Friday Things
1. Joseph has been much more interactive this week (he’ll be 16 weeks on Monday!)… some of his new “tricks”:
– Now when he babbles and talks, he throws a loud scream in there. He’s not crying, most of the time he’s smiling, but it’s like he realized he can make noise come out of his mouth and he wants to do it ALL.THE.TIME.
– He’s grasping toys now and bringing them to his mouth… he’s actually trying to put everything in his mouth, including burp cloths, my arm… basically, anything he can grab.
– He’s also starting to grab at my face, touch my nose, put his hand in my mouth. It’s the cutest thing, but I’m pretty sure I’m going to have to start living in a perpetual ponytail!
– He also broke his own sleep record this week, clocking 11 hours straight one night! It’s been about ten days now that he hasn’t slept for less than 8.5 hours in a row.
2. We are slowly getting settled into our new house and are working on making it our home. Many of you asked last week why we moved… long story short – we bought a house two years ago when we got engaged and knew it was going to be a short-term plan. We were in a busy neighborhood off of a busy street, and we wanted more privacy, more quiet, and, ideally, some woods. We’re now nestled into a cul de sac in a smaller neighborhood in a much quieter area, and we get to have this view off of our back deck:
3. So far we’ve seen cardinals, goldfinches, groundhogs, deer, and there are two robins’ nests under our deck and at the front of our house. My husband was throwing a tennis balls in the backyard with the dogs and it accidentally hit the deck… immediately a handful of little baby birds stuck their heads out of one of the nests!
4. Einstein and Duke have totally settled in and Duke is doing a MUCH better job with the steps, thank you to everyone for your tips! After lots of practice, he seems to have mastered them and goes up and down on his own now.
5. Earlier this week, we had a locksmith come to change the locks on the house. As he was leaving, he mentioned something about volunteering at Gettysburg and my husband’s ears shot up. He’s a U.S. history and WWII war buff, and these two ended up talking for at least an hour. He was also chatting it up with the Internet installer for quite some time. Luckily, we don’t pay these people by the hour ;-)
6. Do you have a summer bucket list? Kristen has been making them every year and they always inspire me… I might actually make one this year!
7. Speaking of summer, I still haven’t gotten my hands on a soft serve ice cream cone yet. I must make that happen ASAP.
8. Two of the things we’re going to need sooner rather than later are bar stools (the ones we have are counter height, and we now have a bi-level island so we need bar height stools) and area rugs (our first floor is hardwood and tile). If you have any recommendations for great places to buy either of those things, lay ’em on me!
9. Exciting news… Brown Eyed Baker is now mobile friendly! If you view the site from your phone or tablet, you may have noticed that the site is looking a little different. You should be able to view it much more easily from your mobile device now… if you have any issues or feedback, please feel free to share!
10. TGIF! It didn’t take Einstein long to find his new “spots” in the kitchen :)
We recently decided to invest in some “good” stools b/c we end up eating most of our family meals up at the kitchen island. I stalked the Target website until these were on sale and they were running another promotional discount, ended up paying about $66 each. WE LOVE THEM! They are really wide, provide a nice seat for your bottom and the back support is just what my husband’s bad back needed. We have the charcoal color and I just love them. I think they also come in bar height, we have the counter height. I couldn’t see spending $200+/stool with 2 little kiddos at home. http://www.target.com/p/threshold-brookline-tufted-24-counter-stool/-/A-14831618#prodSlot=medium_1_5&term=counter+stools
Michelle – I hope you had a wonderful Mother’s Day yesterday! The first one is always so exciting! I’ve recently found a lot of really nice rugs at Home Goods, Pottery Barn and Pier One. Your view is spectacular!!!
I love dash and albert rugs. They aren’t too expensive, and go on sale at times. We have an indoor/outdoor one in the kitchen. It is nice to walk on barefoot and cleans up so easily with soap and water.
Have so enjoyed watching your little guy grow. You have an amazing view from your deck as we do. The beauty of PA is city out the front door wilderness out the back. The dogs will love it. Our Schmoe and Sydney enjoyed every inch of our 43 acres of walking trails. And the creek,
We opted for the cheapest rugs we could find. So much outdoor activity meant we needed something that wore like iron. Go with a man made fiber like olefin. We have purchase two from Home Depot over the last 16 years. The first lasted 13 and we just got tire of looking at it. But it was not worn. It holds up to cleanings and dirt.
At the doors in vest in what I call mud catchers. They are commercial and you can get them in a variety of sizes and colors. The beauty is you take them out and hose them down.
If you are only going for glam, it will cost you a lot in replacements because they do not wear well. Wool, silk, cotton suck up dirt and retain stains.
Good luck!! Many happy years in your new home!
Grandinroad and Frontgate have the best bar stools. Pricey, but worth the investment.
Happy first Mother’s Day! Boys are the best! I have all tile and hard wood so the rugs help a ton with noise and softening the room. I’ve gotten most of mine from wayfair or overstock. Never any color issues or quality problems….and the price was great!!!
We bought our bar stools at Target and love them! They’re the nice upholstered ones and they’re very comfortable. We also use them as our daily dining chairs and they’ve held up well.
Oh, forgot to say on the bar stools, they are new, not used, and have free shipping. If you don’t do it already, what I now do is look other places, then check EBAY for better prices and/or free shipping. The first couple of bar stool offers I looked at have free shipping :)
for rugs, and curtains, BRYLANE CATALOG has the best choices, at really good prices. It’s online. As for bar stools, but seriously, EBAY… I have really bad knees, and so I got an MDs exam stool from a medical supply store to use for cooking. paid $200 for it a few years ago. Now my back needs some support too, especially if I am spending a long time in there, so I looked at rolling stools either secretarial of medical ones, and checked EBAY, and they were at least 1/3 the cost of other sites. I just looked and they have metal ones, adjustable height, $129 for Three. And if your state has no sales tax, it’s good, because most sellers don’t charge it no matter where they are located. if your state does, then you have to add that unpaid sales tax when you do your income tax for your state, at least in NY you do. (which added up to a mean surprise to me when I added it all up last year, because I went NUTS on EBAY last year on copper stuff, and china, and sterling flatwear. now have separate sets of china for Autumn, and bought up Spode Christmas tree, plus added to my Old Country roses set, because the prices were so good..but the unpaid taxes added up! Oh and there were VERY good buys on gently used and vintage table cloths, napkins, etc..went a bit berserk there…got those heavy duty woven cotton table cloths that fit a 6′ table for $10 each!! just beware, it’s addicting. I gave EBAY up for Lent, and that helped me break the overspending habit. Now i go with something specific in mind, and I don’t browse :)
and the baby sounds like he’s a bit ahead in development, and lucky you to have a good sleeper! He is cuteness plus!
Michelle,
Joseph is gorgeous. It’s unbelievable that he’s been sleeping so well, You’re lucky. My hubby and I moved to the distant northern NYC suburbs 17 years ago and love every minute of it. So glad the fur babies are getting used to the new home.
Have a wonderful Mother’s Day.
Annamaria
Try remnant city for rugs. We moved into a house with main level hard wood floors in December and went to remnant city on a random trip to see what they have. We are close to the Wexford/warrendale location, but they have second location off 51. Family owned joint which I prefer. We got 8×10′ and 10×12′ rugs with finished edges/binding at a dollar per foot for a little over $500 total. Came with leftover remnant too.
I look forward to Friday’s posts just to see that gorgeous baby :-) Such a handsome little man.
Adorable baby..fabulous view..Happy first Mother’s Day!
Joseph just gets cuter and cuter! Happy first Mother’s Day! :-)
After searching for many months, we found our rug at IKEA. We needed a larger (8x10ish) area rug, and they had a good price on one that matched our decor and was super soft. We’re very happy with it!
We just ordered a large area rug from RugsUSA, and it’s great. Seems to be good quality, and looks just as it was pictured on their website. It was on sale for 75% off, so it was a great deal! We’ve now bought 2 sets of barstools from Garden Ridge (although Garden Ridge is no longer here anymore), and they’ve been great as well. Nothing fancy, but they still look new, even with 2 little ones :)
Happy Mother’s Day!
Check these area rugs. We have purchased three and they are great!
http://www.lonestarwesterndecor.com/cowhiderugs.html
I love IKEA for rugs – super fun and affordable. And Joseph is adorable!
I definitely noticed the mobile site and loved it! I cook using your recipes from my tablet or phone, so it makes a big difference. We just got some custom bar stools at a local bar and billiards place. The problem with “custom made” is that they were expensive, and we ordered them in March and they still aren’t here! My parents’ house has some bar stools that were purchased in a similar place, though, and she swears that those stools will be there long after she is gone. The quality really is good, but I’ve looked at Costco’s website and they have some good looking ones.
He is just so precious! Great photo of those baby birds! Spring does seem like the time of rebirth and blooming everywhere you look.
Happy Mother’s Day Weekend! Joseph is such a cute and happy looking baby. Great how he sleeps – my mom says that means he’s very healthy and content…
The view from the deck is gorgeous – and you will get lots of animal type “visitors” now that you are out in the woods more. You might want to talk with your vets about changes to “pest” control for Duke and Einstein.
HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY! You can’t help but be in a good mood after viewing one of Joseph’s pictures. He is such a happy little fella! Einstein looks so relaxed..he is such a beautiful dog! The view from your house is breath-taking!
I want to come see Gettysburg sometime…I love being in places that has so much history! Enjoy your first mother’s day weekend!
Oh my lord, your Joseph gets cuter by the week! Love those kissable cheeks. And your woods look lovely. Enjoy!
Joseph is so stinkin’ cute!
Happy FIRST Mother’s Day, Michelle!❤️
Your new backyard view– lovely!!
I look forward to a new picture of that little cutie on Fridays!!!
I just discovered wayfair.com
They have everything home and EXCELLENT customer service :)
RugsUSA.com is having a sale until Sunday, 75 percent off select rugs. I have two from their and just love them.
Congrats on Joseph sleeping so much. Good thought about the ponytail, but also remember that long dangling earrings will catch his attention, and that will hurt a lot when he pulls on them. Great comments from people about the gate on the wonderful porch stairs and the ticks info – very important! Happy 1st Mothers Day!!
I just moved as well (at the end of March) and I’ve been getting a lot of things from accent furniture to lamps to area rugs at http://www.birchlane.com. They occasionally have sales and if you are a first time buyer, you get a 10% discount. I’ve even had to return an area rug and they made it very easy and their customer service is great. I’ve had a few things on backorder and because I had to wait more than two weeks, they sent a 10% coupon. The downside is that they are front door delivery only (I live in a 3rd floor walk-up). Happy First Mother’s Day!
Michelle, you’re in the Pittsburgh area, correct? So am I, and I bought my counter-height bar stools from a place called Room Concepts. They are located in the South Hills on Route 51. I was able to customize them – the upholstery, the frame color/material, etc. They were great to work with and it didn’t take long for the bar stools to be ready. It’s been at least 8 years since I bought them, and they are holding up great. Maybe give them a look!
Joseph is so precious! What a smile! I was a young mother in the 70s and had waist long hair – yep – ponytails will save ya! LOL
What a gorgeous view! We are going to be building our LAST house next year – and the view there is phenomenal, too! And all the nature you get to see – I know we will love it there as you do where you are.
Einstein looks so fluffy and curly in that picture – and comfy! Enjoy your weekend and your first Mother’s Day!
Happy First Mother’s Day, Michelle! What a wonderful day for you to be celebrated!
As for stools and rugs, we found a ton at Garden Ridge, or I think it’s called At Home now. It’s in Robinson, the old Wicke’s Furniture building. We got rugs and runners there, but ultimately got our bar stools at Levin Furniture, because they were really heavy, solid wood. I knew I was attaching a portable high chair for everyday use so I wanted to be sure I had something very sturdy and heavy, so my son couldn’t just rock it over.
Congratulations on your new house! I have only one caution. PLEASE, with the dogs and yourselves be vigilant about ticks. Your very wooded area filled with wildlife makes you at risk. If you don’t already know proper tick protocol, the National Capital Lyme website is very helpful. My brother-in-law died at the age of 47 from Lyme disease. Sorry to be a downer, but this topic is very important to me. Enjoy your new home. Love your website!
First, Joseph is adorable! I wanted to share that since you have deck stairs you may want to install a hinged gate on your deck to protect Joseph from the stairs. We did that at our house, installed a hinged gate at the top of the deck stairs. That way our toddler could run around and use ride-on toys on the deck while while we grilled out without worry every time she got near the stairs.
Happy Mother’s Day and congratulations on the new house! As for rugs and bar stools, I have found that Ballard Designs (online) has a great selection of both. Sign up for their emails to get a coupon. I bought bar stools from them years ago and they still look great – super comfortable and they wipe down easily (kids…). They were a little pricey but definitely worth the extra money to have something nice looking and long lasting in our home. Also, 1 tip on the rugs – we moved almost 2 years ago to a house with hardwood floors and I put an area rug in the area near the French doors that go out to our back deck. It didn’t take long for it to be completely filthy from our 2 dogs going in and out but I had to do something to protect the floors in that area (very high traffic area). I ended up buying an indoor/outdoor rug from Ballard Designs. I really like the design and it has been a dream. We can literally roll it up, throw it over our deck railing and hose it down. That came in very handy when one of our dogs was sick! 1 other thing – splurge on nice rug pads – they too are worth the $. Good luck!
grandinroad.com I have 9 of the Julien barstools for counter height but they have bar height too. I have 4 kids…right now 5 with our foreign exchange student….my kids have friends over all the time…all teenagers mind you…and these have held up! Buy the best quality you can for barstools if you will be sitting there a lot or they won’t last long. These don’t go on sale much but they always do around Thanksgiving Black Friday. I bought some and then added more when they went on sale. Great website with quality furniture. Good luck and Happy 1st Mother’s Day!
Congratulations on your new house and your new home!
I’m following you from France, we’re about to move to a new house too and havingour 2nd baby so.. we totally understand fatigue and not much free time and need of peace and quiet!
anyways, love your posts and blog :)
Mobile version’s great too, I always read your posts during lunch time at work!
Restoration Hardware has amazing bars tools if your looking for something unique!
Joseph looks like such a happy boy! And I love the little bit of baby chub on his arms :)
I love the view from your back deck! Someday I would like to buy a house that’s at least a little bit secluded. That’s how I grew up and I miss it!
I haven’t had any soft serve ice cream yet this year, but our local ice cream parlor has seen us several times. My favorite flavor? Better Brownie Batter!
Happy Friday!
Love the darling baby pictures! So cute! Although I’ve worn my hair long most of my life, I always just went short when my babies were at that grabby stage. It also avoided the spit up and drool in the hair. LOL
We’re moving house in a few weeks to a new place with all-wood floors, so I’ve been shopping around for rugs myself. If you guys have a World Market near you, I recommend checking out their selection. Some of the best prices I’ve seen at retail for some really massive, gorgeous rugs. If you’re looking to do e-shopping, they of course sell online as well, and there’s also Rugs USA (rugsusa.com), which has a huge selection and frequently has sales and clearances. That site is great because you can search by color, pattern type, size, etc.
Just wanted to wish you a joyful first Mother’s Day. Your little guy is precious and that smile, tooo cute. Congrat’s on your new home…I am sure it is nice to be settled in what appears to be a beautiful, peaceful place. I can only imagine what your view will look like in September and October…gorgeous I am sure.
Joseph is adorable! Nice view from the deck, and how wonderful to have baby robins.
Happy First Mothers Day Michelle, may your day be filled with love, joy and happiness.
Joseph is such a cutie. Enjoy every minute! And outstanding on his sleep. I had to wait 2 YEARS before my son slept thru the night. I kid you not!! I found great rugs in Homegoods and barstools in Pier One. Good luck in your new home!
That smile – he is going to be a charmer! The new house sounds great. Happy Mother’s Day!!
Congratulations on your new home – love the view! Joseph is just the most handsome baby boy! I’m going to be in Philadelphia next month, and then heading to D.C., on a school trip with my son. I’m really looking forward to it!
Mother’s Day sounds like a good day for that ice cream cone you’ve been wanting!!!
Now, I’m craving some soft serve! Happy Friday and Happy Mother’s Day. :)
I live in South Africa and I love reading your Friday Things….Joseph is gorgeous, I love his smile….The view from your deck looks so peaceful.