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Happy Friday, y’all! We have had such a busy week, and this
weekend isn’t really going to be any slower.
It’s all fun stuff, though, so I can’t complain, but I am really looking
forward to the small window on Saturday where we can actually relax for a bit
and watch ESPN College GameDay as well as the Georgia game!
As always, I’m sharing some favorites from the week, so let’s get started! I have a mix of fun things as well as useful things today, so it’s particularly good today. ;o)
O N E – New Planner for
2027
I cannot believe that I’m already thinking about 2027, but these last four months of the year (the best ones!) always fly by at the speed of light, and next thing we know, it’ll be January. I always like to get a jump start on the new year by getting my planner early on, so I can start filling in all the important dates as they start rolling in.
This will be my ninth year using a Simplified Planner, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. It has every single feature that I need and nothing that I don’t. Simplified Planners come in a daily version as well as a weekly version, but I always opt for the daily version since we’re so busy with two kids. A few things I love about the daily version? Two-page full monthly spreads, one full page for each day that includes an hourly schedule, a to do list, and a notes section that you can customize any way you like. It has simple colors throughout to give it a pop of fun without overwhelming the layout, and it comes with super cute (and useful!) stickers.
Mine arrived last week, and y’all, every year I say that they can’t possibly come out with a prettier design, but then they somehow always outdo themselves. This blush hydrangea print is stunning in person, and the gold accents never disappoint either. I am just giddy every year when this arrives in the mail, and I cannot wait to sit down and set it up! There is nothing more satisfying than setting up a new planner for the year ahead!
T W O – Convertible Glass
Cake Stand
We have had this convertible glass cake stand for 19 years (it was a wedding gift), and while I’ve used it numerous times over the years, it only recently occurred to me that it’s so beautiful it should be left out and enjoyed all the time! Prior to this, I only used it for cakes when I wanted to be fancy, and I also used it for punch numerous times for parties, but I recently decided that I needed to stop saving it just for special occasions!
We almost always have some sort of baked goods in the house – muffins, cookies, etc. – and we’ve always stored them in an ugly plastic container on the countertop in front of my coffee maker and tea kettle. They’re always an eyesore when stored that way, and they always have to be moved out of the way before I can make a cup of coffee or a cup of tea (which I do at least twice a day), so when it occurred to me that I could free up the space in front of the coffee maker and make my counterspace in the kitchen prettier I couldn’t do it fast enough!
I moved a few things around in the corner of the kitchen counter to make a permanent home for the glass cake dome, and it now holds all our yummy treats. And the countertop space is now free in front of the coffee maker and the tea kettle, too, so I not only elevated the space, I solved a pain point, too! Win-win!
And not only does this cute little cake stand hold all the baked goodies, it also transforms into a punch bowl, a chips and dip server, a fruit platter, a salad bowl, and a pedestal display! One product, tons of ways to use it!
Every time I see my little cake dome full of goodies now it makes me so happy, so this is your sign to use your nice stuff every day, too. Use the fine china. Use the nice glasses and mugs. Life is too short to have all the pretty, fancy things stored away!
T H R E E – Plant Food
I’ve been meaning to mention this on the blog for years, but for some reason it always slips my mind. My Mama Cass has the biggest green thumb I’ve ever seen… she can literally grow something from practically nothing and it’s nothing short of amazing. Years ago, when I couldn’t keep a simple house plant alive, I asked her to give me all her tips and all her secrets, and the very next Sunday dinner she brought me a little Tupperware container full of this.
She said to mix 1 teaspoon with an entire gallon jug of water (I keep mine stored in an old milk jug under the kitchen sink) and then water my plants with it once every two weeks. Then, on the off week, she said to water my plants with plain water.
Within a couple of weeks of using this, all my plants perked up, all their colors grew richer, and they all started growing like weeds. Now, I’m a self-proclaimed green thumb (for indoor plants, anyway) and I’ve added several different species to my collection, and they’re not just alive, but thriving.
This stuff does exactly what it says, and the best part is that I’ll always think of Mama Cass every time I use it. <3
F O U R – A Healthy Chicken
Fingers Option
Olivia has to eat dinner before dance two times per week this school year since her dance schedule has become a bit more aggressive. Since she has to be there so early, I don’t have time to cook dinner before she leaves, which means she has to eat something totally different than the rest of us.
For the longest time, she was obsessed with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and those were her go-to in situations like this where she couldn’t eat with us. She has since grown tired of those, so finding something for her to eat that’s somewhat nutritious has been a struggle.
I started getting these chicken fingers years ago to give to the kids for lunch on weekends and during the summer, and they’ve been coming in handy this past month for pre-dance dinners, too. Both the kids love them, and I love them because they’re convenient, but also nutritious.
They’re frozen and fully cooked, so they only take 13 minutes in the oven, and they’re breaded, not fried. They’re organic, gluten-free, they have no hormones or steroids, they’re 100% all natural, and they’re chicken hatched and raised in the USA. Plus, they have 13 grams of protein per serving.
I scanned them into my Yuka app to see what it said about the nutritional content and they gave them an excellent rating (which is hard to get on that app!). The app praised them for having zero additives and no synthetic herbicides, and they’re an excellent source of protein, they’re low in sugar, they’re low in calories, and they’re low in saturated fat. The only thing Yuka took off points for was the sodium, and even that isn’t terrible.
They are a bit on the pricey side, but I try to get them when Publix has them Buy One Get One Free, and then they’re actually a really great deal! We now keep these on hand at all times, and I don’t feel guilty when Olivia requests to eat them two or three times per week! Ha!
F I V E – My Amazon Storefront
My Amazon posts are always some of the most popular of the entire month, so I wanted to remind all of you that if you’re ever in need of an Amazon fix more than once per month, my Amazon storefront is available 24/7! I have lots of idea boards including some fun ones for fall and Halloween + many others as well as some new ones that I’m cooking up and hope to have live soon! You can follow me here if you’re interested!
Friday Funnies &
Feels
What I Ordered from Amazon in August 2026
Our Week - The One with Crochet Club, an Evening Downtown With Friends, a Retreat, and a Sleepover
14 Finds - Trendy Pieces for Fall 2026
Also, can y'all even believe that it's been 25 years since the September 11 attacks? It truly blows my mind because I remember every detail from that day like it was just yesterday and I'll always keep my promise to never forget.
Happy Friday, y’all!
I can't keep plants alive! I have one now that isn't very happy.
ReplyDeleteI need to get myself a planner for next year and your cake stand is so pretty! I use that Miracle Gro plant food, it is good stuff!
ReplyDelete