Friday Things
1. I mentioned last week that we got a new addition to the family; without further ado, allow me to introduce… Duke! He’s also a Golden Retriever and is two months old today. We’re loving our new little guy; he has a cute personality and is definitely keeping us on our toes (as well as sleep-deprived). He and Einstein are slowly getting acquainted; they’re beginning to play quite a bit, they’re stealing each other’s toys, and poor Einstein is getting his ears and tail assaulted on a daily basis. He’s been a good sport and seems to be protective over Duke. I think they’re going to be inseparable BFFs!
2. Speaking of being sleep-deprived, getting a puppy is not a good time to try to give up Diet Coke. As a result, I made a big pitcher of iced coffee to get me through some puffy-eyed days. I’ve been doctoring it up with Torani chocolate syrup and half-and-half. I think my next step is going to be making a homemade mocha frappuccino. Does anyone have a good recipe? I love the Starbucks version.
3. If you’re bummed that summer produce is coming to an end, check out this awesome DIY tutorial on how to make your own dried fruit. Love, love, love this! I definitely want to try it!
4. I have struggled with getting into a good cleaning routine since we moved back at the end of May. Does anyone have any recommendations for putting together a schedule? I found this daily cleaning schedule on Pinterest that I might give a shot. If nothing else, with two Golden Retrievers, I know we’re going to vacuuming pretty much everyday!
5. I swear that one of these months I’m actually going to complete a photo challenge. Here is the September one from Fat Mum Slim, I’m going to give it a shot:
6. I had my fantasy football draft this past week, which is always fun. Are any of you playing this year? How does your team look? I think I had a pretty good draft with a balanced team; Yahoo gave my draft a “B”… good enough for me! :)
7. More importantly, my Chief Culinary Consultant and I started our ticket purchasing for Penguins games this season… bring on the chilly air rising up from the ice, the sound of skate blades cutting through ice and the blaring goal horn. I am more than ready for hockey to begin! Only a little over a month away now!
8. I’m still unsure if I’ll be able to play hockey this fall, which is a bummer. Remember when I sliced my finger in the kitchen a couple of months ago? I still don’t have much mobility in that finger (meaning I can’t form a fist or fully grip anything with that hand, including things like a hockey stick) and it’s starting to be a little painful, so I’m off to see a hand specialist next week. Fingers crossed (no pun intended) that some physical therapy is all I need to get things right!
9. As a Full House fan from the time I was seven, I love this post from The Kitchn – 8 Important Things We Learned About Food From Michelle Tanner.
10. TGIF! Here’s to new friends!
Fell in love with Einstein and now all over again with Duke. Looks like they will be BFF! Hope everything goes well with you’re finger. Did I miss the wedding pics?
Your new puppy is sooo cute! Love the idea of homemade dried fruit. I hope your finger gets better soon. My mom grated her thumb some years ago. It took awhile but it is pretty much back to normal now. Sometimes time is all it needs, for better or worse.
I just saw this post – on Wednesday – AFTER you posted it! I love the picture of Duke and Einstein – made me smile and made my day! Thank you so much for sharing it!
That last picture is just awesome!!!! I highly recommend getting a rumba for those little everyday vacuumes in between large cleans!
Totally love the photos of Duke and Einstein! Those babies are beautiful! You make me happy when I see them! Thank you!
So adorable!!! I love that last photo!
We just got a kitten a few weeks ago and it’s amazing how much joy and energy they bring to the house : )
Our Bella Goldie is 4 years old – best friend ever!
Here’s a recipe I downloaded for Mocha Frap. – haven’t tried it yet myself but it looks/sounds good:
Mocha Frappuccino
From Savory Sweet Life – Pastry Affair blog
Yields 1 serving
1 1/2 cups ice cubes
3/4 cup of milk
1 teaspoon espresso powder mixed in 1/4 cup hot water*
1 tablespoon sugar (more or less to taste)
2 tablespoons chocolate syrup
whipped cream (optional)
* If you are fancy and have an espresso machine, use 2 ounces of espresso and eliminate the espresso powder and hot water. Or, if you only have a coffee maker, you can use strong coffee in place of the espresso powder and hot water. Use 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup of strong coffee and cut back on the milk accordingly.
Blend together ice, milk, espresso (cooled), sugar, and chocolate syrup. Pour into a tall glass and top with whipped cream. For an extra touch, garnish with cocoa powder or chocolate syrup.
Duke is too stinkin’ cute!! As a fellow Golden mom and lover, you have me itching to give our Maddie a sister or brother :)
This is a great website that also has “daily chores” http://www.home-ec101.com/clean-it/weekly-chore-schedule/
Duke and Einstein look like they are going to be great buddies! I have two goldens, Cali 6 and Teddy 14 months, they are inseparable. We love our goldens!
What a cute puppy!!!
Try http://www.cleanmama.net for a cleaning schedule plus a lot more useful things.
She has a lot of good tips!!!
OMY He is really , really cute!! I love puppy dogs!!
That picture of Duke….so precious! It’s a good thing puppies are so cute because they are a lot of work.
Ooohhh I’m playing hockey for the first time ever this fall and I’m SO excited! I hope your finger gets better!
AHHHH! My head is going to explode from the cuteness!
Duke is adorable! I still remember picking up our girls Roxanne and Samantha) – they were so scared
and unsure of the car. Now it’s nothing!!!
Your puppies are both adorable!!
Your dogs are SOOOOOO CUTE!!! I would be lovin’ them up every chance I got!! Your “family”!!
OHHH MY!!! What a great picture of those two sitting there together. We had a 13 year old 1/2 Lab-1/2 Golden who was black when we got our Golden puppy who is now 15 months old. I have a similar picture of our two from last Steeler season and I called them my Black & Gold Duo. Our sweet Lab-Golden passed away right before Easter. I am beginning the search for another Golden puppy & can NOT wait to get one . . . I’m figuring that when I get this new pup I”ll also be getting a 2nd vacuum :). The Penguin ticket ordering has begun in our home too in anticipation of Sept 6th. Can’t wait! Fantasy Football was the rage here last weekend as we held our league’s draft. September will kick off with such a huge amount of excitement between Steelers football and Penguins hockey tickets going on sale. Good luck with your Fantasy Football team!
Hi Duke! I hope your finger is ok!
OMG Duke is awesome! What a pair. :)
I got a C on my fantasy draft…here’s hoping I turn that into a better record.
what a cutie!! love the big/little pic :)
So darn cute…all that fluffiness. I bet Einstein will be a wonderful big brother.
Thanks for sharing. Now…wedding photos, please!!
I’ve been meaning to do one of those photo a day things, but I always fall off the wagon and forget! Second, I love the last pic with both of your doggies, so cute! Duke is to small :)
OMG, that last photo of Duke and Einstein is beyond sweet! I’m still smiling…
You made my day! You brought a huge smile to my face with the pics of your Goldie’s!
I have 2 Goldies, myself, & it brought back memories of when they were pups! So, Thank you! I love your blog & always look forward to it! so glad I joined! :)
He is so adorable. The picture of Duke and Einstein together, I fell in love with. I have a 4 year old German Shepherd but not sure how he would do with a new pup.
Love, love, love your pups! They are so precious….I need a cleaning cycle…the only thing I have down is laundry happens on Friday. Ironing happens on Tuesday. Why? I don’t know…it just works.
There are very few things on earth cuter than a baby Golden. :) Congrats on Duke joining the family! Even though my baby is 4 years old, I still vividly remember puppyhood and I don’t envy you right now. :)
Love, love, LOVE your site! …try flylady.net for your cleaning routines ;)
Puppy is absolutely adorable!
Cleaning tips from this lady are very good:
http://thisladyshouse.com/content/how-clean-your-house-professional
Also may I suggest a Roomba vacuum? I’ve heard they are wonderful and programmable. Plus here is a funny video with a cat on one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLt5rBfNucc
Have a nice weekend!
Oh, I want to bury my nose into Duke’s fur and smell his puppiness, but I also want to love on Einstein and tug on his silky-soft ears. I adore Goldens and miss ours dearly. Thanks for sharing yours today. I also like (and don’t like) that cleaning schedule on Pinterest. I need to quit dragging my heels and get into a rhythm with it too. Maybe this will help. I’ll set down for a while and think on it a bit. :)
Aww!! He is just so cute!!!
Duke is a cutie-patootie. We have always been a two Goldie family and fun to watch the bond grow between the younger and older one. Love the idea of photo challenge, just afraid that I’ll find myself playing catchup at the end of each week. Love your site, have shared it numerous times. Knowing you are a Goldie lover is like icing on a cake for me!
Awww he so cute…
Oh that dog has my heart. So cute and I love the name!
Congratulations on bringing Duke into your family; he is such a sweet little love-fluff! I remember when we brought our Irish Setter, Sienna, home (she was 10 weeks old) and how the sleepless nights never seemed to end, but they do! Good call on the large pitcher of iced coffee! Hoping your finger heals quickly–healing thoughts coming your way!
Oh my gosh!! That little guy is the cutest. I want a new puppy!
Ohhh, Duke it SO ADORABLE!! I LOVE that you share your pics of “your babies”! They always make me smile. Our Golden, Lexi died 2 1/2 yrs ago & I’m still not over it. Einstein reminds me so much of my Lexi, it makes me smile! Thanks!
Aww what a sweet baby! Glad to see he and Einstein are hitting it off!
He is ADORABLE! What a sweet face! Congrats on the newest member of your family.
And hockey…bring it on! We’ve been at the rink twice this week, tournament next week. I didn’t realize I was suffering withdrawal all summer until I tripped over the smelly hockey bag in my foyer.
Hey there! Puppy is adorable! Where did you rescue him from??!!!!
I’ve been waiting all week for you to reveal the new addition! He is absolutely adorable!! I’m glad Einstein is adjusting well…it takes a little bit for them to get used to not having all the attention to themselves but in the end they end up being inseparable! Good luck with the training and I can’t wait for Einstein and Duke picture overload!
Love all the recipes and you have two of the sweetest dogs. :)
That’s too funny… I immediately thought the same thing-
‘Einstein has a mini me’!
Your puppy is adorable! I remember when our golden was that size. Hard to believe he was ever that size now that he’s over 100 pounds! Hope they get along well!
oh my goodness those doggies are adorable!!!! have an amazing weekend!
OMG that little guy is SO cute!!! We’ve been wanting to get a puppy, but fall is such a busy time for us that we’ll have to wait :(
I also had a draft this past week…my first time! I thought my team was pretty good, but Yahoo gave it a C. Oh well, we’ll see how things go!
Good gracious that is an adorable little fluffy face!
Oh, yes, yes, yes! I highly recommend Fat Mum Slim’s photo a day! I’ve been doing it since December and I think my photography eye has really improved. It’s so fun and creative. You’ll love it.
Duke is adorbs! Love that Einstein is protective of him. Yes, bring on the hockey! But, oh noooooo! So sorry to hear about your hand, Michelle. Good luck seeing the specialist. I truly hope you have some good options to get back in the swing of things. Thanks for sharing and have a wonderful Labor Day holiday weekend!
Awwww!!!! What a gorgeous little pup Duke is! Can’t wait to get my own retriever pup when we finally move into our house :)
It’s so depressing – the last day of August, so thanks for the great pup pictures. Gave me a smile to begin my day. AHHH..that last picture is too cute.
Oh I absolutely love the photo of Duke and Einstein! Golden retrievers are just the most beautiful animals! Have fun and hope you get some sleep soon!
:-) Lucy
I have a great coffee punch recipe that I have had for over 30 years…..way before Starbucks!! It is aa espresso base with chocolate syrup and milk, that you keep in the fridge. To serve, you pour it over Breyers French vanilla ice cream!! Email me if you want the recipe!!!
Einstein and Duke —what a precious pair of pups! Best wishes for much happiness and love to the whole family! Hope the finger issues resolve quickly for you. Take care …….
XO
Duke is so precious!!! He looks like a Minnie me of Einstein. I look forward to more awesome doggie treats now that you have two to cook for. I also wanted to mention that I found your wonderful site three nights ago, and I am hooked! I have told a few of my friends to visit your site so they can get hooked also. Lol.
Awww! Welcome Duke! :) Such a sweetie!
Sorry to hear about your finger, and really glad you’re getting it checked out. Good luck!
Duke is absolutely gorgeous. The photo of the 2 of them is fantastic.
I’m doing project life so the photo a day for Sept. is great. Will give it a go.
Just an FYI, the Kitchn article is linking to your sliced finger post.
Ahh, thank you for the heads-up, I fixed it!
Duke is all sorts of A+mazing!
I had a golden retriever growing up. best dog ever.
I love the photo a day. I’m going to give it a try and see if I can stick with it.
Duke is just adorable! Congrats on the new addition!
Your finger/hand…ouch. So sorry you are still struggling with this. I remember I had a wicked burn on my hand that took about 6 weeks to heal right around the time of your slice. And I am sorry to hear it hasn’t healed as well as could be. Good luck with the hand specialist.
Starbucks mocha frapp. I have a copycat caramel frapp recipe on my site and it’s Skinny. Only 50 cals in the whole thing! You could probably just add a bit of cocoa powder and omit the caramel and you’re set.
That little puppy Duke is just precious! They are a lot of work, but who can resist such a darling little face like that? I’m sorry to hear about your finger — hope that turns out ok. I’ve never done fantasy football, but I’m so happy the NFL is starting soon, plus my baseball team is #1 right now. So excited!
The last picture made me smile! Duke is such a sweetheart, can’t wait for more pup pictures! Have a great weekend!
Your new puppy is adorable!
I hear you on the iced coffee; I keep a pitcher of cold-brew on hand at all times. :)