Hiiii! Happy Friday! What’s going on this weekend? P has double soccer games and double basketball game, Liv and I are seeing a musical and grabbing lunch with friends, and looking forward to some pool time at home.

No concept of personal space:

P and I spent one whole day swimming this week and it was everything. We learned that Lola loves to be pushed around the pool on the raft,

we ate gluten-free Cheeze-Its and popsicles, blasted 90s country music, played fetch with Maisey, tons of water games (one ridiculous one where she dunks me if I don’t know which color she has in her mind), and floated on pool loungers. The liiiiiiiife.

I hope you’re having the best summer, too!

It’s time for the weekly Friday Faves roundup! This is where I share some of my favorite finds from the week and around the web. I always love hearing about your faves, too, so please shout out something you’re loving in the comments section below.

6.26 Friday Faves

Fashion, beauty, random:

Date night with the Pilot. He was gone a ton the past two weeks, so I was excited that we could sneak away one evening for dinner and cocktails at Flying V.

We haven’t been there in forever and they completely renovated the restaurant. It’s bright and modern, and giving Scottsdale vibes in the best way. The food was amazing as always.

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Hi friends!

I have a brand new podcast episode live, and today we are talking all about thyroid health, hormones, and why so many women are being told they’re “fine” when they are absolutely not.

I’m talking with my friend Ashley Cruz Arata, certified Integrative Health Practitioner and hormone specialist. For years she was dismissed by doctors who her me everything was fine because “all the labs were normal.” Meanwhile, she was dealing with 35 lbs of weight gain, relentless joint pain, brain fog and crippling fatigue. She eventually healed herself and now helps high-achieving women 35+ get the real answers their doctors have been missing. I think you are going to love her.

Check out what we chat about:

• Why conventional thyroid testing only looks at two markers and why that is a massive problem for millions of women
• The labs you should actually be asking for, including free T3, reverse T3, TPO antibodies, cortisol, and sex hormones
• Why intermittent fasting and more cardio can make thyroid dysfunction significantly worse
• The truth about thyroid medication and why taking it does not mean you are done
• Two free, easy at-home habits that support your thyroid and cortisol rhythm every single day
• The protein-before-coffee habit that can completely change how your day feels
• How stress is silently wrecking your hormones and Ashley’s Sunday night ritual to manage it without adding more to your plate

And so much more!!

207: What Your Doctor Isn’t Testing | Thyroid, Hormones, and Getting Real Answers with Ashley Cruz Arata

It was so great getting to chat with Ashley and I hope you love this episode! If you have ever been dismissed by a doctor or told your labs are normal while still feeling terrible, this one is for you!

Ashley also has a free guide for you: Normal Isn’t Optimal: The Essential Hormone Lab Guide That Shows You What “Normal” Labs Are Missing. Grab it here: https://ashleycruzarata.myflodesk.com/normalisntoptimal

You can also find Ashley at:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleycruzarata/
Website: Read more

This fresh pineapple salsa recipe is sweet, zesty, slightly spicy, and bursting with juicy tropical flavor. Made with fresh pineapple, jalapeño, cilantro, lime juice, and crisp peppers, it’s the perfect salsa for chips, tacos, grilled chicken, seafood, and summer BBQs.

It only takes a few minutes to make, but somehow tastes like the kind of thing you’d order at a beachside restaurant on vacation.

We used to think homemade salsa was too much work until we finally found a few fresh salsa recipes we absolutely loved. Turns out, once you start making salsa at home, it’s hard to go back to store-bought.

Now we keep this pineapple salsa on repeat all summer long alongside our restaurant-style salsa, authentic salsa verde, and mango salsa.

This pineapple salsa is especially delicious for taco night, grilling season, pool parties, and easy summer appetizers.

What Does Pineapple Salsa Taste Like?

Pineapple salsa is sweet, fresh, tangy, slightly spicy, and incredibly refreshing. The juicy pineapple balances perfectly with the jalapeño, lime juice, cilantro, and crisp vegetables.

It’s especially delicious paired with smoky grilled meats and seafood.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Here’s what you’ll need to make this pineapple jalapeño salsa:

• Fresh Pineapple: The sweet juicy base of the salsa. Fresh pineapple gives the best flavor and texture.
• Red Onion: Adds sharp savory flavor and crunch.
• Fresh Cilantro: Adds bright fresh flavor that balances the sweetness.
• Green Bell Pepper: Adds freshness and crisp texture.
• Red Bell Pepper: Adds sweetness, color, and crunch.
• Jalapeño: Adds fresh heat and balances the sweetness of the pineapple.
• Cumin: Adds warm earthy flavor and gives the salsa a subtle smoky depth.
• Sea Salt: Enhances all the fresh flavors.
• Lime Juice: Adds bright acidity and keeps the salsa tasting fresh.

How to Pick a Ripe Pineapple

• Color: Look for golden yellow color on the outside.
• Smell: Smell the

Sharing a roundup of my top finds from this year’s Prime Day!

Hiii friends! How are you? I hope that your week is going well! We celebrated Father’s Day, the Pilot and I had a much-needed date night, and P had a soccer friends swim party.

Today, I wanted to share a roundup of the best finds from Prime Day sales.

TBH, this sale can be overwhelming and so many creatorsare sharing their favorite finds. I wanted to make my list a bit smaller, majorly focusing on quality over quantity. Everything on this list is something that we use and love, or that I’m planning on buying. It’s a great time to stock up on some things you need, new products you’ve had your eye on, or maybe order a couple of holiday gifts in advance.

Here are my top picks for this year!

My Amazon storefront has the full roundup for easy browsing, too.

*a little note: this post contains affiliate links which allow me to earn a small commission. Every click and purchase make a huge difference, and I’m so grateful for your support.

The best deals from Prime Day (things you’ll actually use)

House and cooking finds:

This electric kettle. I have a similar one and use it to make tea every single night.

A KitchenAid mixer. We got one for our wedding, alomst 20 years ago, and it still looks and works extremely well.

Little Green Machine. With kids and pets…this is essential.

Great deal on a Dyson cordless vaccuum. Ours died, but I’m thinking of replacing it.

A healthier air fryer. We have a very similar one and I’m so glad that it’s not leeching plastics and chemicals into the food.

An Instant Pot! I use this every.single.day. It’s great for busy school nights and also makes the most perfect rice.

Plastic BPA free wine glasses for poolside wine.

Owala water bottles! We love ours. When I went to create the link, it told me I’ve bought 6 of them!

Kindle. I love having one because it keeps me from scrolling on my phone.

A Ring camera.

The only blender you ever need.

I use these glass meal prep containers every day.

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Mouthwatering 5 Ingredient Shredded Beef Tacos [+Video]

Satisfy your taco cravings with these easy and delicious 5 ingredient shredded beef tacos. Perfect for a quick weeknight dinner or a fun fiesta with friends!

Has everyone tried Kinder’s seasonings?! This is not a sponsored post but we are absolutely obsessed! They have so many different flavors and every kind that we have tried has been delicious. We use the buttery steakhouse blend in our amazing chicken marinade recipe, and it is heaven!

This carne asada blend adds bold flavor and a hint of citrus to the juicy beef. I just can’t say enough about how in love we are with how tasty and easy this shredded beef recipe is. We hope it becomes a regular dinner in your family!

Shredded Beef Tacos Recipe

This recipe came together on a whim one day. I had just bought the Kinder’s Carne Asada Rub and I had a chuck roast that I needed to use. With our pork carnitas as my inspo, I baked the beef roast all afternoon and then crisped it up in the oven right before serving. The whole family couldn’t stop raving about this beef!

Ingredients for Easy Beef Tacos

You won’t believe how flavorful this Mexican shredded beef is with only 5 ingredients! Here is what you will need:

• Boneless Beef Chuck Roast: make sure that it has good marbling
• Kinder’s Carne Asada Rub: a blend of all your favorite Mexican flavors including orange and lime juice, sea salt, garlic, cumin and other spices
• Onions: I like to use red onions or a combination of red and yellow.
• Beef Stock: helps keep the beef tender and juicy
• Orange Juice: adds citrus flavor

The measurements and details for each ingredient can be found in the recipe at the end of the post.

How to Make Shredded Beef Tacos

If you only look at the total time for this recipe, it might seem less than ideal, but I promise this recipe is so easy! Most of the total cook time is just letting the meat roast away in the oven while your house is filled with the most scrumptious aroma. Here are the steps:

1. Prep: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Season: Using the carne asada seasoning, season the roast on all sides.
3. Bake: Place the seasoned roast onions, orange juice and onions in a large Dutch oven. Place the lid on and let it bake for 3.5 hours.
4. Shred: Remove from the oven and shred the meat into large chunks using two forks. Place it back in the oven for 30 minutes.
5. Roast: Remove the Dutch oven and increase the temperature to 425 degrees F. Place all the beef and o