Favorite Things

Friday Faves [7.27.18]

Every other Friday, I like to share my favorite products or activities that I’ve run across during the past two weeks. Many of these faves I share on Instagram first, so feel free to follow me @hobsonhomestead!

From Amazon Prime Day finds to new easy recipes, find out about some of my most recent favorite things in this edition of Friday Faves.

Friday Faves

Friday Faves

K I D S

Friday Faves

Final Fun of Summer

Not only is the countdown to baby less than two weeks, but school starts back in less than two weeks as well. We’re doing our best to soak up the final days of summer break. The past two weeks have been filled with Camp Elachee (a nature camp at the same place my oldest attended Kindergarten last year), splash pad fun, free ice cream/sherbets and lake time. I’m hoping to keep up a decent pace with summer activities in the mornings until baby comes to keep my kids entertained so I don’t go crazy.

Friday Faves

Cheap Boys Shoes

For a while, I was buying my boys decent brands of running shoes. But seeing as how my boys are SO HARD on shoes, I’ve changed my tune recently. I’m no longer buying them Nike and New Balance shoes, but instead $20 Champion shoes from Amazon or Target (if I’m ever in the store). This way, if they fall apart in 6 weeks, it’s no big deal. Plus, their feet are growing so fast now that they don’t stay in the same size more than a couple months. Late spring, I bought my oldest this $20 velcro pair because I was tired of helping him untie double knots with my big belly. And I just bought him a lace-up pair in the next size up for $20 for when school starts.

I buy both of my boys church shoes (nothing fancy just basic slip ons) from the Target clearance section whenever I can get to a store. And I buy whatever rain boots are the cheapest on Amazon (bonus if there is a coupon). We make the kids wear rain boots in the summer when going into the woods beside the house because of snakes.

best back to school picture books

Back-to-School Books

My kids are getting excited about school starting back soon, but it will definitely mean a change up to our more lax summer days. Most notably, my boys will be out the door at the crack of dawn. They are definitely early risers, but have enjoyed taking their time this summer eating breakfast, getting ready and playing out in the yard at 7:30 a.m. (our poor neighbors!). I checked out a bunch of back-to-school books from our local library to get them back into the school routine mindset.

P R E G N A N C Y

38 weeks pregnant

Two Week Countdown

As I mentioned in my 38-week bump update, the two week countdown is on. I don’t have much else to add except that at this point I could go into labor any day, meaning there is light at the end of the tunnel and before I know it I’ll be holding a newborn in my arms. I am hoping this fourth baby doesn’t surprise us and come in the middle of the night, just because logistics with the other kids is no fun, but at this point I will take any time of day or night so long as he isn’t late 🙂

Friday Faves

A Clean Minivan

As I’ve been nesting for baby, cleaning out my dirty minivan was at the top of the list, but I knew I had to wait until the end of my pregnancy to do it so it didn’t have enough time to get trashed again before baby. I got my kids in on the action one afternoon last week. They helped pick up trash and toys, vacuum, clean windows, wash floor inserts, wipe down seats and help me switch car seats around. It was a great way to spend two hours being productive. Since my van is old (2007!), I decided to buckle down and buy some new floor mats. We were missing a mat for the middle row, where Scarlett and baby boy will sit. So I’m trying to be proactive and get ahead before I imagine myself on all fours scrubbing my van carpet every week. These mats aren’t beautiful, but they are all rubber (meaning I can hose them down easily) and super heavy duty.

Friday Faves

CamelBak 1L Waterbottle

All my kids got new water bottles for summer, but I found myself needing a leak-proof water bottle. My big Yeti cup—which I love—isn’t spill-proof, meaning I can’t stick it in a cooler when I pack a picnic lunch. So I found this CamelBak 1L Waterbottle online for less than $10. Not only has it come in handy on our summer outings, but it will be perfect after baby arrives when I set up a nursing station in the nursery. As a nursing mama, you have to drink constantly!

M A M A

Amazon Prime Day

Without a doubt, I’m an Amazon Prime girl. We’ve had Prime for 10 years!! Just like with any kind of sale, you have to know your prices and be able to recognize a good deal. I just wanted to share a couple of the items I snagged on Prime Day.

Friday Faves Columbia Trench Rain Jacket

Columbia Women’s Pardon My Trench Rain Jacket: regularly $64.99 // Prime Day $33.99

Friday Faves Daily Ritual Shirt

Daily Ritual Women’s Supersoft Terry Long-Sleeve Shirt with Shirttail Hem: regularly $28 // Prime Day $16

Friday Faves Champion Jersey Pant

Champion Women’s Jersey Pocket Pant: regularly $16.94 // Prime Day $8.99

Friday Faves Maze Game

Spin Master Games Perplexus Original: regularly $21.19 // Prime Day $14.89

Friday Faves Fairy House

Creative Roots Light Up Fairy House: regularly $19.99 // Prime Day $14.95

Friday Faves Crayola Tracing Pad

Crayola Light-up Tracing Pad: regularly $24.99 // Prime Day $13.73

Friday Faves Graco Highback Booster seat

Graco Highback Turbobooster Car Seat: regularly $39.89  // Prime Day $28.34

R E C I P E S // F O O D

Friday Faves

Philly Cheese Steak Sloppy Joes

I have made this recipe twice in the past two weeks simply because it’s that good and so different from normal sloppy joes. You can eat it atop toasted bread or even put on a baked sweet potato if you’re low-carb. I have used red bell pepper instead green both times, simply because that’s what I had in my fridge. And one time I used provolone cheese and the next time white cheddar. Both times it was delicious and my kids ate it up, despite being able to SEE the chopped veggies inside it. It has onion, bell pepper and a ton of mushroom. Even my picky eater lapped it up.

Friday Faves

Creamy Chicken Quinoa and Broccoli Casserole

I started making this Pinch of Yum recipe towards the end of 2014, right before Scarlett was born. It’s a simple, healthy casserole that is easy to throw together at the last minute. I do replace the regular flour with whatever I have on hand: gluten-free flour, cassava flour etc. And I add whatever kind of cheese I have in the fridge. We don’t eat quinoa that often, but when we do, I prefer it super cooked down like it is in this recipe or my Crockpot Jambalaya recipe. All-in-one meals are the best for mom life!

Friday Faves

Mandoline

I’ve had a handheld mandoline for years, and only once have I had a little finger mishap (and even then it was minimal). I’ve used it for everything from making potato gratin to roasting sliced zucchini and yellow squash (with Parmesan sprinkled on top). Most recently, I used my mandoline to make a potato crust for a quiche. I’ve made many a crustless quiche in my day, but I was in the mood for some kind of crust this time. The mandoline came to the rescue once again.

I don’t have a recipe, but I sliced my potato, then coated in olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder and smoked paprika before layering in a dish. Then I baked at 300 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Then poured in my quiche filling: eggs, milk, sour cream, salt, pepper, splash of hot sauce. And then added the fun stuff: crispy bacon, steamed broccoli, sauteed onions and garlic, cheese. I baked for about 35 minutes until the quiche was done. Voila!

See my past Friday Faves.

 

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Haley

I'm a full-time wife and semi-stay-at-home mom to four young kids. Day to day, I help my husband with his small business, but when I have any extra time, you can find me cooking or being active outdoors with my family. We live at the foothills of the North Georgia mountains and are embracing modern homesteading month by month.

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