Friday Things
1. This week Joseph asked, “Mommy, how old are you?” I told him I was 39, to which he replied, “Wow! Great job, Mommy! I’m so proud of you!” So… I guess I should be thrilled that I’ve made it this far LOL!
2. We got Dominic on skates this week to see if he’s ready for lessons! He was super wobbly at first, but was much steadier by the end, could stand on his own, and was able to walk on the skates back to the benches to change. He was SO excited and had so much fun. Joseph’s instructor said we could have him come on the ice at the end of Joseph’s lessons to continue getting him acclimated.
3. Isabelle had her 12-month checkup this week and is continuing to grow wonderfully! She was 78th percentile for height and 72nd for weight – growing like a weed! She loves to eat and gobbles up pretty much anything I put in front of her. She also has two older brothers who utterly adore her and love to pick out her clothes and brush her hair LOL!
4. Who here shops through Thrive Market? If you do, what do you buy? I’d love to hear your favorites; I got a gift card so I’m going to give it a trial run!
5. Do you make seasonal bucket lists? What do you have on your things-to-do for spring and summer! I’d love some fun ideas for when Joseph is done with school!
6. Are you prepping for Easter yet? If you’re looking for ideas, there’s the always-popular Italian Easter bread, homemade peanut butter eggs, and coconut cupcakes to get started. Check out all of my Easter recipes for more ideas!
7. Love this story about Coach K from Duke and a special friend.
8. We’ve officially reached NHL playoff time! Our first game went into overtime, and while I wasn’t as hyped up at the start of the game as I usually am for the playoffs (having three kids and a mental load the size of Mt. Everest will do that to you, I suppose), the game went into overtime and back were those flutters and heart-stopping flinches every time the puck went near the net. Who are you rooting for this year?!
9. I really want to try to get into a better reading habit. Right now, I have The Home Edit on my nightstand because I cannot get enough for purging and organizing, I’d love some fiction recommendations. Lay ’em on me!
10. TGIF! Judith knows how to relax!
I JUST LOVE YOUR SITE! Having choices for every holiday and special occasion makes it even more fun!
Cinco de Mayo Day is coming right up and here on Maui we go all out to celebrate it. I plan to bring along contributions from recipes in your blog.
I have to say that your “Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms” are a big hit at our home. I like to use the Sweet Italian Sausage that’s readily available in our markets here in Hawaii.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING YOUR YUMMY RECIPES.
……… with Aloha from Nancy On Maui
I am a huge fan of Thrive Market. Love their nuts and dried fruit. They also offer great snacks that are healthy and made with good ingredients. I actually like some of the baby food pouches they offer too. Such a great on the go snack for me.
I just placed my third order, I love it! I’m finding tons of stuff I buy at our regular grocery store (Sunbutter, organic jams, etc.) that are SO much less expensive on Thrive Market!
Hi Michelle,
good job Dominic! I have two small grandchildren 6 and 8, neither of them have ice skated yet but they really haven’t roller skated either. Do you recommend roller skating first for learning to balance, I think it would be easier that way. I never learned to do either myself! There is a roller rink in their neighborhood and I’d like to take them there during Easter break. Thanks!
Hi Lucy, Neither of my boys have ever roller skated! So I would say, nope it’s not necessary, but certainly wouldn’t be a bad thing, either! Have fun! :)
I agree..blog is your choice to read and it’s a beautiful blog filled with love, care, food, and fellowship. Haters really need prayer for real. So sad to actually be able to post anything dark…I’m shocked. Michelle you are such an example of all things good. You’re such a breath of fresh air each week. Close your eyes to mean posts or block them. Technology allows freedom to do that too.
Omg soooooo adorable seeing the boys getting Isabelle ready. Too sweet. Summer bucket list is to make a summer bucket list😊 judith looks so pretty…clean soft and so loved.
Just finished “The Aviator’s Wife.” Loved it. “13 Reasons Why” is YA and wasn’t what I expected, which maybe made it even more heart-breaking? Would recommend.
Such an aaaadorable family! Thanks for sharing your joy and love, Michelle!
I love reading and read every night before I go to sleep. I like everything by Jodi Picoult, Linwood Barclay, Lisa Jewell, Lisa Gardner, Karin Slaughter, Alex Kava, Linda Fairstein, James Patterson, JD Robb, Faye and Jonathan Kellerman, Sophie Mckenzie, Alex Lake, Caroline Overington, Liane Moriarty, Gillian Flynn, Paula Hawkins, J. P. Delaney, Leah Giarratano.
No bucket lists here. I’m 65 and just go with the flow, enjoying retirement.
I love a bucket list. We have one for every season. For spring/summer bucket list:
Fireworks
Strawberry picking
Playing on the water steps by PNC park
Playing at the water feature at PPG place
Making ice cream and ice pops
Strip district outdoor lunches
Mini golf
Beach trip to Rehoboth
Hiking at Fall Run Park (it’s a super easy pretty hike)
Rock painting (we have a painted rock garden we add to every year)
Tie-dye day
Tracing ourselves in chalk on the driveway and drawing ourselves
Museum tour when it’s rainy
Fire pit with roasted hot dogs and s’mores
Shaved ice from Gus and YaYa
Food truck round ups
I am so excited it’s spring!!
I subscribe to a blog called Mix and Match Mama. Every month she reviews books she has read and you can go back and look back to 2015. She has some great recommendations. On the comments section her readers pass along other titles to read. She usual does this towards the last week of the month. I think you would like her blog, she does life style, recipes, family stuff. Great blog!
“I Love You Through and Through”
One of my favorite books to read to my son when he was little!
Anything by Tana French i love. i just read the Chalk Man which was really good!! Just started Where the Crawdads Sing!
I suggest Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series. They are laugh out loud, wet your pants funny!
I agree!!
I agree also!
I’m not saying this to be rude or ignorant By I subscribe To your site for the great recipes to which I have used already. By I did not subscribe to get your family’s life history. I’m sorry but I just ought to put that out there. If you didn’t like my comment please but all means delete me. I love to cook I’m writing your recipes down all the time so I can have them. I sorry for any upsets. And ignorance.
The beauty of living in a free country is that you have choices which means you can choose to NOT read her Friday posts. And hiding behind ” don’t want to be rude or ignorant ” doesn’t make your comments less biting!!! She has a tab at the top of her page that is clearly marked RECIPE INDEX so you can click that and get allllll of her recipes WITHOUT having to read about her family history. I think you need a hug. Michelle, your babies are beautiful and I personally think you are doing a terrific job as a working mother. Love your FAMILY POSTS because they help me connect to you as not only a food blogger but also a person trying to make it all work the best you can. Love your blog and recipes. Keep up the hard work.
I on the other hand love her family blog posts. Love the dogs, love the kids. Love love <3
I read her family posts first! I love Michelle and her kids. They make me so happy because we live in the next town over from them and they remind me of what we did when my kids were small.
I hope you are ok, that you are slamming someone who posts great recipes and content for your use for free.
Wow! I don’t think it was necessary to post that. If you don’t want to hear about the family stuff, don’t subscribe to Friday Things or the weekend email. Just look at the recipes as suggested. I love all parts of this blog!
Please follow the golden rule of online posting: if you don’t have anything nice to post, don’t!
Michelle, I enjoy all your posts – it especially the Friday/weekend posts. They connect us to you.
Those cute kiddos are growing so fast!
What Should I Read. Next – podcast and blog are great places to get book recommendations of all kinds. I have a running list on GoodReads.com of books I “want to read” that I found through Anne Bogel of What Should I Read Next. Goodreads.com is a great website also for looking up summaries and reviews of books that you might want to try and also for finding books that might be similar to a book you read and enjoyed.
I really enjoy Kate Morton’s fiction books, so I’ll make that recommendation to you – anything by Kate Morton..
“Where The Crawdads Sing ” is a wonderful read. My daughter said it was the best book she had read in a long time, and I agree. We are both voracious readers so that is saying alot! Have a wonderful, warm weekend.
Check out Cleo Coyle’s coffeehouse mystery series. I believe there’s 17 books now. The audio series is read by Rebecca Gibble. Also, as a foody, make a list of bruch/dinner places you want to visit each week this summer . Summer food tour!
Love your posts. And what a beautiful family.
I just finished reading Where The Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens and just loved it. Good to the very last page.
Have a wonderful weekend.
Read “Where The Crawdads Sing”. I was the winner of the Wolf toaster oven and absolutely LOVE it. It’s part of my life now. I can’t thank you enough.
Check out Well Read Mom for some great reading lists. It’s a formal reading book club for moms with great classics. I’m not in a season where a formal book club will work for our family but I do use the book lists from the site and have enjoyed them! Also the book “book girl” by Sarah Clarkson has some great suggestions!
One of the best books I have ever read, and the only one I have re-read…”Ride the Wind”, by Lucia St. Clair Robson. A true story with the most incredible setting and characters. Reading it was like having the most epic movie playing in my head. Hope you will enjoy!
I highly recommend Daisy Jones And The Six….it was a really great book! And for a spring bucket list with the kids we always loved bubbles and a picnic…..sometimes even in just our backyard. I always found keeping it simple was the best way to ensure that we all had fun.
Just wanted to say I noticed the book your daughter is holding & we had the same book when my kids were little! Brought back some great memories!😃
I love listening to the What Should I Read Next podcast for book recommendations. So many of the books I’ve read recently have come from listening to that podcast. It has also helped me to better figure out what I like so that I can narrow down my “to be read” stack.