Friday Things #330
1. I feel like it’s been so long since we’ve chatted! We celebrated our 4th of July at home with a cookout and family; the boys stayed up for the first time ever to watch fireworks, and they were SO excited. A house right up the street from us throws a huge party and puts on a MASSIVE fireworks show – like, a township/community-level show, so we just sat out in our driveway and enjoyed. It’s such a treat to be able to see such amazing fireworks and not leave our yard. The boys had a BLAST!
2. We also got a playset for the kids and it was installed last week. They are in LOVE with it. It’s simple – swings, a slide, a ladder and rock wall, and my favorite part – a picnic table underneath the clubhouse area up top. Shade for mommy :) They’ve been playing on it as much as possible and this week when it was sweltering outside, my husband took the hose out and turned it into a waterslide for them ;-) They had a ball.
3. And little miss Isabelle turned 15 months old last weekend! She has a wicked sense of humor, is so sweet, and is finallyyyyyyy starting to take some steps! I think it helps that her brothers cheer like crazy when she stands up and starts to shuffle those feet. She gets so excited :)
4. Also! Dominic got his full skin test at the allergist last week and he, like Isabelle, showed zero signs of any nut allergy. Phew!
5. Oh my gosh, a baby cheetah with puppies as friends? My heart.
6. Speaking of, we took our brood to the zoo on Monday for the first time. The boys loved the aquarium and the polar bear (always my favorite) and enjoyed seeing so many different animals they’ve never seen in person before.
7. I find it so incredibly difficult to allow myself to do nothing; I always feel like there’s something I SHOULD be doing, so this was a good read >> A Beginner’s Guide to Doing Nothing.
8. Cookie dough lovers – have you tried this edible dough yet?
9. Do you have a crossbody bag that you love? I’ve been using this Marc Jacobs bag – literally – every single day for nearly four years and it’s definitely showing wear. I’m contemplating getting another, but might try something a little bit smaller; maybe this version. If you have any recommendations, send them my way!
10. TGIF! Duke celebrated his 6th birthday on June 30th! :)
Awesome photos, Michelle! And thanks for all the cool links. I had not heard of that Nestle edible cookie dough, and wish you hadn’t of told me. JK!
Hi-I’m concerned because I subscribe but I only received Friday and Saturday’s posts this week. I was wondering if you were just busy but then today’s post mentioned recipes from earlier in the week. Is this happening to anyone else?
Love reading your blog.
The crossbody bags from Kipling are my favourite- versatile and hardy.
https://www.kipling-usa.com/handbags-crossbody/?banner=051420199.summerrefresh.product.hpcategory#uuid=02040640ed8128394857e6d757
Leen
Purses — check into R. Riveter. I got one for Mother’s Day and love it! Not a ton of pockets in mine, but sturdy and works perfectly for me.Â
Thanks for the recommendation, just checked it out and LOVE their story/cause!
Most of the things we think we should do don’t need to be done at all.
I look forward to Friday Things all week and really missed them last week. Love your recipes, too.
I’m not a fan of zoos, I’d rather animals were left in the wild as they can be seen via photos and nature shows.  I have 2 crossbody bags, one is small for when I only need to carry basic necessities and the other is for travel with clips to close the zippered sections and an RFID section.  It’s made of fabric, by  Travelon.  I looked at the new bag you’re considering, seems very expensive at $250+ for a nylon bag.  Duke is gorgeous as ever!
That was the first time I had been to the zoo in years and years, and it made me so sad for the animals :(
Watch the Zoo on Animal Planet, they talk a lot about the conservation they do. Also to be accredited zoos have to meet certain standards. I agree not all are great but the good ones have a benefit. Also the education and instilling a love for animals is something zoos do for children. The first season of the Zoo is the Bronx Zoo and they talk about giving the kids the ability to see animals up close. Photos/shows won’t do that for children, they need to experience it.
Hi Michelle! Love reading your blog and trying so many of your recipes.
Baggalini – they have a fantastic range of sizes, shapes & styles. I rarely carry a purse but I can’t resist their bags!
Love Joseph and Dominic’s McLaren hats and Dominic’s Ferrari shirt! My 15-yo is a huge car fan, too!
I saw your Insta Story with the boys and their “water” slide. Genius!
Ahhh thank you! They love all kinds of cars but they really love watching Formula One with my husband :) Last year Joseph knew all of the teams and cars, I couldn’t believe it (I didn’t even know them all!).
Love the cake for the birthday boy…go to your facebook group and check out the one I did for our furry baby boy on 7/8 :-) Enjoy your weekend!
Check out Vera Bradley for crossbody bags! Lots of fun patterns, but also some solids. Their patterns are always changing. I think they roll out new ones 4 times a year, and “retire” old ones. You can shop by pattern or by type.
With regards to the cheetah/puppy story, I’ve seen a lab run around with a full grown cheetah at the Columbus zoo. They grew up to together and apparently the dogs calm down the cheetahs. So cool to see!
I would love to know what playset you bought for your kiddos. We’ve been looking but there are so many options!
Hi Morgan, It is the Woodplay Monkey Tower (seen on this page) >> http://pgworld.com/playsets/woodplay/safari/. The amount of options is mind boggling!
I bought this bag from The Sak a few years ago at Nordstrom Rack and have been using it everyday since. Â I liked it so much that when I found it in ivory I bought it for spring/summer. Â https://www.amazon.com/The-SAK-Deena-Crossbody-Black/dp/B004LQ0108/ref=sr_1_3?crid=2FPW84VITOP3A&keywords=the+sak+crossbody+handbags&qid=1562933283&s=apparel&sprefix=the+sa%2Cfashion%2C123&sr=1-3
Do you have any advice for kids going through allergy testing?? My almost 2 year old is getting tested on Monday and I am terrified of keeping her bust and how miserable shes going to be afterwards!
Hi Michelle, Is she getting a skin test? Or doing an oral challenge? Skin tests aren’t too bad, yeah there is a lot of crying with the pricks, but within a few minutes all of mine were settled and you only have to wait 15 minutes. Within 5 minutes, they were totally fine. Now, if it’s an oral challenge and you’re looking to be at the allergist for hours on end (I did this a half dozen times with Joseph in 2017 when he was 2)? I brought his favorite books, sticker books, and he got special Sesame Street watching on my phone (something we NEVER do) to pass the time.
I enjoy your Friday posts so much! I’ve been using a Dooney & Bourke pebble grain crossbody for years. Not too big and not too small. They come in tons of colors and you can usually find one on sale.
I love the cake for Duke! Did you make that from scratch & what’s in it?
Hi Renee, Thanks! It’s this cake (but no frosting): https://www.browneyedbaker.com/dog-birthday-cake/ (I bake it in a loaf pan then carve it a bit to look like a bone :)
Happy Birthday Duke!
By the way, if you think you want another Natasha, I would order quickly because the style has been discontinued,  I have had a classic for about 10 years and while it shows some wear and tear, it still looks pretty good,  if you can find a good leather conditioner, that will help!  I actually have three Natashas, the original in black and two minis,  it is the best travel bag in my opinion and I’m so sad the style is no longer being made!
Have you taken the firework-photo with your phone, or a proper camera? Looks good! :)
xx
Lisa Adriane – Space and Life Style Blog
Hi Lisa, I took it with my iPhone in burst mode :)
Hi,
Love the pix’s of everyone! Love your blog, too. In regard to crossbody….I love my new Chala, designed with whimisical animals, and pretty must enough room for cash, keys, and cellphone. There’s also Kate Spade Wilson Road Nylon Nessie that is a minimalist bag of which I admire. Both on Amazon. Have a great weekend.