Friday Things
1. I can’t believe this little firecracker is 8 (almost 8.5) months old already! He’s zooming around everywhere (mostly chasing after Joseph and Duke), pulling himself up on furniture, and wants to do whatever Joseph is doing – he adores his big brother, a feeling that is very much reciprocated. Those two are going to have so much fun together.
2. Joseph has another allergist appointment coming up next week for a walnut test. Fingers crossed! He’s been doing great with the almond butter and Honey Nut Cheerios – no issues at all, phew!
3. I usually keep my sports talk saved for the bottom of Fridays Things, but the Penguins winning another Stanley Cup was pretty much the pinnacle of our week, so I couldn’t wait! It seemed absolutely improbable that we could win this year, so I’m stunned and elated and so very excited! It’s no secret that I’m totally emotionally invested in my hockey team, so watching the last few games have been so heart-pounding… I’m almost sad the season is over. When the season schedule comes out, I put it in my Google calendar, and I rarely miss watching a game (I know, I’m crazy diehard!); already looking forward to it again!
4. So, I’ve been entirely unproductive this week. Most of my time not spent wrangling children has been spent on Twitter and Instagram following the Stanley Cup around and hearing about all of the behind the scenes stuff. I need to get back on an organized routine, ha!
5. On that note, I came across this pretty cool exercise for small business owners that helps you identify the type of brand personality your business has >> Brandality Quiz. Fun to do if you have a business!
6. Talk to me about Fitbits. Do you have one? I’m contemplating getting one to motivate me to hit the treadmill more (or, actually, at all), and I’m wondering how helpful/useful it might be?
7. I want to get a pair of aviator sunglasses, but I have a really small face, and it’s so hard for me to find sunglasses (which is why I’ve had the same pair since 2012, that I have miraculously not lost or broken)… any other small-face ladies out there who successfully wear aviators? I know Rayban sells “junior” size and am not sure if that could work?
8. The hot weather this week has me seriously craving a pool. One day!
9. Due to all of the sports-watching we’ve been doing, we haven’t gotten past the first episode of House of Cards, but I’m hoping to get going on it within the next few days. We watched an actual MOVIE (like maybe only the 2nd or 3rd in the last year? Nothing that comes out sounds good!) last weekend – Jason Bourne (we’re huge fans of the Bourne movies) – and thought it was fantastic.
10. TGIF! I hope you have a fun weekend!
I just love your site Michelle, besides the recipes, I love watching your boys, as they grow and mature what a great family.Â
so cute…..the little firecracker has got toothypegs
Congrats on your team’s Stanley Cup win. I could not bring myself to cheer for Nashville since they knocked out the Blackhawks in the first round (I’m a huge Hawks fan) and the team gives the impression that they don’t like other NHL teams or their fans.
I recently upgraded to a Fitbit Alta HR and I love much more than the Charge HR I had before. However, my friends and I agree that Fitbit missed out when they didn’t make their trackers waterproof, or water resistant. One friend has a Garmin tracker and absolutely loves it.
Try Smith Optics! They have 2 women’s styles of aviators in “slim” – Serpico and Rockford. Once I went Smith’s, I never went back!
I had a fit bit but became obsessed with completing 10k steps each day so had to stop!Â
I have a very small face as well, the only aviators that fit are the Oakley TIE Breakers. They are great for small faces. There was a similar maui jim but i felt the frame was too flismy… good luck in your search
The boys are both growing up so quickly! Love the pictures. I loved the Jason Bourne movie – thought it was a great addition to the series. I need to find something else to watch but I don’t know what….the heat has been hard for me – saps my energy – hopefully this week won’t be so bad and I have a lot of stuff to do
Why not consider an Apple Watch? It does everything a Fitbit does, and more!
I love mine, I have had it since they first came out.Â
I have a small face and my daughter has Rayban juniors and they look silly on me. Â I went to a sunglass hut, and tried on dozens of pairs before going with aviator tech. Â But I still find myself wearing my small frame rayban tortoiseshell wayfarers more than the aviators. Â Love them!
I love my fitbit. I have been wearing/using for over 2 years and find that I need the motivation. I just had some health issues and couldn’t exercise and found I was really upset about not doing my routine! That wouldn’t have happened before the fitbit.
I cannot believe how big the “baby” is! He is adorable just like his brother. I visit your site and enjoy seeing the boys. My first grandchild (boy) is due in July. I am so excited.
Congratulations Karen on your pending arrival! :) I hope he arrives via an easy and healthy delivery!
Hi,Â
I too have a Fitbit . I have the Alta . I have to say at times it makes me get up and move butttttt :0) there are times I just look at it as it reminds me to move  . I also agree with others who commented on how all you need to do it swing your arm and it counts  as steps ,even it your behind never left the sofa :0( . Also not loving seeing how little & how restless my sleep is . I think it’s all a mindset. When you are ready to get up and move …. you will & with two little ones I’m guessing you are moving plenty . :0)
Some of my friends have fitbits, and they just seem like glorified and expensive pedometers to me. If you want to keep track of your daily activity and/or workouts, I would look into the low end models of GPS watches. It counts your steps, accurately tracks your distances, monitors and records your workouts, and gives you daily goals based on personal information you enter. Some have heart rate monitors, too. The two main cons are that most are huge and some can be pricier. Just my two cents.
I have the opposite problem with sunglasses – large head and face here! And while I love my aviators (ray ban 58mm) and wear them all the time, I kind of want a pair of larger ones because I think they look a touch too small on me sometimes! Â Have you tried on some of the 55mm ones to see how they look?
He’s just so cute! :)
And I’m craving a pool too…badly. It’s so hot and muggy!
I love my Fitbit, it definitely motivates me! I have to get my 10,000 steps at least 5-6 days a week. I haven’t noticed many inaccuracies that I feel are significant.
I have a FitBit! I have the one that clips on and I love it because it really helps me know how much I walk. I make a goal of a certain number of steps a day and then I can easily check if I’ve met it. It’s always fun to see the days that I knock my goal out of the water, but then there are other days where I know I’ve been lazy and I need to get moving a bit more. I really like it. If you’re competitive, you can use the app to see how your friends are doing on their steps, but I don’t really care about that aspect myself. I just like know for myself.
One thing, though: Like I said, I have the clip on Fitbit. It works great, but I’m going to ask for the wrist-bracelet one for Christmas. I usually wear clothes that I can clip on the Fitbit, but sometimes I don’t so I don’t wear it those days. And I hate that. If I had a bracelet Fitbit, I’d have it on all the time. Also, the bracelet Fitbits track your sleep. They tell you how many times you got up during the night, when you were restless, and the quality of sleep you got. That sounds awesome. Anyway, I hope you love yours if you get one!
I have a really small face too, and I’ve found Warby Parker sunglasses to be awesome! I don’t have aviators but I bet they have something you’ll like!
I don’t nearly use my for bit enough. I find the heath app on my iPhone does a great job for tracking steps and corresponding mileage. It does seem to do wonders for my brother who competes with several ppl he knows. I found once I found out I needed to walk around all day, plus hit the gym or park for an hour to reach 10,000 the thrill was lost🙄
I do not recommend getting a Fitbit! I got the Fitbit Charge 2 and loved it at first. After a year, a piece off the back broke off. I contacted Fitbit and they were great about sending me a replacement. But within six months, it literally started to fall apart. They would not replace the replacement. So I went with an Apple watch instead.
I love my Fitbit. It helped me lose 40lbs for my wedding! I love the app to, got a Garmin when my first Fitbit battery died and hated the app. Now I’m back to Fitbit and love that I can see everything on it so I don’t have to wear a watch anymore! It totally motivates me because you really see how little you do during the day when you don’t workout.Â
I’ve had a Fitbit for just about two years and have found it to be a very helpful tool for keeping track of various things (steps, mileage, workouts, sleep, etc.) and aiding my weight loss journey. Several others mentioned its inaccuracies. Yes, it will count arm movement as steps and doesn’t count every step taken; it requires about 5 steps in a row to start counting. I figure that it pretty much balances out with the several short trips around the apartment that don’t get counted and arm-things like washing the dishes. You can also set the stride length to match yours, which will help with the distance accuracy. I started off doing it solely on my own and not getting involved in any of the social aspects. After about a year, I found it wasn’t as motivating for me, so I added several friends who also had Fitbits and we started setting challenges with each other. My motivation has been renewed! Every now and then I need to remind myself that it is just a tool with limitations and I can’t expect it to be the be-all, end-all of my fitness regime, but I think it’s worthwhile overall.
Go for the Maui Jim Baby Beach…I have them in Silver and Gold and would do it again in a heart beat…I have the hardest time finding frames due to a small face.
I second the Maui Jim Baby Beach! Love them!
Thanks Carolyn! I can’t believe I never thought to look at Maui Jim first since I have regular sunglasses from them (had them for 5+ years) and love them! Definitely checking those out!
Hi! Fellow Pittsburger here joining in with you on all things hockey and Back to Back STANLEY CUP CHAMPIONS! I work downtown so attending the parade was a must! It was the third Pens parade that I’ve attended and it never gets old! Also, wanted to let you know that I have (petite) Maui Jim aviators that I bought at Eyetique at South Hills Village Mall last summer and I LOVE them!! Decided to also get classic sunglasses this year, so I bought Ray Ban’s at Sunglass Hut in Macy’s. I told them that I needed “petite” ones and they showed me all of the possibilities. Happy Shopping!
So fun, Diane! Thanks for the sunglass recommendations, I have Maui Jim’s now, they’re great! So I’ll definitely be checking their aviators out…
Most adorable picture of Dominic!! Keep them coming… :-)
Blessings to you and have a great weekend!
Thank you Kathy!
You should definitely try fitnessblender! Just look it up on google/YouTube. They have amazing workouts for lol fitness levels and are totally free! lol I swear this is not an
ad, I just love them that much!Â
I have a Fitbit, and I wouldn’t say it gets me on the treadmill everyday. It buzzes every hour (9am – 5pm, but you can set your own hours) if I haven’t taken 250 steps, but I don’t see that as being a problem for you with the 2 little guys you have. I guess your motivation would come more from looking at your weekly stats on the app, and seeing what you have or haven’t done that week & trying to beat yourself. It also has online groups you can join for other motivation. Oh, I have the Alta, so does my hubby.
I CAN’T BELIEVE JOSEPH AND THE LITTLE ONE HAVE GROWN SO MUCH. I’M SURE THEY KEEP YOU BUSY BUT BRING SO MUCH HAPPINESS IN YOUR HOME… BLESS YOU ALL!
Happy Friday! I love my Fitbit Aria – it’s slim, sleek and functions as my watch. I am pretty competitive with myself, and it’s helped me move a lot more. I’ve lost 20 pounds using a fitbit!
oops, it is the Alta. i think the Aria is the scale ; )
I have a fitbit. It will not be accurate when you walk the treadmill. It is really good for tracking outside walking or the steps you walk in a day. It does have some inaccuracies. I play the piano and it counts while I am playing the piano as steps being taken. LOL The fitbit does motivate me to be more active.
Adorable pic!! I can imagine what it’s like having your team win two years in a row. Not easy to do!! I was bummed when my blackhawks got knocked out first round…but guess the Predators were a good team since they got all the way to the finals. Glad you took the cup though. Have a great weekend! (I need a pool too…very warm here in Northern IL)
I finished House of Cards earlier this week. It is a really dark season. I consider this one of my favorite shows, but I was a little turned off by this season. I hope you post your thoughts when you finish it.
A cousin of mine plays for the NHL. His name is Brandon Saad. We went to Minneapolis for the NHL Draft in 2011 to support him. We were hoping he would be picked up by the Penguins, but he ended up getting picked up by the Blackhawks. He won two Stanley Cups when he played for the Blackhawks. I went to the private reception to get to see the Stanley Cup. That was really cool. He is from Pittsburgh too, and it was in the news there when he won. He is playing for Columbus Blue Jackets now.
Ed, that’s so cool! Definitely know of Brandon Saad (actually live near where he went to high school), and was hoping the Penguins would have picked the hometown kid! We went to see the new practice facility last summer and I think he was there skating with some Penguins, just as an informal workout.
Have a Fitbit Charge 2 and love it. I wear it all the time. Buy the leather band though–it’s much more comfortable. I like that it monitors sleep. It counts steps, floors (1 = 10 vertical feet) , minutes exercised and calories burned. There are complicated formulae for determining the latter. It keeps me in check and since I keep track of what I eat in MFP, it also talks to that and adds calories based on exercise. I would recommend it.
I have a Fitbit Alta. It motivated me for a few months but just like any workout or diet program, the motivation wears off. I still wear it every day; however, it does not really motivate me to move more. I don’t really need the fitbit to tell me whether or not I was a lazy slob on any given day. One thing I do like is that the app can sync with myfitnesspal (I think you have mentioned that you are not a calorie counter though) and records your exercise calorie adjustment. Another nifty feature is that it tracks your sleep but again, it is just information. I look at it and go wow, I slept horribly this week. But I don’t do anything to change my sleep patterns. It is a nifty tool and I do like it, but as for the effectiveness….that part I don’t really endorse.
I hate counting calories and generally do not do it, but I’ve used MyFitnessPal in the past for short bursts to drop weight I’ve picked up here and there and it definitely works! I’m thinking of doing it again since I’m still carrying around an extra 10 lbs from when I was pregnant with Joseph!
Instead of the Fitbit check out the Moov. We love it. It tracks your activity and calories instead of steps. Moov.com
I know it’s hot, but do you have a double stroller? I find it much more enjoyable to go for a walk outside than to walk on a treadmill. And usually the kids like it too.
I don’t have a double stroller… Joseph will actually walk with me and Duke, but it’s a rather… slooowwwwww walk ;-) We’ve talked about a double, but should look into it!
Living in Ohio where “City Chicken” is unheard of, I made
my own
to celebrate the Penguin’s
win.
YUMMY!
Ahhh my aunt made city chicken a little while ago for Sunday dinner, so good! My grandma used to make it all the time :)
I have had my fitbit since 2014 and I love it. I am not a watch wearer so I have the fitbit one that I clip onto my bra or waistband. I find that I am definitely more active since I know my steps are tracked. It especially helps me be active when I am in a challenge with some other fitbit users.
Ralph Lauren makes a great pair if aviators. Â I got mine at sunglass hut and they look great on everyone!!
I was skeptical when my trainer recommended a Fitbit. Three years later, it brings out my competitive side in a good way. Â Challenges are fun, and great for making me move a little bit more some days. When I was having trouble coming up with a physical challenge for last summer, my trainer had me look at how many miles I walked over the previous summer & then increase that by 10% for a goal. For fun, I got out a map and found a city about that distance away and made it my goal to “walk to Moab” & monitor my progress each week. I ended up blowing past that goal with weeks to go, so I recalculated another city farther away and revised my goal. It was a fun encouragement to walk more each day.Â
My husband got me a Fitbit Charge 2 for Christmas  and I love it! I had been wanting one mainly to see if my aerobic and walking workouts were getting my heart rate up where it needed to be and how many calories I was burning, etc. but it is really motivating! Unless you set it different your goal is 10,000 steps a day and it’s like a game you play with yourself! If you don’t get there you really feel guilty! It’s a great motivator. With your 2 little ones, I don’t think you’ll have any trouble reaching that. Also, it keeps track how many workouts you do a week so that’s another motivator!Â
Yep it has been all things Stanley Cup for me this week too! Â Maybe we should start a support group. Â It has been so fun seeing where the cup has shown up all over the city. Â My favorites have been the visits with the Pirates and Steelers. #BurghProud
Have a great weekend Michelle!
Hi, I read your posts all the time but never comment. When I read you were contemplating the the fit bit I had to! I am a walker and runner so I liked the idea of seeing the numbers that I am doing. Â My husband and I got them for each other for Christmas and shortly after we packed them up and returned them. Totally inaccurate and too expensive to be that way. I was sitting on the couch eating Doritos while watching a movie and scratching the dogs head, it registered 600 steps and my feet were on the coffee table! It is registering your hand movements as if you were walking. Also I watched it skip 2-3 steps at a time. My husband set his I-phone app that measures walked distance/steps, elevation etc by using satellite data triangulation and then averages (so fairly accurate) and wore his fit bit to go for snowshoe. The Fitbit read 1200 steps, I-phone read 630 steps. I asked the receptionist at my office about her fit but as well (she had hers for a long time) and she said the same thing. It registers steps when she is opening mail at the front desk and also registers typing as steps sometimes.
I know this is a really negative review but it is my honest experience and I was not impressed.
Lori
I completely agree with your review. I have had numerous fitbits. The one I had first lasted quite a while. The others were pieces of trash. Not sure what happened. I also found that if I was cooking all day – moving around a lot but not really walking, steps did not register. If I did something with my hands while sedentary, steps would register. I did find it highly motivating. One night I was close to 10,000 steps so I chased my golden retriever around the very large island in our kitchen until I got there.
Ralph Lauren has beautiful Aviators not too large..beautiful gold tone
Available at better stores in different sizes!
Good luckÂ
Janice
I have a very small face and wear the small frame rayban glasses(I dont think they are JRs) but they are the small frame they were a little hard to find but completely worth it. I love them. They fit great and look nice. A classic sunglass that won’t go out of style,.