Five on Friday

Happy Friday!

It’s been one of those weeks, and I won’t drag you through all the details, but I’m exhausted.

I’d love to kick off this post with something like, “We’re savoring every last bit of summer and don’t want it to end!” But honestly, I’m ready for school to start.

We’ve had an amazing summer—probably our best one yet. But now, as usual, we’re trudging through these last few weeks. We’re in that awkward phase where we’re getting ready for school: shopping, tackling doctor/dentist/orthodontist appointments, and filling out tons of paperwork, while still having a few weeks left to go.

It’s like those final days of the school year, only in reverse. We’re trying to shift from summer mode to school prep mode. Bedtimes are gradually getting earlier, sleepovers are becoming rare, “pool showers” aren’t cutting it anymore, and we’re slowly reducing screen time (well, starting next week—baby steps).

So, if you’ve noticed less content lately, that’s why. I’ve barely had time to sit at my computer, and I suspect this will continue until the kids head back to school on August 26th.

More than ever, THANK YOU for taking the time to read this post today!

In Case You Missed It

Recently I shared…

• A Week of Lunch Box Ideas for School
• Tween Boy Back-to-School Shopping
• Tween Girl Back-to-School Shopping
• My favorite enchiladas shortcut — using pre-shredded rotisserie chicken from the grocery store!! Full recipe HERE!

My Top 5 Items This Week

1. Fairy Tales Rosemary Repel: Because lice. See #5.
2. Bralette: I’ve been on a hunt for a comfy bralette with SEWN IN CUPS for daily wear and just got this one! I’ve only worn it a few times but the fabric is soft and comfortable, and I don’t have to fuss with removable pads!
3. Lash Clusters: I am really into false lashes this summer! See #3!
4. Flat Claw Clips: Bought these on Prime Day and they are my favorite hair clips! The shape is really pretty and they come in a pack of 6! Don’t forget to clip the 20% off coupon too!
5. Glass Storage Jars: I cleaned out our pantry last weekend and bought these jars for our smoothie powders. This has been such a game changer as previously the bags would explode powder all over my counters every time I open/close them! The glass jars make smoothies so much easier/cleaner!

Let’s get down to the 5!

1. Living with Broken Things

Earlier this week I shared I finally replaced my laptop which had a sticky “K” button for 3+ years. Every single time I press any key near the K, it results in “kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk” until I hit the backspace button. The issue started only one year after I bought my new laptop and I got it fixed once (for free, under warranty) and then within a few weeks it started happening again. However, to fix it again would require me to send off my laptop for 4-6 weeks so HP could take everything apart and rebuild it!! There never seemed to be a time I could be laptop-free for that long, so I’ve just lived with it — using a wireless keyboard whenever I’m at my desk really has saved my sanity when writing!

Anyway, I loved reading your responses with things in your life that are aggravating to deal with but you don’t have the energy, time, or maybe you just don’t want to spend the money right now to get it fixed: cracked iPhone screens, broken electrical outlets, frozen icemakers, chipped windshields, broken faucets, missing handles on appliances, the list went on!

kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk, moving on!

2. Book Review: Butcher & Blackbird by Brynne Weaver

Rating 3.5/5: I loved the premise of this story about vigilante serial killers and binged it in 2 days. Two psychopaths fall in love with each other after embarking on a murder competition. This rom com is dark, SPICY, twisted, funny, and gross.

I really loved the banter between the two main characters and their audiobook performance is incredible. However, I had to remove a star because of the flirtatious overuse of “pretty boy” and “you’re the worst” sayings which drove me insane. I also thought the storyline could have been a tad bit stronger and the characters more developed.

The author shares a lengthy list of trigger warnings that you’ll want to check out before diving into this book. It’s definitely not for everyone!

Book Summary:

Every serial killer needs a friend.
Every game must have a winner.

When a chance encounter sparks an unlikely bond between rival murderers Sloane and Rowan, the two find something elusive—the friendship of a like-minded, pitch-black soul. From small town West Virginia to upscale California, from downtown Boston to rural Texas, the two hunters collide in an annual game of blood and suffering, one that pits them against the most dangerous monsters in the country. But as their friendship develops into something more, the restless ghosts left in their wake are only a few steps behind, ready to claim more than just their newfound love. Can Rowan and Sloane dig themselves out of a game of graves? Or have they finally met their match?

3. False Lashes

I haven’t been wearing mascara this summer and instead have been wearing false lashes!! I love the look and they make me feel a little more pulled together when I’m makeup-free (which is most days)!

To be honest, this took me a lot of trial and error learning how to put them on quickly (I apply them UNDER my lash, not on top) and making them last. There are 3 lash brands I’ve been using (and I really like all of them for different reasons):

• FlutterHabit: These are the ones I started with. I do find them to be the most difficult to apply though because the strips are wider. I use 3 per eye lid!
• Lash Clusters: These are the ones I wear the most. They are the least expensive and the easiest to apply. My lash connoisseur friend April recommended them to me (C-12mm and 10 mm for the corners)! They don’t look as natural as the others though.
• Sweed Beauty: Those most natural looking lashes! They are beautiful. And I love that The Signature comes with 6 mm, 8 mm, 10 mm, and 12 mm lengths. These are pretty easy to apply but they don’t last as many days as the Lash Clusters!

A Few Tips

• Apply your lashes UNDER your eye lashes, not above. They look so much more natural that way.
• I LOVE the FlutterHabit glue and it’s ALL I use no matter which lashes I’m applying! This underlash adhesive is long lasting and allows the lashes to stay on for up to 5 days, depending on how delicate I am with them when washing my face.
• I use these Applicator Tweezers for applying my lashes.

4. School Lunch Hack

Earlier this week I shared A Week of Lunch Box Ideas for School. And if you’re looking for more ideas, I have a little hack for ya!

Let me preface this by saying not all kids may find this as fun or cool (Thomas has zero interest in this), but if you have a picky tween, let him/her curate a pin board of school lunchbox ideas on Pinterest!! Caroline has had so much fun adding items to our Pinterest Board and it’s going to help me so much this year!

5. Lice Removal & Prevention

Lice has been going around like CRAZY this summer and unfortunately our house was not spared. It was the worst surprise (thankfully we caught it super early, and only one person had it), but we’ve been lice-free long enough now that I can finally talk about it without my entire body itching.

I hope it never finds its way to your home, but if you do need a lice removal treatment in Charlotte, I highly recommend Pediatric Hair Solutions. It’s pricey, but totally worth it to have a medically trained professional effectively remove it in just an hour!

And also, PLEASE do yourself a favor and BUY FAIRY TALES ROSEMARY REPEL to use daily when your kids return to school. We’ve used this for years and it works! We didn’t use it all summer and…well…lesson learned.

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