Friday Things
1. My husband snapped this picture during bedtime a couple of weeks ago and I just love looking at it. Usually Isabelle goes to bed first and then my husband and I tag team getting Joseph and Dominic changed and their teeth brushed, then we all congregate in Dominic’s room for books and to wind down.
2. At Joseph’s preschool, they say a short little prayer before they have their snack (they did it last year, too), but he has really taken to it over the last month or so at home. He will sit at the table with the food in front of him and wait until everyone is sitting down, say, “okay, prayer hands everyone!” and then recite the prayer. It melts my heart!
3. Dominic has been picking up on SO much lately! He pretty much speaks in mostly full sentences, and Joseph has taught him to count – he can get up to 14 on his own now. This week the boys unearthed a Flash cape from the closet and while Joseph runs around in it and acts silly, when Dominic puts it on, I swear he gets this aura of authority about him lol!
4. Isabelle turned 8 months old yesterday! Where is the time going?! Aside from catching the boys’ nasty chest cold last week, she’s been doing wonderfully. She’s still rocking on all four and trying her hardest to crawl, but not there yet! Any time she is on the floor trying, the boys get down next to her and say, “Like this, Isabelle! Crawl like this!” trying to show her how to crawl. They are the sweetest big brothers to her.
5. Have you discovered fudge-covered Ritz yet? They were in a display right when I walked into the grocery store and there was absolutely no way I could keep walking without buying them. They are SO GOOD. Totally addicting.
6. For the first time in I don’t even know how long, I ordered my Christmas cards before December 1st! Now getting them addressed and into the mailbox is a different story ;-)
7. A reader emailed me this week looking for a Scottish Tea Cake recipe… unfortunately I don’t have one, but was hoping maybe one of you do! If you have a tried and true recipe that you’re willing to share, please leave it in the comments below for Joanne :)
8. Have you seen this Dyson supersonic hair dryer? It better dry my hair in 30 seconds for that price! It has a massive number of positive reviews; could it really make that big of a difference?!
9. Do you have any good ideas for an Advent calendar? We bought one late last year and have been doing it with the boys, but so far just Hershey’s kisses. If you do one, I’d love to hear what you put in them each day!
10. TGIF! I hope you have a wonderful weekend!
I made advent calendars for the first time this year :) They’re mostly chocolate and candy but I also added: chapstick, make up sponge, nail polish, tiny toys, cell phone charm, tea bags, origami (jumping frog!), fortune cookie, Christmas tree ornament, those cute tiny erasers, washi tapes, a nut in the shell (just for fun hehe). Or course for kids it would be different but there are lots of options :)
I just bought the dyson dryer 1 month ago.
The dry time is a little faster, but the biggest benefit is how it makes your hair feel. Amazingly soft and silky and full of body. Also super quiet.
Not sure if it was worth the $300 price tag (I got it on sale), but I really, really love how it makes my hair feel & now that I have it I would not go back.
It would be a great treat to yourself or special gift.
I was just browsing Sephora when I came across an $80 stand for the Dyson hair dryer and thought of this post! Why not display such an expensive hair dryer as a work of art in your bathroom? :D
I love my Dyson. I have super curly hair and have owned a Dyson hairdryer for two years (hubby gave it to me for Christmas two years ago). When I use it I don’t need to flat iron, my hair stays straight all day, and it amazes my hairdresser every time. Add the fact that I can have a convo while drying my hair, and I definitely think it was worth it!
Advent ideas: I mix candy with coupons – “make cookies”, “look at lights”, “watch a movie”, etc. I stick those in for nights I know we can do those things. I also have purchased small LEGO kits and departed the parts and clipped back the directions so that my daughter could build something through the season. I know you can buy LEGO advent kits, but I wanted something smaller and cheaper.
Speaking of recipes, do you happen to have (or can you recommend) a recipe for baked potato soup?
Hi Sarah! A friend of mine LOVES the crock pot potato soup from Gimme Some Oven: https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/slow-cooker-potato-soup-recipe/. She also has a regular stovetop version, too: https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/potato-soup-recipe/
LEGO advent calendars are the best!! My kids loved them when they were younger.
Taking notes on the Dyson comments … I’ve been wondering about it myself! Also, Michelle, can you please divulge who makes that adorable Christmas creeper Isabelle is wearing and where it came from? I have a new niece and I would dearly love to get my hands one one!!
Hi Kim, It’s from Gap! :) Here is the link: https://www.gap.com/browse/product.do?pid=4053840020612&cid=1027203&locale=en_US
Whoohooo, just snagged one ON SALE!!!
Your children are all adorable & special but….”Isabelle – the blond”……..what a little beauty. God bless.
Love that Joseph wants to say grace…my grands do it. Most times they bow their heads, melts my heart.
Advent calendar for 2.5 year old girl: tiny chocolate Santa’s, stickers, holiday rubber stamps, barrettes, and those plastic capsules that dissolve and turn into sponge animals in water. We have a handmade needlepoint calendar that was made for me as a tiny kid and is now getting a second use with my daughter.
My hairdresser tried the Dyson hair dryer and said it was not comfortable to hold. I guess that is pretty important when you are using it all day…not so much for personal use :P
We don’t do an Advent calendar, but we have a Christmas countdown calendar. I started it when my son was 3. The focus has been on fun activities each day (I write it on a piece of paper and put it in this box for him to open). Some days he gets some money or chocolate. On the last day he gets a special ornament to hang on the tree (if too big for the box we put a note in the box to check his stocking). The ornament is usually a theme for the year like his first year of school we bought a school bus ornament. Activities can vary but we try to focus on things to do together. Today for example we’re picking him up early from school and going to have ice cream before dinner. :-) Other times it’s go for a drive to look at houses that are beautifully decorated. Some of his favorite activities are scavenger hunts for a prize and now that he’s 9 he loves Amazing Race style scavenger hunts. I know your children are still young. When he was younger we did things like read a book by the Christmas tree, picnic by the tree, etc. Lots of great ideas out there.
We got ours at Target. Similar to this one. https://www.target.com/p/advent-calendar-christmas-tree-shape-threshold-153/-/A-53595388?ref=tgt_adv_XS000000&AFID=google_pla_df&fndsrc=tgtao&CPNG=PLA_Home%2BDecor%2BShopping_Brand&adgroup=SC_Home%2BDecor&LID=700000001170770pgs&network=g&device=c&location=9004525&gclsrc=aw.ds&ds_rl=1246978&ds_rl=1247068&ds_rl=1246978&ref=tgt_adv_XS000000&AFID=google_pla_df&CPNG=PLA_Home+Decor+Shopping_Brand&adgroup=SC_Home+Decor&LID=700000001170770pgs&network=g&device=c&location=9004525&gclid=CjwKCAiA0ajgBRA4EiwA9gFORzA87En4ynqqTsieqLbs0P0V-R4iwD9KBFvKTUOFVvHSlJmknkN3MBoCLkwQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
I do not do an advent calendar, but now people that do. They put pieces of chocolate, stickers, small trinkets/toys in them.
Advent calendar: stickers, temporary tattoos, coins for the piggy bank, lollipops, small ornaments for tabletop tree. It’s difficult to stay creative!
Hi, Michelle! Your kids are absolutely adorable and Friday Things is one of my favorite posts!😊
We have a wooden advent calendar and I have always purchased several different types of candies and chocolates to fill it with for my kids. They are all adults now and still look forward to this tradition; they just want all Lindt now! Ha!😉
I found an Advent calendar at a craft store a few years ago that’s wooden. I used paint and scrapbook paper to decorate it. I make a list of 24 good deeds for my daughter to do, one a day. Some are easy things like “let someone in front of you in line” or hug someone. Donate three stuffed animals. Leave random sticky notes in a store. Some are more planned for weekends like bake cookies for daddy’s shift at the Sheriff’s dept. We had a friend lose her husband so one day is to make a Christmas card for Kathy. I’ve tried to find new ideas each year but some are just good to re-do . Today, she’s picking up trash. She really looks forward to being kind everyday!
We do an advent calendar; it has a chocolate and a slip of paper with an activity on it for the day, and the kids take turns. We keep it simple, and it’s just a paper we print off so the activities can grow with our family. Right now, it’s things like library story time, glue pompoms and sticker a construction paper tree, sing Christmas songs together, do a secret chore for a family member, and give someone a compliment. Keep it simple so it happens, is our mantra.
I went to a new hairdresser the other day and she had the Dyson (not sure if there is more than one model, the link provided didn’t work). It dried my hair so it does what it should and is very quiet. I’m not sure if that justifies the price tag!
I did buy the Dyson supersonic hair dryer as an extra special early Christmas gift to myself. It is really amazing but I’m still trying to decide if it’s worth the $400 price tag. I bought it from Nordstrom and they will let you return anything even if you’ve used it so luckily I still have some time left before I make my final decision. I also bought a different hair dryer from Costco that was on sale and seems really nice. I’m going to use this hair dryer and see how it comapares to the Dyson. I’m sure it won’t be as nice but it is like 75% cheaper haha!
The advent calendar we have down the last couple of years is this one by Ann Voskamp. It’s got a picture in the small book, scripture, and a short story with prayer. It doesn’t take long, and my three year old loves picking out the ornament to put on the tree which is inside the book. (It’s a pretty display with the way the tree pops out of the book)
https://www.google.com/aclk?sa=L&ai=DChcSEwjoutD48I3fAhWMiMgKHTAPACIYABAFGgJxdQ&sig=AOD64_1ufbAt6qwJGiS4Vz99FqzpVxlyiA&ctype=5&q=&ved=2ahUKEwidmsv48I3fAhVRhOAKHVkOD_YQwg96BAgNEAc&adurl=
I stumbled onto your blog a few months ago and really enjoy reading your posts, especially Friday Things! Great recipes and your babies are adorable!
Advent calendars: we still have our nativity theme advent calendar, it has all fabric figures and they’re velcro’d onto the stable scene. Our 2 girls loved doing this growing up, we would have them take turns putting the figures on each day and it helped focus the “reason for the season”. I liked that we could just roll it up and do it every year. Magic Cabin has the calendar most like our own but if you do a Google shopping search for nativity advent calendar or on Amazon you’ll see quite a few. Pottery Barn Kids also has quite a few pretty advent calendars on sale right now (not religious themed).
PS I’m making your Easy Tiramisu recipe for the 2nd time (I tried it first as a half size recipe) for a party and it looks gorgeous. Love that it has no custard cooking! Will post a review/picture
I bought a beautiful wooden Advent calendar from Kohl’s this year. Our elf, Lord Stanley, brought it to the house. The drawers have M&Ms, skittles, Starbursts, and quarters. No lie, I raided leftover Halloween candy to fill. The boxes are really small, so there isn’t even room for mini candy bars.
Okay, I love that your elf is named Lord Stanley!
Me too!!!
Me three!
Lego makes Advent calanders. I did not buy one this year as they are bout $30.00 but the looked fun.
My hairdresser uses the dyson to dry my hair and it is amazing! Dries so fast, leaves my hair so shiny and soft. I would love to have one of my own. (all the other hairdressers drool over it! lol)