Friday Faves + Nalgene giveaway
Hi friends! Happy Fri-yay! What are you up to this weekend? Any fun plans?? We have a friendโs birthday party, and Iโm hoping to cash in on my Motherโs Day nap. ๐ I hope you have a relaxing and fun weekend ahead!
Itโs time for the weekly Friday Faves party! I always enjoy sharing some of the latest faves, and hearing about yours in the comments section if youโd like to join along.
(similar shirt here! love it for summer)
#1: Having my hand surgery over with! It was Monday, and while the day itself was a little stressful, it was so worth it. They were waiting for my graft nerves to arrive -I pictured someone running down the hall with a cooler, Greyโs Anatomy-style- so it was delayed 4 hours (with a dead phone and IV in my arm…) and our sitter had to leave our house to take a final. So, the Pilot went home to take over for P and pick up Liv from school. I was chilling, trying to ignore the IV, and Jess walked into the room! It was the best. She stayed there during the surgery, and then stayed downstairs with Liv and P (no kids under 14 allowed in the hospital) while the Pilot went up to get me. Jess, you are an angel. <3
The splint on my hand has taken some getting used to (my first diaper change was hilarious ) but itโs NBD now. I get it off on Tuesday! Iโm so so thrilled to have had an incredible surgeon. While my hand is sore, the constant throbbing pain is already gone. Also, I HAVE FEELING in my thumb. Itโs been numb for over a year, and this fact alone makes me cry because Iโm so happy. I thought Iโd just have to get used to constantly dropping things and a dull pain where I cut it, but no. I am so thankful.
To celebrate the end of my surgeries, the Pilot picked up this cactus cake from Whole Foods.
Itโs chocolate cake with chocolate ganache, and the whole barrel cake is already almost gone.
Livi and I were equally thrilled. The chocolate-loving apple doesnโt fall far from the tree, thatโs for sure.
Salad a Day in May is going strong! Thank you for tagging me in all of your beautiful salad beast pics! Letโs keep it going. ๐
Here are my salads from the week:
Sunday (unpictured): Hawaiian chopped salad while riding to the airport
Monday: Whole Foods hot bar. The Pilot made it with greens, garbanzo beans, balsamic dressing, edamame, beets, fennel, and chicken
Tuesday: Tender Greens kale salad with roasted veggies and grilled garlic bread
Wednesday: kale salad with hearts of palm, feta, pomegranate arils, lemon vinaigrette and chicken. I processed the chicken in the food processor since itโs tricky to cut things with the splint
Thursday: leftover kale salad
Iโll keep taking pics so I have more to share in next weekโs Friday Faves post! This chopped shrimp salad is on the menu and Iโll share the recipe for my uncleโs chopped avocado salad, too.
These Steve Madden sandals (in the pic above). They match everything and are super comfy!
Being healthy means not always being healthy. It wasnโt until I had Liv that I really learned the art of moderation. Life is so much happier when things arenโt off limits. *Raises cactus cake-covered fork triumphantly*
Well this makes me want to improve my chicken scratch.
Advice for first-time entrepreneurs.
Emma Watsonโs Met Gala dress!
A giveaway from my friends at Nalgene!
Iโm a huge fan of Nalgene bottles because theyโre BPA-free and super durable. I have a blue one that I stole from the Pilot, have dropped it at least 100 times, and you would never know. I also love that they hold a LOT of water, which makes it easier to get in the recommended daily amount. They sent me one of their newest Silo bottles, which is the only 48 oz bottle on the market. It doesnโt leak and is dishwasher safe on the top rack.
5 lucky readers will win their own Silo bottle in Cosmo!
Enter here:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
The lucky winners will be chosen Sunday night at midnight EST and announced Monday morning.
Happy Friday, friends! Iโll see you soon with a dessert recipe. ๐
I leave you with the P smile of the day, dancing with daddy at our cousinโs wedding last weekend.
xoxo
Gina
I also follow you on Instagram.
Coffee
I’m loving that we had a break in the spring rain that gave me time to start planting my garden. Then I loved the rain that watered it!
Happy Mother’s Day!
I’ve been in the market for a new nalgene – my husband stole mine!
Beautiful weather has arrived here in MN and I couldn’t be happier!
I’m loving more time with friends now that finals week is over!
I love Nalgene! I have had mine for over 5 years!
I am loving the weather this week. It’s 85 today!
I am loving that my husband is finally done with grad school!! I’ll get to see him again! ๐
That cake looks amazing!
I am loving the warmer weather we are having this week!
It’s been cold and rainy here all week but I am loving our local library. It’s great to have a wonderful place to take my kids to when it’s rainy and we can’t play outside. Also, I’m loving coffee.
Love nalgene!
i love that my fiancรฉ can visit me from out of town this weekend!
Sunshine! Finally.
I’m loving the spring weather we have finally gotten this week!
Loving a little mini getaway this weekend after a couple of stressful weeks!
I just got my nails done with the color “another round” and love it!!
Love Nalgene bottles! I also follow you on Instagram!
We could definitely use a new water bottle to keep from using so many disposable ones!
Nalgenes are the best. i’m due for an upgrade – i’ve used the same one for almost 15 years.
Could definitely use a new water bottle!
That water bottle looks amazing! I’ve noticed having a larger sized one has been better for my waterintake lol
I love that they have a larger size nalgene!
I’m loving that I get to be home with my sweet 1.5 year old daughter. Just love her.
I follow on Instagram!
I am loving the beautiful summer weather we are having in MN today. And I am loving getting ready for my baby girls 2nd birthday party. Although, I can’t believe my baby will be 2 on Monday. Time flies!
I want some cactus cake!
Ps. we are driving down to SD for the weekend, and I’m dying to check out the new food hall in Liberty Station! What’s your fav spot there?
I am loving that we are celebrating Mental Health Awareness Week at the school I work at-I am a school psychologist at an elementary school and we celebrated by talking about a different feeling each day (Excitement, Worry, Frustration, Pride) and did a variety of activities! It was so great.
I follow you on instagram!
I’m loving finishing my 3rd year of medical school – ONE MORE TO GO!!!
We’re still loving your pb and j dip with Bitsy’s crackers! Obsess much?!
Best wishes on a speedy recovery
I’m loving fun spring polish on my toes.
I’m loving massaged Kale salad. Thanks for the step by step a few weeks ago!
LOVE the huge pink bottle! I’ve started to do infusion teas every morning and it’s hard to find bottle big enough to hold a quart of liquid that aren’t too wide. This looks like a perfect solution!
I am loving that it is FRIDAY! YESSSS. I can’t wait to relax on the couch at home after a long work week.
Love that last pic of the pilot and P!
I am living some beautiful flowers that started blooming outside of my house. I had no idea that they were there!
That cake looks delicious! What a great way to celebrate no more pain! Congrats! Oh and the water bottle would fit my life style perfectly! I follow you on IG.
I’m loving that we have survived a week of rain and that it’s supposed to be sunny again in a couple days!
My toes in the sand with a cool drink in my hand….. true LOVE!
Happy Mother’s Day!
Not like I need another water bottle but I love Nalgene!
That picture of P and the Pilot is too precious!
I’m loving that our weather is warming up and my work day is almost over! ๐
could always use a new water bottle!
I love that it’s sunny out today!
P’s smiles are the best. ๐
I’m loving how green everything finally is!