Friday Faves #2 – Sharing What I am Grateful For
Hi friends, and welcome back to another Friday Faves! I am super excited to share a handful of moments in my life that made this week great. And, there have been a lot of changes around here since we’ve welcomed our new dalmatian puppy into our family.
As you may know, the first few weeks with a new puppy in tow can cause a major shift in routines. And, we have been feeling it this week.I swear bringing home a baby is easier than trying to understand a puppy! What do you think?
Regardless, we have all been doing our best and working together to make Roxy feel right at home. More on that later…
In other news, we booked an AirBnb today for our spring break road trip!! Woohoo! I can’t wait to hit the road again and explore somewhere new.
Any thoughts on where we could be going? I promise to share real soon when the details get ironed out.
But, for now, let’s get into those Friday Favorites.
TEA FOR THREE AT ROBINSON'S TEA ROOM
This winter, the girls and I have made a bit of a ritual out of tea time. Usually, we’ll save our cup of tea for after lunch. Before we get started on our afternoon homeschool lesson.
Nora and Sadie enjoy Chamomile + Peppermint. And, I love my Lady Grey tea with a bit of agave nectar to sweeten it up. I hope we can find a way to keep up the tradition throughout the year, even if it’s just a couple of times a week.
But, now that Sadie is 4, and able to sit still for a good amount of time. I decided to make a reservation at Robinson’s Tea Room. So, last Friday after lunch, we made our way to Stony Brook Village for a pot of tea and some dessert.
The girls had their usual, and I requested a pot of Chai tea. As for the dessert, we ordered sponge cake, and cheesecake. The sponge cake was massive. Truthfully, the girls could have gotten away with sharing a slice because each of them left about half of it on their plates.
The cheesecake? Well, that was for me, and it was absolutely delicious! I hadn’t had cheesecake in ages, and it definitely hit the spot. I savored every bite.
What I liked most about our experience was the excitement of every patron that walked in. I mean, it is a special treat to be able to enjoy a proper afternoon tea. And, the girls asked if we could come back before we even left! I highly recommend visiting Robinson’s Tea Room so you can explore this cozy tea room yourself. But, be sure to plan in advance and make a reservation before you go.
LODGE CAST IRON SKILLET
In What to Buy for Your Cast Iron Cookware Set I share a little bit more about the essentials you need to create the perfect cookware set for your kitchen. And yes, this skillet is most definitely on the list. I have found that two things are most important while using cast iron cookware – 1. Seasoning the cast iron before use, and 2. Prepping your cast iron in the oven so nothing sticks to the surface.
The reason I love this skillet is because it is affordable (we picked up ours from BJs at under $25). And, it does a fantastic job at evenly dispersing heat throughout the skillet so everything seems to cook a little bit quicker once the pan gets warmed up.
If you are thinking of starting your own cast iron collection, or just adding to it. You cannot go wrong with this skillet. I’ve recently made chicken fajitas, pancakes, and a french toast bake (recipe to follow) that turned out better than in the traditional cookware we have here at home.
The reason this skillet made it to my Friday favorites is because it is a key factor in getting delicious meals on the table for my family. And, moments around our kitchen table are some of my favorites. It’s where we unplug,share stories about our day, and connect.
FRIDAY FAVES - ROXY
Last Sunday, we welcomed a 10 week old Dalmatian puppy to our family. So, this past week has been filled with squeaky toys, puppy snuggles, and potty training debacles. Ugh! My least favorite thing about this whole experience? Yup, the potty training…
We’ve had many instances where we spend 20-30 minutes outside with Roxy on a walk, only to have her return to the house and find a spot on one of our area rugs. Thank goodness for baking soda and tea tree essential oil!
And, while it’s been maddening at times, all despair is washed away when it’s time for puppy snuggles. At this point, we have picked up on many of her queues and grab her almost instantly to bring her outside. But, let me tell you, it is difficult to get on heavy boots and a winter coat with a puppy in one hand!
I am grateful that we made the decision to bring Roxy home. Despite potty training mishaps (that come with all puppies) she has brought an immense amount of joy into our lives. One of my favorite moments was watching Sadie bend down to pet Roxy, only to get knocked down by endless puppy smooches. The smile on Sadie’s face was priceless.
Master of One: Find and Focus on the Work You Were Created to Do by Jordan Raynor
One of my golden hour rituals is to take 10-15 minutes to read a personal development book each morning. And over the past few weeks, I have had the pleasure of reading Master of One by Jordan Raynor.
Here are a few of my favorite quotes from this book:
- The path to doing our best work for God’s glory and the good of others is the path of “less but better”.
- You achieve true mastery when you identify the few things God has created you to do most exceptionally well and work at them “with all your heart, as working for the Lord” (Colossians 3:23)
- We are going to have to adopt the mind-set of a craftsperson and get really focused and insanely good at the thing God has put us on this earth to do.
- Multitasking decreases overall productivity by up to 40 percent!
- Scattering our time and attention across many disparate endeavors will almost assuredly lead to mediocrity, not mastery.
- As scientists are beginning to understand, passion follows mastery, not the other way around.
- Happiness follows service.
- When you live for the praise of other people, you can never truly be satisfied.
- Being excellent is a character trait of God, so when we pursue it, we are modeling ourselves after him.
- More often than not, passions and pre existing interests serve as signposts pointing the way to the work we are uniquely gifted to do.
INSIGHT AND REAL LIFE STORIES
Master of One provides insight and real life stories about discovering your passions and God given gifts. And encourages you to use both to glorify God and serve others well. This book challenges the reader to “become who you are by learning who you are”, and is a terrific guide to dive into to help lead you on your path to mastery.
I definitely recommend this book. You can pick it up from your local library or bookstore to get started and discover more about the three keys to mastery.
Do you set aside time each day to read? If yes, what is your favorite genre?
REUSABLE PRODUCE BAGS
In an effort to live more simply, I am on a mission to swap out some of our household items for more sustainable choices. When I started on my path toward natural living my primary goal was swapping out our self care products and household cleaners. And, while this journey takes time, I am ready to push forward now that I have a few years of education and research under my belt.
The target this week? Those pesky plastic produce bags at the grocery store. While I’ve reached magician status in my ability to open them, I can honestly say I’d rather not. I am truly shocked they are still available given the fact that many states have gotten rid of plastic bags from food stores altogether. If you ask me, I think plastic produce bags on the chopping block too.
Nevertheless, I’ve had these reusable produce bags on my Amazon wishlist for quite some time, and finally purchased them this week. I am grateful that these bags will keep anywhere from 7-10 produce bags from the landfill (we like our produce around here). Think about it, that’s 28-40 bags a month or up to 480 a year.
Now, it’s your turn! Take a moment to reflect on what you are grateful for this week.
