Favorite Things Friday #27

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Morning, friends! Thanks for stopping by! Hope y’all had a great week – here are a few of the things that made me smile and I hope they do the same for you!

1. Girl, Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis

You guys. GO BUY THIS BOOK. It is so inspiring, so motivational, so moving, so…everything. I seriously need to reread it with a highlighter in my hand because there are so many lines that made me say – out loud, mind you – “YESSSSS!” Not only does she share so many life experiences that have shaped her, but she ends each chapter with things that helped her in those particular circumstances, should you need a little help in that area as well. She’s funny and I’ve loved her on Instagram for a while now and love her even more now that I’ve read this book. It’ll light a fire under you to become the best version of you that you can be. It’s just so so good, trust me on this.

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Just one thing (out of too many to count!) I have taken from this book is to HUSTLE FOR JOY. The things that make you happy – work hard at including THEM in your daily life, as much as the stuff on your never-ending to-do list. Do those things and treat them with as much importance as they deserve, because really – what is life without the joy? Which brings me to my next favorite thing:

2. A Beach Getaway (and the people in my life who make fun things like this happen)

Oh the beach, you guys. It is my happy place. Get my toes in the sand and let me just listen to those waves and I’m a happy camper. A weekend there with gorgeous weather and my cup is full. But let me tell you something. I am not good at all when it comes to making that happen. A weekend getaway in May? I’d never think of it in a million years. I feel like I get so stuck in the busy day-to-day, the endless ballgames, the birthday parties, there’s just so much going on this time of year. I couldn’t possibly.

So when one of my best friends (whose husband is a good friend of my husband’s and our kids are like siblings) asked a while back if we’d be interested in joining them for a weekend trip during Mother’s Day weekend, my first thought was, oh, I don’t know about that. But I mentioned it to my husband and I think before I even finished the question, he said “Let’s do it!” Why I get so caught up in…well, life, I don’t know. There’s the expense, there’s the arrangements for the dog, there’s this and there’s that. But fortunately for me, I have people in my life like my friend and my husband who see the need to incorporate more moments for fun. For joy. Like Rachel Hollis says, HUSTLE for it! Make these things a priority, just as everything else. Because before you know it, the years fly by and I don’t think there’s a person alive who would ever regret time at the beach.

“You know, it was a good life, but I think I took too many fun vacations.” 

Pretty sure no one has or ever will utter those words on their deathbed, am I right??

The older I’m getting, the more I’m realizing that we need to let loose more. Throw out the to-do list once in a while (ok, maybe not throw out, but more like, add to) and find those pockets of joy. Whatever it is. It doesn’t have to be as big as a vacation. Heck, it could mean going for a workout if that’s your thing. Maybe stroll the aisles of Target (ahhhh, brings me joy just thinking about it!) or as simple as calling an old friend you know you’ll laugh with. Incorporating more things that make you happy is good for you, for your family, for everyone. And for me, last weekend at the beach was just what all of us needed. A little glass of Rosé doesn’t hurt either. (P.S. Apothic Rosé is my jam these days – bonus favorite thing for you Rosé lovers) 😉

3. Family (and Family Style) Dinners

I’m gonna get preachy for a moment here, folks. THE WORLD NEEDS MORE FAMILY DINNERS. There. I said it. Sorry, didn’t mean to get all CAPS on ya, but it’s something I feel so passionate about. I grew up with them, and it’s something I knew was non-negotiable with my future family. Fortunately, my husband wholeheartedly agrees with me on this. But something I’ve steered away from was brought to my attention by one of my kids last week. I used to do a lot of family style meals – you know, where you bring all the food to the table? But then it just ended up being extra dishes, extra giant bowls to clean at the end of the night, and let’s face it: us parents are tired at the end of the day, so I stopped. I mean taco night was a SHOW. Approximately 87 bowls of fixins + three toddlers + two tired parents does not a relaxing evening make. But I recently brought back the family style dinners because I noticed how much longer we linger around a table when it’s there. Not necessarily to refill our plates even – but there’s something about the bounty before us (did I really just say bounty? I dunno, it just felt fitting😉 that draws you near and makes you slow down. And stay awhile. My daughter made a comment how much she liked when we do this “for some reason,” and the other kids chimed in too. It’s funny, at just 8, 10, and 11, that it made them feel something, even if they weren’t able to explain why.

I think that’s what family dinners are all about. It brings us all together, and gives us the opportunity to sit with one another for a little while, hear about each other’s days…this season in our lives is a busy one for sure, but it’s also so important. For our kids to know that we want to know what happened in their day, and that they can really tell us whatever they want and we will listen – that’s big stuff. We usually laugh a lot, most conversations are very light but every once in a while they throw us a curveball and we get into some heavy stuff. I think that’s why I love this time of day so much – you never know what we’ll talk about, but the point is, we’ll talk. Devices are absolutely not allowed, and the only thing we focus on is one another. And the food, maybe;)

Does this have to be fancy, or take all day to cook? Absolutely not. My kids go nuts when I brown up some ground turkey, throw a jar of store-bought marinara sauce in there and serve on a bed of noodles. Takes 15 minutes. Only now, I’m going back to our pre-kids days and busting out the huge pasta serving dish and wooden salad bowl and bringing it all to the table. Because if it shows the kids that Mom thinks they’re worth the extra effort and keeps them at the table a little longer…well, then it’s definitely worth a few extra dishes to clean. (Says the one who doesn’t do the dishes;) But I know 100% that I can speak on my husband’s behalf about this one.

Let’s bring back the family dinners – no matter what they look like. If you’re a single mom who is busting her butt to get home at a decent hour and then faced with cooking dinner? Maybe throw together some quick sandwiches, but put them on the good plates, and light a candle. Do you work nights? Maybe breakfast can be your meal where you’re all together.  I know everyone’s situation is different. But really it all boils down to this: reconnecting with one another. In this crazy world of cell phones and texting and social media, I think we all could use some unplugging around the ones we love the most.

Here’s to a weekend doing just that.

 

 

 

Comments

  1. melanie kelly says:

    gotta tell you girl, I’m loving your blog, I don’t always have time to read all the posts but I have stopped to read the Friday Favorite things every week for the past 3 weeks! You know I love ya so it makes me feel reconnected with you in some way haha! I’ve bought the blanket you mentioned last week and it’s going on the bed this weekend! and the book you mentioned Imma have to buy that too LOL! You;re the second person to mention it and I think I got a free sample on audio but who knows what happened to that haha! So I am getting it for a summer read! Sold!! 😉 Love u girl!

  2. Vicki B says:

    Thank you so much for being a champion for family dinners. I am in my 60’s but believe as you do that the demise of the family members sitting down to dinner (without phones, etc) and eating and talking is a terrible thing. Eating has traditionally been something that brings people together as well as something that your children will take away with them. They might not realize it at the time, but they will when they get older.

  3. I realize this post was from May but I just read it. Love it!!! Thanks for the reminders. I need to do more dinners together AT THE TABLE!! Well done.

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