Good morning and happy Friday. Overall, we’ve had a great week but our Friday is off to a bit of a rough start.

Finn was playful and energetic yesterday and went to bed happy but he woke up in the middle of the night with a 101.5 fever. I’m always surprised by how quickly viruses seem to come on. We were up for the day at 5:45a because he was feeling bad and restless so we’re snuggled up on the couch watching Cars now.

It’s been a rough start to the school year with sicknesses at preschool. So many things going around. Hopefully he feels better quickly and I am spared. I feel like I’ve just had one never-ending respiratory virus for the last six months.

On a lighter note, I thought I’d pop in with some Friday Favorites. Let this be your warning that this is a very eclectic round up. 😉

FUZZY SANDALS

I just ordered these fuzzy sandals from Amazon. I’ve been looking for a new “house shoe” and I like that these are soft/fuzzy but also have sturdy soles so I can wear them out to get the mail or whatnot. I know open-toed sandals don’t necessarily make a lot of sense for winter but this style stays on my foot so much better than a slide in or loafer-style slipper. I think I’m also going to order these – I love having cozy shoes on around the house!

LOOPY PHONE CASE + AFFORDABLE HIGH-WAIST WORKOUT SHORTS

I have been using this Loopy phone case since mid-summer and here are some things I like about it:

• Tons of fun designs to choose from. Purple is my favorite color and this case matches the water bottle that goes everywhere with me!
• The flexible loop on the back of the case is versatile. It makes it super easy for me to hold my phone when I have a lot of things in my hands. And because the loop is flexible, it fits into the pockets of my leggings and running sorts more easily than say a pop socket would.
• I am bad about dropping my phone and between the easy to hold loop and the sturdiness of the case, I’ve had no screen cracks. (I’m now knocking on every piece of wood in my house because I’ll probably break my screen this weekend because I said that.)

You can get 10% off your Loopy case order with code “jenpbrunner.”

And as for the shorts…I have been kind of into the DSG line of apparel since being introduced to it during a holiday partnership with Dick’s Sporting Goods last year. I really think the quality is solid for the price. I have a couple of pairs of these high-rise shorts and really like them.

I’m also a fan of this sports bra and this seamless cami sports bra. Some colors are on sale for $8.96 in both bra styles!

NEW BULLETPROOF COFFEE

The team at Bulletproof is always innovating and their newest coffee product is an AWESOME one! The High Achiever is the same clean, Bulletproof coffee but they added B Vitamins, Lion’s Mane and Coffeeberry to give you even more energy, brain power and focus. I am a big fan of it, especially with my favorite unflavored collagen protein mixed in! You can use code JEN_PBRUNNERBP20 for 20% off your Bulletproof order.

A FRESH LOAF OF VERDANT BREAD

Since my sourdough starter is a bit sluggish at the moment, I treated myself to a loaf of Verdant Bread this week. This is their whole wheat pullman loaf and it’s my favorite. If you’re local to the Charlotte area, I highly recommend giving Verdant a try. They are a sourdough bread bakery and offer curbside on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday and are at a couple of local farmers markets on Saturday. They are also taking preorders for Thanksgiving. Definitely a local bakery I support!

FALL FEELS

We are having a truly stunning fall here in Charlotte. Every single day I am awed by the beauty of it.

We’ve been getting out for evening walks as often as we can. I love the way the sun hits the trees in the late afternoon and how golden everything looks.

THINGS I’VE BEEN LISTENING TO 

There is no shame in my game about how much I’m loving Taylor Swift’s new album, Midnights – especially the 3am edition. My favorite songs so far are Maroon, Snow On The Beach and Dear Reader. Her songwriting is something else.

I also wanted to share a few podcast episodes I’ve enjoyed lately:

• ON PURPOSE with Jay Shetty – Dr. Gabor Mate ON: Understanding Your Trauma & How to Heal Emotional Wounds to Start Moving On From the Past Today. What I got most out of this episode was powerful insights on parenting. This conversation was so good and I want to listen to it again! I also want to buy Dr. Mate’s new book, The Myth of Normal: Trauma, Illness and Healing in a Toxic Culture. Virginia read it and recommended.
• We Can Do Hard Things – Codependence: How to Stop Controlling Others with Melody Beattie. I have been a big fan of Melody Beattie ever since I read her book Co-Dependent No More years ago. I also ADORE her book The Language of Letting Go which has daily meditations on letting go. I keep a copy of it on my bedside table.
• Tara Brach – Radical Acceptance: Our Gateway to Love and Freedom. Tara Brach has been my favorite spiritual/meditation teacher for almost three years now. I find her talks to be so soothing and thought-provoking. I usually listen to them when I’m driving, walking or running but oftentimes think I’d like to just sit with them and a pen and paper so I can take notes.
• We Can Do Hard Things – Melissa McCarthy: Sex, Nuns & Ghosts. I listened to this while I was running and was laughing out loud. Beyond the humor, there are some poignant take aways.
• Huberman Lab – What Alcohol Does to Your Body, Brain & Health. This one is long but jam-packed with great info.
• ON PURPOSE with Jay Shetty – Dr. Daniel Amon ON: How to Change Your Life By Changing Your Brain and the Lies About Happiness That Are Increasing Depression. Whew, that episode title is a mouthful but this episode is a must-listen. SO GOOD.
• We Can Do Hard Things – Breaking Cycles & Reparenting Yourself AND How to Raise Untamed Kids with Dr. Becky Kennedy. I am a big fan of Dr. Becky Kennedy on Instagram and it’s been a delight to hear her on so many podcasts promoting her new book. I really vibe with her approach to parenting and have found what she shares to be incredibly useful. The conversations she had on We Can Do Hard Things were hard-hitting, real and inspiring.
• Unlocking Us with Brene Brown – Reflections on My Summer Sabbatical. I’m just going to say that it is a comfort to know that people like Brene Brown struggle big sometimes too. This episode definitely made me feel less alone in my humanness.

Gosh, I could keep going with the podcasts but I’ll make myself stop here. Finn seems to be perking up, thank goodness. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend.

QUESTIONS 

What athletic apparel brands are you liking right now? 

Have you listened to the new Taylor Swift album? Favorite songs? 

I would love to hear what podcasts YOU have been enjoying lately – shows or specific episodes.