Five on Friday - Carolina Charm

Happy Friday!

We are heading home from Charleston later this morning after Thomas’s post-op appointment for his IOL Surgery and are ready for a low key recovery weekend ahead. Grandma has been here all week and will be here through the weekend, so we’re planning to bake Christmas treats with Caroline and do a family Christmas movie marathon! I cannot say it enough, THANK YOU for your continued prayers for Thomas!

In case you missed it, this week I shared Stocking Stuffers for Him & Her, an updated White Christmas Margaritas post (recipe remains the same, but I added new photos), and a tutorial for my Oven Dried Orange Slices!

Want to know what your favorite items were this week?

Top 5 Reader Best-Sellers This Week

Car Cleaning Gel: The top seller BY FAR and everyone’s favorite stocking stuffer!! There’s a reason this stuff as 78K+ Amazon reviews!!!
Toothpaste Caps: Back in the top 5 after I re-shared these on Instagram earlier this week! My kids absolutely DESTROY their toothpaste. I swear they squeeze half of the tube every time they brush their teeth. These toothpaste caps have been a game changer. Not only have they significantly cut down on the amount of toothpaste in the sinks, they extend the life of the toothpaste tube by probably 80%. You just gotta get past the shape…
Crayola Globbles: From the Tweens Stocking Stuffer Guide, these super sticky squeeze fidget toys never leave a sticky residue behind, and restore their sticky power after being washed. Fun for sticking, stacking, squishing, and more!
The Game: Still in the top 5!! I am absolutely HOOKED on this game and it’s the perfect stocking stuffer for the person who loves to play games! You can play with 1-5 players so it’s my new go-to game when Matt isn’t up for playing something (I can play games all day every day). The average playtime is 15’ish minutes and while it’s easy to learn it’s challenging to win!
AirPods Cleaning Pen: A best-seller from the Stocking Stuffers for Him & Her guide! My AirPods get SO dirty and disgusting and use this 3-in-1 cleaning pen to shine them up. I spend about 10 minutes deep cleaning them and they seriously look BRAND NEW again. This tool includes a flocking sponge to dust out the charging case, a high-density brush for cleaning out dirt on the sound outlet holes, and a metal pen tip for all the little crevices!

1. Life Hack: Car Reading & The Lives We Actually Have

I recently started keeping my books/devotionals in my car and it’s been a game changer. I spend so much time in my car and having my books on hand has allowed me to read SO MUCH MORE.

My favorite book for my car right now is The Lives We Actually Have: 100 Blessings for Imperfect Days.

This was a gift from my Favorite Things Party and I LOVE IT! You can bounce around to different sections depending on the type of day you’re having or the season of life you’re in. The blessings take 1-2 minutes to read and are really good.

2. The Guest Bed

Last week Matt’s parents stayed with Caroline while we were in Charleston with Thomas, and this week my mom is here! All the scrambling to get this room finally pulled together from scratch has been worth it!

I love how this room is coming together. But to be honest, it’s the sheets that really steal the show and make up the best part of the entire bed. We loaned the guest bed our favorite Cozy Earth sheets and everyone who has slept on them so far (well, only 3 people, but still) have raved about them. They are a splurge, but I ended up grabbing another set to keep on the guest bed. If you want a set, I think my promo code may still work (Use code CAROLINACHARM40 at checkout for 40% off).

And if you’re looking to pull a guest bed together from scratch for the holidays, I wanted to share all the items I sourced for ours in case it’s helpful!

Headboard / Mattress / Metal Platform Bed Frame / Bamboo Cooling Mattress Pad Cover / Best EVER Bamboo Sheet Set / Quilt / Favorite Down Pillows / Euro Sham Pillows / Decorative Pillows / Lightweight Waffle Weave Blanket

3. Immune Boosting Garlic Wellness Shot

I shared on Instagram earlier this week that our family was taking shots of garlic for a little immune boost to stay healthy for Thomas’s eye surgery. I received a ton of messages asking for more information on how we make the shots so I thought I’d share.

But first, my disclaimer — I’m not a doctor, do your own research, etc.

Straight from the web on how garlic works: Garlic has been used as an antiseptic, antibacterial, and antifungal agent. It may help the body resist or destroy viruses and other microorganisms. It does this by boosting the immune system. Garlic is also claimed to fight infections.

Instructions: Mince one clove of garlic per person. Let it rest for about 10 minutes. Add honey or juice to wash it down! I have and LOVE this garlic mincer — super effective and easy to clean!

4. Jesus’s Birthday Cake

Every Christmas our family loves to celebrate with a birthday cake for Jesus! It’s one of our favorite traditions so I wanted to share our cakes from over the years! We used to buy pre-made cakes from the grocery store and add our own decorations, but Caroline has made them the past few years!

All of our cake toppers are from Etsy!

5. Product Refill: Complex B Vitamin

One of my favorite daily vitamins, I started taking this about a year ago to help with my hair loss (B vitamins help hair growth by encouraging healthy cell rejuvenation), but love it for the benefits that go beyond hair too — energy production, brain health, and detoxification. I usually take my B12 around the time I want a cup of afternoon coffee and it’s highly effective for a boost of energy. But not the jittery kind.

This brand isn’t cheap, but many of the generic brands of B12 contain cyanocobalmin, a cost-effective form of B12 that does not absorb into the body as easily as methylcobalamin. My doctor recommended this B-complex vitamin because it contains a handful of other B vitamins and is free from wheat, eggs, nuts, gluten, unnecessary binders, fillers & preservatives. Pure Encapsulations is another good brand too. (NOTE: Don’t take it too late in the day as this vitamin provides a burst of energy. Consult with your doctor to see if this vitamin is right for you.)