June Favorites

Happy Friday!

Today’s Friday Favorites is a special edition – a round-up of 10 favorites from all of June! Hope you find some fun & inspiration in this list as you head into the weekend…

1. Favorite protein smoothie recipe – With the days getting hotter, I’ve been loving a nice, cold smoothie lately. I’m always trying different recipes, but recently I’ve been making this one a lot. It makes two servings (or one very large serving) – so I tend to drink half with lunch & save the rest in the fridge for the next day:
   • 2 cups water
   • 2 tablespoons chia seeds
   • 1 pouch of this frozen fruit smoothie that I get at Costco (or substitute ~½ cup of your favorite fruit)
   • ½ avocado
   • Large handful of kale (or whatever greens you have on-hand)
   • ½ cucumber
   • 1 scoop of your favorite vanilla/plain protein powder (I’m currently using this)

2. Favorite weekend trip – One of my *favorite* yearly traditions is going for a weekend trip with my bestie (which we started years ago to celebrate our 10-year friendiversary). This month, we took a weekend trip to Charlottesville, VA and it really won us over! Neither of us had really explored Charlottesville before – but we were both won over by its charm, easily walkable downtown area, unique shops, delicious eats, and kind locals. If you’re planning a trip, I can’t recommend Charlottesville enough! (FYI – I’ll be sharing a list of favorite places we visited soon.)

3. Favorite book – This month, I read Crying in H Mart (Amazon, Bookshop) by Michelle Zauner as part of the Happier podcast book club. It’s a memoir about her experience growing up Korean American, the passing of her mother, and stepping into her own – and it was an instant New York Times bestseller plus won numerous other awards. It’s such an emotionally gripping book that really makes you feel so connected to her, and I loved reading the many touching memories shared with loved ones around a table, which I think many of us can relate to. Highly recommend! 

4. Favorite restaurant meal – This month, I’ve been lucky enough to have enjoyed several delicious meals (most of them in Charlottesville). Outside of meals on our trip, I recently had a dish from Bonefish Grill that I can’t stop thinking about: Scallops & Shrimp Skewer with chimichurri sauce with a side of rice & veggies (which I ordered all gluten & dairy-free) … and it’s honestly one of the best things I’ve eaten in a long time. The pairing of the shrimp & scallops with chimichurri sauce is what really blew me away. If you’re in the mood for seafood, highly recommend this combo!  

5. Favorite outdoor toddler activity – Lately, playing with this bubble machine has been a hit with our son! Like so many other toddlers, he *lives* for bubbles! Using a bubble wand can become tedious after a while  … and thanks to one of the *best* gifts ever from my brother & sister-in-law, we can now plug in this bubble machine, add some bubble juice, and sit back while our son has a great time catching bubbles. My husband & I love hanging outside with our son, and this is a nice way to add some variety & increase our time outside together. If you’re looking for a great gift for a little one, this has been a huge hit with our 2-year old. 

6. Favorite podcast episode – I mentioned this recently, but wanted to give another shout-out to That Sounds Fun with Annie F. Downs for doing a week-by-week deep dive into each Enneagram number as part of their summer series. I’m just starting to learn about the Enneagram, but it’s been fun & interesting to hear the deep-dive episodes about the specific numbers of some of my loved ones. I’m especially excited for them to release the episode about my number so I can hear different ideas and strategies that might be helpful for me. A really interesting podcast series if you’re into the Enneagram! (FYI – I believe there were a few religious references in these podcasts, so just wanted to mention that beforehand…)

7. Favorite beauty purchase under $10 – I recently needed an eyeliner that would last outside on a hot, summer day without budging or smearing- and this Maybelline eyeliner worked perfectly! I read about it in the 2021 Self Beauty Awards and bought it hoping it would live up to the hype – and it did! If you’re in the market for an eyeliner that stays put, this is a great choice. 

8. Favorite shoe organizer – I’ve been on the hunt for a shoe organizer for my small closet – and recently bought this one. After putting it together (just took about 15 minutes), I’m so happy I did. I don’t know why it took me so long to get one … but now that I did, it feels so good looking inside my closet everyday. If your shoes could use some extra organization, I’ve had good luck with this organizer. 

9. Favorite Peloton workouts –  Since the weather’s been nice lately, I’ve been doing more cardio outside – but these are some Peloton workouts I’ve enjoyed this month: this 15 minute feel good ride was exactly that, plus I liked pairing this arms & light weight class with a short climb ride.  

10. Favorite healthier habit I’ve started – I’ve started making a green smoothie most days (like the first recipe in this list), and I’m really happy I’m getting into a rhythm with this. They’re so refreshing on a hot day  – plus I can sneak in extra veggies without trying hard or tasting a difference. I’ve found that what’s helped me stick to this new habit is making one big batch every other day (so that it lasts me two days – and I don’t have to make a smoothie from scratch every day) plus having a regular time when I make it (which is right after I feed my son his pre-nap snack since he’s content to sit for a few extra minutes while I whip it up). I tend to use nutritionist Kelly Leveque’s fab four smoothie components (a blend of protein, fat, fiber, and greens to create a smoothie that’s satiating) as my guide & I just rotate what fruit/extras I use- like if I’m craving chocolate, I use a tablespoon of this cacao powder blended with some banana to get a chocolatey smoothie. Definitely one of the better habits I’ve started recently & feels good to sneak in some extra veggies. 😉  

As always, thank you all *so* much for continuing to read Confetti & Sunshine! I so appreciate all of you reading this blog, sharing it with friends, and all your support. Here are this month’s most popular posts, in case you missed any:

• 9 Things I’ve Learned in 9 Years of Marriage
• Father’s Day Gift Ideas
• Friday Favorites (6/18/21)

Hope you had a great June & wishing you a great month ahead!