Friday Things
1. Some how, some way, it seems that Dominic has grown up so much over the last handful of days. He has been so sweet, seems to understand so much more and just adores his big brother and little sister. He’s also a total monkey and stands on the lip of the baseboard to look out of windows (and we’ve caught him trying to scale the dishwasher and the dog crate recently).
Isabelle is 3 weeks old today! She’s doing great and is just such a wonderful baby. I’ve only had one night when she’s been fussy and I was sleep-deprived; otherwise she usually feeds and sleeps in 2.5 to 3-hour cycles at night and goes right back down after eating. I certainly cannot complain at all!
2. While I’m a total homebody, but I’m definitely starting to get a little bit of cabin fever… I’ve only left the house for Isabelle’s doctor’s appointments so far. I’m looking forward to driving and doing some errands in a couple of weeks! Plus, there are a couple of fun end-of-year activities at Joseph’s preschool coming up – a little spring sing-a-long for the parents and a Mother’s Day “tea party”. I’m so excited!
3. I’ve never, ever liked coffee but I really, really want to try to give it a go because I’m just needing a bit of a boost in the morning with having a newborn and two toddlers! I won’t drink soda in the morning and I don’t like tea, so I’m going to experiment. I asked for suggestions on Instagram a couple of days ago and some of the most popular ones were to start with flavored creamers (I got the Dunkin’ Donuts “extra extra” to try first), a dollop of something like dulce de leche, flavored syrups or sweetened condensed milk, and then try cold brew as it’s not as bitter. Here’s to trying to be a grown up and drinking coffee!
4. A couple of months ago on a trip to Costco, I bought a big tub of Utz honey wheat twists on a whim. Ummm, I’ve been hopelessly addicted to them and they’ve become my preferred snack. The tub was finally polished off last week so I put honey wheat twists from a different brand on my latest grocery order and they are… not good. Not even close. As soon as I can handle it, I’m off to Costco to restock!
5. This is 100% me…
6. These no-bake granola bars have been hugely popular for the last few weeks… what are your favorite granola bar add-ins?
7. After each of my babies, I’ve gone through at least a couple of weeks of just being insanely cold ALL THE TIME. I’ve been told it’s a combination of hormones and blood loss from the surgery, but it means I get bundled up to sleep at night. HOWEVER… I just cannot sleep in socks. I’ll wear them until I’m ready to turn off the light and fall asleep and then I have to take them off. Is this weird? It just seems so uncomfortable and maybe slightly claustrophobic in a weird sort of way?
8. Love this list of totally doable spring cleaning mini-projects. (h/t to Jessica for sharing!)
9. We finished watching The Crown, and wow the last few episodes were so spectacular. I can’t believe I have to wait until next year for more seasons… we got totally hooked!
10. TGIF! I hope you have a cozy, fun-filled weekend…
Totally with you on the sox thing! And also The Crown.
Re: searching for a coffee you might like
Try a hazelnut or hazelnut/vanilla blend coffee and add a little cream.
Congrats on baby girl! She’s adorable! I had to comment because I too was insanely COLD after the birth of all three of my kids and I’ve NEVER heard anyone else say that!! I remember everyone telling me that I would get night sweats and be hot from all the hormones, but I was the total opposite and freezing all the time. With my first, who was a May baby and it was not cold outside, I would go to sleep with sweats, a t-shirt and a sweatshirt on every night and still be freezing. Not the best clothing for breastfeeding, but I couldn’t warm up otherwise! It’s so nice to see that I’m not the only one! :)
Hi Michelle. I highly recommend making your own creamer. One can of sweetened condensed milk with 2-2 1/4 cups of low-fat milk and two teasooons of flavoring (vanilla for me typically). The taste is so much better than the bottled products and much easier to digest. They have started selling creamer without all the extras but I still like the homemade so much better. I can’t sleep in socks either but my feet get cold. Try one of the microwaveable warmers at the bottom of your bed. My whole family uses “Bed Buddies” from Walgreens during the cold Pittsburgh winters (and spring this year!). Warmer nights are finally coming…
Where have your weekend updates been?? Miss them!
Hi Elisa, Taking a break since Isabelle was born (I’ve done so after each baby) since I’m not really finding new content and am not cooking Sunday dinners either. I usually take about a month break, so it’ll be back in the next week or two! :)
As you should! Enjoy that little cutie!!! Looking forward to future postings!!
Dunkins all the way👍🏻 Coffee is mellow if you want. Amp it up if you want. I personally don’t like Starbucks. Too strong.
Congratulations again🤗
Isabelle is lovely!!! At 3 weeks old, very feminine. The boys have gotten so big! Thank you for all the recipes…..I have enjoyed your blog over the years.
I’m sorry i didn’t know you’ve got a newborn babygirl! So a bit late but i want to give you my congratulations with this gorgeous healthy and lovely babygirl. I love her name too! And your pictures of her are adorable.
Who would have thought that two little boys can be so tender and carefull to their little babysister?
They’re sooo sweet to her, really lovely.
And…i really can’t sleep with socks on! It’s such a weird feeling when i get in to my bed and my socks are still on! I tried when it was very cold outside and our bedroom was cold too, but within 10 seconde my socks where off again. I really hate the feeling of socks agains the sheets and i can’t stand it! They have to go out out out!!! So…..i do understand you.
I hope you heal up nicely and that you have a great time adjusting to have 3 little ones in the house.
It may take some time but your boys are helping you so beautifully that i think everything will go well.
Wish you all together all the best of the world and keep on posting pictures please. It’s so much fun to see your trio!
Lots of love from the Netherlands to you and your family.
Marja👶🏻🎀🍼🎉💞🤩👋🏻😘🇱🇺
I think Isabelle looks like Joseph did when he was little. I’m in my 60’s & I’ve never had a cup of coffee. I remember tasting my mother’s & thinking it was gross. I do love the smell of coffee brewing though. Tea has more caffeine than coffee – maybe you could try that if you end up not liking coffee..
Have a great weekend – get your hubby take you on a drive!
Hi Michelle!
You have been my go to for all things baking for years, and my husband asks for your chocolate icing every birthday!!
After seeing your precious new babe, I realized we were at Magee a day apart! The delivery of tiny joys is a small world! We had a boy, Deming Alexander, on April 5th. I also had a similar C-section story. I went in for an induction at 41 weeks and 2 days, but ended up being in labor and didn’t know it! Unfortunately, after 10 cm and 4 hrs of pushing, I also had a C due to failure to progress from a narrow birth canal.
It was good to hear that the recoveries get easier the next go round! I am very jealous of your good little sleeper! Deming is good at night, but fights day napping!
For coffee, i would recommend starting small, light roast, and sweet until you get a taste for it. Think of it like alcohol….you wouldn’t start with Tequila!
Good Luck!
Re: Coffee. It is definitely an aquired taste but once you begin to get use to the bitterness, you will be hooked. You know Pioneer Woman drinks her coffee as cold coffee every morning. You should try her method of making your own cold brewed coffee in bulk and then add flavorings. She uses canned sweetened condensed milk, half and half and vanilla, I think, with lots of ice. I do this in the summer for afternoon coffee but have to have hot coffee in the morning. But you can get some good bottled cold brewed coffee in the coffee aisle. I have also found that putting hot coffee in a yeti type cup to keep it piping hot is a good thing also. And an alternate for sweetening it is Nestle’s La Lechera which is sweetened condensed milk in a squeeze bottle. Better for storing in the fridge.
Re: socks in bed. Absolutely not crazy. I do the same thing. Warm socks with comfy slippers but the socks come off as I get into bed. I feel like wearing them in bed would be like wearing gloves on your hands to bed!
Hi Michelle,
First, congratulations on Isabelles birth! She looks adorable. And I’m happy for you that she’s a happy baby!
I wasn’t much of a coffee fan either before my second son was born. We bought a Chemex pour over coffee maker and because the paper filter is much thicker then the usual one, the coffee loses its bitterness. I would definitely recommend that instead of drinking it with sugary syrups, i never liked those, it just makes everything too sweet for my taste. The other coffee I drink every morning is made in a Moka Pot by Bialetti. I drink it with foamed milk. No sugars added.
Good luck on your search for a morning booster!
Marieke
Gosh, Joseph’s face has changed so much! He looks like such a big boy in that picture at the bottom of your post!!! Handsome kid <3
Although I am a coffee achiever and love all things coffee, I think you might enjoy my new addiction: Iced coffee with a box of Premier Protein Caramel flavored drink (available at Costco) poured over it. YUM We have an espresso machine so I usually make a couple of shots and pour them over ice then add the protein drink but used a Starbucks Via packet (or two!) recently and loved it. Start with the packet dissolved in hot water then add ice and the protein drink. Report back!!!
Isabelle is precious…
You are blessed with beautiful children! Love the dogs too.
Do you have convertible cribs for the boys & your daughter? I’m wondering if they are sturdy enough once they are used as single beds? Just wondering because I don’t know anyone who has them. My daughter is having twins in September and I want to buy her beds for her. Also, if one is a boy isn’t white kinda feminine? What are your thoughts? You seem to really have it all together!!! Yay to you, I’m impressed with your motherhood skills.
Thank you so much Pam! :) Yes, we have only bought convertible cribs… we actually have Isabelle in Joseph’s crib because Joseph really, really wanted a race car bed, so we didn’t use the toddler bed conversion for him, and Dominic is still in the regular crib. Since we haven’t converted them, I can’t say for sure how sturdy they are, but they are really well-made pieces of furniture, really heavy, so I have no doubt that they would be fine once converted. As for the color, we’ve used dark espresso-grain wood for all three of their rooms; I’m with you and probably wouldn’t pick white for a boy, but I’ve definitely seen it done! Probably just a personal preference!
As far as coffee is concerned, my recommendation would be trying café con leche! I wasn’t a coffee drinker prior to spending time in Spain and having that. If you get it in a restaurant in Spain, it’s typically a 50/50 mix of coffee and milk. However, the first time I was there my host mother made it for breakfast each day, and her way of doing so was by mixing instant coffee into heated milk. That way, you can start with less coffee and add more as you get used to it. Of course, you can add sugar to taste. And if you have breakfast biscuits/cookies such as Belvita or Marias, they’re great for dunking in it!
Hi Michelle, try to find air roasted coffee..there’s NO bitterness. Apparently during the growth of the beans some are eaten by coffee mites leaving the outer shell empty so that during normal roasting these beans get burned and become bitter, when air roasted the chaff gets blown away and doesn’t taint the taste
That picture of the boys looking out the window is so sweet. ❤️ I’ve never been a hot coffee drinker either, but I do love iced coffee. Sweetened with milk, never black. 😜 Although I’m a tea drinker in the morning.
I can’t sleep with socks on either- doesn’t matter how cold it is, it might be one of the worst feelings in the world!
You may like matcha tea. I get mine from The Tea Source in St. Paul. They have raspberry and blueberry slightly sweetened with cane sugar and it’s delicious! I also don’t care for coffee and don’t drink pop. It has caffeine for your boost! http://www.teasource.com
I wasn’t a coffee drinker until I started having babies. Now I enjoy a cup in the morning. I found that I don’t care for coffee by itself so I’ll mix in a couple spoonfuls of hot chocolate mix along with a little flavored creamer. I usually only drink one cup. Like someone else commented, too much coffee can sometimes irritate my stomach. Hope you can find something you enjoy!
I’m not a huge coffee drinker either, but I really like La Barba’s house blend with half & half (my husband makes fun of me because sometimes it’s more half & half than coffee 😉). It’s a roaster out of Salt Lake City, so it’s local to me, but you can order it online too. Be careful while nursing though because sometimes the caffeine can negatively affect your little one. My son is 6 weeks old and he gets very fussy when I drink coffee, so I’ve sworn off it until he’s at least a little older and his tummy’s not so sensitive. Much love to your family and lots of tummy rubs to the pups!
Hello, Michelle! I had a lonng paragraph written (bc I’m passionate abt good coffee!), but decided to edit and make it short and sweet, lol! So, here goes:
Locally-roasted, fair-trade, organic coffee = fresh is best
Grocery store, fast-food (Starbucks/DD) coffee = warehoused (who knows how old?), heavily sprayed with pesticides
Sweeten with pure stevia extract (Start with 4 or 5 drops.)
Raw, grass-fed cream
Try a French press or pour-over apparatus
Enjoy coffee healthfully! Hope this helps!
PS. Love seeing pics of your precious children!
Totally agree about the locally roasted coffee and also about a medium roast to start. I use half and half and then organic brown sugar. Your kiddos are such cuties! Glad Isabelle is doing so well.
I’m kind of a coffee purist — I drink it black and always have. I stick with a medium roast – the really dark roasted coffees are too bitter for me. I agree with others that cold brewed coffee is the best. In the summer I do the cold brew over ice with sweetened condensed milk added. Instead of using the Dunkin Extra Extra I’d just use milk or half-and-half (whatever you keep on hand) to taste and add sugar to taste. I’m not at all fond of flavored coffees or flavored creamers. To me, whatever it is you don’t like about coffee, they accentuate it.
I go to bed nearly every night with socks on. Within 5 minutes, they’re off and I’ve kicked the covers off my feet. Even though my feet are nearly always cold, the socks make them too hot quickly.
Love the childhood punishments graphic, it’s so true and seems to get more so as we age.
Isabelle is so precious and the boys are getting so big!
Hi Michelle, My husband doesn’t like (hot) coffee, but recently he’s become addicted to ‘frozen coffee’ from Dunkin Donuts. Soooo, maybe a frozen vanilla or chocolate smoothie with some instant coffee thrown in?? I recently started making cold brew coffee and heating it up each mornning to save time… here’s a link… https://www.kitchentreaty.com/how-to-make-cold-brewed-iced-coffee-concentrate/
Thanks for your Friday update… Love it!!
Hi, glad all is going well with your growing family. I include the dogs, my Shih Tzu is a godsend to me. If your needing a 1950s English set tv show see if you can get a series called Grantchester.
Michelle, you might want to consider trying some flavored coffee. Target has some great ones in their own brand (Archer Farms I think – it’s a white package). Cinnamon Churro, Vanilla Bean Creme Brûlée, and Buttery Caramel are my favorites – and they’re inexpensive ($5 or $6 a bag). Southern Pecan is another nice flavor. I put some Truvia in it and also Cold Stone Creamery’s “Sweet Cream” creamer since it goes with any flavor of coffee. It’s the only way I drink coffee now. 😊
I know you said you don’t like tea, but you may want to try a chai tea latte. It’s part tea, part milk, and delicious (to me).
Try one at Starbucks, and if you like it, you can by the cartons at your local grocery store (in the coffee/tea aisle) and make them at home. I also don’t like coffee (there isn’t enough cream and sugar to make it taste good to me!) and am not crazy about straight hot teas. The chai tastes good, and has a little caffeine kick to it. Try it with cinnamon sprinkled on top.
I can’t sleep in socks either, although I have tried countless times. I get horrible chills about a week before my cycle. I am sure it is hormonal, but very uncomfortable. I usually wrap a throw (small blanket) from my waste down, then sleep under my comforter. This seems to help with the freezing cold legs and feet. The fuzzy throw makes me feel extra cozy. Lol. Your children are beautiful. Have a good weekend !!
Hi Michelle. I was reading your post and thought about my Mother: She HATED hot coffee (it made her nauseous) but had no problem drinking it iced. Too funny. I am a coffee drinker but don’t like strong or bitter coffee. I have a Keurig and get their “light” roast coffee pods. They are caffeinated but don’t punch you in the face first thing in the morning with all that bitterness. I find the breakfast blends are nice–most of the coffee brands have them. Also, there’s a Krispy Creme “Daybreak” pod that I think is delicious. Green Mountain also has ‘Our Blend” that’s very smooth. Enjoy those beautiful children AND your coffee journey!
That photo of Joseph and Dominic at the window is so sweet. It looks like Joseph is explaining the world to his brother, and Dominic is an enthralled student. A beautiful moment caught in time.
Haha! I laughed out loud at that childhood punishments graphic. I 100% agree. Our perfect Friday night plans tonight are pizza and Westworld with maybe a board game thrown in! Also feel the same way about socks. I always wear them throughout the house but take them off as soon as I get in bed. Can’t do it.
The fact you don’t have a little human with super high metabolism in you is probably part of the reason for the cold feeling. I sleep better when my feet are warm, so I put a folded throw over my feet and ankles to help me warm up. Sometimes I get too warm later & kick it off, but it helps me warm up faster when I go to bed.
I look forward to reading your blog! Your children are so prescious ♥️ I don’t know how you do all you do! Thanks for sharing your family with your blog family. I enjoy your recipes, thanks. Have a good spring FINALLY!!
Hi Michelle! I love Chameleon Cold Brew. I typically drink it at home and Starbucks pourovers or americanos. You might be surprised at how palatable they are. Also I can’t wear socks ever no matter how cold I am. I think I’m traumatized from being forced to wear them to school lol
I love the pictures of all of your babies….
I won’t sleep with socks on either ,,I bought a electric blanket with a timer and I turn it on a few minutes early,,,let it warm the bed till bedtime…
I”ve never been able to do coffee, either. I tried to adult one day and have some iced coffee. It was made with a syrup of some kind, milk, brown sugar and ice. It didn’t taste bad but….later in the day I had some really bad tummy trouble. The coffee was the only thing different I had had that day, so I’m wondering if it didnt’ cause my little issue. I always thought I didn’t like tea until I tried some herbal blends. Yogi brand has some really nice flavor combos; some with caffeine. I like the Vanilla Spice Perfect Energy for my morning pick-me-up. And there is something very cozy and comforting about a hot cup of tea in the late afternoon or before bed. Might help to warm you up a bit. You have quite the good-looking bunch of kiddos and pups! Glad Isabelle is being a good girl for you. Happy Friday!
Cold brew coffee is amazing. Smooth and never bitter. I make a big batch and keep it in a slim water dispenser in my fridge. It’s super easy to make. I do a whole can of Lavazza coffee and 4 cans of water, soak overnight, and strain through a cheesecloth lined strainer. You can dilute with water to your taste, but I normally don’t. I use the dunkin extra extra in it and it’s so delicious!
Morning Michelle, the kids are so sweet looking! For your coffee thoughts, may I point out that the suggestions you have so far are all sugar – so that will be the jolt you get more than the caffeine. I’d say just try a good coffee store (Starbucks & Dunkin’ Donuts are not my favorites) with half & half. The cold brews I’ve tried have been very bitter. Hope this helps a little.
I can NOT sleep with socks on EVER! It doesn’t matter how cold I am. I am like you in that I leave them on until I am ready to fall asleep and then they have to come off. Sometimes I will put my heating pad on high under the covers at the foot of the bed for awhile so that I can feel the warmth on my feet while I doze off. I don’t want the heating pad on my feet so I turn it off and take it out before I get in but the heat feels so good. By the way, I only use a FIR pad. If you don’t have one I recommend checking it out. Much pricier than a regular heating pad but so worth it.
Also, you might want to make sure you’re not anemic and in need of iron supplements. When I was anemic the cold was so intense.
Congratulations on your beautiful, healthy baby girl!