Five on Friday

Happy Friday!

It’s been a minute since my last Five on Friday, and wow — the past few weeks have been packed! We’ve celebrated two birthdays, snuck away for a little adults-only getaway while the kids were at sleepaway camp, survived Prime Day (just barely), and soaked up every bit of summer we could in between.

Today we’re road-tripping to Florida to spend the week with my family — our first visit since Christmas! I cannot wait for cousin chaos, lots of sunshine, and a little staycation fun while we’re there.

Let’s get into this week’s five!

Recipe Spotlight: Protein Balls

I made some protein balls for snacks this week and they were SO good — and only took a few minutes to throw together. I should have doubled the recipe because I crushed this batch in just a few days.

Protein Balls

1 cup rolled oats (gluten-free)
1/4 cup protein powder (I love and use Truvani!)
1/2 cup almond butter
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup flax seed
pinch of salt

1. Thomas’s Epic 10th Birthday Party

We pulled off the ultimate celebration for Thomas’s 10th birthday, and he officially declared it his favorite party ever. We kicked things off with a 90-minute laser tag battle in our front yard, complete with bunkers, team missions, and a whole lot of chaos.

Afterward, the boys refueled with Chick-fil-A served straight from the Palmetto Sweets truck, which also doubled as the sweetest surprise: 170+ types of candy for the kids to choose from as their party favor. Major hit.

I highly recommend checking out my party reel to see the truck in action!

And I’ve got to give a special shoutout to Caroline, who blew up 100+ balloons and totally earned MVP of the balloon arch (which turned out SO cute!!!) and was the perfect backdrop for the cake table.

And speaking of cake, Thomas LOVED his “Level 10 Unlocked” cake!

Thomas had the best time celebrating with 15 of his friends, and I truly don’t know how we’ll ever top this one!

2. Matt is 45!

Matt turned 45 last week and we celebrated with his annual foot race against the kids (he still smoked them, but just barely), a DoorDashed steak dinner (his request!), a few gifts, and the most adorable homemade cake from Caroline — complete with a teddy graham beach scene!

3. Backgammon, But Make It Travel-Friendly

Matt gifted me the prettiest backgammon set for Mother’s Day (it’s on big time sale, by the way!), and we’ve been playing so much that we ended up ordering a travel set to bring on vacation. It’s perfect for throwing in the pool bag, pulling out on hotel nights, and it takes up almost no space! And while Matt thinks he’s the better player…I still win more (and yes, I absolutely keep track!).

4. Book Review: Twenty Years Later by Charlie Donlea

I finished this mystery thriller on vacation and it was 5 out of 5 stars! This story masterfully intertwines a 9/11 conspiracy with a cold case murder and there are so many unexpected twists, and I was hooked until the very last page.

5. Cantarito Cocktail

My latest poolside obsession: the Cantarito. Think of it as the cousin of a Paloma — bright, citrusy, and so refreshing. It starts with a quarter of muddled grapefruit (yes, fresh), then gets a hit of tequila, orange and lime juice, a touch of agave, and a dash of flaky sea salt (this kind is my fave!). Finish it off with a splash of grapefruit soda, and you’ve got the most sippable drink that was made for afternoons by the pool.

Cantarito

1/4 grapefruit, muddled
2 oz tequila
1 oz fresh squeezed orange juice (gotta be fresh)
.75 oz fresh lime juice
splash of agave
sprinkle with flaky sea salt
top with grapefruit soda (I love Fever-Tree)

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