Friday Ideas – Mel’s Kitchen Cafe

Completely happy Friday!

This summer season has been bizarre. It’s a brand new section of life for us the place my boys nonetheless at residence are largely working and my 13-year previous is busy enjoying 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 selfmade 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 in case you have youngsters, do your youngsters/teenagers have summer season jobs? Full-time? Half-time?
  • My youngsters inform me so much that they’re the one ones their age who’ve full-time jobs in the summertime. Whereas that isn’t completely true (one in all my sons works along with his greatest good friend, as an illustration), it does seem to be quite a lot of teenagers in our space don’t work in the course of the summer season. It leaves me with quite a lot of questions. Do you might have 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!
    • Specifically, 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 so much or somewhat, relying on the child 😆). Additionally they save 50% of their earnings for future (faculty, church missions in the event that they select to go, and so on).
    • Whether or not or not your youngsters work, do you require summer season chores round the home/yard? Day by day? Weekly? What does that seem like at your own home?

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

Issues I’m Loving

• September journey plans. After years (many years??) of speaking about it, I’m truly following by way 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 method exterior 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 received this. Right here’s my go-to crepe recipe.
• These two card video games. Flip7 and Trio. Each of them are quick and straightforward to be taught, and so, so enjoyable to play. They’re out full-time on our desk proper now, as a result of we’re enjoying them so usually. What are your favourite video games proper now?
• This puzzle. I prefer to hold a puzzle up on a regular basis in the course of the summer season. 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 method 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 very lovely factor for my emotional and psychological well-being to simply stroll for enjoyable and to get pleasure from being exterior. It’s not for train, to not rely steps. Generally I stroll quick, typically I stroll gradual. Generally somebody comes with me, more often than not I am going alone (some nights I experience my “grandma” bike as an alternative of stroll!). I normally pop in an audiobook, and I simply find it irresistible. Apparently night daylight is nice for you? So I assume I’ll take that as a bonus, too.

Issues 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, notably in Texas on the ladies’ camp, Camp Mystic. I despatched my very own daughter off to camp this week and couldn’t assist saying an additional prayer (okay, numerous further prayers) for her security and likewise for these dwelling within the midst of loss and grief proper now. I donated to Convoy of Hope, a really respected group on the bottom in Texas proper now. In fact, it doesn’t really feel like sufficient, however it made me not really feel so helpless. I learn a quote on social media this week that stated one thing like “Do for one particular person what you want you would do for everybody.” I suppose in moments of helplessness, all I can actually do is raise the place I stand. I’m making an attempt to be higher at that. 🤍

All of my different complaints ⬇️⬇️ appear awfully trite after speaking in regards to 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 a couple of nights. Have you ever tried one? Ideas? I’m additionally making an attempt for constant morning/night daylight. Truthfully, I’d give my proper arm for a superb 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 submit. This final week, I child you not, I made six recipes, and most of them have been just about unsalvageable failures (brussels sprouts salad, new brownie recipe THAT HAS SO MUCH PROMISE, icy lime drink). I had somewhat pity occasion for wasted components 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 season lady.
• The stress to be skinny. I really feel just like the inflow of easy-access weight reduction meds has exponentially elevated the stress 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 pattern” nowadays, however I positive do respect them! They take me on walks, they assist me raise heavy weights, they usually give me numerous 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 respect it for what it may possibly do for me. It is a message I need my sons and my daughter (and myself) to listen to loud and clear, again and again.

If you’re an day-after-day, any age girl 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 regimen, simply know that YOU ARE DOING ENOUGH. Even in case you aren’t doing all of these issues, in case you are making an attempt, no matter that appears like, you’re doing sufficient. We’re a lot greater than what our our bodies seem like. 😘

EDITED TO ADD: I’m on no account making a remark or directing an opinion towards anybody taking GLP-1s/weight-loss meds – I’m grateful for the reminder within the feedback that these meds have been a game-changer for a few of you for total well being and private restoration. 💗

Should 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!

(Additionally, we cherished having my oldest son, Jackson, residence for a couple of days over the 4th! 💙)

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