Sarti Spritz from Sunday!

Friday, October 9, 2026

It’s Friday! How was your week? Let’s link up with Andrea and Erika to share.

I had a really good week! I enjoyed the weather and lots of porch reading, dog walks, a few nice phone calls – my cousin Kelly was one of them, a boutique shopping trip to look for a birthday gift, a library trip, and cooking some yummy food for myself and some dinners for Tom.

I loved this fall display in one of my favorite boutiques:

I didn’t buy anything, but I enjoyed looking!

Did you buy anything from the Prime sale or any of the competitors also having sales? I didn’t. I guess if I had my ducks more in a row I should have stocked up on products I use regularly. Oh well.

I picked up some requested library books and enjoyed their Halloween shelf:

And they had an orange and purple shelf:

Here is what I got:

I wanted to add lights to my mantel, and I thought about just ordering new ones, but I made myself go dig in the Christmas bins and use what I had – I realized I had purchased new lights last year so I’m glad I looked!

I especially love them in the mornings when it’s still so dark outside!

I thought this was so cute when I was sitting inside reading. It looks like EO was jealous of my book!

Last year I bought two Anthropologie cups – this one and a coffee mug. I love them both and they have been making me happy. This is a frothy protein coffee. Is it weird that I care deeply about my drinkware?

This is delicious. I use about a tablespoon of decaf espresso powder and froth it up with some water, add ice, and then add in this. Sometimes I only use half. It’s better than Starbucks. Starbucks who?

I started really counting my protein grams last week and measuring and recording and I was not getting the protein I thought I was.

I shared this on Wednesday, but this is a delicious breakfast casserole if that’s your thing. I counted mine to be 39 grams of protein.

This is sometimes my snack or my lunch. The Kroger brand Greek vanilla yogurt is really good. I can’t do plain Greek yogurt. It is 13 grams of protein. If I had the measuring cup’s worth of Nature Valley High Protein granola it would be another 13 grams but that’s too much granola for me. I used half so that equaled 20 grams roughly. I like to use frozen blueberries and let them sit out and defrost for a bit.

Protein recording one day this week:

Now, one thing I realized is that the Brami Protein pasta is 9 grams a serving, but our normal angel hair is 7 grams. So, that’s not a big boost and if you like the angel hair better you should use that. It’s about 1/3 of the price of the protein pasta, too. I feel like everyone is slapping “protein” on their products today.

I love our little Paul’s Fruit Market and I can buy a piece of grilled lemon chicken for about $4 and I love this pulled chicken for around $5, too.

What are your favorite sources of protein? Do you get enough? Anyone want to go on a protein-maxxing journey with me? Jenni is on board! We have been messaging about it!

Chilling outside together:

I finished this book this week and I really enjoyed the story!

I started this but I’m trying to take a break. It’s hard when I’ve got the next two Emma books already waiting for me.

I started this in hopes to try to wait on Emma…

Midwest Living named my hometown as having one of the 10 Most Charming Main Streets…

I love it in the fall!

I’m really loving having this simple pedometer. I started keeping it on my coffee pot because that is one of the first things I do in the morning and I don’t want to miss out on any step credit! I don’t know how long it will last but I also like that it’s the color gold of most of my bracelets and jewelry so it coordinates.

What were your favorites this week? I hope you had many!

Amy

23 thoughts on “Friday Favorites”

  1. Protein is definitely the “it” macro right now! Donnie aims for quite a bit each day. I don’t go out of my way to consume a certain amount. A meatless or low protein meal or day is fine with me! I mean, I know it’s important but it hasn’t risen to things that I worry or stress about (I’ve got too many other things ahead of it on the worry list, lol). Donnie makes a protein coffee drink every day and he likes his better than Starbucks. Your week looks like a good one! Your lights are pretty and speaking of pretty, so is Madison. Very charming and I can see just from the one photo how it made a Most Charming Main Street list. Your pedometer is cute and right, missing out on step credit is a huge no no!! EVERY step needs to count, literally and figuratively :). My step count has been massive since I’ve started working. I do move a lot at work but I also am sometimes stationary yet move my arm so I know the step count is off: it’s counting my arm movement as a step.

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    1. Protein keeps you full for longer and I feel better eating less carbs and more protein but I love a carb! Tom tries to get about 200 grams a day! It really is a cute town but so is yours! I bet you have burned some major calories with such a physical job. I bet your muscles are “swole”. I once got a lot of credit for a boat ride with my old Apple watch. I think it thought I was really moving and gave me like 5000 steps!

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      1. Oh my goodness- that is too funny/odd about your Apple watch thinking it was you moving when it was the boat (I mean, you were moving but it was the boat that was moving you!!). I actually can see a bit of muscle in my arms that wasn’t there before. I’ve lost a couple of pounds I think due to all the extra movement and the loss of a bit of weight combined with the physicality of the job has resulted in a mini swole appearance in my arms!!

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      2. I know! I really laughed at that!
        I bet! It’s not something you would think of as physical unless you have considered the huge and heavy pots and pans and maybe been in a school cafeteria. You sweat a lot, too.

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  2. I didn’t buy anything during Prime days but then again I don’t have Prime so don’t get the sales anyway. I don’t count protein but my WW app does along with all sort of other macros and I don’t ever reach the minimum for any of them except fiber. I’ve never been a big protein eater though as I just don’t like most protein sources and since I’m not on any of the weight loss shots/drugs don’t see the need to up my protein intake.

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    1. That’s probably better then! I think sometimes I get too excited or buy into the hype regarding a certain sale. I have been surprised to see the protein values of cottage cheese, yogurt, quinoa, and beans. I need to eat that stuff, too. Fiber is also really important.

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  3. Oh the Miss Read series takes me back. Such lovely books and they make me think of my mom. She had the whole set and I loved them. I didn’t buy anything on Prime days because I’m not super organized in the shopping department right now. Your Main Street looks cute! Have a great weekend!

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    1. Someone recommended them to me but I started the first one and can’t really get into it. They were written in 1955! Maybe I am comparing them to Emma M. Lion as I love her so much! You too!

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  4. EO definitely looks like he is telling you to ditch the book and play with him, ha!!!

    I am a big protein girl but I get it from eggs, bacon, and beef. There are so many products now with protein slapped on the front and you are so smart to compare labels!

    Your hometown looks so charming!

    Have a great weekend!

    xo,

    Kellyann

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    1. Right? He makes me laugh.
      I don’t want to rely on artificial things for protein. I don’t want to buy much packaged either.
      I am trying to eat more beans but I find it hard.
      It really is!
      You too!

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  5. What a great little week! I love those displays…both at your favorite boutique and at the library. I’m always messing up the library display, but the girl does such a great job! And they always laugh and say that’s what it’s for, so I don’t mind anymore. WAS EO jealous of your book?? He looks so sad and contemplative. I love that your town got mentioned! It’s good to be proud of your hometown; I’m proud of mine, too, and we were named as that one year in the Southern Living magazine. I hope you have the very best weekend doing all the things you love to do! I can’t wait to be in beautiful Colorado Saturday!

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    1. I really appreciate when people take the time to make the displays. Ha – she hates to see you coming! Lol!
      He rarely does that. I’m not sure why he did it. Maybe he had to potty.
      Thank you! I’m happy for you to get away!

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  6. You have the BEST shops near you- always so pretty and aesthetically pleasing. Your eats look amazing too and chalk full of protein!

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  7. Your mantle is so pretty! I love twinkle lights this time of year. No, I don’t think I get enough daily protein. I probably should look into that and track it too!

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  8. I bought a new toaster oven/air fryer during Prime Deal days – well, *I* didn’t really buy it since I wasn’t in town, but my daughter has been complaining about the one we had and sent a link for one we’ve had (and liked) before – it was $100 off so we did get that. I like to make lists of things I routinely buy on Amazon and then during their July and October “Prime Days” try to stock up but we were out of town this time so “oh well”.

    You’ve inspired me to get some lights out for my mantle – thank you! And maybe I CAN put recording food and measuring protein on my to-do list right now since I have a little “extra” time. As I’ve mentioned to you, though, I’m also trying to track sugar – that and carbs are my continual downfall :/

    Happy weekend! I think you should read your Emma books – I get savoring but it’s also fun to be immersed too. LOVED The Rose Code – hope you do also.

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  9. Your week sounds like a good one. I try to get lots of protein, although I don’t count it. I bought some clothes during prime days and will do a post next week.

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  10. Hi Amy, I agree with you on the protein marketing. I will share with you though that my husband is a type 1 diabetic so he has to dose his insulin with his meals. We use the protein pasta because it actually drops his blood sugar levels! When he has regular pasta or rice, he has to dose quite high(higher than the actual amount of carbs the serving is because it has a longer term insulin spike for him!). Regular pasta will keep him high for quite some time too. With protein pasta, he actually drops, meaning it actually has a better effect on his blood sugars. Most people these days actually have blood sugar issues because of the foods we eat and the way they are processed, so it’s worth it to have the protein pasta. I believe it’s the fiber and the protein source it’s made from. Similar to how sourdough helps some with insulin response.

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  11. I try to hit 100 grams of protein a day and get pretty close every day. I love the Greek yogurt in plain vanilla, but I’m a plain person. I don’t think you’re odd at all about your drink-ware! I love a pretty tea cup or such. You even influenced me to buy a set of those hobnail glasses. My boys love them and pick them any time they’re over. I have no idea why my post is center, BTW!

    https://marshainthemiddle.com/

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