Friday Things #404
1. Joseph turned SIX this week! Itโs unbelievable to me how quickly the years have flown by and while I think Iโll always miss those baby snuggles, it has been such a joy to watch him grow and learn and become his own little person. He thoroughly enjoyed his day and even managed to lose his OTHER front tooth before his birthday; heโs now thrilled to say that heโs six years old and has lost six teeth ;-)
2. And on that note, does anyone remember when I was pregnant with Joseph that I began crocheting a rainbow blanket? I had originally wanted to finish it before he was born, but got pregnancy-induced carpal tunnel and had to stop. I picked it up off and on over the years, and I FINALLY FINISHED IT! Literally, two days shy of Josephโs 6th birthday ๐ But! I am thrilled that I now have THREE little babes that can snuggle under it together! (And here is the link to the pattern in case anyone is interested: Bearโs Rainbow Blanket.)
3. Isabelle announced last week that she wants underwear and doesnโt want diapers ๐ฑย It took me 1.2 seconds to order some! Since this is our third time around, I know that potty training doesnโt always happen right away even when they initially show interest, so Iโm not stressed about it, weโll try and see what happens. But boy, the thought of being totally done with diapers is super exciting!
4. I have so much fun watching Dominic build and create things; heโs loving school, wants to learn everything that Joseph is learning, loves to paint and color, and is just such a fun guy to hang out with ๐
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5. Have you heard about Souper Cubes? I saw Julie mention them in her Instagram stories a few weeks ago and they seriously look to be genius! Such an easy way to freeze things in exact portions like 2-cup, 1-cup, etc. capacities. Thinking this would be awesome for freezing buttermilk, broth, and things like that.
6. A few months ago, I mentioned that Tastefully Simple had sent me some products to try, and we have found a huge household favorite โ their Monterey Jack Queso. The first time I put out some chips with it, my husband immediately asked what it was and couldnโt stop talking about how much he loved it and how much better it was than the usual queso we have (he was 100% right). Itโs super smooth and has the perfect blend of flavors and mild spice. I immediately ordered four more jars to have on hand for โemergenciesโ ;-)
7. In many places, weโve retired the grills for the season, but you can make these AMAZING cast iron skillet cheeseburgers inside. Donโt forget the burger sauce!
8. I started reading Atomic Habits awhile ago and really love the concepts in it (especially focusing on building systems and routines instead of setting goals โ mind-blowing!). The author, James Clear, has a weekly email newsletter that Iโve really been enjoying. Such small, but really thought-provoking, snippets.
9. I got a pair of Hunter boots for Christmas four years ago, and I couldnโt believe when I put them on a couple of weeks ago that one of them was totally cracked on top! After looking online, this seems to be a thing, ugh. I love wearing them when itโs wet or slushy outside; does anyone have any recommendations on a replacement?
10. TGIF! Judith is now queen of the couch ๐คฉ
Congrats on the crochet blanket, itโs beautiful! I remember when you first started it :)
Very surprised to hear that your Hunter boots are cracking after a year. I still have the Hunter boots I bought in England 30 years ago โ completely intact! Can only think something has changed radically in their manufacture. Where are they made now?
Yes, Michelle! I remember when you were pregnant with Joseph and also the blanket project. Congratulations on finishing it. The years certainly fly by! Re: bootsโฆ I do NOT recommend Lands End boots for warmth or ease of putting on due to zipper.ย
Your blanket is stunning!!
I just started atomic habitsโ iโd love to know how/if it has impacted your daily life or routine?ย
I went through a whole Marie Kondo phase after you spoke about it on your website, which was very beneficial!
Hi Christina! I havenโt finished Atomic Habits yet, but the most useful thing for me so far has been the midset shift from setting very specific goals (which was ingrained in me back when I worked in a corporate environment) to developing habits. For example, instead of saying, โI want to read 10 books this yearโ I say, โI am going to read for at least 10 minutes before bed each nightโ. Orโฆ instead of saying โI want to lose x poundsโ I say, โI want to move my body some way, each dayโ or โI am going to eat a salad for lunch most daysโ, etc. It has really helped me reframe the things I want to accomplish.
Hi, just want to say thanks again for your recipes (ALWAYS reliable) and Friday Things w/ the kids and pups pix! Will be making your Buttermilk biscuits, this time trying wheat flour (on sale!) to go w/ a batch of beef stew this Sunday. Re. boots, go retro! LL Bean Maine Hunting Boots are indestructible, and as long as you donโt abuse the return policy, warranted essentially for life.. Mine are 48 years old and still going strong. I replaced the original laces with stretchy ones to make them slip-on. Here in New England they have gotten me through many a blizzard (โ78โ anyone?). Only maintenance is a coat of neatsfoot oil every fall. $160 for four years of shiny black boots is a ripoff. If you want black, Iโd bet a good cobbler or? could dye them.
Happy Birthday Joseph! What BEAUTIFUL job on your blanket! Thank you for the link to James Clearโs newsletter โ Iโve signed up.
That blanket is FABULOUS! Totally beats the gold, orange and brown flame stitch blanket of my childhood. ;)
As for rain boots check out BOGS! They are awesome!
Enjoy your weekend!
I am a fan of Joules as well. They are much more comfortable than the hunter boots. That is a gorgeous afgan!!! ๐๐
P.s. Iโd call the company that makes the boots. They should refund or replaceโฆthose werenโt cheap. Quality these days in products seems really hard to come by.
Nordstrom will take ANYTHING back.
What a beautiful blanket. Better than anything you could ever buy. Thereโs years of love in each stitchโค.
Also what an amaaaaazing cake!
Your blanket is absolutely GORGEOUS! Iโm sure your sweet babes love it even more knowing it was made by their Mama!!! โค๏ธ
Happy Birthday, Joseph. Your blanket is beautiful. I wish I knew how to crochet. Love your pups, have a Golden of my own. Bogs make the best boots. They are even good in the snow. Love mine.
Awwww Michelle I love the pictures of the kids ! Happy Birthday Joseph ๐ฅฐ๐๐ฐ๐ง. & it sounds like youโre getting lots of magical coins from the tooth fairy ๐งโโ๏ธ ย You all are keeping so busy over there & being so creative during this time ! Thatโs great !!! Love to all & Thank you for the great ideas & delicious recipes !!! Now that Iโm inside more ; I cook more โค๏ธโค๏ธโค๏ธ
I LOVE my Souper Cubes! I have the 1-cup size and the big 2-cup size and literally canโt say enough good things about them. I freeze broth, stew, beans, spaghetti sauce, buttermilk, soup, shredded meat, rice, taco meatโฆ. Once the food is frozen into handy little bricks, I take it out and put it in freezer bags and then my Souper Cubes are ready to go again! You can also BAKE in them, so I keep wanting to make individual mac & cheese or shepherdโs pies or something casserole-y in them, then freeze like usual and put in freezer bags, ready for reheating.
I have similar little 9-square silicon trays that freeze ice-cube size portions (from before Souper Cubes had multiple sizes) and I use that for tomato paste, herbs, pesto, wine, chipotles-en-adobo, etc โ anything that is usually used in small 1- to 2-Tbsp increments. LOVE LOVE LOVE.
Iโm here to second the love for Souper Cubes! I use them the same way as Kelly โ where i freeze broth and soups then store them in freezer bags to save on freezer space. The only think iโll add to Kellyโs review is that it is super easy to pop the frozen cubes out of the container. I struggle with some of the big silicone ice cube trays on the market, but i can use these very easily!
Youโve totally sold me on Souper Cubes!! Going to buy some!
Just wanted to say the blanket you crocheted is absolutely beautiful! Have a great weekend!
The afghan is beautiful! ย Good job.
Happy birthday Joseph! The blanket is beautiful!
Love your Friday Things! ย The blanket is gorgeous and who doesnโt love a pup on the sofa! ย I recommend Muck Boots to replace your Hunters. ย They are great for rain, sleet, hail, and snow. ย Good luck finding replacements.
Let me be the first to say well done on the blanket! Maybe the wait was meant to be. I do remember you starting it, a few months after you had Joseph my daughter (now 16) took up crocheting , taught herself with tiny bit of guidence from me (and the book) and is now a fully fledged crafter all round.
Again, well done it looks beautiful : )
For rain boots I really like Joules. My first pair did have an issue with one of the buckles that tightens the boot but their customer service was awesome and just replaced them with a new pair.ย
Joules is a UK company that has a JoulesUSA site. Their rainboots are great, My son and family live in Scotland, the boots are very popular, they know how to deal with rain there ๐
I enjoy reading your family adventures. I thankyou for your thoughts on recipes as well. Keep cooking sister. You have many talents
Get Bogs to replace your boots! I have had mine for around 15 years and they still look new! They also have nice kids boots.
I second the BOGS recommendation. I have had mine probably 20 years and they are still in great shape.
I love Le Chameau boots. Never have had an issue with my pair:
https://www.lechameau.com/us/
I love the soupercubes. I freeze chili and soup. So easy to pull out a brick to heat up in the microwave for lunch.