Hello and happy Friday! We made it! If your week has been anything like mine, it’s been a lot of year-end-wrap ups for school. I only really have one that I’m managing, so I especially feel for those of you that have multiples, or lots of little ones where you still need to send teacher gifts on the last day. I don’t know why teacher gifts were always so stressful, but they were!
This week, I helped organize the track banquet for my son’s team. I think Jimmy’s coach said there were 101 boys on the roster. Can you believe that? Anyway, over some Big Ed’s BBQ (the best!) and Costco cake, I witnessed the seniors give the best set of speeches I’ve ever seen high school boys make. They thanked their coaches and each other for the impact they’ve had on their lives. A couple of them brought me to tears, knowing that this is just a year away for Jimmy. While I firmly stand behind my post earlier this week talking about how the best is yet to come for our kids and ourselves, the ending of high school is coming and I know that will be very emotional for me. I can already feel the lump in my throat. Gah! I’m glad Jimmy has a whole year to to try and annoy me so that I won’t miss him so much.
On to less emotional topics…my daughter Annie is coming home on Sunday after three weeks in Milan. Because of her course load and the number of labs she needs to take, she wasn’t a candidate for the study abroad programs offered at Notre Dame. So she took matters into her own hands and found this program specifically designed for pre-med majors that allows them to gain observation hours, while being immersed in another country. Annie wisely chose to go to Italy. I can’t wait to debrief with her, but before she comes home, she is spending the weekend with her sister Grace in London to see what her life is like there. It’s killing me to be sitting at my kitchen table working, knowing all of the fun they’re having without me. But my mom heart is very full, knowing they are together.
Well that was a big wind up into my Friday Favorites, so I’m glad that I have a fun list to share with you today. Let’s do this!
The Boatkin: Have you heard of this new bag that is destined to be “the bag” of the summer? I had not, until I saw that one of my colleagues, Allie Duncan, has a feature in The New York Times today on The Boatkin. I love her coverage of this coveted bag, especially her interview with Bethenny Frankel. The Boatkin is a repurposed canvas tote bag where the end result is akin to an Hermes Birkin bag. While I admire the sustainable practices used in creating these pretty bags (you can even send in your own canvas tote), the $1,500 price tag and four-month wait makes this bag a no for me. But it’s super fun to read about it!
New products I’m loving lately: When Grace and I were in Paris, we spent a lot of time going to the French pharmacies and trying all the things. In this post from my blog this week, I talk about two of those that I brought home with me plus two more I’m working into my summer makeup routine.
High-tech bird feeder: My friend Emily Reynolds (she has a great wellness account you should follow, plus she’s just darling) shared that she bought a bird feeder with a camera in it. When I heard about this, I thought it would make for a funny gift for my Dad’s 80th birthday. This week, my son Leo got it working. You connect the birdhouse camera to your phone using Bluetooth, and then you can livestream all of the birdhouse action. (Ha!!) When a bird flies in, the camera app also identifies the type of bird it is. I only know this because Leo seems to be enjoying this new toy very much. (Ha! Ha!!) He will be giving my Dad a tutorial tomorrow on how to use this contraption. If you need a gift for someone who is hard to buy for (Father’s Day idea), this is a gift idea for you! Also, here’s a bird food pro-tip. Buy this brand–the squirrels hate it, and don’t even come near the bird feeder. It’s also available at Pasquesi’s in Lake Bluff.
Summer fragrance: When I was overseas, I was on the hunt for a summer fragrance. I fell in love with Pomelo from Jo Loves and haven’t stopped thinking about i and I’ve been on a quest to find something close to it. This Orange Blossom Cologne from Jo Malone isn’t quite the same, but it scratches the itch and makes me feel like summer every time I use it. If you’re looking for a fresh, citrusy fragrance for summer–this is a good one!
Original Sin, President Biden’s Decline, Its Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again: I know I’ve mentioned it a few times this week, but I finished listening to this book and it was excellent. Jake Tapper, one of the authors of this book, is unapologetically pro-Democrat, which makes the telling of this story even more compelling. I started listening to this book while Jimmy and I were driving to UW-Madison for a college visit last week. While he wasn’t totally dialed in, there were a couple of times where Jimmy asked, “Is that true? Did that really happen?” It made for an interesting car ride.
Cute summer pjs: I haven’t really bought any new clothes lately, but I did pick up this adorable pajama set from J.Crew Factory.
All right, friends. I think that this is all I have for this week. I’d love to know what’s happening with you or what you’d be interested in seeing more of on my blog. Feel free to email me at hello@annmariescheidler.com. Happy weekend!
xo,
Disclosure: If you make a purchase through one of my links, I will make a small commission–almost as if I were your personal shopper. I appreciate your support!
