It’s time for the final installment of first Friday favourites for 2024. Inspired by one of my old planners by Pipsticks & Workman, these are my current faves:
WATCHING:
Show:
As I mentioned last month, we had been watching and enjoying Only Murders in the Building on Disney+… and we just finished Season 4 last night. Now we have to wait and see if there is another season coming. From the way it ended and the popularity of the show, I think there will be. And a quick Google search confirms there will be, but we’ll have to wait until next year for it to be released.
I wonder if they will bring back Paul Rudd, yet again? If they do, I don’t mind, as I find him hilarious and so cute! How could you not adore him after Clueless? The show is definitely a bit quirky and for them to have the same actor play two different characters in two back to back seasons sort of tells you how quirky it is.
YouTube:
I feel like I may have mentioned this channel before but can’t quite recall… if I have, it’s worth mentioning again. Drew of Lone Fox makes great videos on interior decorating, home decor makeovers, DIY, thrifting and more! As Christmas draws nearer and I’m trying to stay on a budget this year, I may try my hand at some of the holiday DIY’s in this video. I especially liked the viral holiday houses he made in this video a few weeks back.
The kids and I made some similar but much simpler ones out of cardboard four years ago for a DIY advent calendar. In our move to Saskatoon, however, a lot of them got damaged or simply vanished, so I would love to make some sturdier ones to last us for all the future Christmases to come.
LISTENING:
More so, last month, I was playing a lot of Chappel Roan, particularly her song Pink Pony Club.
Although some of her song lyrics and content are on the more risqué, non-traditional side of things – and this song is not really sending a message that I want my girls to aspire to – we couldn’t help but bop to the beat and sing along to the song. The girls and I are fans of her music. She’s got such a beautiful voice and her songs have such catchy melodies.
This past week we were also treated to Blythe’s first band concert experience at her school’s Winter Concert. She just started learning how to play clarinet this year, now that she is in grade six, and has progressed quite well. She also happens to be using the same clarinet that my sister played years ago! Thanks, (Auntie) Audrey!
Normally, school concert experiences can either run mercilessly long and/or sound horribly bad. Luckily, Blythe’s school has a really great and entertaining music teacher (again) this year and he has done wonders for the grade sixes. Or rather, they seemed to be good at practicing their instruments. The grade sevens not so much. The concert was just over a half hour long – their school is small – and only featured grades six to eight. The grade sixes played a handful of songs, each lasting only one to two minutes, so the concert was kept short and sweet.
Our whole family went, as well as my mom, sister and elder nephew and it made for a fun little outing this holiday season.
GAMES:
Online: Zorse has become a new daily favourite when I remember to check it out or have some spare time to go on my phone. I try to figure it out before revealing any letters but most times have to have help from at least one letter flip.
Today’s one above I was able to solve without any letter reveals. Do you know it? (Hint: think James Bond)
Indoor: My sister and her husband introduced us to the fun game of Mexican Train Dominoes a few months ago and this has become the new go-to when our families get together. I had never played dominoes as a kid and really never knew how to play any domino games, so this was an interesting new game for me to learn. We will likely play it this weekend when we finally are able to celebrate my mom’s belated birthday. Illnesses, snowstorms and other events delayed her celebration for the past three weeks!
I will also be gifting them an early Christmas present to go along with the game.
FOOD:
Whitney has been craving Greek souvlaki after a big Costco shopping trip full of free food samples several weeks ago. She asked if we could make some at home this week. We made chicken souvlaki from this recipe last night and it turned out deliciously! The naan was a bit much, so we opted to go without. Matt and I had it again for lunch again today and it was just as tasty!
My mom has requested this carrot cake for tomorrow’s birthday get-together so my sister will be baking that. I’m looking forward to indulging in it and having cake again after a few weeks without.
Happy Friday to you! Have a lovely December weekend!
