5 On Friday

TGIF! Dane and I are officially on the East Coast for the first part of our trip to Kenya, which includes making a pit stop to see my parents and take part in my best friend’s wedding weekend — EEK! I’m so ecstatic to be here celebrating with all my friends and it’s sure to be a completely amazing weekend start to finish. I can’t wait for things to kick off, but in the meantime, I’ve got some seriously good tidbit for today’s 5 On Friday, so I hope you’ll dive right in with me.

1. I got so many questions about my HydraFacial experience that I wanted to give a little bit of an update on that front. Several days later and my skin is still GLOWING. I might not be a skincare professional or understand exactly how all of it works, but I have never been more impressed with a facial treatment. I also got a few questions on my skincare regimen, so I’ve linked what I’m using below. I’ve used Dermalogica for years and it has consistently worked to keep my face clear. I wrote about why I use Dermalogica (it’s about halfway down in that post) and I have recently added a few new products from them, as well as incorporated Modere’s Anti-Aging Serum (you can get $10 OFF with this link).

2. Judy’s 5th birthday falls during the time we will be away and I’d be lying if I said my heart didn’t break a little. We told her before we left that we would throw down with an epic paw-ty upon our arrival back home, but I still feel seriously guilty. Am I nuts?!

3. And speaking of dogs, we’ve been testing out some dog treats from Chicken Soup For The Soul Pets‘ line. The Hanson Labs are in love! What they love? The lamb flavor and that there is a chocolate Lab like them on the bag. What I love? The morsels are small enough that I don’t feel bad giving them at least 1 per day and they are a good price point since there’s quite a few in each bag. Two paws up from us!

4. Does anyone else feel completely overwhelmed with the state of the world? I posted on Instagram earlier this week that I felt like I couldn’t keep silent anymore. “I’ve thought long and hard about what I might say in regards to ANOTHER fatal shooting in our country over the weekend, but again – I’m at a loss. Nothing I say can or will eradicate the hate and violence in our country that seems to grow by the day. This one is especially painful as it happened in my home state of Pennsylvania. In the midst of this chaos, I’ve heard several people, both in person and online, say that it’s easier to keep quiet and than voice their opinions online and every time, I can’t help but think of this quote that is at the very end of The Holocaust Museum and Memorial in Washington, D.C. Because the reality is that I’m not a parent, but my friend’s kids and family members should be able to go to school and get an education without having to worry about bullets whizzing past them. And I’m not Jewish, but my Jewish friends should be able to worship knowing they are safe from harm. And I don’t regularly attend concerts or night clubs, but dammit, anyone who wants to go to those events should be able to let loose and have a good time without fear of having to shield a friend from death. I’m speaking out, because one day it WILL be me. Polls across the country are open now for early voting and Election Day is November 6th. Show up, do your civic duty and rock the hell out of this election. We are better than this and we are stronger than hate.”

5. I don’t know what came over me this year, if it was just us traveling and having a lot on our plates pre-trip, but I just wasn’t into Halloween this year. We even had grand plans for a family costume, but it just never got executed. I felt a little bit bad, but honestly, once I mentally made the decision to phone it in this year, I felt super relieved. In any case, here’s a throwback to when Dane and I were a tequila shot with lime chaser and we had Judy as our taco dog 🙂

So let’s chat – what did you go for this Halloween or did you skip it altogether? What’s your skincare routine like and have you ever had a HydraFacial? What about dog birthdays – where do we stand on that one? Happy weekend, everyone!

Linking up with A Little Bit of Everything & High 5 For Friday