Five on Friday

What a BIG week!

Thomas and Caroline returned to school on Monday and it’s been so nice getting back into our routine! Both kids had a great first week of school and are very excited about their teachers. I have a really good feeling about the school year.

This weekend, we’re heading out for our annual Labor Day camping trip with friends! This marks our 5th year of camping with the kids, and it’s become a tradition we all look forward to. While it’s a ton of work to get everything packed (I’ll be spending the entire day today taking inventory of our gear, picking up groceries and supplies, and getting everything ready), it’s always worth the effort.

Here’s where we’ve camped in the past:

• 2023 Hunting Island, South Carolina
• 2022 Hot Springs, North Carolina
• 2021 Edisto Island, South Carolina
• 2020 Table Rock, South Carolina

In Case You Missed It

Recently I shared…

• My August Top 5 Faves and spoiler, my #1 item is the undies I raved about a few weeks ago.
• Our first week Back-To-School, along with our extra fun back-to-school dinner (see my video HERE). I also shared our first day of 5th grade and 3rd grade pictures HERE and cannot believe how fast the kids are growing.
• A Few Back-To-School Things…including how we boost the kids’ immune systems the first few weeks, lice prevention, a reminder about the after-school restraint collapse, lunch box ideas, teacher favorite things printable, and more!
• A before & after of our POOL!

Top 5 Reader Faves This Week

1. Laminator: So many of you told me you couldn’t believe how cheap these machines are! And that you’ve been taking your items to UPS and paying way more to have things laminated! This machine is the best and I use it ALL the time!!
2. Dishwasher Magnet: Now that summer is over, the dishwasher unloading chore is back for the kids. They are loving it. Kidding. They complain EVERY time it’s their turn and it takes them approximately 42 minutes to complete the task. But when the sign says CLEAN they know it’s time for someone to empty it and they rotate turns. While we do run the dishwasher most nights, there are occasions (like takeout nights) where I don’t run it. So this handy dandy dishwasher magnet has also helped prevent any more dirty dishes from being unloaded back into my kitchen.
3. Rosemary Repel: We’ve used this lice-prevention spray for years and it works! We didn’t use it all summer and…well…lesson learned.
4. Nike Metcon Shoes: My favorite colorway on sale!
5. Flat Claw Clips: The shape of these clips is really pretty and they come in a pack of 6! Don’t forget to clip the 20% off coupon too!

1. Hitting My Steps Goal

Now that the kids are back in school, I’ve regained a full workday, which has been incredibly motivating. The house is quiet, I can focus on my tasks without constant interruptions, and the usual chaos—like tracking down Mabel, mopping up pool water, or picking up snack wrappers—has settled down.

My productivity has increased so much, and so have my steps! Unless it’s a content filming day, I’m usually at my desk in my office for most of the day. Despite daily walks with Mabel and workouts, I often struggle to hit my 10K steps goal. So, I decided to invest in a walking pad and desk riser, and I absolutely love it. I’ve been walking all week and consistently hitting between 10K-16K steps!

Stepping onto the walking pad for the first time felt odd, and I wasn’t sure I’d be able to type and walk simultaneously. I started out at just 1 mph, but by lunchtime, I had completely forgotten I was even walking. Now, I’m comfortably walking at 2.5 mph (though my friend, who convinced me to get a walking pad, walks at 3.4 mph!).

There are plenty of walking pads with more bells and whistles, but mine is basic, affordable, and perfect for my needs. It comes with a remote for adjusting the speed, which maxes out at 3.8 mph. I also didn’t want to replace my large desk, so I bought a 26″ desk riser. The workstation is spacious enough to hold my laptop, monitor, keyboard, and mouse!

2. Honey Chipotle Chicken Fajitas

Our favorite meal this week was honey chipotle chicken fajitas!

The combination of sweet and spicy flavors made this dish an instant hit, and it was also one of the prettiest meals we’ve had in a while.

To make mine gluten-free, I used Siete tortillas, which worked perfectly.

I’m so glad I doubled the recipe because the leftovers were even better the next day for a lunch salad. This is definitely a recipe we’ll be making again!

3. Tennis Season Is Back!

The fall tennis season kicked off this week and while I’m a little rusty, it feels amazing to be back on the court. I also got to play in the member-guest tournament this week and invited my friend Abby to play with me. We did not win the tournament, but definitely won first place in fun.

4. My 4-Week Daily Planner

Earlier this week, I mentioned that I was struggling to find a planner that truly fit my needs. I’m pretty particular about my planners—I don’t want motivational quotes or spaces for journaling, and I prefer one single list that covers personal tasks, work tasks, and my daily schedule. Plus, it has to have a minimal design.

Since I couldn’t find exactly what I was looking for, I decided to create my own week-at-a-glance and daily planner in Canva. I then had it printed and bound at Staples, making enough pages to last four weeks. It ended up being a bit pricier than I anticipated, around $24, partly because I upgraded to thicker paper (I’m picky like that). But it was worth it to have the perfect format to keep me organized. When I go to reprint it, I’ll make a few tweaks, like adding a “Matt’s Notes” section to jot down things I need to remember to discuss with Matt when he gets home.

If you’re struggling to find the perfect planner, I highly recommend creating your own. Just search for a free “daily planner” or “weekly planner” template on Canva and customize it to suit your needs. It’s surprisingly easy, and you can even save money by printing it at home!

5. Imagine Dragons Concert

This week Matt and I took the kids to their very first concert—Imagine Dragons! We play a lot of Imagine Dragons at home (Thunder was the song that hooked both kids), so when the tickets went on sale, I grabbed them right away. We kept it a surprise until the night before, and the kids were absolutely thrilled when we told them. It was an unforgettable experience and the perfect first concert for them. The music was incredible—we knew every song, and the band put on an amazing show.

Have a great long weekend!

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