Friday 5+1 (5 Things I Love + 1 Thing I Don’t) – 1.26.18

I hope you’ve had a good week and are ready to roll into the weekend.  I’m wrapping up a kitchen today and am excited to share it with you (new floors and counters are going in soon).  All good things.  I’ve hit the ground running with ideas, books, learning new things, and I’m excited to share it with you!  Let’s get on with this week’s Friday 5+1!  This post contains some affiliate links.

Necessary Lies

Like I said, I’m back on the book reading (listening) train, and have already listened to four books this year!  Perhaps I need to set a book listening goal for myself – but I really love discovering new books and interesting stories.  Necessary Lies is a work of fiction, but is based on true events that took place more than fifty years ago.  In some ways it reminds me of  “Before We Were Yours” in that I can’t even believe some of the things that happened not so long ago.  

Here is the Amazon description:

“After losing her parents, 15-year-old Ivy Hart is left to care for her grandmother, older sister, and nephew as tenants on a small tobacco farm. As she struggles with her grandmother’s aging, her sister’s mental illness, and her own epilepsy, she realizes they might need more than she can give.

When Jane Forrester takes a position as Grace County’s newest social worker, she doesn’t realize just how much her help is needed. She quickly becomes emotionally invested in her clients’ lives, causing tension with her boss and her new husband. But as Jane is drawn in by the Hart women, she begins to discover the secrets of the small farm – secrets much darker than she would have guessed.

Soon, she must decide whether to take drastic action to help them, or risk losing the battle against everything she believes is wrong. Set in rural Grace County, North Carolina in a time of state mandated sterilizations and racial tension, Necessary Lies tells the story of these two young women, seemingly worlds apart, but both haunted by tragedy. Jane and Ivy are thrown together and must ask themselves: How can you know what you believe is right, when everyone is telling you it’s wrong?”

It was a great read, albeit unreal in so many ways.  I was sad to see it end, as it was such a compelling and well told story, leaving you to wonder how you would react in the situations that were presented.  Highly recommend.

Balsamic Glaze

I know this is totally random, but while I was away on my scrapbooking trip (yes, once a year I geek out and go scrapbooking, old school.  With actual pictures that are printed out.)  Anyway, one of the appetizers one of the girls brought was a Caprese salad – fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, fresh basil and a balsamic glaze.  I’ve had this mix with balsamic vinegar at home during the summer, and I love it, but this balsamic glaze takes it to a whole new level.  It’s a thicker consistency and is absolutely delicious. This summer I’m going to have to stock up on this yummy goodness.

Tomato Tortellini Soup

I made this tomato tortellini soup this week (on the stove, not the crockpot) and it was delicious.  Even my husband used the word delicious to describe it – which hardly ever happens when it comes to my cooking.  So I’m calling that a win and filing this recipe away to use in the future.

Camo Speedlight Tank

While I’m no fashion blogger, I do think that I can speak to workout wear, as I workout regularly and often find myself in workout clothes for a large portion of the day.  I recently ordered this Camo Speedlight Tank from Athleta, and really love it.  It’s comfortable, stylish, and it even has “hem grippers” along the bottom to keep it from riding up on you while you’re working out.  

Gray Cabinets + Brick Backsplash

I keep finding myself going back to look at this pretty kitchen with their soft neutral color and the brick backsplash.  So classic and pretty!  Would you ever consider a brick backsplash in your kitchen?  I can’t find the original source of this photo, so if anyone knows it, please let me know so I can give it proper credit!

My +1 for the week – Too many mascara choices

So, I needed to buy some new mascara – nothing crazy, I was just browsing in the the L’Oreal section alone, and I swear, there were about TWENTY different kinds of mascara to choose from for just one brand.  Telescopic Mascara, Double Extend Beauty Tubes Mascara (whatever that means), Fiber Mascara, Million Lashes Mascara, Extra Volume Collagen Mascara, Butterfly Lengthening Mascara.  

Come ON, people, I just want my lashes to not look so pitiful, and perhaps look a bit more like my 12 year-old daughter’s (which are long and full, I’m so jealous).  Is that so difficult?  They need a brand called “Tween Girl Natural Look Mascara” – that’s the one I want.

I hope you have a great weekend!

Jenny