Five on Friday - Spanx Jeans, Concert Tickets, New Devotional, and More

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Well, our week went off the rails on day one and it’s been going downhill ever since.  We discovered on Sunday that Olivia had Covid (and had probably had it since Thursday morning unbeknownst to us) so we had to clear all of our plans for the rest of our long weekend.  Then the day before she was clear to go back to school, Jacob came home from school sick.  To top it all off, I’ve had some other things that I’ve been dealing with that I’ll share eventually, and I’ve been struggling to keep up with all that needs to be done this week between that and the kids being sick. 

So far, it’s feeling kind of like we left the comfort of an amazing 2022, and we dove straight into a big pile of crap otherwise known as 2023.  2023 hasn’t been all bad, though, of course… our Georgia Bulldogs won the National Championship, after all, and we were able to celebrate the win in Athens, but other than that, let’s just say that our 2023 has been off to a reeeeally rocky start. 

Hopefully we’re just getting all the bad stuff out of the way early and the rest of the year will go smoothly.  And again, I’ll share all that has been going on eventually, but for now I just need some more time.  Sorry to be so vague.

Now let’s find some bright spots from the week, shall we?

 

O N E – Spanx Jeans

Those of you who know me know that I do not typically spend a lot of money on a pair of jeans/shoes/a handbag/makeup/etc.  I am usually a Target/Amazon/Walmart girl.  However, I’ve been eyeing the Spanx jeans for months, and despite the hefty price tag, I decided to use my Christmas money to buy a pair to try.  I figured, with free shipping and free returns, it wouldn’t hurt, because if they weren’t as great as everyone says, then I could just return them, and there would be no money wasted.  Plus, I waited until they were on sale, so I didn’t have to pay full price anyway.

Well, these jeans are absolutely everything and more, y’all!  They are SO sleek, so comfortable, and they look absolutely amazing on.  They give your butt a good lift as promised, they make your legs look loooong and leeeean, and they don’t get loose and baggy over time like some other jeans do.  They also wash and dry very well.

They are true-to-size, but they run SUPER LONG, so I suggest purchasing them in a petite unless you’re really tall.  I’m 5’5” and I went with a petite small and they are still so long that I have to wear them with 2-3 inch heels so they won’t drag the ground.  I wish they came in an even shorter size, because I’d love to have a pair that I could wear with flats, too. 

Anyway, I highly recommend these jeans, they are AH-MAZING, and yes, I decided to keep them.  Again, these were a major splurge for me as most of the jeans in my closet are $30 and under, so don’t get used to me posting about higher-end items like this.  Haha.  Also, mine are the "Midnight Shade" wash.

T W O – Concert Tickets!!

Paul Thorn, one of my favorite singer/songwriters of aaaallll-time just announced he’s kicking off a new tour this year, and he’s coming to our hometown!!!!  I’ve seen him in concert 14 times since 2003, but it’s been nearly six years since I’ve been able to see him.  We bought our tickets on Tuesday, and needless to say I am ECSTATIC. 

He is one of my favorite singer/songwriters of all-time.  He is such an interesting guy and he’s an excellent story-teller.  Seeing him acoustic and hearing his stories in between songs is one of my favorite things in the entire universe.  His music can be best described as blues/country and the lyrics range from hilarious to touching to heartbreaking, and he sings so passionately it just gets me every single time.  I can’t even tell you how many times I’ve teared up during his shows.  

Every time we go see him, we always get to chat with him after the show, and he always remembers us.  I have a ton of pictures with him from all of our past meet-ups, so I thought it might be fun to take a little trip down memory lane… (And yes, yes I am sitting in his lap in picture #7.  Brian is the one who took the picture, so it’s okay.  He puts up with me and my Paul Thorn obsession.  Hahahaha.)

2003

2005

2006

2006

2006

2007

2007

2007

2015

2017

 

T H R E E – Spanx Faux Leather Leggings

I splurged a couple of years ago on these Spanx Faux Leather Leggings (again, I made sure to get them while they were on sale!), and I thought they were worth mentioning again because I WEAR THEM ALL THE TIME. 

I wish I could wear these every day.  They are the most comfortable things ever and they look amazing with anything.  You can dress them up, you can dress them down, you can work out in them.  They’re just the best. 

I find myself reaching for these constantly and they are always dirty because I wear them so much.  May have to ask for a second pair for my birthday…

They have been a favorite this week, though, because I’ve worn them three times.  I have literally been doing extra laundry loads just to keep these clean.  Haha.

 

F O U R – New Year, New Devotional

Last year, I did the Joyce Meyers devotional Trusting God Day by Day, and I looooved it.  She has such a way with words, and reading that devotional each day felt like talking to a friend.  She is relatable and honest and inspiring, and I just can’t say enough good things about that devotional. 

That said, I opted to do her Strength for Each Day devotional this year, and I’m loving it, too.  I have to say, so far, I think I like the other one better, but this one has been great so far, too.  If you’re looking for a good devotional, I highly recommend either of these.  They only take a couple of minutes to read each day, and most of the excerpts really make me think deeply about myself and life in general.

 

F I V E – Georgia National Championship Logo

As I have already mentioned several times on here, our Georgia Bulldogs won the National Championship for the second year in a row, and we’ve been soaking up all of the coverage since then.  Each year, the winner gets to reveal their official National Championship logo, and I absolutely love all of the thought that goes into it… there is so much symbolism.  This is our logo for our 2022/2023 win, and I just love it.  Give me all the National Championship sweatshirts, koozies, and coffee mugs!!  Haha.

Friday Funnies

On the Blog This Week

 2022 New York City Trip – Day 2

Our Week – The One with the National Championship Game and Parade in Athens

2022 New York City Trip - Days 3 & 4

Happy Friday, y’all!

*Linking up with A Little Bit of Everything for Friday Favorites.