The Last Friday of Summer Break

Cue the sad violin music.  Summer is ending.  Well maybe not the heat and short wearing, tank top sporting, flip and flopping summer but summer as we have known it is ending.  I can admit this is a hard transition in my house.  My kids love school so the difficulty is for me - the mom.  In place of the pool bag are book bags and instead of late night movies we have a set bed time starting back up.  Oh just pass the rum - ho ho hum hum.

So here are some of my favorites from this week.  Per the norm I am linked up with the lovely Katie and the cute Christina!

1.  Fall House Projects

Totally stoked to start planting!  Hello fall vegetables and flowers!

I just said fall - oh my.  Well this week the husbandito has been working on our yard and a few projects.  I may have wanted a garden in March/April and he may have not had the chance to ge around to building my beds but he sure did make up for it this week.  I now have three garden beds right at my chicken coop he built this summer.

Why am I thinking about red wine right now?

He also put in his fire pit.  I think this will be a very welcome addition for the weekends when the air is cool and crisp as those apples that will be celebrated in Wilkesboro, NC in October.

2.  Pool Time

Swimming under the water.  I know it looks odd.

We had two great pool days this week.  The weather started off relatively cool for NC in August so I was quite chilled when I got in!  The kids though - they don't feel the difference!  They both had a blast swimming and splashing. 

3.  Birthday Boy

Nana took him out for Sweet Frogs!

Four?  No way!  He loved this sticker face book!

My son turned four this week!  We enjoyed cake for breakfast and a fun day celebrating our favorite little boy.  He just feels my heart with such joy!  He is so full of energy and happiness.  All birthday morning he kept thanking me for his little cake and presents. 

4.  Girl's Day

All grown up - well she thinks so!  I'm starting to see it too.

My daughter and I spent Thursday together - no boys!  We went to Kohl's where she picked out new sneakers for school.  A Sam's trip helped us get our birthday party/back to school/pantry restocked.  We had some Chicfila for lunch.  Then Lizz gave her a new look (goodbye five inches of hair) for school.  After all that we had a nice trip to the library where she stocked up on a series she loves and I checked out Eleanor & Park and another book that I cannot wait to read!  (Sorry, I forgot the title.) 

5.  Open House

This is a big year.  Third grade is a huge transitional grade and we're ready for it!  I think I am?

I guess it is official that now we have a straight up third grader in our home.  WOW!  I was told once my kids hit elementary school the years would fly by and that was no lie.  I remember her kindergarten open house like it was yesterday and now we're starting third grade?  This year will rock out - I'm loving her teacher and I'm pumped at how excited my child remains about school. 

Last week we were on vacation in South Carolina.  I recapped our favorite pieces of vacation on Monday.  Check it out for the beauty of Brookgreen Gardens and to get your beach fix!

Tasty Tuesday is BACK!  This season I'm giving you menu plans!  If you need help with dinner ideas for next week then click here to see our menu plan.  This post is totally kid friendly and simple.

Wednesday was the day I brought a sweet little boy into the world!  To celebrate him my post was devoted to him on Wednesday.  

Product Review Thursday came at you this week!  Emily from Simply A Rough Draft and I are teaming up to bring you reviews on products from our Influenster boxes.  You'll get totally honest and often differing opinions on new products.  This week we shared our reviews on Snackwells newest item and Shea Moisture shampoo!

And if you haven't tuned into my Snap Chat yet then now is the time.  I have started a new series? called Blog & Jog.  I take you with me for a few snaps (or ten) and chat while I am on my morning jog.  Topics are random and so far it has been so much fun!  I hope you'll add me and join in!

Have a great weekend!  We'll be birthday partying and fantasy drafting!
xo-
Amanda

H54F #17 of '16

Happy first Friday of May!!!  I feel like saying hello summer but this morning it was forty something degrees - say what?!?!

A lot of awesome sauce stuff happened around here this week and I am so ready to share it with you - let's do this!

1.  I had chickens on my Spring Bucket List...

And I moved them to my pending summer bucket list.  Well last Sunday after church I kind of sort of ended up buying seven little chickies.  If you have followed the blog for a long time then you know I love having my chickens.  My last flock died off - some to disease and some at the jowls of some adorable Labradors.  After our house incident in 2014; chickens were the last thing on my mind.  However, after re-establishing I have been ready for more backyard birds.  Here's to raising my babies (praying they are all girls) and to a really cool coop (my husband has set the bar high) in the coming weeks!

On another chicken note - they are the best animals for kids.  Dogs are great, cats are meh, fish die but chickens are fabulous animals for kids to learn and practice responsibility.  My daughter has had chickens since she was two and she adores caring for them and interacting with them.  I think it will be the same for my little man.

2.  My Reading Rider...

Monday was super insane busy.  Not only was it Monday it was day one of my sugar detox, riding lesson day, and Meet The Author Night at my daughter's school.  Yeah - we all kind of hit the ground running.  Oh and did I fail to mention that I had no childcare for my H-Man so he accompanied us to riding lessons.

3.  Muffins With Mom...

I will so miss the preschool days when they are a thing of my past.  This week I had a busy Wednesday but in the craziness I had a special little breakfast with my son at his awesome preschool.  It was difficult attending a carbs & sugar bash when I'm on a detox and maybe I did cheat and have a little indulgence.  Seriously ladies, how do I say no to an excited little face?!?!  Did you catch my Mother's Day (Another 5 Pins Post) and my very special from the heart Mother's Day post??

4.  4 Days & 6 Days

As of this morning I have four days left working at the escuela and 7 days until the beach weekend with my BFF.  Unfortunately, I still cannot find a bathing suit I like.

5.  Mother's Day

I wish all the good mommies out there a very happy weekend ahead!  I hope you are celebrated in whatever way is the best for you.  This week I had two mom posts.  My Pinterest 5 - a fun post I do weekly - was based around gifting ideas for mom.  Maybe you will find you feel the same way as I do on some of those ideas!  My second post was a more serious and heart felt look at moms...maybe my gift to you.

And speaking of Pins....this week I pinned these five to try, love, use, etc!  Get these pins by clicking my Pinterest link on the side bar!

This looks like my meal for the weekend!

This will be made this weekend!

I'm insane over pineapples right now!

I'm slightly in love with this dress and I want it badly for the summer.

Yes, please.

Linked up with: