five on friday

Happy Friday guys. We've made it through another week. We've got a busy weekend planned and I'm looking forward to spending time with some family I don't see very often. Life just gets too busy doesn't it?!  I'm linking up with Five on Friday again. Let's jump right in.

 

Yesterday I tried a new lotion a friend had from Bath & Body Works - A Thousand Wishes. I instantly fell in love with it and wanted to order some.  I looked at the right time because yesterday only you could get any travel size items for $2.95.  I ordered a few things in the A Thousand Wishes line and also a few things from the At the Beach line to take along on vacation next month.

I've decided I need want a pair of short rain boots for spring. I really like this short pair, but think I'd prefer it in a matte navy. I do kind of like this succulent color too though. Since my birthday month is coming up, I'll have to let Mike know about these.  I like the idea of wearing these with shorts, but wonder if I should go with the tall for that.
 

I've been adding this new Kool-Aid Liquid Tropical Punch concentrate to one of my water servings every day. It's really soooo good.  I do limit myself to one use a day because I don't like drinking too much artificial sweetener, but it's a nice change from plain water.

 

We need a new storage building for the back yard. Mike likes this one from Lowes and I've had it in the back of my mind to surprise him for Father's Day. It's on sale now, so it may need to be an early gift.  It will look nice in our back yard and also add a bit more privacy. 

 

And now in book news... Another fun mystery series I love is the Jaine Austen Mystery series by Laura Levine.  It's always a fun, light read and the interaction between Jaine and her parents is hilarious.  Death of a Bachelorette is coming out in June and I was lucky enough to get an advance copy.  I'll be doing a giveaway later next month, so be sure to check back here and follow along on Instagram (I'm ToniaTHC) for details.
 
Have a great weekend.  Check back in next week for my Easter Basket post and a delicious recipe for roasted carrots. 

five on friday

Hooray for Friday.  And Happy St. Patrick's Day. March came in like a lion and is still roaring. I'm linking up with Five on Friday again this week. Let's jump right in.

This shirt is 40% right now at Nordstrom. I ordered it in both colors. It will be great for spring and still light enough for summer. I might pack both for our vacation next month.

Landon and I LOVE all things blueberry and we've been making lots of blueberry muffins and pancakes lately. I decided we need our own blueberries, so we're adding two of these to our container garden set up this year. They come already in the pots, so all you have to do is set them out. I'm so excited to harvest our own berries, so I really hope they work out. You can follow along on our gardening project on Instagram - #THCgardens. I'm ToniaTHC.

I ran out of my usual Aveeno body lotion earlier this week and realized it right after I got out of the shower. I found a small tube of Burt's Bees Milk & Honey body lotion in my drawer and decided to give it a try. I am in love with it. It smells so good and really leaves my skin feeling soft and smooth. The scent is light without being overpowering. I may have found a new favorite.

And now in book news. Who else is watching Feud: Bette & Joan on FX? I am completely obsessed. I admit I had doubts about Jessica Lange as Joan,  but oh my goodness, she is spot on!!  I ordered this book to take along on vacation, but I may go ahead and read it now. I've seen the movie a few times and am anxious to devour the book. You can get it here on Amazon. I actually got mine on eBay as Amazon did have a 2 month wait time.

Have a great weekend! Cheerio! 

 

five on friday

Hooray for Friday. It's a beautiful day in West Virginia today and we're loving this spring-like weather at the end of February.  It's not going to last long though, so we're enjoying it while we can. We might even have a thunderstorm tonight!! I'm linking up with Five on Friday again this week. Let's get right to it.

 

 

Let's do book news first today.  I've teamed up with Kensington Publishing for a fun giveaway. Hop over to my Facebook page for for a chance to win a copy of Banana Cream Pie Murder, Joanne Fluke's latest in the Hannah Swensen Mystery Series. It's a light, fun mystery series that I've been reading for years now. 

 

 

Landon and I are going to The Clay Center tomorrow.  They have the Grossology! exhibit going on right now and I know he's going to love it. I'm pretty excited to see if myself.  Besides the hands-on exhibit, there's also a program in the theater/planetarium.  We'll probably end up staying most of the day because after the Grossology fun, I'm sure Landon will want to play on the climbing sculpture.

 

 

We're going to the beach in April for our family vacation, so the hunt for a new swimsuit is on. I really like this one, but I haven't ordered it yet. I usually go for a bottom with a skirt,  but I'm trying to move away from that this year. I love this color and the fabric looks nice. I need to order now so I'll have time to return it if it doesn't work out.

 

 

We're doing our first container garden this year and I'm going to try to do something in this style. I really like the containers and the clean design. I'm not going to add the fence since our yard is already fenced, but I'm in love with the containers and pavers. More to come on that.
 

 

 

Is anyone else as excited as I am to watch Feud: Bette and Joan on FX? I've watched a lot of Joan Crawford's old movies and loved Whatever Happened to Baby Jane. I also love the old Hollywood glamour. I think Susan Sarandon is a perfect choice for Bette, but I'm not as sure about Jessica Lange for Joan. I'll just have to watch and see. Who else is watching with me? 

 

Have a great weekend!

 

 

favorite thanksgiving books

We're counting down the days til Thanksgiving. We're super excited about the big day and have added a few books to our Thanksgiving collection this year (you can see some of our old favorites here).  Here's what we're reading this month. 

Pete the Cat: The First Thanksgiving

The Story of the Pilgrims

 

 

Ten Fat Turkeys

 

What are you reading this month?

falling in love again (with nancy drew)

 

Saturday evening I was able to visit with an old friend. We got home from a day out with the family around 8pm and Landon wanted to play outside for a bit before bed. I sat on the porch while he played and read an old Nancy Drew book, The Witch Tree Symbol. I felt like I was 12 years old again, reading outside in the muggy evening heat as night fell.  It was wonderful!! Even though I'm older now, the books are just as good as I remember.  So good in fact that I've decided to revisit all my Nancy Drew favorites. It's a nice escape from the politics and sad daily news stories.

I've always enjoyed going back and reading books from my childhood and these are no exception. They are set in such a simpler time and the etiquette and manners displayed by the gang of River Heights is so refreshing.  I'm so glad I decided to pick these up again! 

 

five on friday the 13th...

Happy Friday! Or should I say Happy Friday the 13th? I've always loved the superstition and air of spookiness that goes along with this day. And not only is it Friday the 13th, but also a full moon!! Is anyone else planning to watch old Friday the 13th movies tonight? Maybe we'll even get a thunderstorm.  Anyway, I'm linking up with Five on Friday again this week. Let's get right to it.

 

We just got back from Myrtle Beach on Saturday. We had so much fun playing on the beach and in the ocean. We spent the entire week at the resort, just enjoying being together and lazy, leisure days. We did go out one day to do some shopping and visit the Hollywood Wax Museum. In the spirit of Friday the 13th, here's a picture of Landon with Jason. His expression is priceless!

 

Have you all tried the new Sara Lee Artesano bread? You guys!! This bread is seriously life-changing. I made garlic toast to go with our spaghetti earlier this week and I think I ate more bread than spaghetti. I just mixed about 5 tablespoons of softened salted butter with two squirts of Gourmet Garden garlic paste, spread evenly on 8 slices of bread and baked at 425 for about 10 minutes. The bottom was toasty and golden, but the top was perfectly soft.  Tomorrow I'm making cinnamon toast, which I'll share on the blog on Monday.

 

Now that my hair is longer, I love a good blowout that will last for a few days. Of course, it's not always practical or financially reasonable to go to the salon every week. That said, I'm loving the Herbal Essence Blowout Smooth line. I have lots of hair, but it's still fine and tends to get oily after one day. Since I've started using this, I can easily get two days, sometimes three. Definitely try it out if you're looking for something new. It works and it's not a budget-blower. And it smells pretty great too!

 

I know I mentioned Friday the 13th movies, but I'm really watching The Boy tonight. I'm going to get it OnDemand, but you can also get the DVD here. I've been waiting to see this since it hit theaters and I hope it's as good as I'm expecting it to be. I'll let you know.

 

I always like to take a few books along to the beach. This time I took Desilu: The Story of Lucille Ball & Desi Arnaz. I'm a big Lucy fan, so it was really interesting to read. Next week I'll be talking more about Murder Has Nine Lives, the newest book in the Jaine Austen series by Laura Levine, and giving details on a fun giveaway.

Have a wonderfully spooky Friday the 13th and a fabulous weekend!

favorite easter books

Easter is coming right up, so I thought today would be a good day to share some of our favorite Easter stories.  A few are old favorites and some are new additions to our collection. I love that Landon can tell the story of Easter to anyone who will listen. It warms my momma heart to hear our little boy telling the good news! 

 

 Guess How Much I Love You //  The Easter Story // The Berenstain Bears Easter Story

Ten Easter Egg Hunters //  Happy Easter, Mouse // Jesus Calling for Little Ones

 

I'll be talking about Easter basket ideas later this week. 

 

Happy Monday! 

 

 

Favorite Thanksgiving Stories

Besides pajamas, I also LOVE buying books for Landon. I'm always coming across new books for him and also enjoy sharing old favorites from my childhood. Is there anything better than snuggling up with your baby and a good story?

Today I'm sharing three of our favorite Thanksgiving stories. I usually pick out a few of our favorite seasonal books and put them on Landon's nightstand with his bible story book so they become our go-to for that month.

Here's what we're reading in November.

 

1. I Love to Gobble You Up - If kisses were gobbles, I'd gobble you up! Landon is at the end of the recommended age for this one, but it's still a lot of fun and gets lots of giggles. 

2. What is Thanksgiving - A fun rhyming book to help kids understand the real meaning of Thanksgiving. We've been reading this one for a few years now, so it's a fun tradition. 
 

3. The Night Before Thanksgiving - Everyone’s favorite fun-filled, family-filled, food-filled holiday is almost here! Follow along as the feast is prepared, cousins are greeted, and everyone gathers around the table, all with an extra helping of holiday fun.

What are some of your favorite Thanksgiving books?  I'll be sharing our favorite Christmas books on November 23rd. Lots of fun books, so don't miss it!

 
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book week | what I'm reading

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I'm linking up with Emily today { Jones Design Company } to finish up book week. Right now I'm reading Death of a Neighborhood Witch by Laura Levine. I'm just going to admit it ~ I like reading fluffy, light mysteries sometimes. They can be a great escape.  I've read all the books in this series and they are perfect for when you want a book that will make you laugh out loud. 

I'm reading this on the Kindle app on my iPad. I love this, but have found I do spend quite a bit more on books due to the ease of purchase.

What are you reading today? Link up here.  

book week | landon's favorites

{ Jones Design Company }

I'm linking up with Emily at Jones Design Company again today for book week. Today I'm sharing a few of Landon's favorite books. I love snuggling up with him and reading a favorite story, hearing him giggle with delight as he points out his favorite pictures, asking me to read the same page again and again. It's little moments like this that I love so much, especially when he's fresh from the bath and smelling of Baby Magic. {bliss}

Goodnight Moon is one of the first books I read to Landon. It's usually his go-to book when he's ready for cuddles. 

Mother Goose {Will Moses} - I'm a big Will Moses fan and the artwork in this book is wonderful. I want to make it a coffee table book. 

If You Give a Mouse a Cookie - I like the way these stories flow and the illustrations are adorable. There are several other books in the series and Landon loves them all. 

Ten Little Monkeys - One of Landon's favorites because he LOVES jumping on the bed.  And we call him Monkey quite often. 

I'm hoping to add a reading nook to his bedroom soon so he'll have a place that's quiet and cozy, the perfect spot for reading. I hope the magic of a good book is something he will always love. That would make me one happy momma.   

Share your favorite books in the comments. 

Book Week | Some Childhood Favorites

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Books, books, books... Oh, I could easily talk about books all day long.  Which means I was very excited to see Emily over at Jones Design Company dedicating an entire week to books.  Today I'm going to talk about a few favorite books from my childhood.  I still go back and read some of them from time to time.

 
When I was in  second grade, I adored Noisy Nancy Norris by Lou Ann Gaeddert. It was the ONLY book I wanted to check out from the library. Finally Mrs. Thompson, our school librarian, insisted I give other books a try. I finally gave in, but still took Noisy Nancy home with me every chance I got. She was so noisy and vibrant - I loved her!

Here's two other favorites I remember from my elementary years... Of course, there's many more but I'll save those for another day.

Mail Order Wings - Beatrice Gormley

Nine-year old Andrea orders wings guaranteed to make her fly through an ad in her comic book. Incredibly, the wings do work. I loved this book, so much I borrowed it from the library again last year. I'm trying to convince my niece to give it a try. 

I Would If I Could - Betty Miles

When the bicycle she’s been longing for turns out to be nothing like she expected, a young girl is sick with disappointment. Then the summer at her grandma’s teaches her several valuable lessons. I loved this book years ago when I first read it because I could relate to the young girl and her friendships. I love it now because it reminds me of long, leisure  summers spent at my grandparents camp. I read this again last year too.

As I mentioned, these are just a few of my favorite childhood books that come to mind. I have a list that is so long. When I was 13 or 14, I lost a lot of my favorite books in a fire at my grandparent's camp. From time to time, a title or story will pop into my mind and I'll start searching for a specific book so I can read it again and have it on my bookshelf. 

What are some of your favorites from your younger years? 

Books, Books, Books | A Giveaway

BOOKS... Oh, I could talk about books all day. I have always loved to read. Back in my elementary school days, my favorite book was Noisy Nancy Norris. I checked it out so many times that our librarian would not let me check it out anymore, as she wanted me see what else the bookshelves had to offer. And when we went to the grocery store, mom and dad would shop while I ran to the magazine rack to see the latest Sesame Street magazine. Yep, that was me. And my set of Little House on the Prairie books still holds the title of my favorite Christmas gift.

With books and reading being such a big part of my life, I hope very much that Landon will love to read. He loves our story time and will read his favorite books over and over again. And now that he's almost three years old {sigh}, we're having a lot of fun picking out new books for him. When my niece was younger, one of our favorite books to read together was "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie" by Laura Numeroff. It's such a cute book with great illustrations. I love the facial expressions on that little mouse. I'm excited to read it with Landon, along with some other books by Mrs. Numeroff.

Do you want to expand your child's library? Harper Collins sent me some books for Landon and also wants to give some to one lucky reader. The winner will receive five books - If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, Merry Christmas Mouse, If You Take a Mouse to the Movies, If You Give a Pig a Pancake, and If You Give a Moose a Muffin...all in hardback.

Here's how to win:  For one entry, leave a comment on this post. For a second entry, like us on Facebook/follow on Twitter and leave another comment. For a third entry, post about this giveaway on your own blog and link back to this post. For a bonus entry - add my button and leave another comment. Good luck! A winner will be chosen and announced on Wednesday, August 1st.

Disclaimer:  Harper Collins sent the books for this giveaway, but all opinions here are my own.