Friday Things #328
1. This is one of my favorite pictures I’ve taken of the boys, and it was totally candid. These two can bicker and fight like nobody’s business, but they’re each also always looking for the other one to play with, make up games with, or just have a partner in crime. I love watching them together.
2. And this little lady appears to be one with no fear, as she’s been trying her hardest to climb on anything and everything she can get her hands on. Apparently, paddleboard lessons will be in her future? She’s still not walking yet, but appears to be getting closer and closer every day!
3. Dominic is 2.5 and I love him at this age, he is such a fun, sweet kid :)
4. Has anyone given the Aquis hair system a try? I’m totally intrigued and thinking about it.
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5. I’ve never used Chewy.com, but after reading this story I’m totally checking it out to see if there’s anything we get for the dogs that we can buy through them. I love when people and companies show genuine compassion.
6. Trending like crazy this week is my coconut cake with coconut meringue buttercream – a perfect summer dessert.
7. Fantastic, thoughtful read –> How to Be a Better Conversationalist by ‘Supporting’ Instead of Shifting’
8. How do you cut a round cake? Love this hack of using a cutting board to assist, but I would totally cut those pieces at least 2 to 3 times bigger ;-)
9. I shopped at Trader Joe’s for the first time yesterday! I got a handful of frozen and pantry items that everyone always talks about, but what I’d really love to know from anyone who shops there regularly, is how is their produce? How would you say it compares to Whole Foods or maybe even Costco? I always have good luck at those places with my produce, but my regular grocery store can be hit or miss.
10. TGIF! These two wish you a great weekend!
Trader Joe’s is just so random in terms of product quality but as a long time user (I went to the one in East Liberty before it opened in the North Hills), I think the best value is with unprocessed foods – nuts, dried fruits, pasta, etc. Most people seem to love their prepared and processed items but they’re, well, processed. I think that their produce is declining a bit in quality. Our big grocery store is certainly comprehensive but the produce, particularly organic, is limited. Huge bins of a few things. Whole Foods is really the best of the lot but an increasing number of products are their own 365 brand and they can be mediocre. Frankly, I stick to my CSA and Butcher Box, your recommendation from a few years ago.
Love the cutting cake hack. I’m going to try this, but the super small cake pieces must be for some super weight conscious group or they had more people show up for the party than cake. I’m getting in line with you BEB!! Bigger pieces.
P.S. LOVE your posts and especially those photos of your 2 goldens!!!
Trader Joe’s – try their coconut hair mask if you haven’t already done so. It is $2.99 or $3.99 and it is one of the single best hair products I’ve ever used. I replace my regular conditioner once a week with the mask. I color my hair every 6 weeks and the mask fixes the dry, frizzies that come with coloring. Love it!
I too am going to start ordering through Chewy.com after watching the Netflix special “Life in the Doghouse.” Chewy gives some sort of discount to this amazing rescue!
Another positive review from Chewy here. They have always been so responsive and completely understand when something you buy for your pup doesn’t work out the way you’d hoped. They’ve sent a couple of people I know flowers after their dog passed and they refunded me the cost of the last bag of dog food I bought just a couple of weeks before my Smokey passed. They also sent me a gorgeous little canvas painting of him from a photo I had sent them in the course of communicating with their customer service team too.
I’m always looking for the most cost-efficient way to buy all the dog necessities, but I feel really good about giving Chewy my business. They are pet people who get it.
TJ’s produce is as good as Costco in terms of price and quality, without having to buy in bulk. Depending on which WF you go to, TJ’s is as good a quality, but workout the high price. WF always has more selection than either. The WFs here in Hawaii are way overpriced, and there are local stores with much better local produce. We have three on Oahu and I seldom shop there. We do not have TJ’s in Hawaii at all, but we Hawaiians LOVE to shop there evidenced by all the blue TJ stay cool bags in baggage claim. And speaking of bags, at $1 each for the regular reusable shopping bags, this is the best bang for your buck in the entire store. They last forever.
We love Chewy. If you use Autoship you get a discount and free shipping if you spend over $49. We get The Real Meat Company 90% Beef Grain-Free Air-Dried Dog Food in the 10 pound bag, but we use them as treats and it lasts a long time! It’s almost all meat and highly recommended. We also use Virbac C.E.T. HEXtra Premium Dental Dog Chews, X-Large. Our vet recommends them for keeping teeth clean. I don’t brush my dogs teeth very often, but he gets one of these a day and loves them and his teeth look great!
4. I have the Aquis towel and it is ok. I’m not super convinced it has helped my hair dry any faster or be any smoother than a regular towel. However, I have very long hair and it covers all of my hair and keeps it wrapped tightly, much better than a normal towel. It is also very lightweight so it is great for travel!
5. LOVE Chewy! They are the best pet website and I haven’t noticed a change since they were purchased by Petsmart. They ship so quickly, their auto ships are easy to manage, and the one time I wrote a bad review for a product, they contacted me, gave me a refund, and apologized for it not working out! I’ve also heard they ask you to donate returns instead of shipping it back. Amazing customer service!
9. I have had a good experience with TJ produce. Not Whole Foods but decent for the price. They have some unique produce, a great selection, and quality seems better or as good as the market. However, I can’t get over their excessive packaging. Everything is prepackaged so you can’t pick your own and soooo much extra plastic. I have heard they are working on the plastic waste issue though.
I like Tj’s for there frozen fruits, nuts, salsas, organic corn tortillas chips, Asian frozen rice, and there flowers. Pretty good prices for all that stuff here in Novi MI. I have looked at there produce but have not been impressed. I have other markets that I go to for produce, and cost for those fresh things really doesn’t matter to me as long as it’s great quality, preferably local or at least within in the US is more important to me! Boys are getting so big! So is the “little miss thing”, she looks like she is testing her limits!!! God Speed💛💙