We made it to the weekend! We had a full week around here and a like a cherry on top, a gorgeous fall Friday is upon us. The colors in the upstate are starting to emerge and wow, it’s stunning when the sun is low in the sky.

I find myself without a voice this morning. I’m not really sure why but perhaps a bit of overuse and some allergies have left me literally speechless. Parenting and volunteering yesterday without being able to speak was an interesting experience. At least my children can read; there has been a lot of note writing!

What has really helped is a nasal saline rinse. At the start of fall I buy each family member their own saline rinse (this kind is the best because of the gentle mist spray). It’s one of my favorite things in our natural arsenal because it does so much: soothes dry nasal passages, thins “gunk” to help get it out, flushes out irritants and allergens, and clears congestion. Highly recommend.

Ok, well let’s get going and dive into this Friday’s FIVE things I want to share:

ONE: Family Time

This week started off with family time, my favorite. We met David’s parents for dinner on Monday to celebrate Mema’s birthday. We had a delicious dinner with lively conversation; it so nice to live closer to them now!

Then my mom and my Aunt Lynn came to visit on Tuesday. We all had lunch, did some strolling through shops, and enjoyed a relaxed evening at home, introducing Aunt Lynn to the chickens, discussing homeopathy, puzzling, and devouring Shepherd’s Pie.

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TWO: Reader Favorites

Did you participate in Big Day Deals? I did; here is what I purchased – however!! I am super pleased with everything I bought except for those earrings that everyone was raving about. I found them heavy and when the post would bend whenever I tried to put on the back. One of those “get what you pay for” kind of situations I suppose.

Here are your favorites from the prime day deals based on analytics:

• Sticky Bats – such a great festive bang for your buck and currently covering my backsplash!
• Electric Kettle – Yes! This thing is the best. It boils water so quickly and as a house full of tea lovers, it’s fabulous. Also works well for travel for oatmeal, pour over coffee, etc.
• Faux Mums – I bought some real mums, which I’ve already killed, but these faux mums on the back porch? Still looking fabulous.
• Devotional for Middle School Girls – H (14) has been very pleased with this over the past year; vouched for!
• Jewelry Cleaner – it works some serious magic in seconds and brought so much sparkle back to my ring. I feel like this would make a great gift, but would that be weird?

THREE: One Pan Coconut Lime Chicken

Have you tried this coconut lime chicken recipe yet? I was so tickled when a friend sent me a text last week saying that she made it and it was delicious. It brings me so much joy when one of my recipes works out well for you. This really is a tasty recipe and all made it one pan! Serve it over rice so it can soak up all that sauce. I promise this one is a keeper.

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FOUR: Pride & Prejudice

Over the past couple years I’ve really enjoyed sharing some of the classics with my kids. We loved, loved, loved Anne of Green Gables, cried through Where the Red Fern Grows, found magic in The Secret Garden, and explored more complex themes in A Wrinkle in Time. Since we drive so much, we have audiobooks that we listen to when we are together, and audiobooks we enjoy when it’s only two of us together.

Currently H (14) and I are listening to Pride and Prejudice on our drives together and are both really enjoying it. We listen to it at .9 speed to really grasp the wit in Austen’s elegant and precise word choices. She’s masterful in her character dialogue! We pause after each chapter and H narrates what she got from it. I fill in any missing pieces, which are getting fewer with each chapter. We both love the time period and the satire.

While it is obviously very different from Harry Potter, the bonding experience of reading it together feels similar. Our mother daughter “book club” leaves us with little inside jokes and using the word countenance in our everyday jargon. Highly recommend transitioning read aloud time into a book club kind of feel as your kids grow.

FIVE: Upgraded Candle Decor

I love my candles, especially fall and Christmas candles. I have them scattered throughout the house for when “cozy o’clock” strikes (the time of day I switch to lamps, candles, and fall jazz music).

One small change that has elevated my candle decor is having a dedicated candleholder. Take this hurricane Hyacinthe holder, for example. It is simple and will go with any season, but the decorative base and glass enclosure give it a more refined aesthetic. It makes the candle look more intentional. An added bonus is when I open my windows, the glass also protects the wick from the breeze, allowing it to keep burning evenly. And one more bonus? I don’t have little kids anymore, but my neighbors do, and the glass enclosure adds a layer of protection to keep curious hands from the flame. File this under: small change, big impact.

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That’s all I’ve got for today! Wishing you a happy weekend… and GO DAWGS! Big game versus a #5 Ole Miss at 3:30 tomorrow. But of course, you knew that already. 😉