, a portion of the proceeds made in 2018 are donated to five different nonprofits.

If you’re into stalking old houses, you’ll be into this list of Instagram accounts to follow now. Typical that I’m drawn right into this one in L.A.

A little bit modern, a little bit vintage. I could live here.

And, these are the list of honey-dos that will actually improve the value of your home.

I have one of these in brass for my bathroom towels and I was just thinking I wanted to get more! Problem solved.

This month’s list of must read books. 

Attention Sephora shoppers, your Beauty Insider rewards are going up.

As always, thank you for reading and supporting companies I partner with, which allows me to create more unique content and recipes for you. There are affiliate links in this post of which I receive a small commission. All opinions are always my own.  

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