Five on Friday

It’s Memorial Day Weekend!

Let’s get right down to it because I’ve got a lot of things to tackle today before we leave town for a few days at the beach!

Top 5 Reader Favorites

Lash Princess Mascara: See #5!!
Cocoa Butter Sticks: I’m really bad at using hand lotion, mostly because I hate doing anything with greasy hands. Recently, my friend McKinsey got me hooked on cocoa butter sticks and I love that I can quickly moisturize the tops of my hands and it doesn’t interfere with whatever I’m doing. It’s also great to use on lips or dry patches of skin. It smells good and is super cheap (less than $3/stick).
Walmart Bento Box Note: The absolutely best lunch box we’ve used for years and years now. I have shared this inexpensive lunchbox more times than I can count and promise you this is the ONLY lunchbox you need. It’s so much better than any others we’ve used. It comes with multiple removable and stackable compartments, locks into place, and is dishwasher-safe!
Sidewalk Chalk Paint: Caroline received this sidewalk chalk paint kit for her birthday and I cannot tell you how big of a hit it has been. Last weekend we had friends over and all the girls had a blast painting the driveway for hours. The kit it easy to use — all you do is mix the chalk with water and paint it on! The girls used painters tape to create a design and then experimented with and without water (pictured below), but the water mixed chalk paint looked even more beautiful. It has been so fun pulling in and out of my colorful and happy driveway all week! I highly recommend this paint kit for a fun outdoor summer activity or gift for a birthday!
Over-the-Door Hat Holder: I bought another set of these for Thomas’s door and love how much more organized his hats are now. This recommendation came from the professional organizer company — they use these in lots of homes they organize and it really is the best. It holds fitted and adjustable hats really well. And you can easily tighten the straps so they don’t move around when you’re opening and closing the door!

LEAN PROGRAM

One more thing before we get down to the 5! I’ve received some requests to share more about LEAN, a 7 week weight loss and nutrition program, that I mentioned on Instagram earlier this week and in my Day In The Life post!

If you’ve ever done Faster Way To Fat Loss, it’s very similar — carb cycling, intermittent fasting, and counting macros. I’ve done both and so far I’ve enjoyed LEAN more as I think it’s a little easier to follow, more flexible, offers a TON of valuable resources, and is run by Amanda Nighbert, a registered dietician who I’ve followed for a very long time on Instagram and really love!

My primary goals for joining the program are to clean up my diet and hit my protein goals. However, there are SO many other benefits of the program though too (weight loss, blood sugar control, improve metabolism, increase energy, nutrition strategies, and more). The accountability has been really important for me too.

The next session begins May 27 and during the first week you are learning everything and preparing to start the program. This is not sponsored in any way. I used one of my friend’s promo codes and paid for the course! If you want to save $10 off your registration, you can use my referral code: CMBD39

1. Flower Child

Last weekend Flower Child opened it’s South Charlotte location at The Bowl in Ballantyne and we were invited to come have lunch! I couldn’t RSVP yes fast enough as I love this restaurant so much and am elated to have a location much closer to home now! Previously I was driving all the way to South End for lunches with girlfriends or to grab their (worth-the-drive) Family Meals to serve when hosting friends or family for dinner!

The food is consistently delicious and is all made-from-scratch with fresh ingredients, and the menu caters to lots of dietary needs (paleo, gluten-free, vegan, etc.). The vibes and the patio are the icing on the cake. Highly recommend checking Flower Child out if you’ve never been or just want a really good meal at a cool place.

2. Sleepy Spritz Mocktail TWIST

If you love the Sleepy Spritz Magnesium Mocktail, I have a delicious twist that makes this drink even better!

If you’re unfamiliar with this nighttime beverage, the drink is a combination of tart cherry juice, magnesium bisglycinate powder, and sparkling water! The tart cherry juice has a reputation for a naturally high amount of melatonin, the magnesium powder provides a natural muscle relaxer, and the sparkle water cuts down the tart/sweetness.

But here’s the twist I’m loving…

Brew a strong cup of chamomile tea and stick it in the fridge until it’s completely cooled. Then add 1/3 cup of chamomile to your Mocktail! Here’s the updated recipe:

Sleepy Girl Mocktail

1/4-1/2 cup Tart Cherry Juice (depending on how sweet you like your drink)
1 scoop Magnesium Bisglycinate Powder
1/3 cup chamomile tea (chilled)
Top with sparkling water

3. Book Review: Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren

Rating 4/5: This love story is so beautifully written, and is a quick, captivating and emotional read. I loved the characters — they were flawed by likeable and well developed. I don’t usually like books with alternating timelines, but this one is well done and easy to follow. A great book to read in between my usual thrillers.

Book Summary: Macy Sorensen is settling into an ambitious if emotionally tepid routine: work hard as a new pediatrics resident, plan her wedding to an older, financially secure man, keep her head down and heart tucked away.

But when she runs into Elliot Petropoulos—the first and only love of her life—the careful bubble she’s constructed begins to dissolve. Once upon a time, Elliot was Macy’s entire world—growing from her gangly bookish friend into the man who coaxed her heart open again after the loss of her mother…only to break it on the very night he declared his love for her.

Told in alternating timelines between Then and Now, teenage Elliot and Macy grow from friends to much more—spending weekends and lazy summers together in a house outside of San Francisco devouring books, sharing favorite words, and talking through their growing pains and triumphs. As adults, they have become strangers to one another until their chance reunion. Although their memories are obscured by the agony of what happened that night so many years ago, Elliot will come to understand the truth behind Macy’s decade-long silence, and will have to overcome the past and himself to revive her faith in the possibility of an all-consuming love.

4. Two Trader Joe’s Favorite Items

One is an oldie but a goodie, and the other is NEW (to me)!

First, the seasonal Jalapeno Limeade! I love this for whipping up a quick margarita (just add a few jalapeno slices to garnish) or drinking it as is! Not too sweet and not too spicy, this juice is SO good!

Any my newest find?! This delicious Crunchy Chili Onion — and I am clearly the last one to the party on this! I shared this find on Instagram and so many of you recommended ways to use it — my favorite so far has been on homemade pizzas and over scrambled eggs!

5. My Fave Mascara Combo

Re-sharing a recent product refill that I’ve been using since many of you recommended this as the best mascara back in 2022! This dream team combo deserves another shoutout because it is SO good and CHEAP!

This Lash Princess Mascara is under $5 and is truly amazing (more than 363K reviews!!!!). I’ve tried the purple tube (curl and volume) too and love it just as much. The purple tube provides an insane amount of volume and can get clumpy if you aren’t careful, and I use the green tube for my everyday mascara.

More recently, I started using the Lash Princess Primer too and it provides the perfect base for the mascara.

THANK YOU to all of you who recommended it to me years ago!