Friday Things #365
1. Isabelle’s 2nd birthday is on Monday! We’ll obviously just be celebrating at home with the five of us, but she got an early birthday present delivered yesterday morning and basically has not taken the bike helmet off ever since. She’s been begging to ride a bike, so now she can! Just has to get the peddling down on the tricycle ;-)
2. Dominic could do puzzles all day, every day. I LOVE this about him! He gets so focused!
3. Joseph learned about patterns during his school session on Zoom yesterday and spent a bunch of time throughout the day putting things around the house in patterns. I love, love, love how much this boy loves learning. Being able to watch him watching the teacher, absorbing it and applying it is so special.
4. We are currently on Day #24 of quarantine and I have put on jeans (aka “real pants”) exactly four times. Living my life in Beyond Yoga and Zella leggings ❤️️
5. On a related note, my skin should be FANTASTIC by the end of this because I have also not worn any type of foundation (not even tinted moisturizer!) since we began our self-isolation. Some days I put on concealer, a little cheek tint and mascara, but that’s it.
6. I started working again on the rainbow blanket I began when I was pregnant with Joseph. Carpal tunnel halted my efforts and then it just got put on the back burner; I thought now was as good a time as any to get back to it! Like riding a bike! I had already crocheted all of the color squares; now I’m putting the white borders around them and then need to assemble.
7. Another project I started – a 1,000 piece puzzle! I love puzzles and can’t remember the last time I did a big one (maybe 10 or 15 years ago?); I grabbed this one on clearance at Michael’s when I was buying supplies for Joseph’s birthday party. It was a total impulse purchase, but now I’m glad I have it! We’ll see how long it lasts on the dining room table without getting wrecked by little hands ;-)
8. We resurrected the teepee that used to be in the basement when Joseph was a toddler and put it in the playroom. The kids pretended it was a rocket ship and suited up like astronauts for their trip to the moon ;-)
9. Currently watching: Vikings on Netflix. It took a while for me to warm up to it, but now I’m into it. What are you watching?
10. TGIF! Dogs make great footrests 😂
My kids love assembling puzzles. Especially the 3D ones.
Your daughter Isabella looks like she ready to get take bicycle out and ride ride ride ..
Happy Birthday Isabelle!!!
I’m cooking and baking up a storm using many of your excellent recipes. Your kids are the most precious things and you are blessed to have them. Love your blog. You are a great mother!!!
Aww thank you so much for the kind words, xo
Thank you for sharing your happiness and adorable pics with us. God bless you, Michelle! :-)
Hi Michelle,
You mentioned that you had carpal tunnel issues before when you crocheted. Have you tried the crochet needles with the rubber grip? I started crocheting again to make blankets for my nieces and nephews as they got married and had children. My hand and wrist ached like crazy; I could barely hold the needle. I switched to crochet needles with a rubber grip and it has made all the difference. No more aches no matter what size hook or yarn I use. There are several brands out there. Most of mine are Amour or Clover. Be sure to stay with the metal hook, not plastic.
Also, I was going to make your baked rigatoni and sausage hot dish again but the grocery store was completely out of mozzarella cheese. In fact, they were out of almost all cheese – blocks, sliced, shredded – it was almost all gone! These are crazy times. Stay well!
Hi Sandy, Thank you so much for the tip! The carpal tunnel was triggered by pregnancy and cleared up afterwards, so I haven’t had an issue recently, but I will definitely keep those in mind if it flares up again!
I recently found Hart of Dixie on Netflix. It’s a fun storyline of a NY doctor who moves to a small town in Alabama and how life goes on there. I am finding it very amusing! My girlfriend found a movie on Netflix called About Time and recommended it. I haven’t watched it yet but we share similar taste so I’ll probably enjoy it.
We’ve been watching The Plot Against America on HBO. It’s really good!
I have a puzzle tip! I grabbed a foam board from the dollar store and it perfectly fits my 1000 piece puzzle! It’s nice and lightweight and then your puzzle can move around where you need it. I often bring it out where there’s better light to work on it. Sure beats buying an expensive fancy puzzle mat!
Just had to put in a plug for a balance bike if you haven’t tried one! We have the Woom 1 for our just turned two year old and it’s amazing. He can already ride fast enough that I sometimes have to jog to keep up, and he loves it! I expect him to transition to a bike without training wheels easily next summer. We also have a trike, but it’s much harder for him to ride, and way heavier for me to carry home when he decides mid walk that he’d prefer to walk and pick up sticks. ;)
Hi Emily, We got Joseph a balance bike right before he turned 3 and the boys will use it every now and then, but they much prefer their bikes with training wheels that they can peddle super fast ;-)
MIchelle,
Love your friday posts, as it makes it seem as though everything is normal and all right with the world! A Very Happy 2nd Birthday to Isabelle! Can it be that two years have passed already? Joseph looks so grown up and Dominic looks like a little professor, all so cute.
My son wanted to bake a loaf of bread,as there is no good bread to be found on grocers’ shelves, but couldn’t find one that he liked, so I suggested he try yours, just the one loaf of white bread as I eat gluten free. OMG!!! what a loaf of bread. I was seriously jealous of what he produced. He tried bread baking before and it yielded disastrous results. He found this recipe easy, and the bread was baked in no time. Thanks again for a wonderful recipe for the favorite white bread, it is really good, easy to make and comes out really high and is extremely generous in size.
Your little lady is absolutely darling! I wonder if you’ve ever tried a Strider bike (or balance bike) for your boys? They are the BEST! I love reading your Friday posts, thanks!!
Hi Ellen, We got Joseph a balance bike right before he turned 3 and the boys will use it every now and then, but they much prefer their bikes with training wheels that they can peddle super fast ;-)
My daughter like Dominic loved puzzles at a very young age. One of her favorites when she was about his age was a wooden puzzle of the United States. Similar to this one…
https://www.amazon.com/Melissa-Doug-Wipe-Clean-Surface-Geography/dp/B000RMZSYE/ref=sr_1_7?crid=XNSUEVHIXU3M&dchild=1&keywords=us+wooden+puzzle+map+for+kids&qid=1585924672&sprefix=wooden+us+puz%2Caps%2C186&sr=8-7
She learned all the states names just by working this puzzle. She’s 18 now and is on her third 1,000 puzzle while we’re sheltering in place here in GA.
We have a very similar one, just a different brand! The boys worked on it together multiple times today!
Thank you for this weekly dose of sunshine! Your kids are just precious. I love their imagination.
My boys are grown , so I am reliving those wonderful days.(Can’t wait for grandkids ;-D)
And Dominic in his glasses – oh my! Absolutely love it!!!
Hello. For your puzzle I highly recommend investing in a Portapuzzle
https://www.puzzlewarehouse.com/Portapuzzle-1500-10808jum.html
It appears to be a bit more expensive in the states because I don’t remember paying that much however it is worth the investment. When school is in session I don’t have time to do puzzles but when it is break my kids love to do puzzles with me especially the 1000 pieces ! This mat is so convient because it folds up and slides under a bed or the couch. I even store it standing up behind the couch and the pieces barely move. During our confinement my sons have taken the removable smaller mats and made 500 piece puzzles on them.
Thank you for sharing your recipes and life with us. You are my go to when I am looking for a recipe, never disappointed !
Enjoy the time with your little ones, it goes too fast.
Karla, Mom of 4 in France
Thanks for Friday Things! I know I’ve said this a few times on your blog, but I sooo miss the days when my kids were the age of your kids!
Mine are 14 & almost 13, & the toddler &
pre-school age is the best! I remember how exhausting it could be, but the sweet innocence you just can’t get back.
We finished two shows on Netflix; Tiger King, & Wild Wild Country. Both true stories, & you can’t believe this stuff actually happened in both!
Puzzles!!! I love them and like you, I haven’t done one in years. Good idea. Good luck with yours…but a snow scene? I’ve also stepped up my sewing now that there are less things to leave the house for…made a seat cover with tool pockets for my garden stool.
We started watching The Expanse on Prime.. A bit to get into but we’re on season 3 now and it’s very good! I also started watching Wynonna Earp on Netflix. If you kinda like mild and funny zombie movies..yeah, check it out. It’s from Canada. Stay well, neighbors.
Yesssss love the snow and this puzzle combined just about everything I love: Christmas tree, snow, reindeer, cabin in the woods, and the Northern Lights :)
Good Morning and Happy Friday, Michelle! We’ve made it through one more week of quarantine!
My oldest loves puzzles right now too- would you mind sharing where you found that solar system puzzle that Dominic is working on? Thanks!
Have a good weekend,
Michelle
Hi Michelle, Sure! I got it on Amazon a couple of weeks ago: https://amzn.to/2wdldAE. It looks unavailable now, but we have a few of the Crocodile Creek brand puzzles and really like them!
I’ve watched all of the Vikings episodes. The first season is hard to watch, thought it was all over the place.
I love reading about your sweet children. It brings a smile to this old granny’s face. Thank you.
Happy Friday Michelle and Happy Birthday Isabelle!! Thank you for sharing your week and family with us-brought a much needed smile to my morning.
So true about the jeans. I only wear them the one day a week I venture out for groceries.
I saw a segment on CBS Sunday Morning about the increase in popularity of jigsaw puzzles during this time. So on Sunday I broke out a 1000 piece puzzle I received a few years ago for Christmas. The picture is bags of Potato Chips (one of my favorite foods 😋) and is almost complete. A great diversion after staring at a screen all day working from home. Next up one of PNC Park!
Thank you, Michelle, for continuing with “Friday Things.” It is absolutely a day brightener. Your kids are adorable. Wishing the best to you all from Holly Springs, North Carolina.
Your family is so beautiful & you and your husband are such awesome parents! My hats 🎩 off to you for doing quarantine w/3 small kids! Your comfort foods post this week were excellent. Take good care.
Julia from the other side of PA. ☺️
Love Friday things! Your kids are so cute! I’m a grandma now, takes me back to when my kids are small. Stay healthy everyone. My husband and I are recovering from this virus, it’s awful! Stay home!!
Oh Mary, I hope you and your husband feel better soon!