5 Friday Favorites: August 27, 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! Happy Friday and happy 1st week of school to my high school junior and me. Even though my son just started back this week and even though, as I heard someone say yesterday, it's so hot here it feels like we're living on Satan's front porch, I already feel excited about the fall and all the optimism and excitement that a new school year brings. By far my favorite thing of the entire week was getting to go back into my church's classrooms for in-person Bible Study for the first time in over a year. I was so giddy about it, I practically skipped into the church.

I know there is still a lot of uncertainty out there, but I am praying we can push through this and get back to being with people. I didn't realize how much I missed seeing these people in person and not from behind a screen. 

Here are some other favorite things from the week.

1. The NIV Rainbow Study Bible

Speaking of Bible Study, I know I have mentioned my Bible before, but since this week I started back to my study, it's on my mind. I've had the NIV Rainbow Study Bible for many years. The colors refer to different themes of the Scripture including God, love, faith, discipleship, sin, evil, salvation, prophecy, outreach, family, history, and commandments. Honestly, mine is falling apart, but I've been taping it up for years now. It seems sad to get a new one because I have written so many notes in it over the years - dates, prayer requests, highlights, question marks, and exclamation marks. Now that there are literally pages falling out, I really need to consider a new one. I'm thinking of getting the same one again. This one is 41% off today.

2. Shackets

Recently, a friend asked "What do you have a ridiculous amount of?" My answer is plaid button down shirts. Especially in the fall and winter. Recently, I've seen the term "shackets" to describe "shirt-jackets" which are basically long shirts worn open over a t-shirt. Or if you are in your 20s, over a crop top. I am no where near my 20s, so I'll skip the crop tops and while I'm at it I will never say nor type the word "shacket" again.  

Even though I have enormous will power right now because I would die of heat stroke if I wore a long sleeve shirt today, as soon as we get even a hint of fall, I know I'll start thinking I need one of these. 

Note to self: YOU DO NOT NEED ANOTHER PLAID SHIRT, but if you did, you'd think this one was really cute. It comes in a ton of colors. You'd love the pink and the red.

 You'd also love this light blue one with the hood.

And you'd  think this sunny yellow one from Pink Lily is adorable.

3. Takeya Water Bottle

I actually think it's kind of funny how kids bring water with them wherever they go. I do not recall a single person in my high school carrying a water bottle around with them. We didn't know that drinking water was a thing. Admittedly, we thought that perms were a thing and shoulder pads were a thing and frying your skin with baby oil was a thing, so . . .

This year, especially with the fact that water fountains will likely be blocked off, your kid's going to want a water bottle. These Takeya bottles are supposed to be great. They come in a ton of colors and sizes and you can choose from three different lids. Apparently, they don't sweat which is a huge bonus and they're 20% off today.

4. A Weekly Meal Plan

@elizabethfoss on Instagram

I know that planning meals for a week is not a new thing. I know that there are people who do this all the time. It's something I've never been good at in all of the 25 years I have been the chief dinner maker around here. This means that I'm usually texting my sister at 5:30 pm three times a week saying, "WHAT AM I FEEDING THESE PEOPLE TONIGHT?" 

Just this week, my friend Elizabeth Foss posted these really cute Meal Planning Templates on her Instagram Stories Highlights that you can use to type up your plans right on your phone.  They are so fun and you can even get some meal ideas from looking through her highlights.

Just after I saw that, I happened on a Meal Planning Episode of Emily Ley's podcast and I thought, "What are you trying to say to me, Lord?" I figured that Elizabeth and Emily were out here trying to be a lamp unto my feet, so I planned a whole week of meals. Ok, really, just Monday-Friday because Coach Taylor taught me this: 

Here are the things I learned from Emily:

1. Poll your people and make a list of meals they love (or in my case, will tolerate). We came up with 15 meals.

2. Pick from those and plan meals for the week. Write them down. Use Elizabeth's template if you are a person who lives in 2021. I still live in 1989 and have a paper calendar, so I had to write them down with a pencil on a notepad. Again, IT'S IN THE TRYING.

3. Check out what you already have for those recipes in your pantry and fridge.

4. Make your list and go forth and conquer your grocery store.

Y'all.  I was so proud of myself this week. Also, I may never do this again. Here's what we ate if you want to know.

Monday - Salmon, Roasted Broccoli, Mashed potatoes

Tuesday - Whole30 Buffalo Chicken Casserole 

Wednesday - Turkey Meatballs with Cauliflower Rice

Thursday - Birthday Dinner out for my Sister-in-Law :-)

Friday - Grilled Chicken, Caesar Salad, Roasted Carrots

5. New School Year!!!

I love a new school year so much. Of course, this one is extra special because it's been such a long time coming. I sent this kid off after a summer when we spent more one on one time together since when his brothers would go off to elementary school and we would sit on the couch in our pjs and watch Curious George together - coffee cup in my hand, sippy cup in his. 

Now he watches Tik Tok videos instead of Curious George and drinks protein shakes and drives a car and works out at 7:00 am and cannot for the life of him figure out how to put dishes in a dishwasher or hang up a towel. Gosh, I love him so much it hurts. 

This kid started his new life with a job at Wingate University in North Carolina and I had to steal his 1st Day of "School" picture from his Twitter page. He's interviewing the head football coach here. And I'm as proud of him as I would be if he was Bob Costas. 

The other kid did not follow directions and did not send his mother a 1st Day of Junior Year at College photo. Therefore I can only assume that he wore this when he walked onto campus for the first time this year.

This morning I was reading in Isaiah. There are so many verses worth memorizing in that book. It's been said a million times. There is so much uncertainty and unrest in our country right now. In our little worlds we might be worried about our kids making friends in a new place. We might be worried about how this school year is going to go with Covid issues hanging around. We might be looking toward all the kids being out of the house soon and wondering what in the actual heck will that be like. (Raising hand.) And then, the horrifying events of yesterday in Afghanistan have brought back fear and anger that we haven't felt in a long time. For all of those reasons, I think I might write this verse from Isaiah down and put it on a bunch of sticky notes all over the house. Maybe it will be encouraging to you today as well.

I will lead the blind by ways they have not known,

Along unfamiliar paths I will guide them;

I will turn darkness into light before them

and make the rough places smooth.

These are the things I will do;

I will not forsake them.

Isaiah 42:16 

God bless our Marines and their families. Our hearts are broken.

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