What I'm Loving Wedneday

Happy Wednesday! I am so excited to bring you another installment of "What I'm Loving Wednesday" a weekly post that will list some things from the past week that I am loving, can't live without, on my wish-list, or are things I am plain obsessed with - and I will even add links (when applicable) so you can check out or scoop up anything you love too!
 

If you're new and haven't seen a WILW post before, here's a little about them: What I'm Loving Wednesday is one of my favorite ways for me to showcase some of my favorite products, tell about something fun that happened, show you what I'm crushing on, highlight some of my favorite blogs and instagram feeds and a great way for you to find all kinds of great new products to buy or people to follow! I am so excited about What I'm Loving Wednesday and it is going to be a BLAST! I hope you  will follow along!

Today features a little bit of everything! Read all about what I'm loving this week below!
 

One | Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge

I recently got this phone and so far I am absolutely loving it! So much easier to use than my last phone (the galaxy S5), the screen is so much bigger and brighter and the camera isn't even in the same ballpark, its so much better than my last phone. I'm actually kind of amazed now with the picture quality when I take photos with my phone. I chose the platinum gold color which is so pretty as well. If you're in the market for a new phone, I'd definitely recommend this one.
 

Two | Sugar Paper® Weekly/Monthly Planner

The planner I'm using right now is just a cute little mint colored notebook I purchased from the grocery store out of necessity earlier this year, but it's almost completely used up already so I'll be needing another planner (maybe a real one) soon. I'm in love with this simple design by Sugar Paper available at Target. And it's a steal at only $15 so I may have to get it next time I'm there. I'm all about the minimal and simplistic design of it and I love the gold foil 2017 printed on the front cover.
 

Three | Swanky Shank Holiday Shirts

I've shared about Swanky Shank before so I'm sure you've heard of them by now. Their hand dyed, hand stamped appliqued shirt designs are some of our favorites when it comes to clothing and they're so unique and comfortable. And have you seen their new holiday line that just dropped? That "Up To Snow Good" tee is so cute, the "Keep Warm Dear" tee is simply the sweetest and I'm still loving the "Quilted Merry & Bright" tee from last year's Christmas line. I think at least one of these designs need to come home to us, maybe even a couple of them.
 

Four | eTree Lapel Button Cashmere Cardigan

This is one of my most recent online purchases for Bella. It's from amazon.com and you can find the direct link to the product here. This cardigan was so worth every single penny of the $20 we paid for it. it feels so luxurious, and it's the softest and warmest cardigan ever. Bella simply adores it and is always asking to wear it, but can you blame her? Just look at how cute it is! It also comes in a few other colors and one other style is sometime available, we purchased it in gray and it goes so lovely with every single one of her outfits!
 

Five | Fixer Upper Season Four

Who else is as excited as I am that Chip and Joanna Gaines just announced that season four of Fixer Upper is coming on Tuesday, November 29th! I've been (patiently) waiting for what seemed like forever hoping that they would announce when the next season would be arriving and that it would be coming soon... so this news has me pretty excited to say the least. Fixer Upper is my favorite TV show (Frank's too) and we love watching it together, though we usually set it to record on the DVR and watch it the next evening (since we go to bed fairly early most nights). Now to watch Fixer Upper re-runs on Netflix to prepare myself for the next season. Oh! And before I forget, have you seen the new Christmas decor line that Joanna just released over on Magnolia Market? Literally everything is so gorgeous! Head over there and check it out now (find the link here), you can thank me later. Happy Wednesday!

Adventuring With Fin First + An Interview

 

After spying the pretty designs over at Fin First quite awhile ago I pretty much fell in love. SO I decided it was finally time for me to tell you about them, their amazing products and the brand in general.  I mean, who can pass up mermaids and surfboards? Not us, that's for sure. Especially since we hope to end up living by the beach in a few years. We're landlocked mermaids and landlocked beach bums but these shirts bring a little bit of the beach to us! Not to mention that they are oh so comfy! Like seriously comfy. And they were the perfect outfit choices for our recent trip to Presque Isle at Lake Erie.

Bella is and always has been completely obsessed and entranced by mermaids, don't know where she might have picked that up from (lol, yep I'm obsessed as well) so she chose the toddler sized "Sunny" the mermaid raglan! She would wear it most days I'm sure if I let her, it's perfect for spring and autumn, and you can even throw a cute cardigan on with it when it gets even chillier to keep wearing it longer! Yay!

 

 

I chose the "Winnie" printed "Let's Be Adventurous" raglan, because you know how adventuring with my loves is one of my favorite things to do, and also because I wanted a matching raglan with Bella and my hubby. Look how cute those surfboards are, stacked up on the top of that old Winnebago RV in the illustration!

My hubby wanted to rep and rock the Fin First logo so he chose the Fin First Logo Raglan, and because Myrtle Beach South Carolina is (hopefully) our future home, and goodness gracious do I have to say that it looks exceptionally good on him. Alllll the heart eyes for him and that shirt... and him in that shirt. :)

We are so obsessed as a family with Fin First that we decided it would be fun to do a little interview with the owners, artists, photographers and family behind the brand so we could all get to know them a little bit better. Interviews with shop owners are one of my favorites because it give a little glimpse into the behind the scenes and what they're all about!
 

HI ALLISON, JASON & FIN, CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR SHOP, FIN FIRST?
Well, Jason and I wanted to start a kid's t-shirt line for years. As a photographer and an artist we figured we were quite the dream team of creativity so we began our research. We wanted kids to have cool, colorful, one of a kind, hand drawn graphic tees and we wanted them to be perfect, we wanted them to stand out, and we wanted them to represent OUR life. We work hard and play hard, we love to be outdoors, we love music, we have a deep adoration for the ocean and we have acquired an addiction to traveling over the years… and our designs are sketched from all of those things. We want to capture a very particular lifestyle through our company, so we base it on our daily life, that way we will always have ideas flowing and we can never be duplicated. We feel so many people share our simple way of life that they truly love our products, that they get our vibe. We’ve proudly grown from a kid’s only brand into a family friendly (from babies to grandparents) staple in many closets locally, around the country and even internationally, and that humbles us like you wouldn’t believe.

WHAT WAS/IS THE INSPIRATION BEHIND YOUR BRAND?
Easy! Our red headed, free bird son Fin is the inspiration. When Fin was born we knew two things, we wanted to show him the world and we wanted his very first birthday to start off with a bang, a t-shirt line in his name. We launched on his birthday (May 14, 2013) with 14 hand drawn designs. 

WHEN DID YOU FIRST BECOME INTERESTED IN AND START CREATING APPAREL?
Probably in college. Graphic design classes that encouraged clothing concepts were always a favorite.

WERE YOU SELF TAUGHT?
100% self taught, in all we do! We are always learning, trying to perfect every little inch of what we do.

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR PROUDEST MOMENT AS A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER?
I think one of our proudest moments would have to be our very first international order, it was from Japan. Our first wholesale order was a pretty big deal to us as well.

WHICH PRODUCT HAS BEEN YOUR FAVORITE (SO FAR) TO CREATE?
Ahhhhh…..this is tough. We’ve had handmade quilts and leggings made from our design material in the past, those are still at the top of the list as favorites for sure.

 

Fin First offers way more shirt styles than just raglans though, they offer tees, regular tanks, long sleeve shirts, hoodies, onesies, scoop neck tees and flowy racerback tanks! They also offer tote bags, caps, prints, koozies, baby blankets, dog bandanas, and even a  coloring book! So many great items and gift ideas!

 

Are you as excited about Fin First after reading that cool little interview as we are? I'm even more excited to offer a discount code to Fin First, 25% off the entire Fin First collection, so anything you want to purchase is 25% off when you buy using this code! Christmas is coming up (isn't it crazy how fast this year has gone by) and I think these shirts would for sure make for the most perfect stocking stuffers for the entire family, and perfect for gifting to friends and extended family as well! Make sure to enter the code THEJOYFULTRIBE25 when checking out to get the discount! Happy Weekend!

 

 

Game Day Tortellini Soup

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #AD #Tailgreatness #CollectiveBias

 

In our home, autumn means leaves changing colors and falling to the ground, pumpkins everywhere, delicious soups and of course college football Saturdays. Though I'm more into the soups and falling leaves and pumpkins everywhere, my husband really enjoys watching college football AND eating while watching the games.

But unfortunately since he was recently diagnosed with heartburn and it's somewhat put a damper on his game day experience. Everyone knows that there's nothing like eating while watching football. I mean tailgating, or home gating as we love to do is pretty much synonymous with any kind of football.

Football and food go together like peas and carrots, mashed potatoes and gravy, cookies and milk. But since heartburn has entered my husband's life, we've added a third friend to the party! Nexium® 24HR Tablets! The perfect acid reducer to reduce frequent heartburn when taken properly (it's usually best to start taking them 1 to 4 days in advance) and help you get ready for tailgreatness!

Thanks to Nexium® 24HR, my husband has been able to get back to his regular College Football Saturday routine and enjoy a lot of his regular favorite game day meals again, and this Tortellini Soup is one of our favorites! It's so cheesy, filled with Italian sausage, tomatoes, onions, garlic... You know, all of those things that would regularly cause him heartburn and indigestion, but by using Nexium® 24HR as directed and taking it 1-4 days in advance for the full effect, he can now have all day AND all night protection from feeling icky. He's free to not only enjoy the game, but also some great food! If you're in the market for a super amazing soup (that everyone raves about) here's the recipe. This makes a big pot of it, it's perfect for tailgating and even more perfect for home gating when you throw that big football watch party and invite all your friends over!

 

 

GAME DAY TORTELLINI SOUP

 

 WHAT YOU'LL NEED:

 

1 package sweet Italian sausage, removed from casings

 

1 Tablespoons olive oil

 

2 medium chopped red onions

 

6 large to medium cups chopped carrots

 

3 Tablespoons chopped garlic

 

6 cups organic beef broth

 

1 29 oz. can petite diced tomatoes

 

1 29 oz. can regular diced tomatoes

 

1 29 oz. can tomato sauce

 

3 Tablespoons Organic Italian seasoning

 

8 Beef Bouillon Cubes

 

1 cup grated parmesan cheese

 

Salt, sugar, black pepper to taste

 

1 Package Refrigerated Three Cheese Tortellini

 

2 cups chopped fresh spinach

WHAT TO DO:

Pour a little olive oil on the bottom of a large stock pot and add the sweet Italian sausage. As they start to brown, cut them apart with a spatula or spoon. Cook until done. After sausage is done, drain sausage onto a plate lined with several layers of paper towels and remove any excess grease from the sausage by patting it with another paper towel. Add a little olive oil to the bottom of the stock pot again now that it is empty and add your chopped carrots and onions. Sauté for 10 minutes on medium to high heat and add your chopped garlic. Sauté another 5 minutes and then add in your beef broth, tomatoes, tomato sauce, parmesan cheese and seasonings. Stir soup gently until thoroughly mixed together and then bring to a boil. Once it's boiled for about 10 minutes, re-add your sausage back into the soup stock pot and lower heat. Next, add in your refrigerated three cheese tortellini and chopped fresh spinach and cook until tortellini is soft (usually between 8 to 10 minutes). After the tortellini is soft, remove soup from heat and serve! You can also throw a little extra parmesan cheese on top of the soup if you like more cheese but it doesn't even need it taste-wise. Enjoy!

So, you want to know a little more about Nexium® 24HR? I grabbed a box from over by the Pharmacy area (you'll find it in the heartburn/antacid aisle, not in the pharmacy just to clarify:) when I was in Walmart the other day, shopping for the ingredients to make my husbands favorite soup for College Football Saturday (yep, you guessed it, this tortellini Soup). Super easy to find and right in the heartburn/antacid aisle, you can't miss it.

Did you know that Nexium® 24HR is the #1 Choice of Doctors and Pharmacists* (*Among PCPs and Pharmacists who use a branded OTC PPI) for their own frequent heartburn? With Nexium® 24HR, you only need to take one pill a day (how awesome is that?) and it provides all day and all night protection to users with frequent heartburn. I purchased the 42 count box for my husband because it's his go-to heartburn and reflux treatment. If you've never heard of or tried Nexium® 24HR before and suffer from frequent heartburn, I encourage you to head to the Nexium® 24HR website or grab a package next time you spot them at Walmart. The product packaging contains detailed instructions about how to use Nexium® 24HR, and you can also visit here and here for more information about how to purchase Nexium 24HR and get some great savings.

What are your favorite game day meals and snacks? Chips and salsa? Chili? Bratwurst? As delicious as all of those things are, they also, as my husband well knows, cause indigestion and heartburn. But relief is only one purple pill away. With Nexium® 24HR, taken as directed, you'll be cheering on your favorite team with happy taste buds and an even happier tummy. What foods will you be able to enjoy again by using Nexium® 24HR?

May take 1 to 4 days for full effect. Use as directed.

 

Autumn Beach Days

 

Beach days are my most favorite, but until recently, I had no idea what I was missing out on. The beach in Autumn. It is without a doubt one of the most breathtaking experiences and most jaw dropping beautiful things I have ever seen. The waves pounding in something fierce, the water roaring and the wind whipping at your hair. Colorful autumn leaves surrounding the lighthouse, feeling the sand warmed by the sun on our toes, letting the cold water splash at your feet and hearing the cries of the seagulls soaring overhead. Driftwood washed up onto the beach and finding the most perfect rocks to skip out onto the lake water. It was like something out of a story book or perhaps out of an old painting, maybe even something from a dream.

 

Seeing Bella sitting on the driftwood, staring out at the waves crashing in: I wonder what she was thinking about, wondering what was on  her mind and taking it all in. Frank skipping rocks into the waves, maybe all those rocks will help create some of that beautiful sea glass this winter that I always love finding when we visit the beach during the summer. She gathered rocks and sticks, autumn leaves and grass, tiny mussel shells and little pieces of driftwood, feathers and memories, her treasures.

 

I had never been to the beach during the autumn so I had no idea what to expect, and though I should have worn my Hunter boots (I definitely will next time) I went with my moccasins, which were almost immediately filled with sand. So barefoot I went. But it was kind of perfect and sweet, feeling the sand squish between my toes. Loving every second of it, but also a little sad knowing we probably wouldn't feel that sandy toed feeling again until next year. Before I knew it, Bella had noticed that I had no shoes on so she kicked her rain boots off and jumped into the dancing waves, running along the beach at the water's edge with her little gray fox socks. After that she ended up going barefoot too with me and absolutely loving it. She tried to convince Daddy to take his shoes off too lol, but instead he just carried our little sweetheart back to the car when it was time to go, so she wouldn't have to walk by herself. Her sweet little arms wrapped around his neck and saying how it was the best day ever and how much she loved it. How am I married to such a sweetheart and also a mama to such a little sweetheart as well? I'm so thankful and blessed every day.

 

We stopped along the side of the road as we were leaving the park and Frank gathered the prettiest golden leaves for us that had fallen to the ground and brought them home with us, and we also spotted some wild turkeys (which got us thinking about Thanksgiving). The drive home was spent talking about the remainder of our year, when we'll be putting our tree up, how much we loved the beach at autumn, chatting about daydreams and plans and what the future holds for us, and singing Christmas Carols together as a family on the drive home.

 

You're pretty in the summer, but even more beautiful in the autumn, and such sweet, sweet moments you brought to us today. Until we meet again Presque Isle.