Friday Things
- I can’t believe that this sweet little boy is going to a year old in less than two weeks, gah! I keep thinking back to this time last year… I was so excited and nervous and anxious… I had no idea what to expect. This past year has been amazing and watching Joseph grow and learn and do tons of new things has been the most rewarding thing I’ve ever experienced. Simply the best.
2. I’m loving this perspective on New Year’s resolutions >> 16 Goals To Set For Next Year That Are More About Enjoying What You Have Than Chasing What You Don’t.
3. Kind of sad that all of the Christmas decorations are going to come down this weekend. We’re pretty steadfast on keeping them until Epiphany, but since that was Wednesday, I guess it’s time to start packing everything up. Nothing beats the glow of Christmas lights!
4. I love purging unused and past-its-prime items, so I’m totally digging this list >> 200 Things to Throw Away.
5. This is slightly cheesy, but I really liked it, especially since we just turned the page on a new year :)
6. A list of lists is music to this habitual list-maker’s ears! >> 21 Lists You Need to Keep to Lead a More Satisfying Life.
7. This video of a 90-year-old Canadian man who still plays hockey three days a week is amazing, inspiring and everything in between. Seriously, look at him GO!
8. I am really hoping to pick up my reading game this year. I used to read so much, and I’ve totally fallen off the wagon the last couple of years. What was your absolute favorite book from 2015?
9. We were late to the game, but my husband and I started watching Sherlock on Netflix, and wow, is it insanely good! Huge recommendation if you haven’t discovered it yet!
10. TGIF! Someone can’t wait to play with his big brothers and their rings!
To add to the book recommendations without repeating the great books that have already been mentioned – “Wonder” – easy to read, but there is so much more than meets the eye to this book.
I absolutely love posts that ask for book recommendations so I can scroll thru the comments & get ideas! :) I easily read a book a week & have 2 that stood out to me in 2015. I didn’t want either of them to be done… I loved them both SO MUCH! “The Language of Flowers” by Vanessa Diffenbaugh & “Take Me With You” by Catherine Ryan Hyde. Ever since I’ve finished them, I’ve been on a mission to get my hands on other books by the same authors. An all-time fave is “Still Alice” by Lisa Genova (I’ve since read all her other books & really liked all of them).
Oh. My. Goodness. That sweet baby is so beautiful! Thank you for letting us share in your life. I am grateful for your consistency in keeping up this blog. I love the routine that you have established and maintained.
It’s so hard to pick favorite books. (I narrowed it down to a “top ten” in my personal record.) The two that I would most highly recommend are “Better Than Before” by Gretchen Rubin and “The Circle Maker” by Mark Batterson. “Bread & Wine” by Shauna Niequist was lovely too. Also, these have nothing to do with 2015, but are easy and compelling fiction: http://www.karenkingsbury.com/#!baxters/c1jop
I have so enjoyed your posts in the last year, especially following Joseph’s milestones. He is such a cutie! Make every moment count with him, it goes fast. Looking forward to the next year of milestones. Oh, and I love your recipes, too!
My favorite book of 2015 was hands down The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah. I have recommended it to tons of people.
Best book in 2015 – Martian!!!
Putting away my Christmas decorations today. Sad that the festive season goes so fast, it seems so hectic all of December and then it’s over before you know it. I found the 200 things pretty basic but a post on my Facebook page recently about doing things better made me wonder why we couldn’t be happy with what we have/how we are so I loved the 16 goals. I’m older (62) so maybe I’ve given up trying to improve on myself! In regard to books, I love a good crime/thriller or whatever you call books like Gone Girl/Girl on the Train and anything by Jodi Picoult. I see you got some of the snow you were wishing for!
That pic of Joseph is so cute! My favorite book this year is An Unnecessary Woman. It was fantastic!! Happy New Year to you Michelle and to all of your followers, too.
Some of these were published in 2014, but it’s interesting how often the same books come up in the comments above.
For fiction, I also enjoyed All The Light We Cannot See, The Girl on the Train, Station Eleven and would add The Lake House by Kate Morton and The Martian by Andy Weir (though the writing doesn’t compare to the others, it is still an interesting thought experiment and has some funny moments).
For nonfiction: Dead Wake by Erik Larson (well researched and fascinating, not to mention heartbreaking, account of the sinking of the Lusitania), Without You There is No Us (a rare look at life in North Korea) by Suki Kim
Always love reading your Friday Things! I agree hands-down…Sherlock is awesome! Such a great cast and Benedict Cumberbatch is so good!
I have been following your blog for quite some time. Thank You for sharing your life in words and photos. I love your little son (he is a doll) and your dogs are the sweetest as well. Thank You–I especially enjoy “FridayThings”.
I lucked into a book at Goodwill–The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield. My husb. liked it too, and we never like the same book!
Every Friday, I look forward to seeing the latest new pic of your sweet little boy. That photo of him sitting and staring at his first Christmas tree should be on the front of your Christmas card for 2016. Like you, I’m sad it’s time to take the holiday decorations down; but I display a Nativity set all year long.
My book recommendations are (1) The Martian by Andy Weir. It was the basis for the Matt Damon movie — but I think the book was even better and (2) anything by Jennifer Haigh — start with Baker Towers because it’ll feel like home. The story takes place in a small coal town near Pittsburgh.
I second this vote for The Martian! Super good. I liked many of the other titles listed, too– The Nightingale was great. Also recommend Judy Blume’s In the Unlikely Event. I read a lot of YA novels, too, and recommend anything by John Green, Nil, The Fifth Wave, and The Eighth Day. These are lighter, faster reads that I can squeeze in around the household insanity. :-)
I love that camera quote! I am totally going to share that on Facebook!
I, too, would recommend All the Light We Cannot See – I read this while on a Danube River cruise in November and it paired beautifully with our locations. I liked Girl on a Train as well. I just finished the latest Nelson DeMille thriller over Christmas vacation – I love everything he writes.
Happy 2016 to you and your family!
A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
I also loved A Man Called Ove. I still think about it.
Hi! Just wanted to let you know that two of my fav books this year were All the Light we Cannot See and Station Eleven. I would suggest Goodreads (as I see a few others have already) as it’s the best way to track books and see what everyone else is reading! You can also set a reading goal! Also, SO glad you started watching Sherlock. You are lucky as you have all the episodes to watch but I can guarantee you will be as depressed as the rest of us while waiting for the next season. I did just see the Abominable Bride in theaters and it was amazing! Enjoy :)
Ruth Riechl… if you have never read her books they are so hard to put down, especially for a foodie! I also just read a new novel called “The Life We Bury.” I don’t typically read thrillers, but I thought it was great!
We wait until Ukrainian Christmas (Epiphany), too! I just seems silly that we have the decorations up for so long before the holidays, that we jump to take them down right away afterwards. Why not wait an extra two weeks and keep most of the cheer in your home before we head into the coldest part of the winter?
Joseph is too cute as usual! Love the pic of him at the window watching Duke and Einstein play outside – you can tell he wants to be with them:) I read a lot of great books last year but it really depends on the genre you want to read – I will suggest using Goodreads to check out what peeps say about books and their list of this years best is pretty good. Will have to work my way through the things to throw out – I need a list like that to help me de-clutter! I love the chalkboard quote – I don’t think it’s cheesy:)
Happy almost Birthday to Joseph!! My baby just turned 8! It’s bittersweet to watch them move out of certain stages (I don’t miss the biting stage!) but so amazing to watch and thoroughly enjoy each new day!
My favorite books from last year were “The Nightingale” by Kristin Hannah, “Fangirl” by Rainbow Rowell, “The Book Thief” by Markus Zusek, and “After You” by JoJo Moyes (only if you’ve read Me Before You first…another favorite from 2014!)
Our babies are almost the same age (mine turns 1 in three weeks) and I’m so impressed with your ability to keep up with Brown Eyed Baker! Bravo! I’m getting ready to make the “All American Chili” this week. Thanks for all the great content and recipes. Happy New Year!
Best book of 2015 was definitely All the Light We Cannot See. So beautifully written. A must read. Happy New Year to you and your family!
I second this. It didn’t win the Pulitzer Prize for nothing. Some critics complain that it’s slow, but it’s one of the most incredibly gorgeous books I’ve ever read in my life. (And since I have two degrees that basically involved my reading constantly, that’s saying something.) It’s not a difficult book, either, nor is it overly long.
Station Eleven was also amazing! Much better than The Girl on the Train (which I did enjoy). It’s was also incredibly well done, and the story was super compelling. In fact, I had to take a small break from it for just a little while, but I couldn’t stop thinking about what might happen. Two big thumbs up for those books. Of the 55 I read last year, they stand out as tops.
Your son is so adorable! Thank you for sharing him with all of us each week. I loved the 16 goals and the list of things to be tossed. THANK YOU!
A great book is The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult.
THANK YOU for all of your wonderful recipes, your creativity, and your amazing efforts to post something new daily!
Best book I read in 2015 was The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah. Amazing.
A thousand times yes!! This is great!!
Joseph is such a cutie, and I love seeing his new picture every Friday! Make sure to get a nice photo of him with his first birthday cake all over the place. That’s a keeper you’ll love looking back on!
My favorite book from last year was probably either The Lake House by Kate Morton or A Curious Beginning by Deanna Raybourn (both favorite authors of mine). I have to say that I was not a fan of The Girl on the Train, though I know it was hugely popular last year. Maybe I will like the movie better. A suprise like was The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown (about the 1936 men’s olympic crew team). Bonus points for listening to the fabulous audiobook with Edward Hermann narrating!
I love, love, LOVE Sherlock! I am waiting anxiously for more episodes to show up on Netflix.
Joseph is lucky to have two wonderful “big brothers” to play with…or maybe they are lucky to have him?? :)
I read so many good books last year, I cannot pick a favorite. Check out Goodreads. My friends and I enjoy keeping up with what each other is reading.
I second that! Goodreads is a great way to keep track of your reading (loved seeing the total of pages I read last year!) and to share books with others!
That list of things to throw away – yesssssss! I’ve been steadily cleaning things out for the past year and the list is so helpful.
We are watching Sherlock too! I’m really enjoying it! We just started season 3 last night. Not sure if Netflix US has it, but look for a short prequel called Many Happy Returns before starting season 3. I’m in Canada, but found it on You Tube. I also read that there’s going to be a season 4, but there’s 2 part stand alone episode that is coming before that.
Michelle, your Joseph is such a happy little man. Love the pics of him! Hate taking our tree down as well. :( Regarding novels, I’m going to echo “All The Light We Cannot See” by Anthony Doerr as a must read. LOVED it! While not what I usually go for, I so enjoyed “The Girl on the Train,” by Paula Hawkins.
From Northeast Ohio…GO STEELERS!
So many great books to suggest! Here are three:
The Storied Life of AJ Fikry
The Bookman’s Tale by Charlie Lovett
The Keepers of the House
I love the chalkboard quote and the pics of your boys! Definitely recommend “The Girl on the Train”, so so good…didn’t want it to end. Have a great weekend!
Books…if you haven’t read Girl on a Train, that’s a must. Wild by Cheryl Strayed was really good. I’m half way through Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes and loving it.
Love these resolutions! And your kiddo is getting so big. Best book last year was Girl on the Train. (Close seconds were All the Light We Cannot See and Local Girls). Happy Friday!
I read Girl on the Train and All the Light We Cannot See too. Loved them both. Will check out Local Girl now.
“My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry” was the best book of 2015. Highly recommend.
I am with you on the Christmas decorations and will be undecorating this weekend. Not sure what I dread more seeing them go or actually taking them down and packing them away! I have a container full of snowman items I save to put out for January and February so it doesn’t look so empty. Have a great weekend and GO STEELERS!!
Love love your pics!!!! Your little guy has grown up (so fast) and becoming a handsome little man and your doggy’s are adorable!! I look forward to seeing them every Friday.
Thank you! for always posting!! :D