Friday Thoughts
Almost two months since my last Friday Thoughts post? Say it isn’t so! Ha. Actually you probably didn’t notice, but I did! I’ve been storing up all these weird but necessary thoughts to share with you.
Today it’s somewhat light-hearted and random, but these are the thoughts burning a hole in my brain (and in my Evernote app which is where I jot them down when they come to me at 3 a.m.).
1) Mascara Thoughts: not earth-shattering, I know, but I have strong opinions on mascara. I’ve used L’Oreal Voluminous Waterproof (color: black) mascara forever. Forever, forever. Recently I decided to live on the edge and try L’Oreal Voluminous Lash Paradise aff. link (always waterproof, always), and, well, I love it. Very much.
But the most amazing part? Using the lash paradise for the first coat and then my much-loved voluminous for a couple top coats is pure magic. I don’t use any type of lash boosters or serums, and my eyelashes are very average, but I’m telling you, this combo is pretty awesome. Favorite mascara? Spill it!
2) Podcast Thoughts: I’ve talked about several of my favorite podcasts before in my newsletter, but the last couple months I’ve been obsessed with Malcolm Gladwell’s Revisionist History. Not only is his voice kind of mesmerizing, but the content is fascinating. FASCINATING. I listen to it while I exercise in the mornings (and sometimes while I clean my house), and I often find myself just standing there (take that, lunges!) because I’m so caught up in the story. The civil rights episodes in season 2 are eye opening to say the least, and I loved the “McDonald’s Broke My Heart” one, too. My advice? Make sure you have a friend who listens, too, so you can talk about it! Share any of your favorite podcasts below – I’m always looking for good recommendations!
3) Summer Thoughts: After this post on summer schedules, I’m happy to report that halfway in, summer is going pretty well. We had close to two weeks of travel/family reunions thrown in so far, but the daily jobs vs weekly jobs system is running pretty smoothly! The older boys started their flag selling business and are working their teenager buns off selling them door-to-door, at farmer’s markets and online.
My kids, of course, wish they were doing this every day, but no such luck.
We’ve had some ups and downs (and waaaay too many late nights for everyone – thanks a lot World Cup and American Ninja Warrior), but I think I like this system.
We’ve been really busy on our property setting up watering systems for fruit trees and raspberries, raising baby chicks and introducing them to our existing flock, keeping all the other animals fed, and spending time working on some inside/life skills (cooking, teaching my 8-year old how to sew a pillowcase at his request, mini entrepreneur plans, and increasing typing speed, to name a few!)…and I feel like summer is flying by! How are your summer schedules going???
4) Honey Slip Thoughts: I needed some serious help for a see-through dress situation (so pretty but even with the lining, it is eye-poppingly see through) and remembered my friend, Corinne, recommending the honey slip. After ordering, wearing, and crying from happiness, my main thought is: why haven’t I ordered one of these before now?
Not only did it solve my too-old-to-show-undies dress problem, but I have a feeling it’s going to become a staple of my Sunday under-wardrobe. Comfy, simple, and kind of a lifesaver.
5) Cookie Thoughts: I know you’ll probably roll your eyes thinking I’m dramatic, but I legit made some of the best cookies of my life last month. And then I made them again and again. And I took them to a family reunion and made my friends eat them, and the consensus is: life changing cookies are coming to this blog SOON. Here’s the dilemma. I already have a fantastically delicious and easy pie recipe typed up and scheduled to be posted Monday. How badly do you want this cookie recipe? lmk and I’ll see what I can do. 🙂
Later, skaters! Thanks for being here.
And as always, tell me all your OWN thoughts below. I love them. Each and every one.
Cookie recipe? Easy and delicious? Yes, please share!
Poscasts-How I Built This ( very interesting to find out how people built their companies, like Kate Spade, Patagonia, Cliff Bar, 5 Guys, etc etc etc…
The Dave Ramsey Show-My favorite!!!!
Trump Inc (crazy to learn more about him and the people that work closely with him, kinda scary!)
Lettuce Explain (Healthy eating, exercising, interesting studies about food, facts etc)
Thanks for the recommendations, Audrey!
Cookies. Yes!
Coming SOON! Like, in a few hours. 🙂
Hey there, I love your Friday thoughts! So random question, have you found a typing proga you like? I need to get Zac going on that but haven’t found one I love yet! Thanks Mel! PS congrats on the shout out from Jennifer Garner, how cool is that?!
*program
Hey cute Pam! So my boys have been using typing.com (but their favorite part is nitro type which is a website/game that is linked to on typing.com).
Awesome! Thanks Mel!
Yes. Cookies. Yes!
Sounds like a wonderful summer!! Darling family! 3 of your boys look like triplets!
Haha, I know…their heights are almost exactly the same (much to the chagrin of my 12-year old who is the oldest of the three)
Hey Mel,
L00king forward to the pie recipe since one of my goals this summer is to make crust from scratch (yes I have been watching your video) and to make several pies. In terms of mascara, I think of myself as pretty experienced since I have white blonde eyelashes naturally and refuse to leave the house without mascara on. My hands down favorite is Maybelline Full ‘N Soft washable mascara. Creates really full lashes and feels soft on lashes.
Love the mascara recommendation, Kendall! Thanks! And I have a couple more summer pies coming your way! One of them is just a graham cracker crust, but I bet you could use a homemade crust, too!
You CAN NOT tease us like that….. bring on the recipe!
I know, sorry! It’ll be up today sometime!
Monica Packer – About Progress
Preston Pugmire – Next Level Life
Thanks, Maria!
The kiddos want to make those cookies pronto! I’m thinking a no-bake cookie (i.e., please let’s not turn on the oven–I’m already burning up!) would make more sense, but just looking at your cookie pic has my mouth watering too!! Worth it!
Yeah, it’s definitely a baked cookie, but I promise it’s worth it. I’ll be getting the recipe up today!
In terms of favorite podcasts This American Life is hands down the best storytelling I’ve ever listened to. Malcolm Gladwell has contributed several stories to it. Some of their other series like Serial and S-town are also addicting. There is some language, but they bleep it on the website version, not always on the podcast version.
I love the podcasts that have great storytelling! Thanks for the recs!
I love your Friday thoughts. We currently have two flocks: babies and old ladies. What’s your strategy for merging your flocks? We have them separated with chicken wire right now, but it would be super convenient to have them living in the same coop. I’m worried the big girls will attack the littles!
Can’t wait to try those amazing looking cookies!
Oh boy, the integration of my chicks with my established flock could take up a whole series of posts! But I have a feeling only you and I would be interested in the details. Haha. Basically I have an existing chicken coop that has a small door going out into a fenced in chicken run (pretty big). When the chicks were mostly feathered and could manage the cooler nights (back in May), I put a smaller chicken coop (that I bought for cheap at our local farm supply store) inside the RUN (not inside the existing chicken coop). The smaller chicken coop is kind of a chicken coop/run combo. I wanted the two flocks to live parallel lives without the big chickens pecking the smaller ones and hurting them. They’ve been living that way for a couple months and just in the last couple weeks,I’ve started opening the door of the small/temporary chicken coop to let the “chicks” (which are getting quite big although they aren’t as big as the grown hens yet) mingle with the old ladies. I’ve been surprised at how well it’s gone. The big chickens peck at the smaller ones if they get in the way of a piece of food or scratch that the big ladies want, but other than that, they almost seem bored with the chicks, which is great. My biggest hangup right now is feeding them. My chicks still need grower feed for another 3-4 weeks and I have the treadle type feeders for the established flock. This means the chicks aren’t smart/heavy enough to open the treadle feeders, which is great so they aren’t eating the layer feed, but if I put their chick feed anywhere out in the open, the big chickens go nuts and eat it all (and don’t let the chicks have any of it). Behavior wise, I think I could start mingling the two flocks 24/7 with no problems (I still lock up the chicks in their temporary coop at night and certain times of the day to eat), but I’m not sure what to do about the food? Anyway, sorry for the novel!
We have been dealing with all the same issues and I even got one of my older hens to mother them! It’s so complicated next time I’m just waiting for all the chickens to die and I’ll start with a fresh batch of chicks.
I’m excited for the life changing cookie recipe. Please please post. I just made the cookies and cream cookies and chocolate chip oatmeal ones…both are oh my gracious AMAZING. I love that you provide weight measurements in your recipes; I feel that it makes it more accurate and, even better, less measuring cups to wash 🙂 🙂 :). Thank you so much, Mel! Love this blog!
Thanks, Ella! I promise that recipe will be posted today!
Cookies or pie. Love them both. Saw Jennifer Garner mentioned your recipes in her Instagram. You must be over the moon. Adore both of you women..
I know, I about died!
We always want your recipes!!! We’re hanging in ther for summer. Sometimes better than others
Thanks, Heather!
I have that same dress!!!
Oh, fun!
As long as you PROMISE to post that pie recipe soon – I vote cookies for sure!! Side note: I’ve recently decreed Friday to be Friday-Pie-day in our house until further notice in an effort to perfect my pie-making skills. Your caramel apple pie is sitting in my fridge right now 🙂
Haha, I LOVE that! Every Friday should be pie day. Your family is lucky, lucky!
Hi Mel,
I love your Friday thoughts posts. 🙂 Also random question..I need to get Zac practicing his typing skills, have you found a program you’ve really liked?
I’ve always had a hard time finding a podcast I love and listen to regularly. Until now. I found Family Looking Up. It is relatively new. The gals who host it are hilarious and so real. They have guests and they talk about all sorts of things to do with family and being a mom. I love it.
Thanks for the recommendation!
COOO-KIES!! Yum, yum, yum…
Please post the cookie recipe before 6/26!!! We have a big family gathering and I’d love to try them for that!
I need the cookie recipe now!!
Cookies, pleeeeze!!!!
I cannot wait to see that cookie recipe, Mel! But pie sounds really great also. I love this post of random things–so fun to read. I currently use the Jane Iredale PureLash extender and conditioner before I apply my mascara. I really love the all natural line. It is all fantastic, especially the lip products. But the PureLash is a white product you apply and it makes the mascara even more effective without the brittleness you can get. It’s awesome. I change my mascara around and currently really love the Benefit Roller Lash mascara I buy at Sephora. It has a cool curl brush that really eliminates the need to curl your eyelashes.
Thanks for the lash recommendation, Teresa! Really appreciate it (and the other natural products…I recently changed out most of my other makeup for a natural line and it’s ok, but I’m always looking around for better options).
I don’t know how you do all you do with your little farm and blog and five kids and extra projects! I have five myself and it’s all I can do to keep up with laundry and meals. Please share any time-management tips you have!
yes, julie, I second this request! I would love to hear Mel’s approach to time management for her family/business/household etc., and also to read the comments of her readers 🙂
Hey Julie and Tina! I’m afraid if you saw a peek into my real life, you’d be horrified. You know, messy house, shouting at my kids, all of that. I think sometimes I’m TOO scheduled. Like, I should probably relax. I know getting things done and staying on a schedule are overrated, but I know my mental/emotional health is better (truly) when we follow our schedule. I’ll try to include some details in the next Friday Thoughts – if only to get feedback from others, too! I love learning from all of you so much.
Howdy Mel! Super longtime fan and your recipes make me a rockstar quite often. I also love the practical tips for ingredient adjustments. Your blog is splendid!
I like Mike Rowe’s The Way I Heard It. Great voice, super short and interesting. I don’t remember to listen to my podcasts too often but I’m going to try to get to the ones you suggest. Thanks for your hard work. ❤️
Thank you so much, Molly! And I love Mike Rowe; he’s so entertaining! I’ll definitely look into that podcast!
Cookies!
Yep–I’m also a Voluminous waterproof black mascara lover, forever! (twinners;)) Every now and then I try something new, but always end up coming back to my Voluminous. Sooo…. Thank you so much for sharing about the Paradise addition. So exciting! I can’t wait to try it along with my good ol standby!=) Yay!
Also, the see-through dress looks gorgeous, and the slip looks perfect for it. Kinda pricey for a slip, but then, I haven’t bought a new slip in a very long time, so… maybe inflation?. Glad you found something to work!
Yay for being mascara twinners!
Better then happy for podcasts! You’ll love it soooo much!
Thank you!
Hi Mel!
I made your peanut butter cookies for a friend who said her favorite cookie was peanut butter.
She said “they were out of this world”. The only change I made was replacing half of the peanut butter with crunchy peanut butter and adding 1/2 teaspoon of coconut extract.
Thanks for all of your “tried and true recipes”! I pass on your recipes to friends and family because I know you’ve perfected them!
Liz
That is awesome, Liz! I love the addition of a tiny bit of crunch. I bet they were amazing!
Please post the cookie recipe! I have to make cookies for a Primary Children’s Hospital fundraiser.Thank you.
Today!
Me want cookie! Haha. I’ve made so many of your cookies. I’m kinda obsessed. I think we have all the same food tastes. Period. Every night at dinner my husband says, “What does Mel have you cooking tonight?” My goal has been to make all the recipes listed on your ‘favorites from the past 10 years’ (to start with, haha)
Haha, I love this so much! Thanks, cute girl.
Please post the cookie recipe!!!!
Coming today!
Of course we want the cookie recipe!!
You look so cute in that pic on the swing Mel! Is that the BYU tee you’re wearing? My hubby got one for him and our 14 year old and he thinks it’s “sick”! That dress is darling! I wish I could buy it but I look terrible in white. But I’m totally getting the honey slip, thanks for the suggestio! I’d never heard of them before! You’re the best! Oh and I finally made your Yogurt Lemon Sheet Cake this week, delicious!! My family loved it!
Haha, I laughed out loud because my 14-year old’s favorite adjective is also “sick” at the moment. And yes, it’s the Captain America-ish 4th of July BYU tee. I MIGHT wear it almost every day but that is unconfirmed unless you see me in public. 🙂
I’d love to know what you use to help your kids with typing. I have a kiddo that is old enough to not finger peck the keys but that’s what she does
Hey Janell – we just use the typing.com website. It’s no frills and probably not super exciting but there are some games linked on there they love after they finish their lessons (like nitro type – it’s their fave)
Thanks for the tip on the Honey Slip and I LOVE that beautiful ivory dress! I may have to get one 🙂
I’ve been using Maybelline Volum’ Express The Colossal Washable mascara. I’ve tried all kinds of brands, but this one works well and is inexpensive and it has no parabens.
As a breast cancer survivor who had estrogen-positive receptors, I avoid parabens in all the products I buy. (Parabens can mimic estrogen in our bodies, and I just don’t want to take any chances if I can find stuff I like without them.) It looks like your Lash Paradise has parabens, but the Waterproof one doesn’t, so I may give that one a try!
I love your Friday Thoughts posts, Mel. I don’t usually comment on them, but I love reading them and all the replies from your wonderful blog followers!
I would love if we became dress twinners, Sheree. 🙂 Thanks for the tip on parabens, I need to be better at identifying those in products because I agree, it sounds like it’s best to avoid them. Thank you!
Mel,
I would love a new cookie recipe. I just made the chocolate chip cookie recipe on everyday- reading.com , after seeing your summer reading picks there. Janssen’s recipe was fantastic, just perfect cookies. Have you tried it?
Karen
I think I HAVE tried that recipe, and it is delicious!
How long have you used the lash paradise? I bought a tube. Loved it for about a month and then it got really dry and gross and was almost empty. It was the strangest thing. It was so good for a minute! Now I’ve switched to Boots no 7 and I like it. I use maybelline full and soft as a second coat.
Cookies before pie please.
Oh darn it! That’s a bummer. I’ve been using it for 6-7 months (not the same tube, haha). I put a drop of contact/saline solution in when it starts to dry up and it lasts for a lot longer).
When I read the headline about the best cookies I quickly scrolled to the bottom to find the recipie. Oops, not there. Let me tell you, you are the best and your cookie recipes don’t disappoint. Three weeks ago I made your classic oatmeal with the chocolate chips. I took them to the mission in our town as our church worships with the group every third Sunday. The man who is over it, whom I have never met, called out my name across a big room. He walked over to me to tell me I had made the best cookies! That was so heartwarming to me that he took the time to speak to me about my cookies. I just wanted you to know because it is your awesome recipe. I can’t wait to try the new one. Thanks so much for the great recipes!
That is the best story, Linda! So happy those cookies were a hit!
Yes! Please post the cookie recipe! I have to make cookies for a family reunion next week and I need that recipe!!
Cookies > Pie any day! Please share.
My favorite podcast right now is called LDS Perspecives. It’s interviews with memebers of the Church with an interesting story, profession, or a new perspective on LDS related topics. I know, sounds super churchy but they are seriously so interesting!
My brother just told me about that podcast, Shelley! Thanks for the reminder!
Oh my! I’m a podcast fanatic….not sure hop I can fit another in, but I love Malcom Gladwell. My top: The One You Feed, On Being, Seth Godin’s Akimbo, Gretchen Rubin’s Happier, Freakonomics, Radiolab, TED Radio Hour, 98% Invisible, The Word on Fire Show….more… you have a beautiful family, looks like you all have a lot of fun summer going on! I’m a pie fan, but I can see I’m outnumbered!
So excited about all these recommendations! Thank you!
Mel, we totally NEED this recipe. Not that we cannot survive without it, but life would be so much sweeter if you did :0) NO pressure though.
Haha, posting today. PROMISE!
Love the art of manliness podcast. It’s really really fun.. So many topics and really engaging.
Thanks! Sounds fun!
We want the cookies! Of course! You’re the best!
Yes! Please share the most delicious cookie ever recipe!! We in the throngs of just selling our house, looking for a place to rent, and then buying up in the Boise area! That is how our summer is going! 😉 A new cookie recipe would be awesome!!
Oh yes, you deserve cookies! 🙂
Cookies why is that even a ?
I know, I know. 🙂
I need this recipe!! Looks delicious and I am not sure I can wait much longer.
Cooookiesss! And then pie. Please and thank you.
I’ve been skimming through the comments and couldn’t help but notice you have lots of Loris amongst your fans. Smart people those Loris.
Hahaha.