Friday Things
1. Poor Joseph has come down with a cold this week… all of his sniffling, runny nose and coughing is so sad :( However, being sick doesn’t really slow him down much – he still plays non-stop, is doing tons of walking, and is in a great mood!
2. About a month before Joseph’s birthday, my husband and I were talking about what to get him and we had decided on a nice toy box. Then, a few days later, my husband said he’d like to try to make one. He hadn’t ever done anything related to woodworking, but did some research, watched some YouTube videos, and with his dad’s help, he built this:
It’s absolutely gorgeous! I was so proud of him and had to brag :) Joseph loves standing over the side and pulling out the toys he wants to play with.
He just finishing a bookshelf for Joseph’s bedroom – I’ll share that as soon as it’s done!
3. I’m on the hunt for a gallon-size glass pitcher (with lid and spout) to replace our plastic iced tea container. I can’t seem to find them anywhere! Any suggestions?
4. Lovely advice from people who have been there.
5. I’ve been working on being more organized with what I need to do around the house and have been keeping a rough laundry schedule for a couple of months, but I’m loving how this is broken down [via]:
6. I’m going to be doing a reader survey within the next week (it’s been so long!) so keep an eye out! I always love to hear what you’re looking for from the site, and this will be your chance to give me tons of great feedback :)
7. Last week, I mentioned that I was going to use a Cook’s Illustrated method to clean out a neglected cast iron skillet. That method (heating oil and adding salt to create a paste) wasn’t enough to get the layer of caked-on crud off, so it looks like I’ll be stripping it entirely and reseasoning it.
8. If you’re a hockey fan, you’ve probably heard about the John Scott drama surrounding the all-star game last weekend. For those that aren’t – quick recap: he’s been in the league a long time, but isn’t really a skilled player, more of a fighter. He was voted into the all-star game (fan voting), but the league tried to put the kibosh on it. I hadn’t paid much attention to it until I read a piece he wrote in The Players’ Tribune: A Guy Like Me. Super read.
9. It’s Super Bowl weekend! Are you having a party? Who are you rooting for? I would be happy if either team won, but I’m pulling for Peyton Manning to win since this will probably be his last game.
10. TGIF! Einstein and Duke got groomed this week, so they’re soft, fluffy, smell great, and I just want to bury my head in their fur ❤️
Even though Health and Happiness are the most important things to work on if you want to live a long time, players shouldn’t forget about their BitLife characters’ Looks and Smarts stats. Most of the time, going to the gym is enough to keep a character’s Looks stat high, but if things get bad, fans can think about sending them to get plastic surgery. And if you want to keep your Smarts stat high, all you should really need to do is read books often. backrooms game
It looks absolutely beautiful! I was so proud of him that I had to brag:) Joseph loves to stand on the edge and pull out the toys he wants to play with.
Love the puppy, lost our 3rd to cancer (the others as well), so we decided not to go Golden again and adopted. Cherish them while you have them.
I like how his dad built him a toy box for his birthday
Thank you. I like structure, like the army- make your bunk every day, sweep and mop the floors every day…
I love this list, it is very helpful, thank you!
I don’t have garage but it’s nice how I can use that time to tidy up my balcony and take care of the plants :)
Great tips and graphic! Thank you!
Hi! I was wondering if you’d be okay with me sharing your cleaning schedule on my blog (with proper links back here of course!)? It’s great! Thanks!
Hi Jen, Sure thing! :)
One of the most important task is how to maintain the organization task all the time, since stocking kitchen matter thats using for a long time. Like throwing unused bottles, party cups, [my mom is hoarder] and she understands my sentimets to keep the house clean.
to remain organize, cabinets, devider is my weapon, but space is the main problem as well, so its economical to use rack, for kitchen caserole, pans…mine i bought @ shorisuperstore.com. They had a list for kitchen orgnzer but also for baking, cooking, and cleaning so its a convenient to me esp im busy all the time
One of the saddest and most unfair thing about being “the enforcer” is the likelihood that John Scott will develop–and most likely has–an irreparably damaged brain, the result of traumatic brain injuries sustained from the fighting he is forced to engage in by the NHL and his fans. Just as there have been traumatic deaths of football players, diagnosed with brain damage from hits, bumps, concussion after concussion while playing the “sport”, there are reports of similar injuries and deaths of hockey players.
I was a hockey mom. I am a hockey grandmother. I grew up in a small town, hockey-obsessed community. I love hockey–the speed of the game, watching developing teamwork and plays among the kids, the stick-handling, the ability of kids to see the route to a goal and then go for it… …And I hate the checking, the hitting, the fighting, the ways in which hockey coaches sic their biggest players on the best players of the opposing team, in defensive moves meant to injure and take some of the best and most talented athletes out of the game.
Playing sports, being involved in athletic programs, creating role models children can look up to, being proud of one’s work whether on the ice or in the GM office are important, even critical to life. Having fully functioning cognitive abilities, a healthy brain are a must. Does John Scott have the right to be an All-Star? He certainly does. He’s earned those gloves. Should he sacrifice his brain in the process? No, he should not. His daughters and his twins deserve to have to have that grown-up conversation with their dad.
Wow, that toy box is beautiful!
Love looking at pics of ALL 3 of your kids!!! Especially the furry ones. When I decided to make the change from plastic to glass containers 2 years ago, I purchased most of my containers from http://www.oneida.com. Can’t beat the sales or their low s & h $$$. Check them out.
Toy box made by Dad=instant heirloom! So sweet!!
I hope your little guy feels better soon!
Kari
http://www.sweetteasweetie.com
Amazon carries 68 oz pitchers. I don’t think you will find a gallon size as it would be too heavy. For that you will have to go to a Sun Tea Jar.
Toy box looks great! The whole John Scott story was very intriguing. I was following it since the players were announced. Looks like he was having a great time during the super skills night & it was so great to see what he did during the all star game. The fans loved it!
Beautiful toy box. It will be a treasure in your family passed down from child to child. One thing- and you may have done this or someone else may have posted on it. They make special hinges for toy boxes which prevent the lids from slamming down on little fingers and heads and necks. I thought I’d menton it just n case y’all did not use them or know about them.
Hope you have a great weekend and lots of fun for Super Bowl.
Hi Navar, Thanks so much for sharing about the hinge! My husband put one on that we can lock open so Joseph can’t shut it on himself. Once it does close, it’s a soft close.
I think Joseph’s daddy needs to start a DIY blog! Great looking toy chest! Can’t believe he’s not really a pro carpenter with those results! Hope Joseph feels better, but the lil’ guy still looks very happy in the pic. Your pet kids look beautiful + thank you for being their wonderful parent. I tackled my cast iron too….ugh!!! ? Take care.
Thank you for posting that article about John Scott. After hearing all the junk about him in the media, it was great to hear his side of the story. By the way, I love your site and always look forward to the weekly updates on your sweet boys (all 3 of them)! Have a great weekend!
Poor little Joseph! He looks great, though! I hate it when they LOOK SO SICK! That’s hard to take!
I LOVE the toy chest! I know you are both proud of that! Great job for a novice!
I bought 4 one gallon pitchers YEARS ago from Tupperware – and I still use them! Like almost 40 years ago! Check them out and see if they sell a gallon pitcher.
I have been blessed with my Mother’s AND my Grandmother’s cast iron skillets. Grandmother’s was a mess – my hubby works in a machine shop and he took it and sandblasted it back to raw metal and I proceeded to wash it and reseason it. My Mother taught me to always wash hers with soap and water after each use, then put it on the stove on low heat and rub crisco in it until it melted, then wipe out the residue. Her skillet still looks great! All the hype about never washing one is just that – hype – in my opinion.
Hi Robin, Wow, great to know about the soap and water! My pan that is perfectly seasoned typically never needs anything else than being wiped out. My less-than-perfect pan, I usually use kosher salt and oil with a scrub brush.
Hey Michelle, I had to come back to tell you that I read the hockey article and it is engrossing. It’s a rather sad story really and says so much about the judgements we make of others. I hope things work out for him.
Cutest baby by far. Hugs to all
Pinch & Swirl has a great post about cleaning cast iron. Not sure if more involved that what you have planned, but has a pretty amazing result.
We found a great half gallon glass jar for our milk from The Container Store. It seals pretty good so the milk doesn’t go bad and we don’t have to keep it in the cardboard container it came in.
the toy box turned out amazing. even with the trial and error that came with making it it was probably cheaper to make than buying one of the wooden ones or even one of the plastic ones.
Your hubby did a fantastic job making the toy box!
Now you can give him a list of other things he can make for you!?
I was sort of following the John Scott story….yay for him to get
to play in the all star game! (and be voting most valuable player!)
I enjoyed reading that article.
I’m trying to decide what to make for super bowl munchies. (so
far it’s no bake cookies and a pizza dip) I will be rooting for the Panthers because the coach is a former Bear player and think it would be so neat
for him to now get another super bowl ring. (he was on the 85 Bear super
bowl team) But I like Payton Manning so it wouldn’t be too disappointing if the Broncos do win.
I don’t know one thing about hockey, but that was a great article! I love your Friday posts and know when you recommend an article, it is going to be a good one, even if I am not at all familiar with the subject matter. Happy Weekend!!
I was going to suggest “Tupperware®” The Real stuff not the “Dollar Store” stuff. Then I realized you wanted “Glass” The suggestions are beautiful. I may even have to buy one.
First, I love your site!
Next a comment on starting over with your cast iron – after cleaning my oven for its normal 2hr super high heat cycle, I discovered that, quite by accident, I had left my skillet inside. After a moment of pure panic I realized that it was completely back to the original store bought finish! I re-oiled it, baked it some more and it was as good as new. No scouring out the old buildup!
Hope Joseph feels better!
Vera
Hi Vera, This is the third time I’ve heard about using the self-cleaning function to strip down the cast iron skillet. I’m totally doing it!
If your cast iron is really bad, try using electrolysis to remove the rust. Google ‘cast iron electrolysis’ and you’ll find a wealth of info about it and many helpful youtube videos. My husband did this for one of our skillets and it was quite amazing. Then I used the flaxseed oil method of reconditioning (on the grill outside because it was summer in AZ). That skillet was sooo beautiful at the end!
Thanks for the tip, I’ll check it out!
nice toy box, now stop with the projects for your husband or he won’t have free weekends anymore, lol. You can learn so much from youtube it’s amazing, anything!!
Haha! I don’t give him projects, he has been making a list, he’s enjoying learning something new :)
I love your Friday posts and love seeing pictures of Joseph.He is adorable. I am guessing he might be a clone of your husband.
You have to check out the new Subaru commercial. An adult Golden Retriver is driving around at night, with his/her fussy, puppy Golden strapped into a car seat, trying to get the puppy to fall asleep. It is a hoot. I imagine you can find it online. I have only seen it once…so far.
Hi Nancy, Thank you! Joseph is such a mix… some days I think he looks just like my sister and my dad; other days I think he looks like my father-in-law. Ironically, I feel like he looks the least like he my husband or I, haha!
I just found that commercial online and oh my gosh, I’m in love! I just watched it three times :)
Funny thing about babies…they can look so different from day to day.
I just wennt on the Suburu official website. I am not sure if you saw the video
there but if not, you have to check the sight out. There are a bunch more videos watch…I haven’t seen them on TV but each one is funny and unique. I have to say, I do feel for the puppy in the car seat. That position cannot be at all comfortable for the little guy.
Hello! First off, I love reading your blog. It is great for so many ideas. Now about that neglected cast iron skillet, I am from Georgia and old enough to be your Joseph’s Grandmother. Iron Skillet are kinda a thing down here and we are taught to cook on them. but it has always been my Daddy that Cleans it off when that can very neglected. He puts them in a wood fire to burn off all that crusted stuff. Afterward, I oil and salt it and put it in the oven at 400 degrees F, for 10minutes, turn off the oven but leave the skillet in there until it is well cool. Using a scrub brush and running hot water only, wash the skillet. I have my great grandmother’s, it has been through a house fire as well as over a 100 years and 4 generations of meals. I hope this helps. Have a great weekend!
Hi Pamela, Thanks so much for the cast iron tips!
First of all, GORGEOUS toy box. So much nicer than something you would buy.
Don’t strip your cast iron. I was just listening to America’s Test Kitchen, and there was a cast iron question. They said that for a bad skillet, you may have to repeat the salt pace process five or six times. Don’t give up!!!
We have a nice gallon pitcher from The Pampered Chef that we use for iced tea. It even fits on the refrigerator door, if you want to put it there.:
https://www.pamperedchef.com/shop/Outdoor/Outdoor+Entertaining/Family-Size+Quick-Stir+Pitcher/2274
I should mention, it is not glass, but that makes it lighter weight to use and it still looks pretty.
Ah! The toy box is absolutely gorgeous! Dan has been building things for Danny too, and I just love it! He has done a bookshelf, train table, race track, and now he is working on Danny’s closet. Has he checked out Rockler store on McKnight Rd? It’s a great wood working store.
Hi Amanda! Ooh thanks for the store rec – I’ll definitely pass it along!
I’m so sorry that I missed the “glass” part of your pitcher. I sometimes see those at same stores. ?
Maybe 2 of these:
http://www.amazon.com/Bormioli-Rocco-Frigoverre-Glass-Pitcher/dp/B00PT7239A/ref=pd_bxgy_79_3?ie=UTF8&refRID=0Z5EKNQFKH5C0S6VVATD
Maybe a good restaurant, kitchen, catering supply store!
Look on jossandmain.com. They have many glass drink dispensers – even a 2-gallon size! They are all beautiful. I got a tall, “multi-levei”, glass one from them a few years ago. Seems like the Super Bowl has been a long time coming this year. I like both of the teams in it and can’t bring myself to root against either team this year. So I’m just going to watch a football game for pure enjoyment of the game, and will be happy for whichever team wins (and sad for whichever loses). Wasn’t it great to see a Crosby hat trick the other night?! Been way to long. There is nothing like a freshly groomed Golden! My Golden girl gets all kinds of hugs and kisses after a grooming; just can’t help it :) Hope Joseph is feeling better soon. Enjoy your weekend!
I feel the same way about the Super Bowl – it’s nice not having a team in there that I’m adamantly rooting against (ahem). Ahhh, the Crosby hat trick! We gave our tickets away for that game because Joseph had been sick, we hadn’t gotten much sleep for a couple nights, didn’t feel like going, etc. We missed a good one!
Thanks for all the great links you give us. Hope one of these works for you! Have also seen them at tjmaxx, Ross, Marshall’s.
http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/item.aspx?sku=5810&gclid=CMqPrr_a4MoCFdgYgQodLxgKiA
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Rubbermaid-Classic-1-Gal-Pitcher/16408617
http://www.amazon.com/1-Gallon-Servin-Saver-Pitcher/dp/B00D8ORE2C/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1454678380&sr=1-1&keywords=1+gallon+pitcher
Thar toy box is gorgeous! I like the idea of a cleaning schedule but honestly it seems like all I’d be doing is cleaning if I followed that list.
Wow — that toy box looks great! Just wondering, are you going to post about your experience/results from Whole30?
Hi Ariel, Thank you! I definitely can!!
Wow…you’re husband is talented, what a beautiful toy box!
The cleaning list you posted is making me feel lazy….you’re supposed to do all this stuff, every day & every week?? -lol??when would a person have time to do anything else haha. Love your posts, they are so informative, about so many things besides baking. Thanks! Keep it up!
I’m with you Linda. I work full time and have about 3 hours to myself in the evening to make dinner, eat it and relax a bit…which is why all my cleaning is crammed into the weekend. This might be a schedule for a stay-at-home person. I could get it done if I didn’t spend 2 hrs commuting every day.
Thank you! And haha, I don’t know, maybe you could do them every other week? I usually dust once a week, clean bathrooms every 2 weeks, steam mop every 2 weeks, and we run our Roomba downstairs every night. I started a laundry schedule a month or so ago, and it has really helped not have to do a million loads all in one day or run out of things in the middle of the week.
That definitely sounds more realistic! I have long since given up on having the cleanest house on the block…there are some things I just don’t care enough about! Lol….but I think I do well enough….and there’s so much more to life! That said, I do like your organization ideas! That was my New Years resolution….to be more organized!
The reason you aren’t finding a gallon sized glass pitcher would be very, very heavy to lift when full. Even a half gallon glass pitcher is pretty heavy for the average person to handle. Lucite or similar would be pretty nice. Also, I have found half-gallon pitchers made from a canning jar are about the biggest glass pitcher I have seen. Hope you find something that works for you.
Check out Zulily.com…they have everything at a discount…
I found my glass pitchers at chef’s catalog..they have the large and small glass container. I have two and love them!
Great job on the toy chest! Something to pass down to future generations!
Ahh love Chef’s Catalog, never thought to look there, thanks!
chef’s catalog went out of business :(
I found a glass pitcher at Macy’s. not sure this URL will work, but here goes.
http://www1.macys.com/shop/product/bormioli-rocco-glassware-kufra-jug-with-ice-container-drink-mixer?ID=604527&pla_country=US&CAGPSPN=pla&CAWELAID=120156340000176559&catargetid=120156340000975684&cadevice=c&cm_mmc=Google_PLA_Home_Dinnerware_PLA-_-Dinnerware_General+-+GS_Dinnerware+General-_-51416194821_-_-_mkwid_DUvnMTvA%7Cdc_51416194821%7C-%7CDUvnMTvA&gclid=CjwKEAiArdG1BRCLvs_q-IObwxMSJACXbLtzviU_TpillPccqfcK_af4FWtJ2Z1sg7ppQxzOVkfDthoCJyfw_wcB
oooh i like the Martha Stewart one too! been looking for one like that cuz it takes up less space! TY Marsha :)
Your welcome!
Thank you Marsha!
Awww I hope Joseph is feeling better. Poor little man.
Whoa that toy box looks great!!! I would’ve never guessed it was handmade. Nice very nice!!
Your doggy’s fur looks so soft and silky.
Hav a great day and thank you for always posting your pics and stories.
Thanks for posting the hockey article. I know nothing about it, or who any of the people are – and I loathe sports, but I really enjoyed reading it. He sounds like a good person and is very honest. I would never have stumbled across this without your blog. Have the best day, Deena