Friday Things #364
Hello friends! Quarantine Day #17 here for us, how about you? Here’s a look at what we’ve been up to this week…
1. The dogs have been thrilled to be getting tons of walks around the neighborhood, and the boys have been doing a lot of bike riding and, now that it’s getting nicer, playing on the playset.

2. I turned 40 on Wednesday! ๐ฑ A milestone birthday in quarantine is definitely one I won’t forget ;-) The boys insisted we make a cake so we could put candles in something, so they helped me make an easy Texas sheet cake – a forever favorite!
3. Both boys have had some online class time this week and Joseph gets excited any time there are new worksheets to do. Dominic had show and tell yesterday for the letter “N” so my husband got him decked out in a necktie ๐
4. We made our usual Saturday morning pancakes.
5. Isabelle loves her pasta! She has also been obsessed with that Superman mask for the last week and has worn it nearly 24/7 ๐
Save This Recipe
6. OH! Also! Dominic got glasses last week! They had a vision screening at preschool a few months ago and he was flagged for a follow up with an eye doctor. When I took him, he was diagnosed as farsighted with astigmatism; they had to order frames to try on since he’s pretty small, and we finely got the finished glasses mailed to us last week. He’s done SO well wearing them; I’m so proud of that little guy!
7. We built a fort in the basement. (Joseph got a fort building kit for his birthday and we busted it out.)
8. School crafts to pass some time.
9. I’d love for you to share the meals you’ve been making while at home in the comments below. I think most of us have meats stocked in the freezer and random other things; I thought it might be helpful for everyone to get some ideas of new/different things they could make!
This last week I’ve used meat sauce from the freezer for pasta, made a batch of oven BBQ chicken with rice and broccoli (and repurposed into wraps and quesadillas for the kids), and I’m thawing ground beef to do burgers on the grill today.
10. TGIF! I hope you continue to be healthy and safe, xo














Hi Michelle!
I can’t believe how fast the kids are growing! Love all your photos of them and the pups.
I am responding to your request for a dinner idea during the shelter-in-place. I tried the easy sesame chicken from Kitchn. It turned out amazing! I added diced red pepper and cashews and served with white rice and roasted broccoli.
Very Yum!
Hi there ! Hang in it will get better.i live alone and have not been with my grandchildren for 3 weeks. Cooking and baking to keep busy. My rubbish collectors and neighbors are benefiting. My ย deliveries of food and packages for people helping me without contact. I just made your Koulourakia cookies. I followed the direction and they are good but very sticky . What did I do wrong. I love your hint with the orange and sugar. Thank you for your recipes!
I made teriyaki chicken and rice last weekend and made extra rice bc my husband had the idea of using our random collection of veggie bits and some extra chicken to make fried rice. I also have friezes shrimp so that will probably get tossed in as well. I also made lentil soup this week. Thereโs only two of us so Iโve been freezing the extra using a bowl and then stashing the frozen soup in a ziplock bag. I figure that way itโll be easier to get a serving of soup out and reheated when we want it! Weโve also had burritos – ground beef, canned refried beans, and salsa. Today Iโm trying out potato bread for the first time ever. We have left over mashed potatoes that my husband doesnโt want to eat any more so instead of tossing it, thought Iโd finally try making bread out of it.ย
Your kids are so cute!! I found your blog years ago, before you had any kids ๐ and although I am not regular, I like to stop by now and then to see how they are growing. ย
Belated happy birthday!!
All the very bestย
Annaย
Happy Birthday!๐๐๐
Beautiful family
I made your spaghetti meat sauce (crowd favorite), chuck roast with potatoes and carrots and biscuits, homemade pizza, your beef enchiladas, burgers and dogs on the grill, grilled pork chops, chicken, chipotle. ย Iโve baked a cake. ย Baked cookies. ย Love having time to make nice meals. ย ย Thatโs some of what Iโve made. ย Stay healthy!
Love your posts every Friday, I feel like Iโm growing up with your family , haha, happy 40th birthday, you look great!ย
Love your recipes, Iโve made many of them, always tasty.ย
Happy 40th Birthday! Your children are simply adorable in their own ways, and loving Dominic in his new glasses!
Some things we made recently here in the kitchen were potato=cheese pierogies, chicken barley soup, shish tawook skewers, meat lasagna and my absolute favorite things to do were to roast many pans of fresh vegetables drizzed with evoo and various spices. Love them so much, and wanting to keep our nutrition up in hopes of keeping immune system good! God bless everyone. Take care of yourself and your loved ones!
Happy Birthday! Your children are so cute. Stay well
Happy 40th. Always enjoy your Friday posts.
Happy 40th Birthday! Dominic looks so cute in his glasses – I bet he’s glad to be able to see better. Day 7 of quarantine for me. Now that the CARES checks have been approved. we have to go back to work at IRS to get them out. Scheduled to return 4/9 – not feeling too good about that. Take care
Happy Birthday Michelle! ย Dominic is so cute in his little glasses but then all your kids are adorable! I havenโt felt very motivated to do much cooking. ย Iโm on self Quarantine for another three days after 41 hours in Mexico. There was talk of all major airports except 4 in Canada being closed so we had to come home. ย It was a fun 41 hours!Hope you all stay well.
Did you travel after the travel advisory was put in place?
I love Dom’s glasses! And love that he is totally cool with wearing them :)
Happy 40th! My cousin’s 50th was 3/17…she didn’t take being on house arrest as well as you seem to have taken it…one to remember for sure!
I made your Irish Car Bomb cupcakes and gave them to friends and neighbors (dropped off safely, of course…) and as usual (I have made them before) a HUGE hit! People are still talking about them!
Your Italian Bread recipe (yum!) got me back into bread making. A friend turned me on to this recipe. It is AMAZING and SOOOO EASY! Everyone should try it! I may never buy french bread again…
https://www.itsalwaysautumn.com/homemade-artisan-bread-easiest-bread-recipe-ever.html
Your posts of the kids brought many smiles to me today. Thanks. ๐
Happy Birthday!
Happy belated birthday! Today is mine. We’re making your yellow cake with chocolate frosting to celebrate
Oops! Forgot! A very happy birthday to you!
Love those glasses! Is Isabelle possibly wanting to wear the mask so she can have “glasses” as well? I’ve made oatmeal bread, chicken soup, German sausages and mac ‘n cheese with raw vegs and dip, easy taco pie, chicken pot pie – crust on top only, scalloped potatoes with ham, lasagne. Tomorrow, husband is going to make egg rolls – I bought the ingredients we needed today.
Happy 40! Isabelle looks more like you every day. I could eat Dominic!!! Love his little face! Joseph is getting soo big. You’re such a great mother and it shows thru these pictures of your happy little ones. Thanks for all your pictures and weekly updates. And of course your fabulous recipes. Stay safe
Good job Mom!! The kids are so stinkin cute and look so happy! I’ve been relying on your website for recipes! I’ve made your brownies, rice krispie treats, and biscuits. All so good! Thank you for the wonderful recipes.
Happy Birthday, Michelle!!!! ย Well, life begins now, LOL! ย :-). Lovely, adorable family– Glad you all have each other. I’ve made this pizza dough twice in the last few weeks. ย https://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/perfect-pizza-crust/. I’m not sure if it’s using my new stand mixer, or the fact that I’m actually pre-baking the crust, but this is my new favorite pizza dough, and has been the best pizzas I’ve ever made … like I plan to make pizza every week now!! ย HUGS!