5 Friday Favorites: August 4, 2023

 

 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 and Happy Weekend. The weather cooled way down this week and it's been delightful. Please forgive me for mentioning it, Texas peeps, because I saw that it was 107 degrees there yesterday. Godspeed, y'all.

Here are some other favorites from this week.

1. Tell Me Everything by Minka Kelly

Friday Night Lights is by far my favorite TV show of all time. I even listen to the recap podcast every single week. I heard Minka Kelly, who played Lyla Garrity, on another podcast talking about her very difficult childhood and the book, Tell Me Everything, that she had released recently. I love a memoir, so I downloaded it immediately. Her story is fascinating. I'm mid-way through it and am stunned at what children can endure. The human spirit is somethin' else. 

2. Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

My friend, Jen, brought these cookies to my house last week. She got the recipe off of Tik Tok because she's totally cool and hip like that. This is hands-down the best cookie I've ever eaten in my life. I'm not exaggerating.

3/4 cup butter

1 cup light brown sugar

1/4 cup white sugar

1 egg

1 egg yolk

1 Tbsp vanilla

1 3/4 cup flour

3/4 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 cups (10oz bag) semi-sweet chocolate chips

Melt butter on low heat on stove until it bubbles and then turns golden brown.  Pour into large bowl.  Add brown sugar and white sugar.  Mix.  Add 1 egg yolk,1 whole egg, and vanilla.  Mix.  Add flour, baking soda and salt.  Mix.  Add chocolate chips.

Roll into 2 oz balls.  Chill for at least 30 minutes.

Bake at 350 for 11-12 minutes. 

Top with sea salt.

3. The Bear Season 2

I really liked the first season of The Bear, but I LOVED the second season. It took me awhile to appreciate each of characters and now I love every single one of them. Especially Richie. I mean, especially Sydney. I mean, Sydney's dad. And Claire. And Carmy. Oh and Jamie Lee Curtis because she steals one of the episodes right out from under everyone and is amazing. Gah. I love all of them so much. This is brilliant television and I also want to put potato chips on an omelet now.

4. A Romper I Do Not Need

Except it's burnt orange. And there are only 29 days until Texas Longhorn Football starts. We are undefeated in the fall of 2023 for at least 29 more days. Add to cart. PS There are other colors if you are interested in purchasing a romper you don't need as well.

5. One More Week Until Drop Off

This is the last weekend before we move Drew to college. Someone asked me how I was feeling about it and the short answer is "I don't know." "I don't know" seems to be my answer quite often lately. One day, I'm thinking that it is absolutely time for this kid to get the heck outta here and the next day I'm crying in the "Dorm Essentials" aisle at Target. Even though it's my third rodeo, it still seems impossible to me.

A few days before Joe left for college six years ago, I read a quote from my friend Elizabeth Foss that has stuck with me since. I didn't know then how many times I would refer back to it. At that time, dropping Joe off at college seemed impossible. I remember thinking that day how incredible it was that we couldn't get back yesterday. We couldn't get back the beginning of his senior year or Little League games or 1999 when all of my days were just the two of us fumbling through the world together. I know that seems so ridiculous - even a bit insane. But this absolute inability to go back in time struck me as wildly unfair.

For a few minutes that day, I felt like a toddler filled with the rage of a full blow tantrum screaming, "I don't want to do this!" Even though I knew it was right and good. Feeling and knowing can be worlds apart. Then when I had to do the whole thing again with Kyle? It seemed equally impossible. Most recently, as Steve dropped me off at the airport to fly home after my mom died, I remember looking at him and saying specifically, "I don't want to do this and I can't do this. I want to go back to yesterday. This is impossible." And as I stood in the security line, the words of Elizabeth came back to me again. 

"This life - the one for which we were created - requires that we do the thing we couldn't possibly do if not for knowing that Jesus is there, ready and waiting to give us grace and strength sufficient."

To tell you the honest truth, I have had a hard time feeling that Jesus is there lately. But like I said, feeling and knowing don't often line up. I know He has been there for every instance of my life that seemed impossible. Somehow I did all those things I didn't want to do and didn't think I could do. So I'll just have to believe in my head - even if it isn't reaching my heart quite yet - that Jesus will be ready and waiting again next weekend. He has perfect attendance so far. I suppose the odds are pretty good that the two of us will do the impossible together yet again.

Have a great weekend, y'all.

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