Friday Finds

Hi, friends! I hope you have had a great week and are ready for the weekend!

We are changing things up a bit and sharing favorites on Friday instead of Sunday. It seemed to fit better with the rhythm of the week and will give you all some fun things to check out over the weekend. This week we are talking about affordable art, finding peace in hectic times, hospitality and cruising (the boat kind, not the car kind). I also share what I’m looking forward to most in the coming days.

15 Pieces of artwork at $25 and under with Design Sponge

I adore art of all kinds. I could spend days walking around art museums and galleries and never miss the outside world.  If you love art, but don’t have an unlimited budget, you will love this round-up from Design Sponge. I’m particularly smitten with the piece above (yes, I had Clueless memorized at one point) and may wind up ordering a print for my office.

A prayer for the hectic times with Emily P. Freeman

I don’t know about you, but the older I get, the faster time seems to move. I don’t know if it has to do with the advances in technology or if it’s just part of getting older and being an adult, but busy has become the new normal. Hectic, once an occasional state of being, has become part of the rhythm of our lives. I needed to read Emily’s words this week, needed to remind myself that it’s okay to take my time and be still with one task at a time. Maybe you need that reminder too.

Lessons from backdoor friends with Under the Sycamore

Hospitality. Oh, how I could (and most likely will) write an entire post on hospitality. I love the way Ashley talks about welcoming friends and family into your home, even when the sink is full of dishes and the mess of life is all around. This is the only way to do hospitality in our home. With two small children, we require our friends to find the beauty in chaos and accept us just as we are. It’s more than the season of life we are in, however. We have found that allowing others to see our imperfections, relationships are deepened and true connections are formed.

Our family cruise, part 2 {the fun} with Pocketful of Joules

I’m not a cruise person. Truthfully, the thought of “at sea” days and those cabins makes me more than a bit claustrophobic. That being said, Joules’ 2-part cruise wrap up has me seriously considering taking a family cruise. Yes, things went a bit haywire on her trip, but all the options on board and the way they were able to balance kid stuff and grown-up stuff made me think this might just be a great way to travel with kids. I’m not ready to book today, but I’m ready to think about it. And that’s a big step for me.

Speaking of vacations, this weekend we are doing a bit of planning for our summer trip to the beach and starting an official countdown. (Wild Man LOVES making countdown calendars for big events) We are also spending some quality time with dear friends and letting our kids run wild in their backyard. Most of all, we are looking forward to finding moments to connect with family and friends.

How about you – what are you loving this week and what are you looking forward to this weekend?