Happy Friday!!

As an extroverted introvert I am happy to have nothing on the calendar for this weekend. The past few weekends have been busy either traveling or hosting (which were both so fun!!!), but a good social break to recharge is always nice.

This past weekend my parents came to visit to celebrate the engagement! On Friday night we got a babysitter for Blakely and took my parents and younger sister to Arnette’s Chop Shop for a nice steak dinner. It was the perfect amount of fancy and the vibes were incredible…. and the food was perfect.

On Saturday we all went to the Aquarium (our first time). We recently taught Blakely what a fish is and even have her doing a fishy face- it’s too cute. When we got there, we went through one exhibit (the sharks – Blakely absolutely loved it) and had to leave after. It was SOOO overly crowded from the big cheerleading competition downtown and we could barely walk anywhere with the stroller. We will definitely be back on a less crowded Tuesday morning lol.

That night we stayed in and ordered pizza and played games and just spent quality time together. Maybe I’m lame, but that’s my kinda night!!! I’m so glad they were able to visit.

I’ve had a very productive week over here with starting to look for some wedding venues, finally going in to order my passport for a fun summer trip, writing a few upcoming blog posts, and grinding on a weeks worth of gym workouts. On Tuesday morning, we had an incredible guest speaker at our MOPs meeting. Her blog name is Days with Grey, and she’s an excellent resource and lifeline for ways parents can encourage more play to their children and in turn find more peace within themselves.

On this weeks Five Friday Favorites we hit a little bit of everything: health, lifestyle, fitness, home decor, and more.

Disclaimer: This post contains Amazon affiliate links which means I make a small commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. As always, I only recommend products or brands that I trust.

1) CURRENTLY…

Watching: Inventing Anna on Netflix. Shonda Rhimes, you’ve done it again. This was everything I wanted in a show. From the thrill to the fashion to the high class to leaving me on the edge of my seat. I even went down the rabbit hole of interviews from the real life characters after I finished.

Reading: Dear Emmie Blue. I’m about halfway through and currently it’s “eh,” but I hear the ending makes it better.

Listening: Victoria Garrick On Body Dysmorphia, Self Esteem, Healthy Social Media Use, & Loving Your Real Self. So important and timely for the world we live in.

Shopping: Swim wear!! Warm weather is slowly but surely starting to arrive and I want to be ready for all the new fun trends. I’ve been eyeing this one and this one (I know, I have expensive taste).

Loving: Watermelon Glow Toner by Glow Recipe. If you’re like me and have dry sensitive skin, this product could be for you. I’ve been using this toner for almost 2 years and it’s the most hydrating and gentle toner I have yet to find for an affordable price… and it smells like watermelon deliciousness. Perfect for the summer coming up!

Wanting: Lululemon Belt Bag. I have been eyeing this belt bag for weeks and am just obsessed. I think belt bags are so cute and really add to an outfit. Plus, this would come in handy at the gym to hold my airpod case + booty bands.

Watching: The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel on Amazon Prime. If you haven’t seen this yet.. run don’t walk to go watch!!! Season 4 new episodes actually came out TODAY! So if you need me tonight, I’ll be happily in front of my TV.

Buying: Baby consignment clothes. I went to a pop up consignment shop on Thursday & got SO many clothes + shoes + books for Blakely. Babies grow out of clothes so fast so it’s nice when I can save money on them. Check out my tiktok to see what I got!

2) PHOTOS FROM THE WEEK

At home workout at Casey’s fams house we were dog sitting!

3) FAVORITE WORKOUT OF THE WEEK

My body is FEELING the workouts from this week today. I hit legs on Monday, upper body Tuesday, rest Wednesday and back and chest Thursday. I might do my full body workout either today or tomorrow – depending on how my rest + recovery is going.

With that said, my favorite workout of the week was leg day. It was a hamstring focused workout that incorporated a lot of unilateral training (working a single leg at a time, rather than both). Save this workout to try during your next leg day!!! As always, this workout is from the Madeline Moves App which I highly highly suggest if you’re wanting a workout plan for the gym (or home if you have bands/weights).

LEG DAY

*lower body warm up*

Pre-Exhaust: 2 rounds

Straight Leg Glute Extension (with band) (10 reps)
Hamstring Exericise Ball Roll-In (20 reps)

Challenge Move: 3 sets

Weighted Step Up (10 reps)

Superset 1: 3 rounds

Bench Assisted Single Leg RDL (10 reps)
Laying Hamstring Curls with 4 Seconds Down Count (12 reps)

Superset 2: 3 rounds

Elevated Legs Sumo Squat Pulse (10 reps) (I stood on weighted plates)
Reverse Lunge With Small Step (10 reps) (front foot on weight)

*stretch/cool down*

4) MY GO TO PODCASTS + WHY

The Skinny Confidential Podcast… probably the podcast I listen to the most. Married duo hosts this engaging, hilarious, & interesting podcast with new episodes every Monday and Thursday. They bring in guests from all realms including wellness, business, beauty, lifestyle and more to give its listeners all the tips. I love this podcast because I not only learn something new with each episode I listen to, but Michael and Lauryn ask really unique micro questions that the guest may have never been asked before. As listeners, you feel a part of the conversation.
Gals On The Go Podcast… I don’t miss a week of this podcast either! Every Wednesday morning when they post a new episode, I’m there. Hosts Brooke and Danielle are living it up in NYC and bringing listeners along to join the party. This lifestyle podcast dives into conversations about post grad life + navigating your 20s, friendships, social media trends, relationships, & everything in between. I’ve been following Brooke & Danielle on YouTube for years even before they had the podcast. They are just so REAL & normal & I feel like I’m just catching up with my girlfriends when I listen to their podcast.
The Morning After with Kelly Stafford… this one’s for anyone with a NFL football loving boyfriend. I got into this podcast last football season when Casey would have NFL on all the time. I discovered Kelly on Instagram and soon found out she had a podcast. After one episode, I was hooked. From topics of motherhood (as a mom of 4 girls herself), to what it’s like being an NFL wife, to the saga of how her and her husband Matthew met & fell in love, and other hilarious and vulnerable stories in the mix.
WOAH That’s Good Podcast… hosted by the incredible Sadie Robertson, she invites listeners to join her in meaningful conversations with powerful guests. From authors to athletes, to television stars & family members, she is sure that you’ll find yourself saying “WOAH that’s good” while listening. It’s fun, it’s lighthearted, and it’s encouraging. She is doing powerful things with her platform!
The ReadHeads Book Club… my favorite book club podcast. It’s hosted by The Morning Toast’s Jackie Oshry (who just had a baby), and her 3 best friends. They choose a book each month and dive into it to recap & discuss. It’s fun because most times they all have differing opinions on the book, so it’s interesting to hear different sides. I don’t read every book they do, but I like to scroll through reviews they’ve already done on books I’ve read and listen to their thoughts!
The Rachel Hollis Podcast… I’m sure you’ve heard of best-selling author Rachel Hollis. Her podcast is an honest look into real life tips. From topics about health and motivation to interviews with top performers in business, you are sure to gain insight, entertainment, encouragement, & knowledge from her episodes. I’m not a weekly listener, but I love to check up on recent episodes she’s posted and pick from there.

5) THIS WEEKS AMAZON HOME FINDS

I saw a TikTok the other day that said something along the lines of: “how to get your home to be decorated how you want + aesthetically pleasing when living with a boy…. buy it yourself & just decorate before asking.” I laughed!!! This is so true though. Casey could probably care less if we had zero decor or the most trendy decor. This is where I come in 🙂 Growing up with my dad as a custom home builder has paved the way to me having an eye for home decor & design. Here are just a few of my recent Amazon favorites:

Kitchen:

Coffee Table

Bathroom