Friday Thoughts – Mel’s Kitchen Cafe

Happy Friday!

This summer time has been bizarre. It’s a brand new section of life for us the place my boys nonetheless at dwelling are principally working and my 13-year previous is busy taking part in tennis/volleyball, promoting cookie dough, serving to round the home and property (together with bottle-feeding three calves), and studying in all her spare moments.

What which means is that principally nobody is round to go to the group pool with me within the afternoons or do arts and crafts or fill out do-it-yourself chore charts. 😉

Gone are the summers of the previous (flashback ⬇️ going to the zoo with my youngsters 8 years in the past). It’s bittersweet. 😢

Questions for You

• If you’ve kids, do your youngsters/teenagers have summer time jobs? Full-time? Part-time?
  • My youngsters inform me rather a lot that they’re the one ones their age who’ve full-time jobs in the summertime. While that isn’t completely true (one among my sons works together with his greatest good friend, as an illustration), it does seem to be quite a lot of teenagers in our space don’t work throughout the summer time. It leaves me with quite a lot of questions. Do you’ve the solutions? 😜 I’m asking these questions in good religion – which means, I’m not being vital of different schedules/households. I’m genuinely curious!
    • Namely, who’s paying for all their “stuff”?? We pay for our teenagers’ automotive insurance coverage, half of their month-to-month fuel, faculty sports activities charges (and affordable gear, if required), and telephone, however in any other case, they pay for all of their very own social actions, garments, the rest of their fuel, consuming out, and the rest they wish to spend cash on (which is rather a lot or somewhat, relying on the child 😆). They additionally save 50% of their earnings for future (faculty, church missions in the event that they select to go, and so forth).
    • Whether or not your youngsters work, do you require summer time chores round the home/yard? Daily? Weekly? What does that appear to be at your home?

I’m fascinated by how different households handle life, so thanks for chiming in on this!

Things I’m Loving

• September journey plans. After years (many years??) of speaking about it, I’m truly following by means of on a lifelong dream and going to Switzerland in September (with my mother, sister and cousin)!!!!! My candy grandma (my mother’s mother) was born and raised there, so it holds a particular place in our household’s historical past and hearts. I’m excited (and nervous! I’m such a homebody…touring is approach outdoors of my consolation zone). 💗
• This crepe maker. I even did an Instagram video about it. Not all kitchen devices are created equal (as in, most of them are overrated) however this one is price it. I completely hated cooking crepes earlier than I obtained this. Here’s my go-to crepe recipe.
• These two card video games. Flip7 and Trio. Both of them are quick and straightforward to study, and so, so enjoyable to play. They’re out full-time on our desk proper now, as a result of we’re taking part in them so usually. What are your favourite video games proper now?
• This puzzle. I wish to hold a puzzle up on a regular basis throughout the summer time. I discover that my youngsters will cease and work on it for a couple of minutes right here and there, which is an opportune time to casually chat and join with them. It additionally means I keep up approach too late most nights. Puzzles are addicting!
• My night walks. For the final month or so, I’ve made an intentional effort to get out of the home within the night and take a stroll. It’s been a extremely lovely factor for my emotional and psychological well-being to simply stroll for enjoyable and to take pleasure in being outdoors. It’s not for train, to not rely steps. Sometimes I stroll quick, generally I stroll gradual. Sometimes somebody comes with me, more often than not I am going alone (some nights I journey my “grandma” bike as a substitute of stroll!). I normally pop in an audiobook, and I simply adore it. Apparently night daylight is sweet for you? So I suppose I’ll take that as a bonus, too.

Things I’m Not Loving

• The tragic floods in Texas and New Mexico. I’ve been sick and heartbroken seeing the information accounts of the devastation, significantly in Texas on the women’ camp, Camp Mystic. I despatched my very own daughter off to camp this week and couldn’t assist saying an additional prayer (okay, plenty of further prayers) for her security and in addition for these residing within the midst of loss and grief proper now. I donated to Convoy of Hopea really respected group on the bottom in Texas proper now. Of course, it doesn’t really feel like sufficient, but it surely made me not really feel so helpless. I learn a quote on social media this week that mentioned one thing like “Do for one person what you wish you could do for everyone.” I suppose in moments of helplessness, all I can actually do is carry the place I stand. I’m making an attempt to be higher at that. 🤍

All of my different complaints ⬇️⬇️ appear awfully trite after speaking concerning the devastating floods. So please take the remainder of these bulleted factors with a grain of salt and a roll of the eyes.

• Not sleeping nicely. I’m making an attempt a BedJet (not sponsored, I purchased it myself) to see if I can sleep higher/cooler at evening. No opinion but, it’s solely been just a few nights. Have you tried one? Thoughts? I’m additionally making an attempt for constant morning/night daylight. Honestly, I’d give my proper arm for a great evening’s sleep proper now (anybody else feeling this??). 😴
• Failed recipes. I normally recipe check for a full day every week to get recipes good to put up. This final week, I child you not, I made six recipes, and most of them had been just about unsalvageable failures (brussels sprouts salad, new brownie recipe THAT HAS SO MUCH PROMISE, icy lime drink). I had somewhat pity social gathering for wasted elements and what felt like wasted time. Onward and upward! I shall persevere (particularly with that dang brownie recipe).
• The warmth. Oh my gosh, I’m dying. Give me cool, mountain air and crisp, fall climate any day of the week. I’m not a summer time lady.
• The strain to be skinny. I really feel just like the inflow of easy-access weight reduction meds has exponentially elevated the strain to be tremendous skinny, quick (and has destroyed quite a lot of the work of physique positivity/physique neutrality over the previous few years). My thick, athletic thighs and booty are positively not “on trend” lately, however I positive do admire them! They take me on walks, they assist me carry heavy weights, and so they give me plenty of cushioning for k-drama watching and puzzle doing. 💪🏼😍 I’ll go to my grave speaking about how my physique is an instrument not an decoration and the way I admire it for what it may possibly do for me. This is a message I would like my sons and my daughter (and myself) to listen to loud and clear, again and again.

If you might be an day-after-day, any age lady like me who’s doing their greatest to maintain their head above water (and drink sufficient water 😆), train for well being and power, and eat a well-balanced food plan, simply know that YOU ARE DOING ENOUGH. Even in case you aren’t doing all of these issues, in case you are making an attemptno matter that appears like, you might be doing sufficient. We are a lot greater than what our our bodies appear to be. 😘

If you noticed the salad I posted on Instagram the opposite day, it’s coming to the weblog Monday! The ONE recipe that truly labored…and IT IS AMAZING!

(Also, we beloved having my oldest son, Jackson, dwelling for just a few days over the 4th! 💙)

I really like studying and listening to different’s opinions…so please be happy to share yours beneath within the feedback! ⬇️