5 Friday Favorites: July 9, 2021

 It's time for my Friday link up with A Little Bit of Everything and Momfessionals. 

On Fridays I share things that made me happy from the week - a photo, a song, a quote, a beauty product, a recipe, a pair of cute shoes, etc. If it's a product, sometimes it's something I actually own and sometimes something I just saw online that gave me a smile. Sometimes it's serious and sometimes it's silly. I suppose I believe that God is in the simple details of life and yes, I can even find Him in a tube of lipstick.

Hello, Friends. I've had lots of travel lately and very little time to sit at my computer (or even sleep in my own bed) so it's been a minute since I wrote anything for Friday Favorites. It's insane to think about the fact that last year at this time my summer travel consisted of moving from my bedroom to my kitchen. Since the spring, I've traveled to Texas, Tennessee, and Pennsylvania. In the past three weeks, I've lived out of a suitcase and have swiped more than a few key cards at hotel rooms. I've been to beautiful baseball fields watching the kid behind the plate all around Virginia and at one very sketchy field in Atlantic City, New Jersey that had sort of a Breaking Bad vibe going for it. (No offense, Atlantic City, but YIKES.) Anyway, it doesn't matter if Betty White or Walter White is hanging around, I'll watch him play anywhere.

Next on the travel baseball circuit, we've got North Carolina and Georgia. After that we plan to go to Maine to visit my oldest son, Joe. Then we have an actual concert to attend in August. Thank  you, doctors, scientists, and Jesus. We seem to have our life back. And even though I sure have enjoyed being in my own bed and taking a break from public toilets this week, I love being able to be with my parents and my brother and sister again. I love sitting next to strangers and eating in restaurants. I loved seeing the stands in Omaha filled up with people for the College World Series. I love watching baseball games live and in person. Basically, I'm just enjoying the fire out of the world lately. Sometimes it seems so normal again that I forget and then other times I look around at the people I pass by like:

Also, I know there's a Delta variant and not everyone is vaccinated and lots of people still want to wear masks. Fine with me. God bless us everyone and proceed with your life as you like. Here are some other things that I loved in the past couple of weeks.

1. The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave

When I ordered The Last Thing He Told Me and started to read it, I had no idea that much of the story would take place in Austin. I didn't know that The University of Texas - including the football stadium - would be referenced so often. As you might guess, this made me giddy and I immediately loved the book. In addition to my favorite place in the world figuring into the plot so often, I liked the story and found it to be fast-paced and interesting. I will say that I didn't love the ending, but it was still worth the read.

2. Never Have I Ever on Netflix

I love pretty much anything that Mindy Kaling does so when I heard about this show and found out that she executive produces it, I was in before I even hit play. I was even more in when I realized that John McEnroe was narrating it because what the heck and why? This is the kind of random humor I am here for all day. The show follows the life of a 15 year old girl who recently suffered the loss of her father as she and her friends navigate high school. It is so well cast. My favorite might be Niecy Nash as the lead character's therapist. She's amazing. Never Have I Ever is sweet, charming, and hilarious. Perfect for summertime.

3. Spicy Ranch Crackers 

eatingonadime.com

My mother-in-law made Spicy Ranch Crackers while we were all together at Lake Anna last week and they are officially the best snack of Summer 2021. There are lots of recipes online, but I think this one is the most similar to hers. We have found it practically impossible to stop eating them. Proceed with caution.

4. Zip Up Color Block Hoodie

As I mentioned, we're planning to go to Maine in a few weeks to visit Joe. When I talked to him on the 4th of July the temperature in Maine was 58 degrees. I could not even wrap my head around it. What life are those people living that they're not sweating their eyeballs off while they're watching fireworks?  I mean, is that even American?

Anyway, it made me think I better be prepared for cooler weather and I found that my lightweight-zip-up-sweatshirt-hoodie situation is inadequate. For the record, my husband probably doesn't believe that a lightweight-zip-up-sweatshirt-hoodie-situation is even a thing much less a thing that requires a solution. He still owns a sweatshirt from when the Red Sox won the World Series in 2004, so I'm not sure his opinion counts here. To help fill this void in my life, I just ordered this Casual-Zip Up- Hoodie-Lightweight-Sweatshirt-Hoodies-Drawstring-Sweater-With Pockets .

(Y'all what the heck is going on in the Product-Naming Department at Amazon? What in the world?) 

Anyway, this multi-named piece of clothing comes in some solid colors and some color block stripes and if you click the "coupon", it's 30% off certain sizes.  

5. Into the Mystery - Needtobreathe

In this week's installment of "Which song made Jenn ugly-cry while running in the neighborhood?", I present Needtobreathe's Into the Mystery. Of course, moms pray for their children all of their lives, but I'm finding that as mine are adult-ish now there is much more fear of the unknown. Of course, I'm unable to predict what their futures hold. But now, with two being away from home, I literally know very little about their day-to-day lives. Will they be kind? Will the world be kind to them? Will they remember the good that I tried to teach?  Will they let go of the ways I screwed up? Will their dreams come true? And if they don't, will they believe God has good for them? Will they continue even to believe in Him at all?

The whole darn thing is a mystery that I can't predict and I can't explain and I can't monitor, manipulate, and control. When they were little it was easier to feel like I could do that. (Spoiler alert, young mamas: I was, in fact, not in control then either.) Now, I officially cannot follow them directly into the mystery that their lives hold. Not only because I have to let them go, but because I have my own mystery to walk into. What a gift that wherever they go and wherever I go, God will be there. He'll follow us anywhere. Always. Forever and ever. Goodness gracious, this song has me undone.

PS I also recommend every single thing Needtobreathe has ever sung. Ever. 

Y'all have a beautiful weekend. 

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