Friday Things
1. Last week, Joseph had his first independent swim lesson (no more mommy-and-me, *sniff*) and he was a little weepy off and on throughout, which the instructor said was totally normal for the first few times when they’re used to having class with mom, and that he actually did a fantastic job for his first solo class. He has another this morning, so I’m hoping he keeps feeling better about it… the upside is that after the class he told me how much fun he had, all the skills he did, and he was really, really excited to be in the “big kids class”.
You probably remember that Dominic’s hair has been crazy since the day he was born and it really has ever only either stood straight up or laid flat down on his forehead. After a bath over the weekend, I was actually able to comb it over a little bit, and he looked like such a little man!
(P.S. If you’re on Instagram, be sure to follow BEB… I’ve been getting better at sharing videos and photos on Insta Stories of the boys, the dogs, and behind the scenes food stuff!)
2. Thanks for all of the love for our new furry addition, Judith! We’ve had a great week getting to know her and have totally fallen in love with her. She and Duke became fast friends, playing and chasing each other around the yard… Joseph is absolutely smitten and talks to her all day long, telling her about school, and asking if she wants a cup of coffee after dinner (HA! He was actually insistent that I make her coffee one night, and I had to tell him that dogs don’t drink coffee.).
Dominic took the longest to warm up; she still has lots of puppy energy and is certainly more “in your face” with the little people than Duke is, however we just kept taking time to get on the floor with both of them so Dominic could stand next to her, pet her, etc while we were next to him. By Wednesday, he was taking her by the collar and walking her around the house, and telling her to “sit”. He’s been totally fine with her since, so I think it’s safe to say he’s reached his comfort zone, too! She’s an incredibly sweet dog, and so good, and we’re so thrilled that she’s part of our family.
3. And can we talk about how I am now less than seven weeks from my due date?! How on earth did that get here so quickly?! And frankly, no, we are not ready in the least, ha! I do have clothes, buuuuuuut that’s about it! The nursery isn’t set up yet because we’re waiting on Joseph’s new big boy bed to arrive (should be another week to 10 days) so we can move his crib into her room and then get everything situated. I feel like with each subsequent pregnancy we’ve taken our good old time getting things in order (including picking a name, ha!). Maybe after the first we realized there really isn’t so much that is absolutely, positively necessary and are more laid back?
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4. The weather here has been absolute insanity over the last week… we got two inches of snow last Saturday, then on Tuesday it was 75 degrees and sunny, and now it’s cold and we’re in the midst of a four-day monsoon. I love winter and snow, but I’m ready for 60-degree weather!
5. If you’re on Facebook, be sure to join the Brown Eyed Baker Friends group – there are a lot of awesome members who help each other, and it’s a great way for me to see what you’ve been baking and cooking!
6. I’ve been craving a legit Mexican meal; I might have to whip up a batch of the copycat Chipotle chicken one night!
7. So, a Trader Joe’s opened 10 minutes from my house ummmm three years ago, and I have still NEVER been there. I KNOW. But I want to make a run, so please tell me what’s on your list of must-buys when you go!
8. We’ve still been going hard on the Olympics, and I was so thrilled that the U.S. women’s hockey team won gold! When I was little, I was obsessed with hockey (shocking!) and would put on my dad’s stinky hockey equipment and play with a street hockey ball on our porch. I always wanted to play, but at the time, where we lived, there weren’t any programs at all for girls. Such a bummer.
9. We finally caught up on the first two episodes of Homeland and… meh. It just doesn’t grip me the way the first few seasons did… the storyline with Brody was just phenomenal and while the show is still good, it doesn’t knock my socks off anymore.
10. TGIF! These two are getting to be such amazing friends! xo
I love that you share your life with your children and dogs. It brings back memories and is a whole new sweet experience for me. My sons range in age from 22-34. I love all of the milestones and special new skills that they seem to suddenly acquire. So cute. Thanks.
Some of my favorites from Trader Joe’s are:
Bruschetta (in the refrigerated section in a green container)
Caramelized Onion Cheddar Cheese (makes an amazing grilled cheese)
Spicy Chai Tea ( I drink it every morning. I have tried so, so many Chai Teas and this is my favorite)
Chicken Tikki Masala with rice in the refrigerated premade meals section
I just discovered the honey sriacha bacon jerky. It’s amazing
I buy my orchids there because they are really inexpensive.
Trader Joe’s.
Our nearest TJ’s is 50 minutes away, so I wrote up a special shopping list and printed it to take with so I remember to get everything I made the drive for!
I always have on hand in the freezer the Chocolate Croissants that you let rise (overnight) and bake fresh. They are made in France and are the real thing! I always buy nuts for baking that I keep in the freezer;: walnuts, sliced almonds (I buy both the raw unblanched as well as the lightly toasted blanched ones); the toasted pecans are lightly salted and made a pecan pie extra special. For salads the Roasted Candied Pecans are delicious in a Goat cheese, arugula, and beet salad. (the beets are sold already cooked & peeled.) I also like to pick up a bag of already “riced” cauliflower to make a low-carb “risotto” with mushrooms
Only sold at Christmas time, I always get the real butter Puff Pastry (it’s half the price of DuFour brand!) and the imported prepared Cheese Fondue.
To add to your Trader Joe’s list – liquid Stevia ( the best I have found, no aftertaste), love the peanut butter stuffed pretzels, the tomato and pepper soup, the everything bagel topping is fantastic (I brush home made bread with butter and sprinkle this on before baking – wonderful), the graham crackers, aioli mustard garlic sauce. I’m so glad someone mentioned pumpernickel pretzels – I’m trying those tomorrow!
I’m not as big of a Trader Joe’s fan as a lot of people but their nuts and dried fruit seriously cannot be beat. I also love their organic butter and cottage cheese. I have been buying Horizon but it’s tough to find and expensive – not so at TJ’s. But don’t feel bad, I live across the street from one and don’t go more than once every few months typically.
Your boys are such handsome guys and I love that Duke has a new buddy.
My must have from Trader Joe’s is the frozen garlic. They are in a little tray, frozen as one minced clove in each compartment (20 per tray). Such a time saver when prepping meals! My girls (6 and 3) also love the dried mango (unsulfured and unsweetened). Also a fan of the Pound Plus Chocolate for desserts. Oh yes, and the Haricot Vert from the freezer.
At Trader Joe’s their dark chocolate caramels are really great if they are fresh. They melt in your mouth… taste great … and go right to your waist! My wife likes the pound plus chocolate bars. Their organic sweet corn is very good as is their petite peas.
I always have TJ’s cocoa powder on hand. Actually I usually stop to buy that and leave with things I didn’t need like the chocolate cookie butter bar…
Oh, I LOVE TJ’s!!!! I only get to go every 2-3 months, so for me it’s kind of a splurge/treat place. Here are the things we love: mango gummies, dried mandarin oranges, their version of fig newtons, chocolate covered orange sticks, frozen chocolate croissants, frozen chipwiches, frozen macarons (just thaw and eat – yum!), sometimes there’s a frozen Greek cheese pasty that’s to die for, the world’s puffiest white cheddar corn puffs, their $1 cards, the flower section!, the bamba peanut snacks are amazing (if Joseph’s allergies ever clear up). I think that’s all, but honestly there’s just so much good food at great prices, you’d be hard pressed to go wrong.
I cannot believe you have not gone to Trader Joe’s yet! Go! You will not be disappointed!
Love the dog treats for my fur baby!
Your blog is such a delight! Your boys are adorable, thank you for sharing updates. My boys are now men and watching your little ones takes me back. I lost my 4-legged princess last year and I love seeing photos of your dogs.
Trader Joe’s
* Beef recipe jerky strips are awesome (dog treats)
* Lavender dryer bags – great in the dryer or as a sachet
* Nourish All-in-one facial cleanser (it’s gentle, but really cleans)
Wishing you every blessing as you await your little one.
I love TJs and go bimonthly to stock up on several items, esp coffee- always get so many compliments. As a baker I have to say their chocolate chips are my absolute favorite! I believe they are sourced from a premium chocolate maker. Also they have an alcohol free vanilla that I prefer for non baking, like frosting or ice cream making.
Joseph looks like such a little boy now — not a toddler. The weather has been insane here, too, exactly like yours.
Trader Joe’s is one of my favorite places to shop. I go every two weeks if not more often. I don’t often buy any of their prepared/packaged foods. I used to buy the mandarin orange chicken now and then, but the last time I bought it, it tasted awful! It will be a very long time before I try it again. I do have a weak spot for Thai Shrimp (or Vegetable) Gyoza. I usually try whatever they’re offering as samples, but rarely buy it.
Along with others here I get nuts, dried fruits, cheeses, and Almond Croissants.
– frozen fruits and vegetables — especially frozen berries, leeks and artichoke hearts
-nut butters
-heavy cream and half and half
-bell peppers — prices are better than anywhere else
-flowers
-coffee filters — I make coffee using the pour over method and I get twice as many filters for half as much money than I can find anywhere else
-Ode to the Classic Potato Chip — remind me of what we used to get when I was a little girl
-dried herbs and spices — if I use it and they have it I get it there. Great prices
-tubes of polenta
-gnocchi
-pasta
-roasted red peppers
-capers
-canned tuna
-sesame oil
-vanilla eclairs (frozen)
– salsa autenica
-salsa verde
-green or red lentils (dry)
-California Estate Olive Oil or 100% Italian Organic Extra-Virgin Olive Oil (though I usually buy evoo elsewhere
-Cento whole plum tomatoes (better price than anywhere else)
If I use it and Trader Joe’s carries it, I usually get it there. Prices and quality are good, though I may not like something.
Why do you have a pinch collar on your dog especially in the house????Don’t you know that pinch collars are outdated because they are punishing to the dog and can be dangerous. Maybe the concept of positive dog training has not taken hold in your part of the country.
Hi Maureen, I appreciate your concern, but actually prong collars are not outdated, are not used as punishment, and are not dangerous as long as they are fitted and used correctly. They are much safer than choke collars or other more popular types of collars that can squeeze the dog’s throat and larynx when walking or correcting. It doesn’t hurt them and you just need a gentle tug to correct. It replicates the sensation of the mother tugging at their neck to correct them when they’re puppies. It’s the collar that was used during her training, so we’re keeping things consistent for her here, as we work to reinforce all of the training and commands that she had been working on. If you’ve followed my site for any length of time, you’d know that we would never do anything that would be considered cruel to animals.
Hi BEB,
So happy to hear about your new edition and how good you your and family are doing. Can’t believe you haven’t tried TJ’s yet… lol it’s a great store!
List of things to try:
TJ’ s salsa authentica
TJ’s salsa verde
Organic yellow corn tortilla chip rounds
Peanut butter filled pretzels (maybe not with Joseph allergies)
All there stuff is worth trying.
Happy shopping!!!
We are loving Judith! My husband actually asked me last night if you posted any updates about her, & to be sure I show him when you do, lol! I love that they are touching paws!
I can’t believe you haven’t been to Trader Joe’s yet. I have an idea which store is by you- that is the one we go to most, which is 40 minutes from my house! We are actually going tomorrow. Some of our favs:
Frozen mandarin orange chicken- this is so good. I am not big on buying frozen prepared food, but this is a must.
The cheese selection- can’t go wrong making a cheese board from there, way cheaper than GE
Tortilla chips- we have fallen for their round corn ones which come in a 2# bag!!
Almond butter granola
We’ve liked pretty much everything we’ve bought there. The store is small so spend time going through each aisle. There’s plenty of interesting items to see! I work close to Oakmont Bakery & wish the town would get a TJ’s. No grocery store anymore & it could really use one.
Trader Joe’s Roasted Potatoes with Peppers and Onions from the freezer section is a great time saver. They are the best frozen potatoes of any kind that I have ever had. And you put them in the pan and turn on the heat and that is it. No extra oil or anything. Also, their frozen tamales are great. I pop them in the microwave, add salsa and sour cream, maybe some Spanish rice on the side and have a full meal.