Happy Friday friends!
Today, I’m linking up with my girls Narci, Erika and Andrea and sharing some of my favorite things from this week. (I love sharing my favorite things with you!!)
This weekend is our last little league free weekend for two months, so we better enjoy it, right? Here’s hoping you guys have the BEST Friday!
XO
Hats, hats, hats, hats…who knew I loved hats so much?!
Truth: I have a very large head.
It is a Lowe gene I cannot deny. My grandpa has a huge head, my dad has a huge head, don’t even get me started on my brother’s head…it’s in our blood. We wore hats on our high school drill team and out of the 55 girls on our team, I wore the third biggest hat ;).
So, other than my beloved Red Sox caps, I’ve shied away from hats in the past because quite frankly, they don’t fit right. Well, a few weeks before our trip, I was bound and determined to find me some hats for our cruise because I wanted sun protection for my face. I met Sheaffer, Erika and Narci at the mall one day for lunch and while I was in the Nordstrom hat department, I couldn’t find one that fit me right, so I did what I know you would all love to do…I called Sheaffer and said “help!”. She came right over to the hat department where we started laughing about our head sizes. #twopeasinapod
I was all bummed out until Sheaffer found me THIS ONE! Eeks! It was love at first wear. It fit my head but also fit my other friends’ too. Plus, it’s made to be floppy, so I didn’t have to be super concerned about packing it for our trip (nothing stinks more than a crumpled hat before your vacation even begins!).
Isn’t my hat so cute?!?! And…it’s giving me the sun protection I need.
Well, we thought my hat situation was handled and over, so we scooted upstairs to head toward our favorite taco stand…because well, we love tacos, when we passed through another section at Nordstrom and look what I saw…
…another hat! I tried it on and loved it as well…but didn’t know if I needed two of them. Sheaffer told me I did because I will wear them both all summer long…and you know what? She’s right. #sheaffertoldmeto. So thank you Sheaffer for the encouragement and thank you Nordstrom for having hats that fit all head sizes…you’re the best ;).
So, this is hat number two. It has a little more structure but is slightly floppy as well and the brim is a little larger.
Several of you asked me how I packed these hats and all I did was place one inside the other and then stick them sideways in one of our carry on bags. I didn’t want them to go in our big suitcases in case they got tossed around in baggage claim. Because they’re both a little floppy, they packed up easily and popped right back into shape in our cabin. Look out friends…I will be wearing them in every picture you see this summer.
I’ve had several of you ask about my sunglasses this week. I bought mine back in November and they’re no longer in stock. That being said, right now, Nordstrom is price matching Ray Bans and this classic style is included :).
And for grins, here are a few more hats that I didn’t get but thought were cute:
And for other fun spring accessories (in case you’re not a hat person), click here.
Speaking of sun protection, I showed you guys this earlier in the week…
…it’s that sunscreen we all love but in SPF 40 instead of the 25. I bought the 40 since I knew we’d be in the sun all week and thanks to my sunscreen and my hats…I don’t think my face saw a lot of sun. #win
(Psssst: In case you forgot…I like to get the color on my face using these tanning towels. They’re one of my favorite things ever! I use one a week on my face!)
One last little thing I loved from our trip. Thanks to your recommendations, I bought myself my very first pair of…
…Reefs! I’ve had so many of you tell me to try them, so I did and it was love at first step. I wore them the whole time we were out. On the beach, by the pool…whatever, I was wearing them.
Now, this is a very random picture that apparently Andrew took the other night at dinner. It’s not the most flattering of any of us, but it’s one of my favorites…
…we’re all reading The Treasure Tree.
Have you heard of this book? Erika’s family read it earlier this year and she is letting us borrow it. The book is about four friends and each friend represents a different personality type. As you read through the book, you can identify which friend you’re most like (and thus which personality type you have). My kids have LOVED reading this book! It’s rather lengthy, so we’ve been reading one chapter a night at dinner. We had our last chapter last night and the kids were sad to see it over. The pages are colorful and fun (so it holds Ashby’s attention) and the story is interesting enough that my big kids are totally entertained. This has been such a special little thing to do at night after we’re done eating. It’s also been fun identifying our personalities through these characters (they’re all animals).
And speaking of books…I am doing a little book signing at my friend Jen’s store on Monday night. If you’re local and want to come say hi, I’d love to give you a big hug and say hi right back. Jen’s store is called Merry’s on Main and is located in historic downtown Grapevine at 309 S. Main Street. I’ll be there from 5:30 to 7:00 and books will be available there for purchase.
Finally…can you believe next week is Easter?!?! I do not like it when Easter is so close to St. Paddy’s Day. I enjoy it way better when Easter is in April. Sigh. All this means is that we have one week to cram all of our Easter fun in starting with…
I have loads of Easter recipes your whole family will love! From desserts to sides to sweets and breakfast recipes too, I have your Easter covered. Click here to see.
Have the best weekend friends! See you guys on Monday!
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Narci says
Those hats are just darling on you!! And, That book sounds so good!! Definitely going to check it out!! Happy Friday, friend!! Xoxo
Erika Slaughter says
I'm so glad you guys loved The Treasure Tree!! My family did too! We're still talking about what animals we are over here. 🙂
Sheaffer {Pinterest Told Me To} says
Yep, Big head over here too. Big. HUGE. 😉 I'm not usually a hat person for that reason BECAUSE THEY DON'T FLIPPING FIT ME! Ha! And I'm a Reef lover too. They are so comfy and hold up very well!
Sara Fehrenbacher says
Giant noggins unite!! Me too, ladies, me too! 😀
Sarah Shaneyfelt says
Love the picture of y'all reading the book together!!! So many families don't read together anymore because parents are too busy. I enjoyed reading about your Disney trip, and it's made me more excited for my cruise to the Bahamas in June!
Sarah at MeetTheShaneyfelts
Courtney {Alkeks Abroad} says
Oh my gosh my family LOVED the treasure tree growing up. We still talk about people being beavers and golden retrievers.
Love on the Lake says
I work at Disney (corporate) and highly recommend the cruise line for people looking for a non theme park trip but still with some magic/characters/great kids activities. Glad you liked it! We're prepping for new ships in the coming years!
– Love on the Lake
http://loveonthelakeblog.blogspot.com
Annalyn says
I'd love your thoughts on if I've missed the 'boat' with the ages of my kids for this type of trip…14,11,9,4,1 – so spread out!!!
Ramona says
I think you look great in hats!!! That picture of you reading is a perfect slice of life shot! 🙂
Michele Jackson says
Love the book The Treasure Tree! Im a school teacher and I read it to my kiddos the first week of each new school year!
Queen In Between says
You seriously rock a hat! I have the opposite issue as my head is always too small for adult sized hats and I have the hardest time finding a perfect fit. The sweet picture of you reading…ahhh…real life picturs are always the best!
kelly says
I have same problem with hats swimming on me
Liz F. says
I am going to check out those hats as I also have a gigantic head! Thr struggle is real 😉
familyoffoley.wordpress.com
Lizzie Simantz says
I am so getting both those hats because I can't choose just one either! And that book is already in my Amazon cart, thank you!! Also – I had so much fun reading about your vacation!
Tara G. says
Look at the Sonlight website and check out their book list of read alouds. You can go down to preschool because there are still good ones. Oftentimes, parents quit reading aloud to children way too early and such great topics can be introduced and discussed through a captivating story.
Aubrey says
Huge heads. Gigantic melons. Extra large noggins. This is another way we are the same. It's sad because I too love hats. You look adorbs in them, friend. But I'll tell you right now, this gal's frizzy hair would NOT look adorbs after swimming all day. Fixing my hair every evening is enough to make me say no Caribbean vacay ever.
Regine Karpel says
Happy Weekend Shulls!
http://www.rsrue.blogspot.com
Melissa says
Thanks for the great suggestion on the sun hat. I have a huge head too and just ordered this in hopes it will fit me as well. And I totally agree on not caring for Easter being so close to St. Patty's Day. I feel like we have to rush all the fun in this one week. Here's to as many Easter memories as possible this week!
Melea Moore says
Do you have a favorite bag that you used this trip or by the pool during the summer ? Sorry if you posted it already 🙂 loved the pictures and hearing about the trip!
Renee Hester says
We read the Treasure Tree books. There are more to the series. The other one we read is THE TWO TRAILS- A TREASURE TREE ADVENTURE. It is about kids getting along, etc. It is really good, we have it too. Hope you read it as well. We read them with our child and they loved them too!
Amanda-Cupcake N Dreams says
You've inspired me to try on the hats! I too have a big head and have usually steered clear of them but those two options are really cute:-)
http://www.cupcakendreams.com
Chasity Munn says
Oooh, you know what would be fun? Do a post on Derby hats and dresses! I have to find both in the next month or so. Thanks for the book rec, we could probably use that one around here, too. 🙂 http://www.hautemommyblog.com
~Kristen says
Love your favorite things posts!! Thank you!! What style and color are your Ray Bans? I thought maybe I can try eBay. Thank you.
Darrington Ludlam says
My family read that book when I was a child. My sister and I loved it! My mom still describes our personalities using the animals from the book! I'm 28 😉
kimm atwood says
Love the hats! I love a big floppy hat in the summer!!! Have a great weekend !
Leigh (Balancing By Faith) says
Love the hats – agree its the perfect way to protect your skin in the summer. I will have to check out the book you are reading, sounds like something my kids will love. On to the baseball fields here too…..
KK Couser says
When you are done with the Clinique move right on over to the It Cosmetics CC cream. Spf 50, skincare anti aging serum, and amazing on the skin. It's a summer MUST!
Angela Ellingson says
I so wish I was local and could come to your book signing! Lucky local girls! 😉 Great favorite vacation finds. I am in need of sandals myself–I'm glad you mentioned the Reefs! Love reading to littles! And yes, Easter is so soon! Have a great weekend!!!
Paige Cowart says
Which hat do I choose?!? They are both precious on you 🙂
Ashley Van Dam says
You should do a "What I Wore: Cruise Edition" where you and Erika break down what you wore each day (and night). Love the pictures and you both looked awesome! Would love to see the daily breakdown.
Kelsey @ The Peacock Roost says
I have a big head too so I totally understand your hat struggle! I can't believe it's almost Easter either! Saw that Williams-Sonoma has a big American Girl cooking collection now, is Kensington totally obsessed?!
Kelsey
http://www.thepeacockroost.com
Unknown says
Thanks for the sunscreen suggestion! I'm totally going to try it. It's been a while since you've done a Shade of Shay and the sunscreen made me wonder how the heck do you keep all your makeup/skin/hair products organized?? I struggle majorly with this – beware anyone that tries to look under my bathroom sink cabinet!!
Nicole says
Hey Shay! You've shared Zella work out pants on your blog before and I actual got them based on your recommendation! I was wondering how you like the Athleta ones in comparison to Zella? I also wear the same size as you, too! Thanks! 🙂 Happy Friday!!
Shana says
I just had to comment on this because of your "big head" comments. My 16 year old daughter is in the marching band and she is the ONLY girl who needed a large hat/plume and there is only ONE BOY who wears a large and it's only because he has an afro! (out of 140 marchers);) She's very self conscience about it, but also openly jokes about it to us. I can't wait to share this fact about you to her, it will make her feel better since you and your whole family are so BEAUTIFUL and share a "big" head like hers.
Elise @ Her Heart and Home says
That picture is just priceless! Heading over to Amazon to read more about the treasure tree! xx
shannon mcfarlane says
I noticed your cute hat on one of your Disney post and I clicked on it and ordered it! Its cute and inexpensive. I cant wait to get it. Thanks
Elizabeth Birenbaum says
I'll be making one of your recipes for Easter next weekend! I can't remember what it's called (I need to look up the recipe again!) but it has peeps and I think brownies? Or cake? Haha. It's been a year since I made it (last Easter) but everyone LOVED it and requested it again! Thank you for sharing such delicious recipes!
Elizabeth Birenbaum says
Found it! Marshmallow peeps smores! SO GOOD!
Tiffany Bagalini says
I have hat #2 as well and LOOOOOOVE the sun protection it gives me – but – the self tanner towelettes? Genius! I'm picking those up this weekend! Adding the book to my daughter's collection as well. Have a great weekend!
Lisa says
I just had a light bulb moment…your blog is going on my Friday Favorites SOON!!! 🙂 Just love it!!! Around here we laugh and talk about our son (he's almost 21) being a "Charter member of the big head club". Getting shirts on him when he was little was quite the struggle. HAHA! (I've got a pretty nice sized noggin myself) REEFS! I. HEART. REEFS!!! Wear them pretty much every day all spring, summer and fall. They are actually my shoe of choice when ever we venture into San Francisco for a day filled with walking. Check these out http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/reef-slim-ginger-flip-flop-women/4002510?origin=keywordsearch-personalizedsort&fashioncolor=GREY%2F%20SILVER
They have an arch support and are super comfy!!! I'm on my second pair of black (Nordstrom doesn't have them in black online) I'm going to check out the hats too. Good for you keeping the sun off your face! I wear a baseball hat, but need more coverage. Ok, enough rambling from me!!! Have a great weekend with your peeps, Shay!!!
Jersey Love says
Funny story about your Cadbury cream egg bundt cake… I made it last year the day before Easter as I had the year before. It looked and smelled delicious and so I covered it with plastic wrap and had to sort of "hide it" IN my cold turned off oven from my dog. So the next Day, completely forgetting this, I preheated my oven to get to cooking and melted the plastic onto the cake and obviously ruined it. Omg I was SOOO upset! My husband thought it was ok and said look the chocolate melted and is just shiny and I told him there wasn't chocolate on top and that it was melted plastic. Lol I was so mad!!
Belinda Wood says
Hi Shay! Love your blog!! About the City Block Sheer SPF 25…I bought some the other day & it came out of the tube all runny. I shook it up, and it was still kind of runny & didn't mattify my face at all. Do you think I got a bad tube? If so, I'll return it. How would you explain the consistency of it? Thanks so much!
Mix and Match Mama says
I would return your tube! Both my 25 and 40 are the consistency of a face lotion. They're not runny at all!
Belinda Wood says
Thanks so much! ?
Sara says
I'm interested in the tanning towels, however I never know where to "stop" with tanner on my face/neckline/jawline. Does that make sense? Do you out it on your neck too?
Mix and Match Mama says
I do! I wipe it on my face into my hairline and down my neck.
ANG says
Did you have a favorite bag that you used during the trip? We re going on a Disney cruise just Iike yours and I'm having trouble deciding what kind of pool bag and port day bag i should take. Any suggestions? Thanks
Mix and Match Mama says
I bought that black tote at Target for $5 and then left it there when we were done (because it was gross and full of sand). The bag worked great and because it was only $5, I didn't mind leaving it behind!
Angela Olivo says
Hi Shay! I love your blog! Your family is the sweetest! Random question.. What is the size of your kids canvas in your kitchen? I'm looking to order some of my kids but I'm not sure of the size. Do you use a certain website to order them? Thanks! 🙂
Mix and Match Mama says
16×20! I use canvaspeople.com 🙂
Alison Hughes says
Hi Shay! I love reading your bog! It gets me through the day. Would you please do a post on men's clothes for vacation. It's difficult to find nice clothes for the man. Thank you!! 🙂
Loren Ferruccio says
I am spying on your apple watch!!! How do you like it?? Maybe a post on pros/cons and what its like to be attached to your phone! good bad and the ugly lets hear it… I am thinking of getting one.
Mix and Match Mama says
I love it! I hardly look at my phone now that I have my watch. It has really freed me up. I probably could do a lot more with it, but I love the fitness app the most. I really and truly love it!
Unknown says
Do you exfoliate your face any during the week? Wondering if the color will last me with the tan towel!