Hi friends! Happy Friday and happy Wicked day!! Are you going? Did you already go?? The girls and I are going the second they get out of school and I can’t.even.wait. (I’m a little bit more excited than they are, but they’re good sports and they know they get movie lunch and dessert out of the deal.)

In other news, P went back to school today. I’ll share more in an upcoming post (and will probably blab all about it over on Substack in the meantime), but it’s the end of a homeschool era. It was never meant to be a permanent thing unless it needed to be, and she was ready to go back to her friends and teachers. I’m happy for her, cautiously optimistic, and kind of a secret mess emotionally. I know I’ll be crying on and off most of the morning with complex emotions, and will probably cry more at Wicked so there ya go.

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

11.21 Friday Faves

Fashion + beauty + random:

Some LA pics! I had the best time with business besties last week masterminding and learning from Jill.

Walking to dinner in the rain:

Dinner outfit:

(dress is from Rent the Runway <— this link gets you 50% off your first month which is perfect timing with the holidays and winter travel! I’ve been using it for years and it keeps me from shopping so much)

This ornament!!!

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Hi friends! Happy Friday! What are you up to this weekend? We’re headed to Phoenix for a concert, P has a b-ball scrimmage, we have NCL meetings, and our weekly dinner with the fam – I look forward to it all week. I’d love to hear what you have going on!

(Monsoon season has been a BUST but at least we’ve had some gorgeous rainbows)

We’re still trying to find our school/homeschool/airline/work groove around here, and our daily schedules have changed a ton since last year. Liv has done competitive dance for many years and it’s her first year taking a break. She’s going to play some school sports instead, and I’m excited for her to find something new that she enjoys. I definitely miss the dance world but I don’t miss driving two hours each night between drop-offs and pick-ups at the studio. She’s had more time to work on homework and chill at night, and I’ve been able to cook pretty much every night.

(gluten-free chicken pot pie with roasted broccoli. I’ll do a roundup soon with new recipes I’ve tried that have been successful)

I prefer to cook at home because you can control the ingredients and sometimes I’m disappointed by the taste, quality, and cost of restaurant food. If I didn’t prep and plan in advance, we’d often grab quick takeout on the way home from the dance and basketball shuffle. We were spending soooo much, many times it was meh or gross, and I definitely feel like eating at home has been easier with this schedule.

Some exciting things coming up on the horizon:

– Not one but TWO huge launches on Monday. Two of my all-time favorite brands are launching amaaaaazing things and of course, I’ll spread the word here Monday morning!

– A trip to San Diego. Counting down for time with our Kleiger fam and some Vitamin Sea

– P starting farm school. It’s one day each week and she gets to ride hoses, help with the animals, and do art on the farm with some other homeschool kids and she’s super excited about it. More of our homeschool plans are here.

It’s time for the weekly Friday Faves party. This is where I share some of my favorite finds f

Mom’s Easy Caramel Brownies

My mom’s famous caramel brownies are hands-down the most requested recipe in our family. These cake mix caramel brownies are fudgy, gooey, and unbelievably easy to make. All you need is cake mix, chocolate chips, caramel, butter, and evaporated milk to create the most irresistible brownies ever!

Caramel Brownies with a Cake Mix

My mom has been making these caramel brownies for as long as I can remember. They were the birthday request of choice in our house and a must at every Fourth of July pool party. Everyone looked forward to them. They’re that good. When Cade and I got engaged, I baked a batch for his birthday and left them on his counter as a surprise. Two days passed, and he still hadn’t touched them. He was deep into clean eating and avoiding sugar. I felt crushed. I told him how much it hurt, so he tried one. Ever since, they’ve been his favorite dessert. Now, my mom even mails him a batch every so often.

The secrets? We always use margarine instead of butter. It makes the brownies extra gooey but still hold their shape. Only Betty Crocker German chocolate cake mix and Kraft caramels will do.

Now go make these brownies and leave a little love note for my mom so she feels special.

Can a Chocolate Cake Mix Really Make Brownies?

You know what I love most about this recipe? No tedious sifting of flour, sugar, salt, or cocoa powder. Instead, it uses just a few simple ingredients! And the best part? N