Hello and happy Friday! Have you had a good week officially transitioning into the spring season? We had a couple days that really felt warm, and kids even got a little rosy cheeked. Welcome, spring. So happy you’re here! Let’s jump right in to this week’s FIVE on Friday 3.21!

Five on Friday 3.21

ONE: Lands End Bathing Suits

I polled IG to ask where the 40+ crowd was buying bathing suits from and Lands End came in solidly near the top, so I went exploring. I ordered a few to try on and see why y’all regard them highly. They are high quality and feel secure- none of this flimsy, partially see-through nonsense I could maybe get away with once upon a time. Here’s what I ordered and why I’m keeping it.

• The dress bathing suit – OK, hear me out on this one. I asked David if I was aging myself here and he said “with a short dress?” – he didn’t even realize it was a bathing suit! My thighs are not my favorite part of my body aesthetically speaking (very grateful for their strength and ability), so to walk along the beach or hang out around the pool, I think I’m going to love this one. It feels really secure, holding everything in place, and under the skirt is a regular one piece bottom- just with a very light swim material over it.
• The mango ombre suit – This one comes in a bunch of colors; mine is mango. I was unsure about the color but Kaitlyn loved it and she’s pretty honest if she doesn’t love something. Once I get my tan in a bottle on, I’m sure it will be great (side note- what tan in a bottle do y’all love? I need one). Ok, the suit! The top portion is fabulous! Secure, flattering, and really cute with the added detail of a bit of fabric between the cups. The lower part is typical of a one piece suit with good coverage in the back.
• The black with the cute back – The must have staple suit. I just love how all these suits, this included, feel secure but not suffocating. Plus this one has a cute crossed detail on the back that I just love. Take note with all of these suits there are so many options- petite, regular, long torso, large chested, etc. It helps make it easier to get exactly what you need.

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TWO: Tulip Field Trip

On Wednesday the weather was spectacular so our neighborhood homeschool group organized a little outing to Thompson Family Farm U-Pick Tulip Field. It was super breezy but gorgeous and all the kids had a blast running around and picking the perfect tulips to cut. It’s $1/stem. We had a picnic lunch and relished the beautiful weather. Such a fun and springy activity to do!

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THREE: Recent Amazon Wins

• American Flag Cover Up – 4th of July always sneaks up on me and I wish I had a little something festive, so I bought this cover up and it fits the bill! Cute v-neck with a collar and roll up button sleeves.
• Travel Charger with Built-In Cords – I didn’t buy it just because of the pretty purple color, but it helped. This charger is awesome because it is slim and has all the cords you need for all kinds of devices attached to it and neatly tucked away. Highly recommend for travel!
• The Way Things Work – I bought this book for Kaitlyn’s Charlotte Mason style homeschool science focus on simple machines, but everyone is the family has been enthralled with it- so well illustrated and engaging with explaining how things work.
• Retainer Cleaning Tablets – I just reordered and it was a reminder to me to share these again because you won’t find a better cleaner for retainers, mouth guards, tongue scrapers, etc.
• 8 Pack of Large Clear Organizing Trays – Need a little win in the category of spring cleaning but aren’t ready to get your toothbrush out and scrub the base boards? Get this pack and knock out organizing your junk drawer. It will immediately make you feel like a better person (at least it did for me, ha!)

FOUR: Healthy Eating, but Simple

In February I planned our meals for the whole month and was surprised at how well it worked! I wanted to do the same for March but instead I’ve ended up flying by the seat of my pants. March and April are jam packed for us and I find myself keeping meals super simple. Like cook a protein and add a veggie kind of simple. I’m kind of liking the simplicity of it, but it’s not particularly share worthy. I’d like to revisit monthly meal planning in the fall, but for now, this is a sample of what my day of eating looks like:

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FIVE: Fresh Flowers

I’ve honestly never been much of a flower in a vase person because of the logical side of me saying that they’re just going to die (what a downer outlook, huh?), but between the tulips we picked and flowers gifted to us recently, we’ve had them on display and I LOVE IT. I’m using my Nannie’s old pitchers and mason jars as vases and putting little bouquets in the powder room and girls’ rooms. Maybe it’s just spring getting into my system, but if you need a mood boost, pick some flowers from your yard, or Trader Joe’s, or your local farmers market and bring some JOY into your home.

Thanks for stopping by today and have a lovely SPRING weekend! <3