Power Nap #138
the best two piece set for summer / Nate's got movie reviews / my beach week recipes! / a flattering bikini top for small chests
Hey friends!! We are on the cusp of heading to Freeman Beach Week (FBW) with my family and that means I am making all the classics. Oreo no-churn ice cream is already in the freezer, and as you read this I am likely getting everything for homemade Chex Mix. And of course, I am making two batches of these brownies (recipe here)!! So many recipes at FBW are repeated year after year, and it’s something I really love. We have been going to FBW since I was a kid, and I still think of my Aunt Meme’s turkey barbecue, Aunt Ellen’s pimento cheese, and Aunt Leslie’s blueberry pancakes. I believe we even have a FBW Cookbook my mom made for everyone years ago. The recipes become tradition, and I hope when my kids are grown they don’t think about Beach Week without thinking about Chex mix, Kahlua Ice Cream, and Uncle Albert’s fried shrimp. We each pick a night to cook dinner as well, and I am doing Creamy Chicken Enchilada Bowls with all the fixings (black beans, guac, pineapple salsa, chips, etc.). I am the first night of the trip and I love how I can have the chicken warm in the crockpot and the rice ready to go and we can eat whenever everyone feels like it. Also, if you need help thinking for your own vacation week, we made this for you! There’s a button to easily print it below.
*black trash bags and painter’s tape are both extremely versatile in a pinch. Black out a kid’s room for better sleep and painter’s tape can be used to close chip bags, label things, etc.
Athleta is back again with a summer sale on some of their most popular items! I recently bought a new suit for beach week — this bathing suit top (for under $30) is so flattering if you have a small chest, though the underwire and cup size choices also makes it perfect for larger chests too. The matching bottoms have great coverage while being a low-rise option (shockingly hard to find! most lower rise options are also super cheeky; this one is not). The momentum flex muscle tank top is so good. I have a few of them and love the higher neckline and thicker straps! They do run a tad small, so I would size up. The Momentum flex line also comes in a tee made from the same awesome material—I love this color! Jess got these 4” linen shorts last summer and loves them paired with a swimsuit. They are the perfect length and have a forgiving waistband. The Power Nap is free each week, and sponsors like Athleta help make that possible! Thanks for sponsoring this Power Nap, Athleta!
In Case You Missed It
Here’s another low-effort summer meal: Mediterranean Gyro Night. Recipe here.
Ruggable’s summer sale is still happening! We recently switched the rug at our front entrance to this one (the highest-traffic area of our house) and I am in love! It’s neutral but also busy enough to hide dirt. We also have this one in the hallway, this one under our bed, this one under our dining room table, and this fun welcome mat at the front door!
I answered every question you could possibly have about Canvas bags. The L.L. Bean Boat and Tote versus the Lands’ End Canvas Tote. Read the details here, or watch me explain in video form here!
You all love this American flag hat every time I share it! Perfect for the Fourth of July coming up.
The best two-piece set for summer I am wearing in the golf picture with Nate. It’s got a fun tie skort and collared tank with a built-in bra! Jess here— I got the skort in white and have been wearing it as a skirt with my bathing suit. Love it! I also got the tank in the pink color and it’s so pretty! I am newly postpartum and approve both of these items.
Nate’s Movie Reviews
Project Hail Mary (2026) — Watched in theaters. I loved the book. I would say I liked the movie. I think I went in with expectations that were too high; plus, since I knew the plot, I wasn't surprised by the twists. That said, I recommend seeing this. And I wholeheartedly support Hollywood taking a chance on a blockbuster budget for something like this rather than another Avengers or Spider-Man movie. More of a comedy than I was anticipating.
Traffic (2000) — This is a movie about the war on drugs starring Michael Douglas, Don Cheadle, Benicio Del Toro, and Catherine Zeta-Jones. Douglas is a judge tasked with stopping drugs from coming in from Mexico. Cheadle and Del Toro are cops. Douglas's daughter is also a drug addict and, honestly, some drug-use-related scenes were graphic and hard to watch.
Diary of a Wimpy Kid (2010) — Watched with the kids. Kate and I both enjoyed this movie about a boy's transition from elementary to middle school. Good "adult-humor" mixed in (not inappropriate, just moments we laughed at that the kids didn't get).
Knives Out: Wake Up Dead Man (2025): The third "Knives Out" movie, where Daniel Craig plays a Southern version of Sherlock Holmes trying to solve a clever murder who-dun-it. The first one was awesome. The second one stunk. And this one was somewhere in between -- but closer to "awesome" than "stunk."
Free Willy (1993) — Watched with the kids. I would say this was ok. Not as good as I remembered it. The Michael Jackson song during the credits, however, is still tremendous.
Blue Moon (2025) — I wanted to like this movie because I like the time period and the costumes and the music and all the literary/theater references. And I thought Ethan Hawke was good in this very different role than how I think of him. And I love Andrew Scott. But at the end of the day this was just a movie about a small, sad man drinking alone, and it's really hard to overcome that.
Hannah’s Art Obsessions
Hannah here! Art, in all forms, is something I’ve loved since I was a child, and I’ve dabbled in many different mediums over the years. I believe that enjoying art is deeply personal, and I love the idea of slowly growing a collection of pieces over time that speak to me and bring me joy.
I’ve recently fallen in love with Cherith Musta, a fine art and gold-foil printmaker based in Texas who paints sisterhood and motherhood in such an honoring and intimate way. Each of her paintings reminds me of small unseen moments of motherhood that we can all relate to. I recently purchased this print (bottom right in the pic above) to hang in my daughter’s room near her rocking chair because it reminded me of rocking her to sleep when she was a newborn and how rosy her cheeks would get after a nap.
I’ve also been eyeing Mary Benson’s work for years but haven’t had the privilege to purchase anything yet. Mary is an NC native (like myself!) who now lives in Charleston. Her work is highly influenced by post-impressionism and fauvism which gives her paintings a stained glass-inspired effect. She underpaints with bright acrylics and then layers oil paint over them which lets subtle pops of color seep through the cracks. She also sells the most stunning hand-painted Majong tiles and mats!
If you have any artists you’ve been following for years or a recent piece you purchased, comment below - I’d love to hear more!
Love all the art you shared. You should check out Aly Houng’s work- she does a lot of bold beautiful florals. Www.alyho.com
On art— been enjoying Aly Houng lately (@alyho). She does these birth flower bouquets to represent each member of a family together in a bouquet. Really beautiful! Haven’t purchased yet but we’re saving up.