Five on Friday - Toilet Paper Basket, Apothecary Jars, Rotary Cheese Grater, and a Must Have for Every New Puppy Owner

*This post contains affiliate links.  As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Happy Friday, y’all!  Well, we survived the second week of school and a whole week with a new puppy!  We are all so, so tired, but gosh, Bellie is so worth it!  I absolutely cannot wait to sleep in tomorrow, though!  But first, some favorites!

O N E – Toilet Paper Basket

I recently added a couple of new items to our guest bathroom, and this toilet paper basket was one of them.  It fits perfectly on the toilet tank and holds three rolls, and it makes me so happy every time I go in there now!  The color of the basket really warms up the space, and the scalloped edges are absolutely everyyyything. 

I never thought a toilet paper basket would make my list of favorite things for the week, but here we are!  I plan to share a little bathroom update soon because I’m so pleased with how the space turned out.  And I barely had to buy anything… I mostly shopped my own house and moved some things around!

 

T W O – Apothecary Jars

I bought these apothecary jars while they were on sale to add to the guest bathroom as well, and they are the perfect sizes to hold cotton swabs and flossers.  I’ve been wanting to have little items like that on hand in case anyone ever needs them when they’re visiting, so I was happy to check this off the list!

I needed something lightweight because the floating shelves in our bathroom can’t hold much weight, so I opted for these.  They’re plastic so they’re extremely lightweight, but you’d never know it because they look like glass… especially with the bamboo lids!  I love that the lids can be removed one handed… I didn’t want lids that had to be unscrewed or unsealed to open.  And they came with labels (cotton balls, cotton swabs, cotton pads, floss picks, hair ties, bath salts, and six blank ones)!  I’m not using them yet, but I did save them in case I change my mind down the road.  I really thought that was such a special touch, though.  Oh, and I also purchased this bamboo tray to complete the look. 

 

T H R E E – Rotary Cheese Grater

We eat a lot of cheese in our house, but about a year ago, I made the switch to block cheese rather than pre-shredded cheese because it truly tastes worlds better.  After a year of using a traditional cheese grater, I finally invested in this rotary cheese grater and omgggg I love it so much.  The grater suctions to the kitchen counter (and doesn’t move an inch!) so you can hand crank an entire large block of cheese in 20-30 seconds.  It’s very low effort, too.  All the pieces separate easily and go into the dishwasher and it comes with three different grater inserts and you can use it for vegetables, too!   I am kicking myself for not purchasing one of these forever ago.

 

F O U R – Snuggle Puppy

We bought this before we ever got Belle because we knew we wanted to have one on hand when we brought a new puppy home.  It comes in two different sizes and three different colors, so you can choose the size and color that you think is best for your pup.  It has a Velcro tummy with an insert that simulates a beating heart.  You can choose to have it run constantly for eight hours, or have it turn on intermittently when movement is detected.  It also comes with one warming pack that can also be inserted into its tummy to keep pups warm.  The combination of warmth and heartbeat simulation helps new puppies adapt to their new surroundings because it mimics the feeling of being with their littermates. 

We didn’t have one of these for Maui and she cried ALL NIGHT the first night we brought her home + a few subsequent nights, too, but we put this in Belle’s crate with her the first night and she only whined for two minutes and then fell right to sleep and slept for eight hours.  Our minds were blown. 

We put this in her crate every night + when we leave her, and when she’s at home, she carries it all around the house… she absolutely loves it!  Brian and I love it, too, because we have not lost a single second of sleep over this new puppy! 

This is my most clicked link and most purchased item this week so far so, apparently, there is a need for it!  It has been, by far, our favorite product this week!  (Oh, and we also discovered that it's machine-washable, too.  Bellie had an accident in her crate and this little guy got dirty, but he cleaned up beautifully in the washing machine!)

 

F I V E – This Sentiment

I absolutely love this sentiment and couldn’t agree with it more.  I have always been a very sentimental person as well as a collector of things that make me happy, and my office most definitely reflects that – it’s like a museum of my life.  I have a bulletin board full of special sentiments and memories, shelves full of knickknacks, baubles, and mementos collected through the years, photographs of loved ones who have come and gone, artwork and handmade items from my kids and from friends and family, and many, many of my favorite things.  My office is my personal museum and it’s my very favorite place.

In addition to the materialistic side of being a sentimentalist, there is also the intangible side…

We love certain things because someone we love loved them first. 

We do certain things certain ways because a friend showed us how to do them that way. 

We make certain recipes because a family member passed them down to us. 

We have certain quirks because we learned them from watching someone else in our orbit. 

We are all living, breathing museums, mosaics, tapestries of everyone we’ve loved.  Each of us carries a lifetime of memories inside, and there are threads of each of the people we’ve ever loved permanently woven right into our being. 

What a lovely thought, right?

 

Friday Funnies & Feels

 

On the Blog This Week

14 Finds - Genius Home Organization and Storage Products That are Functional and Beautiful

Our Week - The One with a Girls Dinner, a UCC Appointment, Poker Night, and A NEW PUPPY!!!!

Welcome to the Family, Belle!

Happy Friday, y’all! 

*Linking up with A Little Bit of Everything for Friday Favorites.

Five on Friday - The Perfect PJs, a LoveShackFancy Wet Brush, My New Acrylic Book Stand, and More

*This post contains affiliate links.  As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Y’all!  I can’t even remember the last time I posted some actual favorites from the week on a Friday… I think it was actually the day the kids got out for summer break, and now here we are with only two weeks remaining.  Sigh.

Today I have some favorite things from this week, and y’all, there are so many good ones so let’s just get right to it!

 

O N E – The Perfect PJs Finally Exist

I bought the absolute perfect pajamas years and years ago… they’re probably at least 10-12 years old, I’m guessing?  They’re pretty worn out as you can probably imagine, so I’ve been looking for something to replace them for years.  I found some at Target a few years ago that almost hit the mark, but they have pockets that bulge a little, so they dig into my hips while I sleep (I’m a side sleeper).  I also found some on Amazon that I liked okay, but the elastic waistband was a bit too tight.

When I saw that these were just released, I grabbed them as fast as I possibly could because the style is very similar to my beloved pair that I’ve been wearing forever.  Sure enough, these check literally every single box – they’re super soft, they’re breathable, the elastic is just right around the waist (not too tight), they’re not binding or uncomfortable, they don’t have bulging pockets on the sides, the top has spaghetti straps that are adjustable so you can get the perfect length, they’re not too fitted or too baggy… they’re seriously just right and they are SOOOO CUUUUTE. 

Not only do they check every box, they are just absolutely darling.  I am a sucker for black and white polka dots, and they also have tiny bows on the straps + sweet little buttons on the shorts.  I love them so much that I bought them in the polka dots pattern and the plum color, and they are so perfect that I just purchased a couple more pairs to save for future me… because ya girl is way too picky about pjs so I need to load up while they actually exist!

 

T W O – My Favorite Brush but Make It Fancy!

Olivia wanted to shop the LoveShackFancy for Target drop a couple of weeks ago, and while I was browsing online with her, I saw that they teamed up with Wet Brush to release some fun, floral patterns.  Wet Brush is the only brush I will ever use – I’ve been a huge fan for probably 15 years.  My current one was missing some bristles, and it was snagging my hair, so I bought this one to replace it and it is just the cutest thing!

 

T H R E E – Acrylic Book Stand

I purchased this acrylic book holder while it was on super sale on Prime Day and I am so very happy I did.  It’s very sturdy (it holds my large Bible perfectly and doesn’t topple over even when most of the pages are turned to one side), the height and slant are both adjustable, and it rotates 360 degrees.  It also has elastic page clips to hold pages in place for books that don’t lay flat.  It’s beautiful, it doesn’t take up a lot of room on my desk, and it’s a very elegant and functional addition to my office.  I cannot tell you how much I love this thing and I’m kicking myself for waiting so long to get one.  It has been the perfect companion for reading and maintaining the correct posture.

F O U R – Utensil Holder

I couldn’t resist this new line at Target, and I purchased this holder for our kitchen utensils.  Technically, this has a lid to hold flour, sugar, or whatever other food items you may need, but I decided to grab it to hold kitchen utensils since ours is rusting and stained.  I honestly wanted to buy the entire bow line – everything is just darling – but obviously I don’t need anything else.  I’m proud of myself for refraining!!  Haha.  And speaking of refraining, the kids also pointed these out to me in the store, and it took all of my restraint not to buy them!  I can’t stop thinking about them, though.  Haha.

 

F I V E – Taylor & Travis are Married!!!!

This is obviously old news, but since I haven’t shared any favorites on a Friday in a while, I had to mention this here because it has been a favorite every single day for the last two weeks since it happened!!!!  And yes, I am still SHOCKED that nothing important has leaked.  Tree Paine is obviously incredible at what she does. 

I’m dying to see Taylor’s dress and some of the details, but I’m also so happy that they were able to keep their big (HUGE) day so private.  I am still secretly hoping that they had a small, intimate gathering prior to 7/3 to get married in private and that the big wedding at MSG was filmed for Disney+ so we can see every single little detail.  Hahahaha!!  I just love a wedding.  In my next life, I’m going to be a wedding planner!

Friday Funnies & Feels

 

On the Blog This Week

 Our 2026 Nashville Trip

Our 2026 Denver, CO Trip by the Numbers

Our Week - The One with Summer Break, Week 7 (Volunteering at Outreach, Bowling, Milkshakes, a UCC Appointment, Poker Night, and More

Happy Friday, y’all! 

*Linking up with A Little Bit of Everything for Friday Favorites.

  

Five on Friday - Unique Lighting Options for Every Area of Your Home

 *This post contains affiliate links.  As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Happy Friday, y’all!  I hope you all have something fun on deck for the weekend!  We are in Nashville for a concert and a meet up with some very special friends, so it should be a good one!

I love a good, cozy home, even in the summer, and one of the most important things for setting the tone for a cozy home is the lighting.  Lighting should be warm and welcoming, and the more lamps and other smaller sources of lights, the better.  ;o)

I have found so many clever lighting options in recent weeks, so I thought I’d round them all up in one place and share them with you today!

 

O N E – Elegant Nightlights

We have nightlights in our home, and we always travel with one, too.  Most nightlights aren’t very cute in my opinion, so I absolutely love how chic this one is!  The nightlight rotates 180 degrees, so it works in horizonal and vertical sockets, and it has a built-in dusk to dawn light sensor, so it automatically turns on and off based on how much light is in the room.  The LED bulb color is also adjustable so you can change it to match any aesthetic.  

 

These nightlights provide light from the tops and the bottoms, illuminating the whole wall.  They have three different light levels, and they have built in auto sensors enabling them to turn on and off automatically.  They come in black, white, copper, rose gold, and several other colors so you can find the right ones to match the aesthetic in your home.

 

T W O – Wall Sconces

These wall sconces are easy to hang, they are battery operated so you don’t have to worry about dealing with hiding cords, and they come with a remote to control them.  The bulbs have adjustable color temperature so you can choose just the right amount of warmth, the bulb color is adjustable across the entire rainbow, and the brightness can also be adjusted to get just the right amount of light for the space.  They are so elegant and they have excellent reviews.

 

These wall sconces are also a sophisticated choice if you want to highlight paintings, photos, or other wall hangings and galleries.  These are battery operated, they come with a long-lasting rechargeable battery, and the lights are dimmable so you can get the exact amount of light that you need.

 

T H R E E – Patio Umbrella Lights

This set of LED lights attaches easily to any umbrella pole with a simple clip to illuminate any outdoor space.  The bulbs are battery operated so there’s no worry over hiding a cord, the brightness can be adjusted, and they provide around 30-60 hours of light depending on which brightness setting they are on. 

 

F O U R – Tabletop Lights

This set of black vintage lanterns comes with battery operated flameless candles that add a soft glow to any space without the dangers of using real fire.  They’re suitable for indoor or outdoor use, and they come in black and white.

 

I have also raved about my battery-operated candlesticks with flickering flames for years.  We have these on our mantle and they look incredible.  They’re easy to control since they come with a remote, and the flickering flame is so realistic.  Oh, and don't forget the candle holders!

And this darling rattan battery-operated lamp adds a pop of warmth and cozy to any space because it's cordless and doesn't require an electrical outlet!

 

F I V E – Outdoor Lights

If you’ve followed me for any amount of time, then you know how much I looooveeee twinkle lights.  We have them on our back porch, Olivia has them in her bedroom, and I have them strung across my office.  They are my most favorite thing!!  This set is perfect for the outdoors because they’re waterproof and shatterproof.  This listing has multiple options for length, so you can find the exact size that you need for any space.  These are high quality and highly rated, and since they are LED bulbs, they should last for a very long time.

 

These deck lights can be installed anywhere (deck railings, stairs, garage overhangs, etc.) to illuminate any space around your property, and they are solar powered, so there is no need for batteries or electric cords. 

 

I have always loved the elegance that gas lanterns bring to the look of a home (we have several neighborhoods in our city that use them and they are everywhere at the beach that we frequent), but our home isn’t connected to a gas line.  Instead, these flickering, flameless lightbulbs can be added to any light fixture to give the illusion of a real flame.  These have an advanced flickering algorithm making them superior to other bulbs because they look so realistic!

 

And finally, I came across these garden firefly lights, and I thought they were so unique!!  You literally just stick them anywhere in your garden or landscaping, and they charge all day in the sun and automatically light up when it gets dark… such a fun pop of whimsy that can be added to any outdoor space!

 

Friday Funnies & Feels

 

On the Blog This Week

 Our 2026 30A Summer Beach Trip - Days 1 & 2

Our Week - The One with Summer, Week 3 (B Out of Town, a Breakfast Date, Dinner with My Girls, a UCC Appointment, and Voting

Happy Friday, y’all! 

*Linking up with A Little Bit of Everything for Friday Favorites.

Five on Friday - Pink Confetti Star Icon Glasses, a Drawer Organizer, New Light Fixtures, and More

 *This post contains affiliate links.  As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Happy Friday to one and all!  We have a relaxing weekend on deck, and I’m looking forward to some down time, some family time, and some fun time!  Now let’s get to some favorites!

O N E – Pink Confetti Star Icon Glasses

Anthropologie dropped some pink confetti star glasses late last year and they sold out in a flash.  I wasn’t able to get my hands on them before they were gone, so I started stalking Target, Amazon, and several other random places to look for something similar.  I’ve searched high and low for months, and finally, just the other day, I found some that are absolutely perfect… and at a better price than the original.  These glasses are stunning, y’all, and I cannot wait to enjoy a Toasted Marshmallow Old Fashioned in one this weekend.  ;o)

 

T W O – Drawer Organizer

I received this drawer organizer for my birthday, and it has completely transformed our utensils drawer!  Prior to this, I was using a drawer divider + two other organizers on top of shelf paper to protect the inside of the drawer.  The two organizers that I was using were old and warped and everything was constantly sliding around because of the shelf paper.  It was so annoying.  This new drawer organizer is one adjustable unit that can be extended on both sides allowing you to change the width to perfectly fit any drawer.  The quality is excellent and it is beautiful!!  It has completely transformed that space.  As a matter of fact, it looks so good that the first time Olivia opened the drawer with the new organizer in it, she said, “Ooooh this drawer is so organized!”  So, it obviously made an impression since she noticed the change.  Haha.

Before

After

T H R E E – New Light Fixtures

Brian updated the light fixtures in the loft area upstairs, and it’s amazing how changing a simple small light fixture can elevate a space.  The old fixtures were installed when we built our house and I had good intentions to change them out pretty early on, but here we are 16 years later and I finally just got around to it.  It was worth the wait.  Look at that before and after!

Before

After

 

F O U R – Pacey & Joey!!!!

Joshua Jackson and Katie Holmes have been doing appearances together to promote their upcoming movie Happy Hours, and their reunion has been giving me LIFE this week.  I was a die-hard fan of Dawson’s Creek from the very beginning, and I’ve been a huge fan of Joshua Jackson’s even longer than that… since he was in The Mighty Ducks.  These two have aged like a fine wine and all this press has definitely been one of my favorites from the week!  I can’t wait to see the movie!

F I V E – My Almost Birthday Twin

My friend, Jeannine, and I both have April birthdays, mine on the 5th, and hers on the 25th, so we have celebrated many birthdays together during our very long friendship that spans three decades.  These photos showed up in my memories the other day from 13 years ago, and they made me so happy!  Happy birthday tomorrow, Jeannine!!  I know we’ll still be celebrating birthdays together when we’re little old ladies.  ;o)

Friday Funnies & Feels

On the Blog This Week

 Our 2026 Disney World Vacation, Day 2 - Hollywood Studios

Our Week - The One with a UCC Appointment, Poker Night, and Checking Things Off My Growing List

 2026 House Cleanout + Projects - Mid-April Update

Happy Friday, y’all! 

*Linking up with A Little Bit of Everything for Friday Favorites.