Friday Things
1. Isabelle had her four-month checkup last week and she is basically perfection. She’s growing wonderfully (80th percentile height and 50th for weight), sleeping like a champ (minus a little 4-month regression hiccups a week or two ago) and is just basically the happiest, most relaxed baby. I can’t stop kissing her little cheeks!
2. Last Friday, the boys helped me in the kitchen making bagel dough and chocolate chip cookies. I’m loving that Dominic enjoys helping now, as well, though he really just wanted to keep eating chocolate chips… “Mommy, more!”. A boy after my own heart :)
3. Do you remember all of the complaining I did about how we were all sick CONSTANTLY over the last year? Like, every three to four weeks, like clockwork. It would start with Joseph and trickle down to the rest of us. Well, I realized last week that NONE of us have been sick since… *drumroll*… Joseph finished school in May. I guess we have a definitive culprit. Unfortunately school starts back up in a few weeks, so I’ll just enjoy these last few germ-free weeks of summer.
4. My husband and I celebrated our five year wedding anniversary this week! It seems like just yesterday, as well as a million years ago, that we had our toes in the sand, saying “I do” and celebrating with pizza, champagne, and a Publix chocolate cake. I would not have changed a thing about how we did it; it was so perfect for us. Five years later, two houses, three kids, three different dogs (we still miss you, Einstein), and a supremely happy life. We are blessed, for sure.
5. I received a lot of questions from readers about where I got the suits that Joseph and Dominic wore for Isabelle’s baptism. They are from Janie and Jack (pants/jacket/shirt/ties/shoes), and I bought them for my cousin’s wedding back in May, so bonus that we got two wears out of them! I also bought this dress for Isabelle to wear back at home after the baptism so the vintage christening gown didn’t get ruined, but failed to actually get a picture of her in it (she looked like such a doll!) because after changing her and giving her a bottle, she proceeded to take a 3-hour nap and miss her entire party, ha! Janie and Jack IS super pricey, for sure, but I save them for special occasions (Christmas, Easter, and weddings are basically it).
6. We’re on the cusp of football season and the ever-popular Hissy Fit Dip is already trending. One of my favorites; make sure it’s on your game day menus!
7. My husband found this article a couple of weeks ago and it’s a great read (for men and women both!) >> How to Make Small Talk
8. I’m working some wonderful new tweaks to the website and want to make it easy to find the recipes that you’re looking for. When you use the recipe index (do you use the recipe index? ha!), do you like just having very broad categories, or are more specific categories/subcategories helpful? I’d love your feedback!
9. We started a new show this week thanks to some of your recommendations – Justified. We like it, although so far not as much as we liked Longmire, but it’s still a good one we’re enjoying!
10. TGIF! Hope you have some great weekend plans with a good friend :)
Omg that photo at the end of Dominic and Judith — so precious!
I feel you on the kids constantly being sick. But it will pay off in kindergarten! They are exposed early in preschool or day care early, get sick a lot, and then are golden in K when everyone else is sick!
The kiddos are looking great! Happy Anniversary….you’ve definitely kept busy these last 5 years.
I use your recipe index & that’s how I found your meatballs, as well as one of your Mac and cheese recipes. I like having the categories, as well as having a search box, so I can quickly type in what I’m looking for.Â
As far as shows, my husband and I just finished both seasons of Goliath on Amazon Prime. We got thru 2 seasons in a week & a half, we enjoyed it that much.
I read a review that Sneaky Pete is very good as well, so we might give that a try next. Thx for your blog, really enjoy it!
Love your website!  It’s the first one I go to when  making anything.  First I just started with desserts, but I’ve moved on :). I use the recipe index and the search feature and found everything I’m looking for.
Your family is adorable- keep doing what you’re doing!!
What a difference five years makes! I remember when you were planning your wedding & the idea of a cookie table. Thanks for reminding us of the Hissy Fit Dip – I need a dip for my twin nieces’ 31st birthday.
I started reading the Small Talk article – will finish later – because I’m an introvert & avoid conversations when I can. As for your Recipe Index, I usually usually use the Search function. But it always brings up some irrelevant links at the top before your recipes. Wish you could fix that. To see what I mean, search BANANA. :-)
ok–toooo adorable–Dominic and the beautiful doggie. …but who is it? Judith or Duke?
Hi Macy, That’s Judith :)
You mentioned that you’re a Pittsburgh gal, but you mentioned getting married with a Publix chocolate cake. I’m an OLD-tyme-Florida gal and wondering if you got married in FL. so,… just wondering…
My son and daughter-in-law (both Floridians) lived in Pittsburgh.
Daughter-in-law was a ballerina w/Pittsburgh Ballet Theater.
Hi Candyce, Yes, we did get married in Florida! :)
I like a detailed index – thanks for asking!
We celebrated our fifth anniversary this week as well. As it was the ‘wood’ anniversary, we did a treetop adventure park that opened in our city.  I do use the index by items I want to use. In fact, this week I had some bananas to use and that’s how I came across your banana bread recipe that my husband loved.Â
Happy Anniversary!
I am a great grandmother living in a small northern Utah town. I love reading about your sweet children and recognizing and cherishing all their triumphs. They are so dear. Raising them to be accountable, responsible humans is the best, hardest, most rewarding, and most important focus of your life. Looks like you are doing very well. Oh, and I love your recipes, too.
We watched Justified before Longmire. Loved both but I like Justified just a bit better. Love Timothy Oliphant and Walton Goggins (Boyd Crowder) is AMAZING. Hope you like it. Can’t wait to try your chocolate cake!
Your recipe index is perfect. Please dont change a thing. So easy to use and navigate through. I even find great recipes I forgot you had on your blog.
Congratulations on your anniversary. Thank you for always sharing your life, your children are so adorable and I always look forward to your posts every week. I have been following you since your first year and feel like you are family. You have to be the most sweetest and loving mother (and dog mom) out there! God sure has blessed you.
Your kids are adorable! They looked so sweet/handsome at the baptism. I love a good index, but I think you just stick to broad categories. Maybe have a seasonal one, too. Love your website!
Oh my goodness, I feel ya on the school germs. Its not the early wake ups or homework I dread, it’s the germs. I hope it’s a healthier year for you guys.
Keep giving Justified a chance. It gets better and if for nothing else you get to look at Timothy Oliphant. But the show is really good too.
Jane and Jack is definitely pricey but make sure you use a 20% coupon that comes every month in Parents magazine or sometimes even by email if u sign up. It offsets some of the costs.
I subscribe to over 50 cooking blogs and have never left a comment your recap today reminding me I moved to New Mexico 5 years ago and found your blog. Seeing your children the loss of Einstein and the ups and downs of your life such as mine. Remind me of all the things we are thankful for and how much things change. Thank you for being a bright spot in my inbox. I love Friday things almost as much as the receipes.Â
In response to #8, I really like it the way it is! Â Yours is one of the best, if not the best, of all of the blogs I read. One of my favorite things about your blog is your comment section. I love that way you break out reviews. Thank you for that!