Happy Friday House of Shine! Cheryl here. It's been a while since I posted so I decided on Monday that I needed to share some things I have felt SHINE with you, my friends. If you're a crazy blog reader like me then you might have seen some of these already but I think that bear repeating.

So away we go!

Are you craving cheesy potato carb deliciousness? I was! I saw this recipe at Tasty Kitchen just after Chris and I talked about craving potatoes so this past Sunday I whipped them up- all gillion calories of them- and they were easy (and you know that's saying a lot for me) and delicious. Maybe if you're running a marathon or a triathlon, Heather,  you'll need the extra carbs. 

I'm crazy over these map pillows found at My Bearded Pigeon. They are so unique and pretty. I haven't purchased one so I can't comment on the quality but I think your state (or country for that matter) would a beautiful addition to any room. It could be a reminder of a favorite vacation that you took with the ones you love.

 And while I'm Etsy Shops- I love this photograph that I purchased from Recovering Lazyholic. I can't wait to get a frame for it. It's a good reminder for what we should do: Call your folks! Remember, one day you will be old and your children will have grown up and moved away. Won't it be nice to get a call from them? I plan on passing the photo along to whoever doesn't call me- probably Drew.

Are you planning a party or holiday dinner anytime soon? Check out these place settings I saw at Oh Happy Day!  This is right up my alley. Even if you're not planning a party, these would be great to put inspirational quotes on like Alexa at A Swell Life did below.  

You could get the kids involved because abstract kid art is priceless in my book. Or, you could have the kids start it and you go in touch them up. Fall leaves for Thanksgiving, endless options for Christmas- ornaments, snowmen, trees, crosses (or for my Jewish friends, Star of David), hearts for Valentine's Day, flowers for Easter or Mother's Day and so on and so on. Claudia- you could have a conversation starter on each one!

Have you heard of the books: The Five Love Languages by Doctor Gary Chapman? In a quick recap the books are about how we feel loved. Dr. Chapman breaks down the basic love Languages into five categories: Words of Affirmation, Acts of Service, Physical Touch, Quality Time and Gifts. At our core, our most basic need is to be loved and how that love is felt is different for everyone. If you can learn to speak the love languages of your spouse, children, friends, and coworkers, you will be able to easily create better relationships. If you feel loved, you tend to give more love. And, if you know your love language, you can better request from your loved ones your needs. For example, if you feel loved when people do Acts of Service for you, you could request that. To your husband, "I really appreciate when you help me clean the dishes after dinner. It makes me feel so loved."

There are several different versions of the book. Married, Single, Children, and Teenagers. I accidentally bought the married version on Amazon and was intrigued by it so much that I had to buy the Single version and the Children version to see how he varied it for the different groups. The books have changed the way that I communicate with the people around me and even how I recognize others loving me. Even though my Love Language is not Gifts, I can see that is an act of love when someone gives me a gift. Make sense? Whether you're already in a happy marriage, single, or if you have kids that you want to have a deeper relationship with- understanding how we feel loved and how others feel loved will increase the value of all your relationships. This book truly SHINES. You can also visit The Five Love Languages online and take a quick test to find out your love language.

So there you have it. Five things that I think Shine. Is there something you've seen lately that you think Shines? Share it in the comment section. 

Shining off until...