Friday Thoughts: Speed Style
Hello, friends! Popping in quick today for a Friday Thoughts post (love these so much, especially your comments!).
This last month almost finished me off with a lot of behind the scenes chaotic family circumstances that don’t always shine through on recipe posts (you can thank me later for that). I have so many things running through my overfilled brain, it isn’t even funny – all the nonessentials are ready to spill out to make space for the important, stressful stuff going on.
I love sharing the good, the bad, the ugly, and the awesome with you on these less food/more real life posts. So in honor of that, I’m hitting this Friday Thoughts post speed style. It’s quick, it’s quirky, it’s random!
As always, chime in on the comments. My favorite part is reading what YOU have to say (plus I’m asking for some advice, so help a girl out, ok?)!
Surgery as an Adult Thought: Don’t do it. Ever. Brian had a tonsillectomy + deviated septum/fractured nose surgery two weeks ago and he still feels like death. Honestly, it’s been the worst of the worst, and even if he recovers and loses his ability to snore, I think he and I will still question whether it was worth it (he’s going on 13 days of jello + pudding diet and a subsequent 17+ pound weight loss – ok, so I’m actually just a teensy tiny bit jealous about that last part). I’m calling him Brian 2.0.
Family Reunion Thought: Yeah, yeah, I know it’s holiday season time and not family reunion time, but because my overtaxed brain won’t.shut.off, I’m obsessed with planning our family reunion next summer that we’re in charge of. So tell me this, what is THE BEST thing you’ve done or eaten at a family reunion in the last decade? My brain and family reunion spreadsheet planning thank you in advance.
Portuguese Thought: I decided to buckle down and learn Portuguese (Brian speaks it semi-fluently and I would love a secret language to speak in front of our kids – and people at the grocery store). So I downloaded the Babbel app a few months ago, and armed with a healthy dose of “I’ve got this; how hard can it be?” I began. Long story cut short: I have since been sufficiently humbled. Apparently ye old brain doesn’t work as well as it used to when I took Spanish in college (all of which I have forgotten). I will persevere! Maybe. My brain hurts right now.
Cross Body Bag Thought: I’m not a purse person as much as I am a casual cross body bag kind of girl. I bought this leather Sak Iris Crossbody bag {aff. link} in the mint color months ago and have been wearing it daily as my “purse.” I love it. It’s cute, durable and super functional. Also, I paid over $60 for it way back when, and I just saw it listed on Amazon for $27. Whoa.
Girl Hair Thought: My life (and Cam’s) was forever changed when I found these little hair rubber bands {aff. link}. Also, this dry spray wax {aff. link} has been the best thing we’ve found to smooth her still-growing baby fly aways. I spray it on my fingers and smooth down my own fly aways, too. Ok, maybe the fly away thing is genetic and I should warn her now she’s not growing out of it.
Social Media Thoughts: What’s your favorite social media platform for connecting with family and friends? And if you aren’t on social media at all, can you elaborate why? Por favor and obrigado (wait, maybe I AM almost fluent??).
Canker Sore/Toothpaste Thoughts: I used to get canker sores all the time. Like several times a month (since I was a kid). I would also break out a lot on my chin and around my mouth. I subtly (or probably not so subtly) complained about this on Instagram earlier this year, and several of you mentioned using an SLS free toothpaste (I had never heard of it until then). So, for the last 8 months or so I’ve been using this SLS free Verve Toothpaste {aff. link}, and I am not even exaggerating…zero canker sores and probably only 1-2 blemishes in my chin/lips area since then. I am a believer. FYI: I tried the Tom’s brand of SLS free toothpaste and almost vomited, it was just so gross.
Teeth Thoughts: Speaking of teeth, I finally got my Invisalign braces off, and it feels amazing. I only had to wear them for a short nine months (thanks to already having braces twice as a teen and being a bad retainer wearer), and I’m still wearing a retainer a lot during the day, but I’m just so happy to be able to eat freely during the upcoming holiday season. #priorities Having said that, my two oldest kids go in for orthodontist appointments this week, and I’m on the fence about whether I’ll have the doctor put them in Invisalign or wire braces. Thoughts on teenagers in wire braces vs. Invisalign? Please enlighten me with your experiences.
Libby App Thoughts: A HUGE thank you to everyone who recommended the Libby library app on my last Friday Thoughts post. I just finished listening to When Breath Becomes Air and have listened to a few other audiobooks as well the last few weeks while cleaning/driving/waiting in hospitals and dr offices. Fantastic app!
Fermenting Food Thoughts: This is a longer subject for another time, but I’m hesitantly dipping my toes into the world of culturing vegetables in order to improve overall gut health for me and my family (in addition to the kefir we drink every day). I’m not going to lie, I’m a little scared. I’ve scoured this website, among others, and bought a couple how-to books on Amazon. I had a super bad experience with kimchi when I was 21 and backpacking in Korea, so I think I’m going to forego cabbage for now and just maybe try some carrots or beets? Talk to me. Any advice/experience to share?
Shoe Thoughts: Ok, last thought for the day. How much is too much to spend on shoes? I really want these ones. Someone talk me out of them. ASAP.
{current coping skills}
I’m done now. Thanks for letting me have a total brain spill today (the scary part is this is only about 10% of what I would like to talk about, but I know you guys have a life). Can’t wait to hear what’s on your mind!
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Did you get the cute shoes? You totally should. That’s not too much to spend on leather shoes. Personally I’m addicted to these leather ballet flats that are super comfortable and come in more colors than the rainbow. http://www.Tieks.com
Im noticing your wall in the picture of your little lady. What is the name of your paint color? Ive got a whole lot of painting in my new house future.
It’s revere pewter from Sherman Williams (although we used the paint sample and got it mixed up at Ace Hardware).
Just got back from a trip and wanted to add my 2cents.
Best food at a family reunion- food trucks. $10 a person and we could keep the leftovers. A taco truck, a barbecue truck with chicken and ribs and a teriyaki truck. All the sides were included (we furnished the drinks and had ice cream/ snowcones for dessert) and there was limited cleanup- no dishes or remembering who brought what. The reunions were in Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio.
For prizes for the games we had everyone (regardless of age) bring a $2.00 White elephant gift appropriate for all ages and gift wrapped. We had a varity of games but bingo was the big winner. The prizes were the best part. Some were amazing!
GET THE SHOES!!
Definitely a worthy splurge.
Thanks, Britta. I did! And I love them. 🙂
Melanie, Hi! I haven’t been online for awhile and was sorry to hear of Brian’s problems, but more sorry for you (sick husbands). Greg had his tonsils out at 35 and after 3+ weeks and -25 lbs my ‘florence nightingale’ qualities failed and I told him that I was done and he could sit in his recliner and not eat or he could get up to the table and start using those muscles and get better. Harsh, I know, but I tried to say it sweetly. Luckily for us all, in a matter of a few days he was doing much better. Thanks for the cranberry recipe, I had one like this and couldn’t find it, so this will be perfect and make ahead even. Yea. Have a wonderful thanksgiving and we are still hoping you will stop by and stay in our four extra bedrooms.
Miss you SO MUCH! I’m determined to get your way soon. I promise! Would love some parenting wisdom and general therapy for some stuff we’re going through and you are just the one to help me, I know it. 🙂 Also, I’m glad to hear I’m not the only who basically pulled the whole “suffer in silence” thing after a while. Turns out, I wasn’t meant to be a compassionate nurse! Poor Brian (and Greg..haha!)
Use this link. http://simplydivineeating.com/store-it-alive/
I’m a little late to this party but wanted to share a few reunion ideas and tell you about a fermenting website.. http://www.simplydivineeating.com. She has an online class you can buy that has a ton of information and you always have access to it. She does live classes too but I’m not sure if she travels outside of UT.
For reunions, we have a huge fanily and for meals each sibling and their kids were responsible for a meal. We only did breakfast and dinner since there was always leftovers and that way we weren’t always in the kitchen. Plus people could bring stuff for snacks or sandwiches. For fun…always swimming, a candy slingshot which takes three people, talent show, campfire songs and stories, games of volleyball and softball, fishing, hiking, crafts, original sibling spotlight, family history, auction, etc.
Thanks for the website recommendation, Jill! Love, love the reunion ideas. Thank you!
I love your post! It’s nice to hear other people have so many unanswered questions like me.
My husband had terrible canker sores for years. We tried everything. Then we heard his sister gets them when she eats walnuts. So we eliminated all nuts and then gradually added them back one at a time. We found out he gets cankers when he eats walnuts, pecans, and pistachios.
Interesting, Melissa! I can see that being a huge culprit. I might have to do some research myself. I just ate walnuts the other day for the first time in a long time and I didn’t get a canker sore, but my mouth felt…I don’t know…just kind of funny for a couple hours after.
Seriously had a tonsillectomy this summer and it was horrible. Horrible!! Your poor husband having the broken nose, deviated spetum as well! My doctor told me he almost never does the two surgeries together because it’s too painful! I wish I had lost 17lbs also, I lost ten but it quickly came back on.
I hope you are well on the path to tonsillectomy recovery, Kelli!
I had a tonsillectomy a little over a year ago, at the age of 46. I had been getting strep throat and tonsillitis several times a year and so I decided to take my ENT’s advice and have the suckers pulled out. It was THE MOST PAINFUL experience of my life. The first two weeks were horrible, and the second two weeks were only slightly less horrible. But since then, I have only had one single cold. So I’m going to say it was worth it (but just barely).
Ok, well, that’s good to know it was worth it in the end!
Hey Mel! Thanks for all your posts! I love the recipes and I love the Friday thoughts:) I’m in charge of our family reunion this summer and we still need to decide on a location I read through some of the comments and love all the ideas about games. I’d love some suggestions on locations somewhat near the Wasatch front or Northern Utah if anyone wants to share favorite spots:)
Bear Lake. You can’t go wrong with Bear Lake. My family always has a blast there. There is even a place where you can stay in covered wagons. conestogaranch.com/
Hey Janell – I asked this question on Instagram a while ago and so many people suggested Bear Lake. We ended up going with a reunion lodge near St. Anthony, Idaho, but I’ll try to find the list I made with Bear Lake recommendations and post it here.
My quick & fervent thoughts 🙂
1. Shoes – I have a hard time spending $100+, but I go for it if the shoes are very comfy and I see myself getting a lot of wear out of them.
2. Social Media – I just say no, and it;s kind of key to my contentedness in life. I do occasionally check out an instagram post about a topic or individual I’m interested in, but I’m not active part of any community – I don’t “follow” anyone, post anything, or make comments. This is a disappointment to my kids grandparents, as they would love to have me posting family stuff that they can “like” and “share”, but c’est la vie. My reasons: 1) I’m an introvert – interaction in general is draining for me. 2) I do like some interaction, and I generally find it more rewarding when it is face-to-face (your website and a few others are the exceptions). 3) If I let there be too many exceptions, engaging in social media or online communities of any kind can quickly eat up a large chunk of time. I’d rather save my time for reading & playing with my kids (but again, I’m an introvert). Spending time in online communities can also crowd out real live communities. We all have only so much time, right?! 4) Comparison is the thief of joy. A coworker told me that, handed down from her grandma, and I found it so true. Social media seems like a constant competition for who’s doing the coolest things; who has the quickest wit, the best body, the most organized home, the most creative children…. everything becomes open for competition. I think it’s hard not to compare our own selves and our own lives even if we think we’re working hard not to, and there’s always someone doing something more, bigger, or better… After all, so of these people do social media for their living.
3. Thank you for the heads up about your husband’s surgery. My husband was told he should have the same thing, but has been on the fence about it. I’ll pass your comments on. Hope your hubs feels better soon!
Hey Jen! Thanks for your thoughts! I love how you are true to yourself with social media despite the push from family members and others to be otherwise. I think your comparison comment, in particular, is so true and might be one of the dark plagues of social media (even though I think there are some upsides to social media, too!). Good for you for being smart for yourself! Good luck to you and your husband as you decide about that surgery!
Please, Mel’s fine readers, how do I get rid of the zits on my neck?? (Since they figured out the zits on your chin problem)
I got my tonsils out at age 20. They said it’d be a 10 day recovery but I figured it’d be less for me (I don’t know why I thought that) and I was so wrong!! I lost 10 lbs that I didn’t have to lose. My boss got mad that I was taking so much time off so I went back to work and he said “Oh wow, you don’t look so good, you look too skinny.” Ha! I had a spit bucket because it was too hard to swallow. But I’m so happy now to be rid of them!!
Just re-read my comment. Spit bucket was not at work, don’t worry. Haha
Haha, the spit bucket at work correction made me laugh. I’m glad you recovered but man that sounded awful!
My husband had that same surgery almost 7 years ago. It was the worst thing ever!!! He had a scab break open and bleed which required emergency surgery 2 days before I gave birth to our 4th. Not to mention having to be hospitalized for pnuemonia from it also. And he still snores, but it’s even worse now. I wish you all the luck in the world!
Oh gosh, that’s super depressing.
Ok I’ve made so many recipes off your website, but I never knew that you posted blog posts with such fun randomness! I loved reading all your thoughts – and even read through most of the (300+!!) comments! 😮 I got sucked in because you’re talking about some of my favorite things: books, gorgeous shoes, cross-body bags, and fermented foods!! 🙂 My splurges are well-made, quality shoes and (recently) jeans. They’ll last forever. And they just seem to pull together an outfit!
I hope you’ll give kimchi a try again!! It’s like salsa – everyone’s is a little different and taste varies with time. If you have a chance try cucumber (oi) kimchi – it’s milder and my favorite! I grow cucumbers in the summer so I can make it with our korean dishes. Maybe try it wrapped in a lettuce wrap or somewhere where it’s just a condiment (like you would salsa)? We have a little market in Boise where we can find pretty decent kimchi.
Good luck with all your decisions! Thanks for a fun post!
Instagram all the way. Literally don’t have anything else. I got out of Facebook because of all the preaching. Never got into Twitter.
Yeah, I haven’t really gotten into twitter either.
Yes for those shoes – you will love them. I found if I can’s stop thinking out an item then I need to get it. Love your Friday Chat. I has taken me a few days to finish it but I kept going back to reread an item.
Keep them coming.
Melinda
Thanks, Melinda! I ended up getting the shoes…and I love them! Like, really love them.
Metal braces all the way!! We put my oldest in Invisalign and it was the biggest mistake. He is typically the most responsible person, yet couldn’t ever seem to wear them enough. It became a HUGE pain as a parent to be constantly hounding him about it. His treatment took over two years, delayed his Mission until we finally just ended it. He’s been in the MTC three weeks and has to wear a spring retainer because a couple of his top teeth still needed to shift a bit and they hoped that would help. So he has a permanent retainer and Invisalign tray for the bottom and a good old-fashioned hard plastic & wire one up top. I know he’ll be consistent with those at night, but I don’t have a lot of faith that he’ll have straight teeth when he comes back. I don’t know how many times I wished we could’ve started over and put metal on him. Total opposite experience, our second son had metal braces for a mere 16 months. On and done. It was quick and painless. I will never consider Invisalign for another one of my teens.
Thanks for the input on braces, Alisha! We decided on metal braces for my son and I think even he agrees it was the right thing. It probably really depends on the kids, but for him, I knew I didn’t want to spend the next two years nagging him about his trays and such. Already it’s been a lot of nagging just to get him to brush his metal brace laden teeth and it’s only been three days. Ha.
Family reunions – love them, family hikes with a stream to play in are some of my favorite memories – we have done all the games, all the crazy things, and by far my favorite memories are the hikes.
Braces! I am telling you I have 4 boys and braces 100%. The whole clean it every time and brush your teeth when taking it out is enough for me to know that it won’t happen. Teenagers are busy and they like to eat ALOT (at least my boys do), so for us braces was the answer.
Thanks, Laura! We ended up doing metal braces for Jackson and I think it was the right thing!
You are not alone with your SLS problems! I’m a dental hygienist and talk with people regularly about what your experiencing. Another toothpaste you can try is Sensodyne Pronamel. It’s SLS free and very easy to find. Every store sells it. My opinion on kids and Invisalign is, don’t do it. Many kids will walk out their door in the morning and take them out and not wear them because mom isn’t there to tell them to put them back in. They also lose the mouth pieces routinely. My brother spent $3,000+ on Invisalign for my niece and she never wore them. Her teeth look just the same and they couldn’t get their money back. There’s no guarantee that once the metal braces are off your kids teeth won’t shift especially if their not wearing their retainers but they are more likely to be straighter. That’s my two cents and a dental hygienist from the things I’ve seen over the past 16 yrs.
I love my Bagallini bag!
I’ve never experienced good reunion food.
I’m getting that spray wax!
Thanks for the tip on the SLS toothpaste, Emily! I’ll definitely look for it! That makes me sick for your brother spending that money on his daughter’s teeth…with no results. Yikes!! We ended up getting metal braces for my son; even he decided it was the right thing to do, so here we go!
I KID YOU NOT I WANT THOSE EXACT SAME SHOES!!!!!!!!! I’ve been showing them to my husband for weeks, I’m hoping black friday they will have a deal? I’m getting them, do it with me!
Instagram hands down, least amount of ads, quick to read and scroll through, people don’t post junk on there.
Family reunion: always whenever there’s teams against each other: olympics style, minute to win it style, silly treasure hunt-challenge style. Also the human piñata was a big win this year. Family reunions for the win!
What?? I can’t believe you’ve been eyeing the same shoes!! I love that. I ended up getting them…and…I love them! Like, a lot. I emailed the company quite a few times to make sure I was ordering the right size and I’m glad I did (I’m inbetween sizes usually and I went up to a 9 for these per their recommendations). Anyway, they are super comfy and as adorable as I hoped. They are ever just so slightly slippy on the heel for my feet shape, but I’m keeping them. Let me know if you get a pair!
I just scrolled through several comments and didn’t see too many mentioning family reunions-that’s what I wanted to read about. I’m hosting our first one this year. It sounds like you’ve been doing them for years-I’d love to see a post on how you run them and any other tips/tricks
The shoes!! Gasp!! I’m the cheapest person alive. I clicked thinking they might be $50 whole dollars-which is an amount I’ve never spent on shoes. As an avid exerciser I spend good money on workout shoes only, but still can usually find them for around $30.
I also enjoyed reading people’s thoughts on social media. I quit social media because of Collin Kartchner. He is convinced the suicide epidemic is because of smart phones and especially social media and until someone finds out something that makes more sense, I’m with him. Parents are *often* saying things like “we can’t fight this” “this is the way of the future” “it’s a different time for our kids”. But what if we CAN fight this? What if we can make social media unpopular? Be on our phones less and communicate with each other more? What if we stop getting smart phones for our ten year olds? It’s us (the parents) who got our kids in this mess, let’s help them get out of it. When I hear President Nelson promise us we’ll be more fulfilled and notice all these positive changes without social media I have a hard time seeing any good in it!
I’ve followed Collin Kartchner for a while, too, and I agree, it is eye opening to read what he shares! It’s totally changed the way I think about social media for myself and for my kids.
Re family reunion ideas: I went to a low-key wedding and informal reception not too long ago. The reception featured “make your own” subs (submarine sandwiches – are those a thing in America?) It was a huge hit. The family just set out trays of sub buns (two sizes), sliced meats and cheeses, lettuce, onions, tomatoes, pickles, mayo, mustard, etc. etc. etc. – LOTS of choices. And we all made our own sandwiches. I think this would work well for a family reunion for a number of reasons: 1) if people are coming “from away” (as we say in Canada) bringing a potluck dish is a bit problematic; 2) kids generally like sandwiches – put out some peanut butter and jam! (goes over a lot better than Aunt Suzie’s squash casserole, for sure); 3) great for a hot summer day, as no cooking involved, AND 4) it can pretty much all be prepared well in advance.
I love that idea of making your own subs, Debra! Thanks for sharing! It’s perfect.
Your poor hubby….I had a similar surgery and it was the worse pain I’ve ever felt (even having/recovering from a C-section). My head killed me 24/7 and it was no fun. I’m sorry for you too because I’m sure it wasn’t easy taking care of him and your kiddos and keeping us all happy at the same time! The only other thing I can comment on really (because I don’t splurge on expensive shoes although I really should one of these days), is that social media is fun/aggravating/time consuming/addicting/interesting. The only reason I keep Facebook is mainly because my husband is in the Air Force and moving around every 3 years makes it hard to keep in touch with people. Also, I make new friends everywhere I go and I don’t think I would be able to keep up with everyone otherwise. I do find myself wanting to ‘post’ about silly events and I seem braver about what I put after a few glasses of wine (oops…haha!), so I’ve been trying to cut back (on Facebook not wine) and only post important events and pictures. It is probably embarrassing to admit but Facebook is how I get my weather updates too and it really keeps me in the loop when it comes to scary tornado weather while stationed in Mississippi (I have a HUGE fear of scary weather).
Oh man, Tiff, I’m sorry you had to go through that same painful surgery. I hope it was worth it! Brian has finally turned the corner and is doing pretty well, thankfully! Your Facebook analysis had me giggling…and I hear you about wanting to stay in touch somehow. We’ve moved a lot, too, and I don’t want to lose touch with all the people that have become dear friends over the years.
Hello! I didn’t read through the comments so I apologize if this has been said already.
Family reunion: had one this year at a lake and did a cardboard boat regatta. It was so so much fun. Had around 12 boats/teams. Team captains volunteered and then recruited their own team mates. Only rule was no one on the same team could have the same parents. (My uncle had previously figured out how many people to a team.) Had a winner for the fastest boat, the boat that completed with the most people inside, and the boat last standing. If your reunion is by a lake I suggest this. Very fun!
Portuguese: my kids are in a dual language program at school learning portuguese. My suggestion is have your husband speak to you as much as possible in Portuguese. And then you answer back. The teachers use lots of pictures and signs so have your hubs point to a lot of things when he speaks to you. I’m amazed at what I even pick up just listening to my kids speak to each other. We also use the duolingo app at home which is super to help see how things are spelled. Seeing the word helps me remember better. We also watch a lot of cartoons in Portuguese. On YouTube just search for the show and then type portuguese br (for Brazilian portuguese) and see what comes up. We like barbie life in the dream house. Good luck!
Thanks for choosing to keep up the blog. My family really likes eating all the good food from here! I like making recipes that take out all the guess work. You’re the best!
Thanks for the family reunion ideas, Holly! The cardboard boat regatta sounds awesome – the place we are reunion-ing at has a lake; I wonder if it could work. I’m going to look into it! Thanks for the tips on Portuguese! I’m going to use some (all!) of them. I really do think I need to speak it more and have Brian speak it more to me. Thank you!
Life is short! Burn the good candles and buy the expensive shoes!! You won’t regret it.
And I feel you on your hubby’s surgery. My husband had sinus surgery in 2017 (probably should have had his tonsils out at the same time) and it was THE. WORST. We had three trips to the ER, blood transfusions (yes, plural) and another crazy procedure that I’ll spare you the details on. It was a full 6 weeks of recovery. BUT all that being said, it really has been amazing since and I’d go back and do it again. (Can I say that as just a spectator/caregiver? I think so! )
Haha, thanks, Janette! I bought them! I’ll let everyone know if I end up keeping them. 🙂
Oh my goodness, I cannot believe your husband had to have blood transfusions after his surgery. I’ll count our blessings that it hasn’t been that bad!
I know I missed the Friday boat, but I want to get in on this action, too!
#1: I know I’m not the only reader who would love hearing the other 90%. I love your thoughts.
Cultured vegetables: I received kefir grains from a lady in our stake in order to dip my own toes into kefir water. She is an absolute die-hard for all things culture and kefir and whey and other things, and would love to convert the whole world to the healthy magic of it all. I haven’t done the vegetable culturing myself, but said lady has brought me a bunch of stuff to try out for myself and my kids. Do I like the stuff? No, I don’t. The flavor is INTENSE. BUT, I can vouch for the health benefits. I had a UTI and was bummed that I was going to have to go on an antibiotic and kill all of the gut balancing I’d been doing with the kefir water. The lady brought over some really potent cultured stuff and told me to make myself eat a few tablespoons of it every day–it totally chased away the UTI! I still was drinking water like crazy and taking cranberry supplements, but I thought for sure I’d have to get on an antibiotic. Pretty powerful stuff. It tastes weird, but don’t be afraid. You can do all sorts of things–this lady has brought me cultured blueberries, jicama in some sort of citrusy culture… If you want her contact info I’m sure she would love to impart all her wisdom.
Family Reunions: human rubberband and/or slingshot. Poison Stump is always a favorite game/competition with the teens and tweens. My husband’s family did a round of skits where it was the same story (Little Red Riding Hood) told in different settings: Star Wars, Pride and Prejudice, and [can’t remember the other one]. So. Stinkin. Funny. One of the relays we did once was your team had to herd a chicken down around a cone and back without actually touching the chicken. Super hilarious. Also, cute G shirts!
Final thought: This is unsolicited advice, but I feel like it could be pertinent. Being a fellow stresser-outer, brain-won’t-turn-off, please-can-we-just-go-to-sleep-instead-of-figuring-out-everything-in-life-right-now-oh-hmm-I-guess-not… I would highly recommend Anxiety Free. It’s a stress relief blend from Ridgecrest. It really helps take the edge off for me. One of the active ingredients is ashwaghanda, and I’ve heard people that take that supplement and say that really helps, but I really love whatever blend Ridgecrest has come up with. (I’ve tried several things.) Just in case you’re interested!
Love you, Mel!
Haha, thanks Annie. I bet the other 90% of my thoughts would scare you! They scare me sometimes. 🙂 And whoa (whoa!!) to the cultured food thing. I love hearing that so much! But I also get a little scared. Lots of the people who really embrace it can be super passionate about it! I don’t imagine I’ll be converting anyone else until I can actually just culture something on my own first. Ha. But that’s pretty amazing about your experience with the UTI and eating the cultured veggies. I’d love her contact info if you want to send it to me. Is that weird? Would she be creeped out? And oh my gosh, that herding chicken race had me laughing out loud. Thank you for the stress relief blend! I’ll definitely look into that. Thanks, lady.
Hi Mel, I hope your husband is feeling better by now. Maybe he can try some Ensure for more calories and nutrients. Hopefully he can eat some soft food soon. My son’s high school science teacher had a tonsillectomy last year and was out for weeks. It was a really horrible surgery and recovery. He was out a lot during the year with various sicknesses so it did really help him–he was only about 28 years old–and it still wiped him out. My husband actually has an appointment tomorrow with the orthodontist to talk about braces for his top teeth, which have moved since his original braces were on as a teen. The bottom teeth have a permanent retainer on them, but he stopped wearing his top retainer, and now it’s a bummer. My kids both opted for the clear conventional braces and you really could hardly see them. Such a better option, I thought, but some kids do like those colorful bands, which I will never really understand! I didn’t think you could really choose invisalign vs. traditional braces for your kids. I assumed it was the orthodontists’s choice? I am hoping Mike will be able to get invisalign, but that eating/cleaning thing is a drag. Thanks for the tip on canker sores. My hairdresser’s young daughter gets them and she has tried everything–I will have to mention the SLS thing to her as I don’t think she has tried that. I am not, and never have been, on any social media (I will say, though, that I love to check out Diane Morrisey on instagram–her food photos are gorgeous and she posts recipes–it’s almost like a food blog to me). Social media is not my thing. I hear about people posting the most ridiculous things and I personally find it is just a time suck. I am more into personal connections with people. I guess I am more old-fashioned. Also, I think I like my family life to be a little more private. We use What’s App for our family. My son is currently studying in Madrid for the fall semester and we had to get that to communicate with him as regular texting would not work. Now we love it so much! My kids are both on instagram and facebook just like all of the teens/young adults in the world. It is something I have gradually accepted. It is the way they all communicate, and despite how careful/conservative we were when they were younger and growing into their teen years, they eventually all get sucked in. Thanks for your random thoughts. It’s such a nice break in my day. Love you, Mel!!!
Hey Teresa! Brian is doing better. I mean, every day is better and we’re going with that! Except this morning he woke up with head to toe hives…like the worst hives I’ve ever seen. He is miserable and is calling the doc – maybe a reaction to the antibiotic they put him on? Poor guy. I think with Invisalign vs braces, if the patient doesn’t have a lot of big challenges, either Invisalign or wire braces will work?? I don’t know. At least in our case the orthodontist said either would be fine – same cost and about the same timeframe. We actually went in this morning and Jackson got wire braces. We talked to him a lot about it over the weekend and we were all pretty aligned it was the right choice. He’s not thrilled, but he admitted he wouldn’t be thrilled with any type of braces. Haha. Teenage life. I told him it’s my job to keep him down to earth. So many people in this thread use What’s App! I’m definitely going to check it out.
Hi Mel! Those shoes look like they would go with a variety of different outfits and seasons. Get them. Regarding social media, I read the comments here just to see what people were thinking. I was surprised at how many negative views there were and I agree with all of them! I thought I was more in the minority. I deleted my Facebook account four years ago for so many reasons. My best friend went through three consecutive miscarriages and she said she was signing off because it was too hard to see the pregnancy announcements, so I signed off with her. I don’t miss it for a second. It just seems so narcissistic. I’ve found I have less contact with EVERY mom in my kids school and I’m a little “off the radar” but I like it. I have close friends that I talk to everyday and it’s much more meaningful then having four random people telling me I have the “cutest family ever”. There are definitely some aspects I was missing. I use my “share” feature on my phone to keep an album my mom and one of my aunts can view. Because really they are the only ones that need to see me brag about every little thing my family does. My extended family- siblings, spouses, aunts starting using Marco Polo and I love it. It’s short videos we send about what we have going on. We have a family group going and it has definitely helped us all keep in touch. Since we live in different cities. The cousins LOVE it.
Thanks for the toothpaste info! I’ve never heard of that but I’m going to try the Trader Joe’s toothpaste. Thanks for a fun post!! And your recipes are so delicious!!
Hey Kate – I was surprised at how many people don’t use social media either. It’s so interesting! I don’t do Facebook personally either and agree with you that I’m a little out of touch with some networks (that’s how church often shares announcements, etc) but I just request a text message and it works out ok. I think that’s very sweet that you stopped Facebook to support your dear friend. We love Marco Polo too! I have a very small network of family and close friends on there and I love the personal contact without having to make an actual phone call (which isn’t always convenient).
There is a Vietnamese restaurant in Nampa called Little Saigon. I love getting spicy chicken with a side of pickled vegetables. They are SO good. They pickle zucchini, carrots, and cauliflower. Life changing. You’ve got to try it and then create a recipe for us!
The first time I had Vietnamese food was when I ate Bahn Mi at a restaurant in the Salt Lake valley called Oh Mai. So good! Bahn Mi has pickled julienned vegetables like daikon radishes.
As far as the reunion if you are still looking for a location, I would be willing to share the place I found in Idaho. Affordable, large, and a lot of fun, with dates still available this summer. I’ve been really pleased with all of the cheap activities to do nearby as well!
Someone at church just told me about Little Saigon! Now I need to go there ASAP. For research purposes, right?? We’ve found a reunion spot for next year, but thanks (a lodge outside of St. Anthony)! Now I’m just looking to put together the perfect activity/meal schedule. 🙂
Mel… boa sorte a aprender Portugues!! 🙂 You can do it!! I served a mission in Portugal/Cape Verde and it is a beautiful language! and yes, it’s great to have a secret code between my husband and me (spanish).. haha! I think what you really **need** to solidify your accent is a trip to Brazil, pronto!! 🙂 I’m sure your hubby would agree! All in the name of learning, of course! 🙂 Hope he recovers quickly, that sounds terrible!
Thanks for the vote of confidence, Tanya! I need it! And I think you may be right about that trip to Brazil. Maybe alone. Haha. 🙂
From a Dad/Mans point of view:
Surgery as an Adult Thought- Thanks for the tip, I’ll try not to do anything unless absolutely necessary. Family Reunion Thought – I haven’t done too many but I do see a lot of people at Disneyland wearing Family Reunion shirts which I think is cool. The same thing for our Disney Cruise. I understand that it may not be financially feasible but it would defiantly be memorable. Food wise, my mom makes this chicken casserole dish that I just love, she calls it chicken devon but I haven’t found any recipe like it on the internet. Portuguese Thought: That’s awesome but why not relearn Spanish? It think it’s more useful and will probably get you buy in more countries that don’t speak English. Social Media Thoughts: I’m not big on social media, I’m on Twitter and just recently joined Instagram. It’s more to keep up with whatever else I’m missing from my gym and family. The wife is a very private person so we don’t post much, it’s more a lifestyle choice. Shoe Thoughts: I wish my wife’s shoes were that cute. She’s typically in something that looks like it was medically prescribed. When she does buy the cute ones, they’re WAY more expensive than the ones you want. Go for it…if you think you’ll wear them more than once a year. Thoughts on teenagers in wire braces vs. Invisalign? I don’t have teenagers yet but from a coworker…her daughter wanted braces because her friends had them too. Having braces myself I wouldn’t recommend them to anyone but I did think some girls had a cute smile with braces on lol
Thanks for your thoughts, David! I think the main reason I’m learning Portuguese is so I can speak it with Brian, but that is a good point about Spanish. 🙂
Sorry to hear about Brian’s long road to recovery (yours too as the wife typically suffers along with the husband 🙂 ). Maybe it’s taking so long because of all he had done with the tonsillectomy AND the deviated septum/frac. nose surgery. Hopefully, better days ahead soon.
My favorite thing to do at family parties is water balloon volleyball. This is great if the group is a bit older. Two people grab a beach towel and then toss it over the net to the other side where two people with a beach towel try to catch it. It goes back and forth until the balloon breaks. Then you grab another balloon or two. You can have several teams out there on each side. Sometimes, we launch more than one water balloon at a time. As for food, we keep it simple. Sloppy joes, hot dogs, veggie tray, fruit, chips/dip–stuff like that.
I love that Cam has two different socks on in that picture!. My 17 year old daughter still mixes her socks to this day.
Social media—overrated for sure. There is no privacy left in this world and everyone has to know everyone’s business. And so many of today’s kids are becoming zombies. They are on so many platforms and it seems like everyone tries to outdo each other with experiences. Face to face communication is getting to be a lost art. Now some parts of social media are great, like this blog. of yours. A wealth of helpful information and great recipes are definitely worth it.
Braces–My daughter had wire braces. She did just fine. I have no real complaints about them. If cost is virtually the same, then I would go with less maintenance for the kid as teenagers get so busy.
As for shoes, I have paid a little over $100 for a good pair. But they have to have good arch support! Those shoes are very cute, but for that price, I hope they are very comfortable. If you don’t have feet issues, then feel free to splurge on them. With all you have going on, you have earned those shoes 10 times over 🙂
Hey Lori – we used to play water balloon volleyball at all our family reunions growing up and I totally forgot about it until your comment. Thank you! I agree with you about social media. Our circle of friends/influence was never meant to be as big as it is now with social media. And I hate how teenagers/tweens/some adults zone out because of their phones. It’s something I’m trying so hard to manage/avoid with my kids but I often wonder if they’ll leave home and then turn into a zombie. Thanks for all your thoughts!
Ok, I never comment but just had to… I am not on any social media anymore, and I love it! Facebook was the only social media I ever did, and I will never go back to any. Honestly, I truly believe social media does more harm than good. I have seen it cause so much cruelty, anxiety, depression, feelings of worthlessness, isolation, etc., especially for women. Overall, I am so much happier. I try to keep in touch with others in much more meaningful ways. And those that I don’t keep in touch with anymore because I’m not on Facebook, I’m really not miss in them.
Love these social media thoughts – thank you!
I only have thoughts on family reunions. I was just an attender and thoroughly got to appreciate the work that went into it. It was a 100th annivesary of the reunion, 2 day event.
Bounce house/inflatable slides for the kids. Water play. Craft station. Face painting. They had a big cow bell, and taught the kids when they rang it, good things happened- freeze pops, ice cream, games, etc.
Volleyball tournament, egg toss, Mountain hike. Ice coffee in the afternoon! Fireworks. They rented out a boarding school in the summer, and some of us stayed in the dorms. They also hired the cook to make the dinners. It was a blast!
Thanks for all those ideas, Bethany!
Thank you so much for the information about SLS free toothpaste….Never in a million years would I have guessed that my toothpaste was making my face break out! I found Schmidt’s brand toothpaste at Target and it has 100% cleared my skin blemishes. Thanks Mel, for always sharing openly about your daily life, struggles, wins and of course, amazing recipes!!
Thank you, Brandy! Glad you found a toothpaste that is helping!
I love reading your Friday thoughts! One of the MANY reasons I love your blog. You are a real person with life struggles that you share. I hope the healing accelerates for Brian.
I love your shopping suggestions and was reminded while reading the other comments about quality vs. quantity. Totally what I am into, but forget as I like to spend as little money as possible on myself. It is difficult justifying it when there are six other little/big people my husband and I are keeping clothed. Not to say anything about not buying the shoes. I am looking for better balance in that regard as most of my clothing and shoes are over a decade old, but not necessarily high quality and need to be replaced terribly.
As for the fermenting, I am dabbling myself. My family happens to love kraut and that is mainly what I have tried. I want to try some of the same things you do, carrots, beets, etc. I am not sure what made your kimchi experience bad. I hope you will try your own at some point as that has been my favorite so far. I made the straight vegetable version without the fish additions. Good luck and thank you for sharing your thoughts! You and your family will be in my thoughts and prayers.
Thanks, Jennifer! I totally know what you mean about the other people in the house often taking priority with the fashion dollars to spend. I think I will try kimchi. I fully recognize the horrible experience was largely due to where I was eating (the meal was served with raw cow liver, and maybe that’s truly what scarred me).
I just succumbed and bought a different pair of Bali Elf shoes…and they are beautiful and comfortable and fulfilled all my shoe hopes and dreams. For good shoes, do it!
That makes me happy knowing you’ve loved another of their shoes!
Melanie, I don’t know how you do it. You have had so much going on at your house and still you have time to take meals and visit so many others in need. Your children are perfect and busy too. Thank your dear boys for taking our trash bins up to the road every week for your 75/80 year old neighbors. I’m glad to see Brian up and about again, although a thinner man. Yes, I love your recipes too and have tasted many of them. Thanks. We love you guys!
Haha, yes, Carol, my kids are PERFECT! Cute neighbor, you know as well as I do that they aren’t, but they actually really do love taking your trash out each week! Love you right back. 🙂
I love all of this!! My husband had his tonsils removed when he was 30 & it was so bad… best of luck to you and brian!
Currently in invisilign… my kids can get clear braces. I hate wearing my trays and i’m the adult… i don’t think my boys would be great at wearing them, so braces it will be.
The purse, i have had two & i love them. I bought both of them ar Ross. They are a good size, with a lot of pockets.
Keep the friday thoughts coming
I hear you, Alyssa. I hated Invisalign too (only because of the restriction to eat, which I know is such a 1st world problem).
I love your Friday posts! I’ll just chime in on the Invisalign question as my 12 year old just got them. He has some sensory issues so I thought that the Invisalign would be an easier adjustment for him. Plus, I had braces as a teen and hated the wires and brackets cutting up the inside of my mouth. My orthodontist also charges the same for traditional and Invisalign and gives the option to switch to traditional braces in the first six months if it isn’t going well. All that to say that my son is doing great so far. He hasn’t forgotten them or lost them yet so I call that a success! Good luck with your boys!
Great input on the braces, Megan! Our office also charges the same BUT there is a $400 charge to switch from Invisalign to wire braces if it isn’t going well so we really need to make sure. Glad your son is doing so well with Invisalign!
You should make your own kombucha! I would love to see all your expert advice on that! I did it for a while and have wanted to start doing it again.
Not sure I’ll ever be an expert at any of it, but I promise to share as I have results with the things I try!
My thoughts on Invisalign are it depends on the kid. If your kid has ever lost their shoes, forgot their homework or has to be reminded to do a chore – do regular braces. My son had regular braces and needed a retainer before the braces were put on. The orthodontist gave me the choice of having the braces on for longer and skipping the retainer and I jumped on it because I’m often reminding him of stuff – best decision ever. My daughter has a metal allergy so traditional braces weren’t an option – but even if they were, I would have done Invisalign. She’s the kid who never has to be told to do stuff and always has her homework and a pencil for class (and a spare for the kid who forgot theirs – like her brother) – the perfect candidate for Invisalign. One drawback of Invisalign are all the adult teeth have to be in, so have to wait longer before starting than you would for metal braces – at least that was for my daughter, not sure if her case was different.
Such a good point – it really does depend on the kid. Thanks for your thoughts, Tammy!