Welcome to High Five for Friday – hosted by me, Tif, and Della! Come, read up on what we’ve been up to this week and get to know some amazing bloggers down below!
Today’s featured blogger is Amanda from Cupcakes N Dreams! She is a travel girl, so her blog is filled with inspiration for your next trip! Be sure to swing over to Amanda’s blog to say hello!
It’s Friday. It’s the end of the longest week ever. Let’s get started.
1. We had a snow/ice storm on Saturday and that, paired with below-freezing temps, meant that everything here in Durham shut down (true story) and we didn’t leave the house until WEDNESDAY. Ugh. That’s a long time to keep kids cooped up. Something about being told you can’t go anywhere (because there are giant ice rinks on your driveway and street) makes my cabin fever worse. Plus, Elizabeth loved the snow, but wasn’t super thrilled to go out in it. We beat the cabin fever by doing lots of crafts, watching lots of TV (I have zero guilt about that), doing exercise at home, and blowing up an air mattress to use as an indoor trampoline.
But at least the snow was pretty!
2. I made another meal from my new cookbook – The Southern Vegetarian from the Chubby Vegetarian blog. It was a Porcini + Portobello Mushroom Bourguignon over smashed potatoes. YUM!! It was, like last week’s recipe, VERY tedious to make for a weeknight meal. Not hard, but just took a long time. But the results were amazing. We still have a lot of leftovers, so planning on making a batch of rice or polenta to reserve this.
3. I started some major clearing out this week. I had about 6 months worth of clothes purge built up in the closet, so it all came out and went to the charity shop. In fact, it looks like I wasn’t the only one having a snow day clear out – the drop off area was FULL of donations! HAHA! The purge continues next week, too. I’m basically going room by room hunting for things to go. If I haven’t used it in a few years, it has to go.
4. William has surprised me this week! He is WOLFING down food left and right. He’s eating so much food that bottles are no longer as interesting as they once were. And he’s officially sitting up with out toppling over! AND he sat himself up in his crib yesterday. I walked in to check on him and there he was, sitting up!
Elizabeth and William are now also playing a little bit together. Elizabeth thinks William is the perfect addition to her tea parties, since he’ll gladly take the tea cup and slobber/drink out of it. Just as long as he doesn’t touch her other “friends”, they happily sit next to each other, gabbing away.
5. Date Night last night, people. Date Night. I never take pictures when we go out on date nights because I just want to enjoy the moment. But I kind of wish I snapped some pics of our food last night. We went to a restaurant that’s been in Durham a while – The Piedmont. It has a great reputation for being an amazing farm-to-fork, classic rustic food place. We went there when we first moved to Durham 7 years ago, and were a little disappointed. Since then, they’ve had a new chef, and the food was AMAZING!!
We ended up eating a delicious roasted buffalo brussels sprout with blue cheese dish for an appetizer, and then my husband ordered a sweet potato gratin as an entree. I ordered the whole roasted carrot with beets, oats + grains risotto and pecans. Such a satisfying meal!
We’ve made each other a promise that we’ll try to have Thursday date nights at least twice a month, but hopefully every week. It’s such a treat to head out to a restaurant and enjoy food, without worrying when one of the kids will bawl or jump on the seat. (Not naming names)
Although, Elizabeth is starting to be too clever with our baby sitter… we came home to hear she requested to watch Frozen… she just sat down and said “Now my mommy lets me watch something!”. Um, no. And then she said that she gets a treat after she uses the potty…. Um, no. Not since we first did potty training back in MARCH! She is getting to be TOO smart.
How was your week?? Can’t wait to hear all about it!
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I love that you guys go on a date twice a month, if not every week. How fun. I am over the snow…mainly the driving in the snow and ice. It is not fun. Sending you lots of sunshine thoughts.
Just a quiet dinner is delightful. Doesn’t have to be hours and hours. But we’re hoping it will stick!! Driving on ice just stinks, doesn’t it?? Hoping you have a great weekend!
Oh how funny! They do get so smart so fast! Haha. Glad you had such an awesome date night and purging clothing is so liberating! Hope you have a wonderful weekend!!
I love purging things. It’s just so great! And mercy – I didn’t think my 3 year old could be so smart, but I guess she is 🙂 Have a great weekend yourself!
So easy to pass up date night when things are busy but I can always tell when we have neglected to reconnect and it moves right to the top of the list! Happy Friday!
We truly feel like a new couple post-date night. It’s just so nice to sit and chat! I often have nothing else to chat about other than kid stuff, but hearing about his work and life outside of the house is thrilling 🙂 Have a great weekend!
Ah I love what your daughter did there, haha! My 3 year old has started telling tales too!
HAHAHA So sneaky, right??? Must be a switch that’s flipped at 3. Help!
I remember cabin fever! In fact I had it for 3 entire winters that we lived in MN…brrrr! I LOVE to purge, but I swear as soon as it leaves the house I think “dang it, why’d I give that away?” hahaha…law of the jungle. Happy Friday!!!!
Sounds like a fun week! Can’t believe all that snow! I’ve been cleaning out my closets too – there’s just something so refreshing about doing that in the new year 🙂 Date night sounds so fun! Happy Friday and thanks for hosting 🙂
Sarah Bell
http://www.trendyandtidy.com
Oh the little girls and their con man brains!!!!
Elizabeth outsmarting the babysitter was a hoot!! What a smart girl. She’s working the system. Isn’t it so sweet when your kids start playing together!?!? It’s all fun and games at our house until Fletcher slobbers on something she loves. Hope you have a great weekend and can get out and about after all those icy days. We’re supposed to get some ice so I am prepared to stay in 🙂
haha Elizabeth seems to really be enjoying date night too! Work that system, girl! 😀 And I’m sorry to hear about your ice and snow sitch this week. I am petrified of ice, like if there’s any remote presence of ice, I creep along like a 97 year old lady, so I would lose it over a driveway covered in ice! Hope you guys thaw out this weekend (if you haven’t already!)!
William is SUCH a cutie!! Love your date night goals – my favorite date night is always dinner out.
I’ve put off starting foods (it just seemed complicated..ha) but as soon as Phoenix is over his cold we are going to begin. Elizabeth reminds me of some families I would baby-sit. They do get clever!
Your date night meal sounded DELICIOUS! It is funny that Elizabeth is getting so clever with the sitter. My daughter is trying similar things between my husband and I. Oy! Have a wonderful weekend!