Friday Things
1. Mr. Duke hit a major milestone since last Friday – he slept through the night for the first time! And he has slept through the night every night since. It’s like magic! It was the first time in nearly two months that one of us weren’t getting out of bed in the middle of the night to take him out. Now that it’s getting super cold at night, I’m even more appreciative of his newfound love of sleep.
In the past week, Duke has discovered the skylights in our family room. He’s obsessed with them at night, when he sees the reflections of us sitting on the couch, the glow of our phones, and my laptop. He growls and barks at the skylight incessantly; it was cute at first, but now we’re ready for him to get over it ;-)
2. Speaking of our pups, we are seriously considering getting a Roomba. Two Golden Retrievers are creating an insane amount of fur and yard debris on our floors on a daily basis. I’m just wondering how often we’d need to empty it and if would actually be worth it. Does anyone with high-shedding dogs have one?
3. Christmas is exactly two months away! I love this!
4. If you’re into homemade food gifts for the holidays, you have to check out these free printable chalkboard-style labels from Lia Griffith… How awesome are these?!
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5. I’ve seen a lot of folks make really cute labels for homemade gifts with the Silhouette Cameo. Here’s the thing… I’m not at all crafty. As in, not at ALL. However, with the holidays coming up, I’m wondering if it would be a fun little toy for gifts. Would something like this be worth it for someone that doesn’t do any crafting?
6.The increasingly cold mornings and evenings have me craving a warm, plush robe. Do you have any recommendations? I don’t think I’ve ever bought a robe for myself!
7. Since we’re on the subject of robes, I’m also on the lookout for new slippers. Can you tell I’m more than ready for the cozy days of winter?! Right now I have these bookmarked: Sorel Tremblant Blanket, Sorel Nakiska, UGG Ansley, and UGG Rylan. Any thoughts/recommendations?
8. Confession: my Chief Culinary Consultant and I watch Eastbound and Down on HBO. The show is totally ridiculous and I feel like I might lose some brain cells every time I watch it, but I can’t help but find it hysterical. Please tell me I’m not the only one!
9. You have until midnight tonight to enter to win a $300 Zappos.com gift card – don’t forget to enter!
10. TGIF! Best buddies and twins!
I know this is way late, but I have to tell you that Ugg has a robe out, which I absolutely fell in love with at Bloomingdales. I couldn’t quite justify the price since its only cold about 10 days a year here, but I bet I totally could if I lived by you! Seriously, check it out :)
Oooooh, thank you for the tip! I am definitely going to check it out, I never did get a new robe this winter!
Like others, I love my LL Bean Wicked Good Slippers! I had the first pair for, I don’t know, 20 years maybe? I just got a new pair last year and I went with the scuffs. Love!
Yup, LL Bean slippers! They’re the best, so warm and soft! I need another pair-our golden pretty much destroyed the right one. I’m not sure about the Roomba. We have a Dyson and we can fill it up just by sweeping one room. Then again, we don’t like to sweep so we don’t do it every day. And our dogs hate the sweeper. How are yours? I’d hate to buy one & find out they’re terrified. Or worse, want to attack it!
Hi Jen, Einstein is pretty indifferent to the vacuum. He just lays and sleeps while I run it, and if it gets within about a foot of him, he just gets up and moves to another spot. Duke, on the other hand, can’t seem to figure out what to think of it. He runs around it in circles when I vacuum ;-) I’m not sure if he’s scared, excited, or what. I’m sure he’ll get over it :)
Einstein & “little Einstein”! So cute….priceless!
I would not be without my Ugg Coquette slippers. I wear them all day everyday. The sturdy soles help protect my feet when I’m standing a lot. They are the best!
Soft Surroundings catalog has a great robe!
I used to buy my robes from Victoria’s Secret but last year I was in Target and spotted a very thick soft red robe for $25. I wasn’t in the market for one but it was just such a great buy I couldn’t pass it up. I live in MD and wore it from September thru the end of May then switched to a lighter waffle weave for the summer. It’s still holding up and in great shape even after multiple washings and so warm. I have a pair of LL Bean slippers that look like Ugs, they are ultra comfy and warm! I don’t have a roomba yet, would love to buy one (it’s on the wish list), I have a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Freckles and he sheds a lot! Let me know what you find out, if you like it, ect. I too am looking so forward to Christmas and starting to plan already. I was in Micheal’s over the weekend and heard a woman say she couldn’t believe they had Christmas decorations out already. Maybe it’s just me but I don’t mind seeing them. I hate when I hear people say that. If you dont’ like it, don’t look. Who cares? Christmas is only four weeks after Thanksgiving this year so it will come fast. I love the cute pictures of Duke and Einstein, they are adorable! I printed out your recipe for the parmesan onion dip so that I would have it on hand next time I need something in a hurry. Thanks for all the great recipes you post. You’re a lifesaver! :)
We have a golden and a mastiff in the house and found the roomba not effective enough, so i am very happy with my Dyson Animal (both of them, we have one for upstairs and downstairs). I did spring for a some sort of mopping robot from bed bath & beyond, which you can put a swiffer sweeper on and it pushes hair into a big pile on the hardwood. Sad to say the mop pads dont stay wet enough to mop the whole floor though.
I don’t have dogs, but with 2 cats and 3 small children we were having a horrible time keeping our hardwood floors clean. My husband did a lot of research and decided on the Neato XV. I was very against this at first because it honestly made me feel lazy, but agreed to it because of the money back guarantee. After a couple of days, I was completely sold. The sheer volume of fur and dirt that it picked up was astonishing. It “learns” the layout of the house very quickly and runs while we’re gone so the house is always freshly vacuumed when we get home. I would highly recommend the Neato to anyone with pets!
I was at Pottery Barn this weekend and they had beautiful, thick, white, soft robes on sale for $35
Hooray for Duke’s milestone – I can’t imagine how excited you’ll be not getting up in the middle of the night! Those food labels are so crazy cute – I hope I can remember to use them when Christmas actually rolls around :)
I love my Dyson cordless “Animal” for dog hair. I have it on the wall in the laundry room and it’s like the world’s best dustbuster — just grab it off the wall and zap blobs of dog hair as you see them tumbleweeding around. I confess I haven’t had a Roomba but my house has a lot of uneven floor surfaces in it so it’s not practical for me. Dyson also has a dog attachment which my lab LOVES…go straight to the source!
My mom got me the Daniel Green Women’s Geneva Scuff Slipper last Christmas and I wear them all the time! My two requirements for slippers is a hard sole to wear outside and a back (I hate backless clogs) and this slipper is so
comfy. They run a touch small, though. I wear a 7.5 and the 8 fits perfectly.
http://amzn.com/B0040KPX1C
As for robes, my hubby just bought me this jersey-lined beauty for my birthday. I’m still waiting for it to come in the mail (they’re custom-made and take 1-2 weeks), but I’m excited! I wanted a robe that I could wear year round that wouldn’t be sweltering in the summer. The seller will add pockets free of charge upon request.
http://www.etsy.com/listing/156804917/kimono-robe-jersey-lined-maternity-robe?ref=cat_gallery_16
Love the pup updates!
Those labels are stunning…thank you for sharing! You’ve just made my holidays easier. :)
Hi Michelle,
I have a Silhouette and the machine is amazing. Paper crafting is my low calorie hobby, but I think the machine works well for anyone (and I’d recommend the Portrait rather than the Cameo if you aren’t scrapbooking). I do labels for gifts, envelopes and redid my bulk spices with the vinyl. Love it! And there are so many more projects I have in mind.
The best part is that you don’t have to design things yourself, but there are lots of pre-made designs in their online store, so all you do is load your paper and go. So much fun!
Hope this helps,
Melanie
Love, love, love my ROOMBA. We have a terrier mix that looks like a dalmatian – the QUEEN of shedding. Start ROOMBA before jumping in shower/working out and she (“Cinderella” – figure if I lock her in a room and make her clean it fits) has the floor swept when I am done; Dogs do not bother with her, she does not go down stairs due to sensors, and I use the electronic walls to keep her in area I want cleaned; Use it for daily fur collection – amazing what she picks up! Since we bought ours we have encourage 6 other purchases! We have had to replace batterry once in 3 years. Definte bonus – makes me less crabby having to live with less dust bunnies. Go for it!
I like the ugg rylan! Btw you’re not along i’ve watched every episode of eastbown and down….i think its soo ridiculous but its funny and i cant seem to stop watching it kenny powers is hilarious!
I had a regular roomba and I was constantly stopping it to get the dog hair out. I don’t think it was really worth it. The battery didn’t hold up either, so we ended up pitching it.
My husband got us a “MInt Plus” a a couple of years ago. It uses Swiffer type sheets which makes it easier – just toss. You can also mop with it.
I have 2 Clumbers and the Roomba has saved my sanity. That said, if I were to replace it tomorrow, the Neato would get serious consideration. And my fav plush robe is from PineConeHill, affiliated with Dash & Albert/Annue Selke. I have had it for years.
love eastbound & down. You’re not the only one. :)
I love your pups!! So precious together. I have a super fluffy, plush robe that I got at Target a couple of Black Fridays ago and I absolutely adore it. It is so warm and was less than $20 normal price. My slippers might be from there too. I’m a Target addict. haha
You have got to try the Restoration Hardware robes! It may be a slightly unexpected bathrobe source and they’re on the pricey side, but they are just the best! So plush and luxurious-feeling.
http://www.restorationhardware.com/catalog/product/product.jsp?productId=prod1214115&categoryId=cat1500036
We have a GSD and a Neato – best investment ever! Actually maps out the room, remembers where it leaves off when it recharges. Love it!
What a beautiful sweet dog!!! I wish my dog would be like that!
I live in boiled wool Haflinger slippers. I have laminate floor on much of my first floor and it is too hard on my feet without slippers. They have built in arch support as well. I go through about a pair a year since they are literally on my feet day and night when home. They aren’t fuzzy like the ones you mention, but they keep my feet warm and they don’t sweat in them either.
OH and the shoe thing, any pair of Danskos! Most comfortable shoes in the world!
Roomba, love it!! Have a cat and blk lab with the entire house minus two bedrooms hardwood/tile floors and the Roomba rocks! Slightly horrifying how much hair/dirt it picks up daily :)!! Just make sure the schedule doesn’t have it start at 2am or your sleeping through the night will be a bust! It does really well on hard floors and ok on carpet and rugs. And use the 20% Bed, Bath and Beyond coupon for one item to save some $$$.
These are my favorite slippers & will keep your feet so toasty warm all winter…
http://www.restorationhardware.com/catalog/product/product.jsp?productId=prod1654007
I’ve had 3 pairs over the past 10 years, the probably shouldn’t be worn outside ever, but they were too comfy to take off :)