Overall we had a pretty good week over here. Of course there were some really hard moments related to missing Sadie (washing her noseprints off our windows yesterday really got me and I think her dog bed may remain in my office foreverrr) but we are getting through it even if sometimes I feel like I’ve had the wind knocked out of me when something small catches me off guard and reminds me of her. It’s hard but I am already feeling my tears turn into smiles when I think about Sadie and am believing you guys that this will continue to happen more and more.
As far as this past week is concerned, we had a few fun pool play dates and seeing the boys splash around with their friends brings a lot of joy into my days. Is anyone else out there just really feeling summer more than usual this year? Give me all the sunshine, hot weather and water fun, please!
I’m sure we’ll be making the most of this upcoming warm summer weekend because we have visitors arriving in town today! My mother-in-law, Les and Les’ grandson Dominic will be staying with us for a few days and we are so excited! I’m hoping to find a moment to type up a recap of our weekend to share here on Monday so stay tuned for that next week. For now, let’s dive right into my roundup of favorites, shall we?
I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and, as always, thank you for making PBF a part of your week!
Things I’m Loving Friday
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Remembering Sadie + Helpful Resources
(Just one more Sadie mention today, I promise.)
I cannot tell you how much the kindness we received from you guys and our friends and family helped us after we lost Sadie. I struggled initially with the concept of comparative suffering and found myself wanting to hold back my grief both on the blog and in real life because Sadie is a dog and I am fully aware that people are hurting and struggling with what anyone, by comparison, would consider harder losses. It wasn’t until my friend Sunny sent me a blog post about comparative suffering that I felt myself exhale and realized that it was okay — and very necessary — for me to grieve the loss of a beloved pet we truly considered a member of our family. A few more resources that were sent my way that I found particularly helpful include 5 Things My Dog Taught Me About Grief (from the Fun Therapy podcast) and this Ted Talk by Nora McInerny.
When I say that your words and the support we received from our friends and family who expressed such sincere sympathy over losing Sadie made a big difference to me, I mean it from my bottom of my heart. So many of you have been through the loss of a pet you loved and, in a weird way, it made me really thankful to know that there are so many animals out there who are loved so fiercely. I guess this is my long-winded way of saying thank you for helping me through this time and for only meeting me with kindness. I appreciate it more than you can possibly know.
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Summer Finds for the Boys
I’ve had a few recent summertime swimsuit and sandal successes for our boys this year that I wanted to share here because I’m always on the lookout for decent seasonal kid stuff and figured some of you might be the same way. This is a little long-winded because I’ve had a handful of good finds recently so if this doesn’t interest you, please scroll on down!
Find #1: Neon Rash Guard Tees. I am a sucker for plain neon rash guards for the boys because the bright color makes it easy to spot them when they’re running around at the pool or beach or around water. I found these rash guard tees on Amazon and love them! (Our ISR instructor actually praised me for them yesterday from a water safety standpoint, too!) The material is soft and the quality is great. Considering the fact that the boys live in swimsuits and rash guards all summer, I should probably order another pair of these shirts.
Find #2: Slip-On Velcro Sandal Slides. Aside from Natives which hold up shockingly well, most of Chase’s shoes are not able to be saved as hand-me-downs for Ryder because they wear out from so much use. I was in the market for new sandals for Ryder that he could easily slip on and when I found these slip-on slides that velcro on and off and have an ankle strap to keep them in place, I was sold. Ryder loves them, easily puts them on himself and can even run in them (important for a 3-year-old)!
Find #3: Banana-Print Swim Trunks. Another big-time Amazon win was these maamgic swim trunks. I am forever on the lookout for swim trunks for the boys that hit above the knee and don’t look like little capris and these are a slam dunk!
I ordered the banana print for Chase and love the way they fit. The quality is great as well (there’s a reason they have 4,000+ positive reviews) and they seriously have so many cute patterns and colors available that I’m trying to resist ordering a few more pairs for the boys.
Find #4: Sunshine Play Clothes Set. I can’t resist highlighting this adorable matching set I bought for Rhett here, too. He’s worn it a bunch of times since it first arrived in the mail and I find myself reaching for it every time it’s clean. I love the sunshine pattern and the orange color feels bright and fun for summer!
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The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
The Midnight Library was recommended to me by more than a few of you and the reviews are all so incredibly positive so my hopes for this novel were high. I immediately loved the premise of the book and thought it was incredibly creative.
The book follows Nora Seed, a young woman who decides she doesn’t want to live anymore. Soon after she makes this decision, she finds herself in the Midnight Library, a place where she can open up any one of thousands of books to see how her life would have changed based on every decision she’s ever made, both large and small. She lives out different careers, relationships, family dynamics and breakups and, in the process, discovers what could have been and what really makes life worth living.
The premise of this book was so incredibly intriguing to me and I loved reading about Nora’s various lives. It was interesting and kept me engaged but there was just something that fell flat with me as I read. I realize I’m likely in the minority with this opinion but I felt like this book was a good book that just missed its potential to be a truly great book. I kept finding myself wanting more from the storyline — more emotion, more depth, more character development. Thankfully the ending redeemed this book for me and I enjoyed the fact that The Midnight Library is the kind of thought-provoking book that left me thinking about it for several days after I read the last page.
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The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin
I am 95 percent sure I read this book before. It’s not in my Kindle library or home book collection so perhaps it was a library read? Or maybe I’m crazy and didn’t actually read this book before but it all felt so incredibly familiar. And GOOD. (I read a lot and always joke to Ryan that I forget everything about a book within a month of reading it. I’m the same way with movies and have to see a movie like 5 times before I remember anything about it.)
I loved this book like I’m assuming I did the first time I read it but thankfully I forgot everything that happened and was just met with a vague sense of familiarity that nagged at my brain the whole time I read it. Anyway, I say all of this to say it’s a great book and one I’d absolutely recommend you read once if not twice. Ha!
The book follows the life of A. J. Fikry, the grumpy owner of a small-town bookstore, in the wake of personal tragedy and the worst sales he’s seen in his store’s history. It’s not until A.J. discovers something special and life-changing in his store one night that things begin to turn around for him thanks, in large part, to this surprise and the unexpected people who support him and refuse to let him sink into despair.
The book is charming, beautifully written, captivating and, to put it simply, special.
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Friday Flashbacks
Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Overnight Oats (One of my most popular recipes for a good reason. Simple, filling and a great way to start your day!)
Mini Band Booty Workout (Glutes on fiiiire!)
Question of the Day
What is one thing making you smile today?
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