Friday Thoughts: Surviving Summer
Well, hello there! Even though it’s only mid-July, it’s hard to believe that summer break is more than half over for us.
It’s been a summer of ups and downs. Lots of fun, lots of challenges. Some wonderful memories made and some disappointments here and there. Just life, you know? But overall, I think we can all say it’s been a pretty good one.
This Friday Thoughts post is kind of long. It’s random. It’s a little weird. It makes me feel slightly vulnerable in parts. But it’s all real life stuff! I don’t blame you if you don’t read it all. Clearly I just needed to get a lot of stuff out of my brain and into this space, so no worries if you give up after the first paragraph. If you make it to the end, you deserve a super rock star award.
As I say with each of these posts, what I really want is to hear from you! Let me know how your summer is going, and weigh in on anything and everything below! It’s a highlight for me when I read all of your comments.
You can catch all Friday Thoughts posts here (some of the best discussion and information in the comment threads of these posts).
1) Card Game Obsession: In between the massive amounts of outdoor projects and yard work we have done and have yet to do, we’ve found our new game obsession. Oh man. This simple card game is SO fun. I bought it after one of you recommended it in one of my last game posts, and we’ve already introduced it to so many friends and family (who have instantly fell in love and bought it too). It’s called Play Nine {aff. link}. It looks like a game all about golf (which actually kind of turned me off initially, no offense golf people), but other than trying to get a low score, it’s not really anything like golf. Highly, highly recommend this, especially since it can be played with as few as two people or as many as six people, and it is super easy to catch on. Yep, we’re obsessed.
2) Craziest Cookie of My Life: I posted this pic on Instagram last week asking for help thinking of what to call these cookies. Seriously, you guys, they are insane. So, so delicious. I’ve made probably six or seven batches of them in the last two weeks (notably, I just made 150 of them for my cousins’ wedding dinner yesterday). I received over 400 messages on Instagram (!!) with name suggestions, and all I can say is: you guys crack me up. I’ll be posting the recipe next week, and I’ll definitely be highlighting the winning name as well as some of the others that are too good not to share. Any last thoughts? What do you think this cookie should be called??
3) Cookie Dough Business: Speaking of cookies, my older three kids are busy earning money for a church trek/camp coming up, as well as a family trip we have set for next spring break (each of them are earning several hundred dollars toward the cost of the trip). My older two boys have “official” jobs (one working hard at a horse ranch and the other doing upkeep/yard work/fix it projects on our rental property and 20 acres behind us). That leaves my sweet 12-year old who decided he wanted to sell cookie dough. He put together this flier and got to work!
He literally spent three full days in the kitchen making cookie dough and freezing it in preparation for sales. He’s done his best to get the word out to neighbors and friends in the area and so far he’s sold almost 20 dozen cookie dough balls! Proud of him and all his hard work as he has tackled this largely on his own (he’s an amazing chef/baker so it was a natural business choice). We do need to work a bit on degreasing the kitchen floor and “cleaning as you go” but overall, it’s been fun to see him work on this.
4) Family Reunion Recap: Brian and I planned his extended family reunion this year. The planning consumed my every waking moment for a long time, and I was equal parts relieved and sad when it was over. His family of 48 prefers to stay under the same roof for reunions, which is awesome but poses challenges finding a space for that large group.
This year after asking on Instagram for your recommendations, we stumbled on Three Peaks Lodge in St. Anthony, Idaho, and wow. Wow! It was amazing and probably the most perfect reunion location we could have asked for (totally unsponsored). We loved it so much, in fact, that his family has already booked it for the 2021 reunion. The kitchen is ginormous (seats 40+ people!), there are rock walls and slides and hidden tunnels all throughout the lodge, and outside there are basketball courts, tennis courts, picnic tables, a hot tub, tons of grassy/playing areas. Ten bedrooms, six bathrooms and a huge bunkroom. Honestly, it was perfect.
Brian and I basically packed up our entire house and brought it with us. Ha. Among all the kitchen and planning items, we brought our nine square game that our friends made for us, which was a total hit and occupied kids and adults alike for hours (along with tons of other outside games like spikeball, flimsee, Kub and others).
One of the highlights that I didn’t expect was this baby faces game. I printed out 5X7 pictures of every family member as a baby and put them on a wall (each picture had a # on it). The “scorecard” sheets had all the names…whoever matched the most correct #’s to names won the grand prize (a set of teething rings and a Baby Ruth candy bar :). I couldn’t believe how competitive Brian’s family was about trying to get the most right! I think his dad and older brother sat in front of this wall for at least four hours. It was hilarious.
Brian planned some epic family Olympic games involving everyone from the babies to the great grandmas. Super fun. Yes, those are ding dongs getting stacked on Jackson’s forehead. 🙂
And this bobblehead skit some of the grandkids did was hilariously awesome (faces of grandma, grandpa and the two great grandmas). I printed the high res photos at Costco (16X20) and glued them to foam board, cut them out, and glued a sturdy plastic cup to the back which the kids gripped in their little teeth. If this whole setup has you slightly concerned and freaked out, just google “bobblehead skit” and you’ll see how hilarious they are.
Mostly we did a lot of talking, laughing, game playing (inside and out), and of course, eating. I made this honey lime chicken and this lentil chili and served it as a build-your-own nacho bar with tortilla chips and tons of toppings. For a breakfast, I made this chocolate granola and this almond granola and served it with yogurt and lots of fresh fruit (and scrambled eggs and toast). Yum! His siblings brought some stellar meals, too. We definitely didn’t go hungry!
5) Quilting: Where are all my quilters at? I posted this on Instagram a few weeks ago, but I finished this flag quilt (pattern by Camille at Thimble Blossoms) just in time for the 4th of July. And even though I tend to say a lot of bad words when I sew anything, and I’ve never met a hobby that frustrates me quite as much as quilting, weirdly, I actually really enjoy it, too. I was visiting my mom when I finished this quilt – she took me to her local quilt store and taught me how to long arm quilt the top. I was a super nervous wreck (not the greatest hobby for perfectionists), but in the end, I’ll give it to my mom for pushing me out of my comfort zone and making me finish this 100% by myself. Geez. Why do moms always have to be right??
6) Pickleball: We are very, very recent pickleball converts (my brother taught us to play a few weeks ago when we were visiting in Montana), and oh my gosh, how come no one told us how fun this game is?? We quickly bought some paddles online {aff. link} and it has been a blast for our whole family. A few tears, but not too many. Our tiny little community doesn’t have official pickleball courts, but we have tennis courts that can be *pretty* easily modified and there are some public park pickleball courts 25-ish minutes away. I am the least athletic person alive, and I’m still halfway decent (haha, not great but decent). Am I the last one on earth to play this??
7) Fill in the Blank: I’ve been thinking a lot about boundaries lately. I’m not good at them. I never have been, really. But I’ve been trying to establish better boundaries in many areas of my life. Boundaries for things I do personally (blogging/social media) and also boundaries involving people in my life (for instance, trying to learn how to stop managing the emotions of those around me). Much of this initiative is to lessen some anxieties that I deal with on the daily. It’s not something I talk a lot about because it reveals some of my insecurities, and it’s probably a bit too deep to dive into fully here (we can pick it up in the comment thread, if you’d like), but mostly today, I’d love if you could fill in the blanks in this sentence for me. No judging! Any answer is safe here – be it deep, a little out there, hilarious, real, sensitive, whatever.”I want to do more _____________ and less _____________”
My responses today would be:
I want to do more being true to myself and less worrying about making others upset.
Or maybe: I want to do more reading in the New Testament and less scrolling through Instagram.
Or lastly: I want to do more cookie eating and less cookie baking. Def going to need to get my kids involved in this last one! 🙂
If you feel comfortable, I’d love to know what your response to that sentence would be!
Love you guys. Thanks for being here.
Friday Thoughts Update: By popular demand, I’m recapping a few hot topics from the last Friday Thoughts post. Namely, what do you use for photo storage and what is your signature recipe? First up, photo storage. I went through each and every comment and kind of compiled a quick and casual list of how you guys reported you handle your personal photo storage. The highest number of comments talked about their experience with Google Drive and Google Photos (the latter syncs to your computer and an external hard drive). Lots of other responses included: Amazon Prime, wd.com, backblaze, forever.com, carbonite, and good old-fashioned hard drives.
Signature recipes! It was impossible to categorize all of these responses, but I loved reading the recipes you are known for! Loved it, loved it. Everything from cinnamon rolls to chickpea curry to chocolate chip cookies to almond puff. The answers are golden and now I want all the recipes.
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I’m going to have to check out that reunion location in Idaho! Thanks!
That baby face game sounds fun!
It’s such a great place, Cherice!
I want to be around people more and less by myself (or only with sister
Thanks for sharing this!
I want to do more personal development (reading, exercising, self-reflection), and less worrying about things out of my control.
I am currently on a road trip back home to Oklahoma from Minnesota with the family (7 year old and 6 month old, and sometimes the hubby can be a kid lol).
It was my turn not to drive and your Friday thoughts popped up in my email. Thank you for your blog! I greatly enjoy seeing how other mothers in this crazy world keep themselves somewhat sane.
The first name I thought after reading the ingredients was “Kitchen Sink” because there seemed to be everything but in them.
Haha, why did I laugh out loud at the hubby comment? Hit too close to home, I think. 🙂 Good luck with your road trip! I think all us women are just doing our best to keep sane – some days better than others, huh? I, too, need to worry less about things out of my control. Why is that so dang hard for me??
#2: I’d call them the Michael Scott cookie! Or maybe “The Works.” For non-Office watchers, there’s an episode where Michael orders a soft pretzel and when presented with 18 topping choices including glazes, candies, nuts, etc. he asks for them all…the baker says “The Works? You got it!” Either way, can’t wait for the recipe!
#7: Boy can I identify with taking on emotions/problems of others. My generic fill-in-the-blank would be “I want to do more sleeping and less worrying.” Before bed last night I was telling my husband of all the thoughts that run through my head before I can settle down and sleep – as a benign example, “it’s hot this weekend and your mom’s out of town, does she need her plants watered, even though she didn’t ask us to?” He looked at me in shock at the way my brain works. Why can’t I just fall asleep instantly like him? 😛 I hope you find a way to lessen those anxieties…most of us worry way too much. I will say therapy is definitely helping in identifying the small and big ways we can set boundaries on a daily basis. I’ve become a firm believer that anyone can benefit from it.
I laughed out loud at #1. That is the greatest name suggestion ever. I can’t stop giggling. And seriously, Miss Molly, we could be twins. I’ve actually just started turning to Brian and saying “if you knew what was going through my mind right now, you’d be shocked” and he calmly says “yes, I bet I would…what can I help you with?” My plea for him to do half the worrying so I would only do half doesn’t really work (and at the end of the day I’m grateful we are wired differently). Thank you for your thoughts (and YES, yes to therapy helping – agree with that wholeheartedly).
Oh, Mel. It’s so good to read your posts. I love reading the comments for these Friday posts- unsurprisingly, your readers seem to be a pretty funny, thoughtful, honest and lovely group. I wish we could all get together irl. I’d like to spend more time listening and less time talking- like another reader. There’s a great parenting book called Duct Tape Parenting (don’t worry the duct tape is for the parents) that advocates for the importance of listening. I also want to spend more time doing and less time wishing and waiting.
You hit the nail right on the head, Rebecca – you wonderful readers are the best part of these posts (and anything else I post!). I wouldn’t be here still if it wasn’t for such a great group of women (and a few men!). If I could bring everyone together in some epic real life retreat in my upstairs bonus room (no makeup, no fancy clothes, just 100% authentic hanging out and talking and of course, eating), I would do it. Thanks for the book recommendation! And for your fill in the blank answer. I thought that was profound.
For the name of the cookie…”junk drawer”. A little bit of everything 🙂
Haha, GREAT!
As if I didn’t love you enough already with your hilarious videos and amazing recipes but now I find out you quilt and use thimble blossoms patterns, just some more of my favorite things.
For me I want to do more things that make me happy and less comparing of those things to others which in turn can make me feel bad about myself. These are all mainly in the ways of parenting and raising my one year old. Year one is such a change and it’s been a bit rough!
Also more sewing/crafts/reading and less scrolling. I have more time for hobbies than I let myself believe.
Ah, thanks, Jessica! Glad you love thimble blossoms and quilting, too! Your last sentence is so true of my life, too! I waste a lot of time that just doesn’t need wasting with dumb stuff. Good luck with your sweet one year old. It is rough starting out – no doubt about that. Hang in there, momma!
I want to play more pickle ball and do less chores. Seriously I’m obsessed. It has become my hobby. I play nearly every day with a group of ladies. It has saved my sanity by providing friendships, exercise and a place to belong (outside of mom life.) You should totally put a court on your property. Best family game ever. It’s a game that grandparents, kids, non-athletes, and athletes can play together. I love it.
Haha. That might be my next fill in the blank answer myself. I didn’t know you played every day! Way to go, Tami. That’s awesome.
More appreciation, less comparing myself to others.
Love this, Jennifer!
Beautiful post! Thank you!!!
1) Family Reunion – my brother and sister-in-law (with their one son) have asked us (with four kids) to join them & grandparents in Mexico next year at an all-inclusive beach resort. Looks so fun (a chef cooking all 3 meals – with room service!), but way out of our budget. Love the ideas you had for your reunion in Idaho!! Going to check out the place, too. And copied the 9-Square pic to show Hubby and ask for one. It’d make a great project for him & my 14 year old son who recently asked to be taught a “shop” class.
2) Cookie Name – Everything But the Kitchen Sink was my first thought …. but then I saw the comment about tying in your cousin’s wedding. Great idea! Maybe Something Cookies – as in “Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue?” 🙂
3) Working Kids – my 14 year old son mows his aunt’s yard and occasionally feeds neighbor’s pets. He is so excited for next year when he will be old enough to lifeguard (5+ years on swim team, so not a stretch). My 12 year old daughter wants to do something, but no idea what. I’m going to suggest the cookie dough. She would LOVE that!
4) Fill In the Blank – “I want to do more letting my kids cook in the kitchen by themselves and less I’ll do it myself so the kitchen stays clean and we eat at a decent hour.” Seriously. That’s been my theme this week and needs to be my theme for the rest of the year! You ask what’s for dinner – you get to make it! 🙂
I agree – I think that 9 square game would be such a great father/son project! Love that. So many recommendations for the kitchen sink cookie name. It’s a winner for sure, but I love how you tied it in to my cousin’s wedding. Clever! Exciting your son can get a job lifeguarding next year. My husband did that all through is teen years to save for college! I’ve been surprised at what a great “job” the cookie dough has been! He’s been getting orders every day and the great thing is he can spend a few days making huge batches and freezing it for when the orders come in. And oh man, your fill in the blank answer could be mine, too! I’ve really let go the last few years and it’s been amazing to see my kids blossom, but hard. It’s so hard.
Great post, Mel. I want to do more “doing” and less thinking. I tend to come up with great plans and projects that never quite materialize because of other time/financial obligations. I’d like to just go out and do it more often.
Spontaneity! I need to do that, too. Thanks for the response!
Love Love your thoughts. We are looking for a venue for a family reunion similar to what you did. We live in southern California and are open to anything. My name for your amazing cookie is “Over the Top Cookie”. You know like all the stuff on top!!!!! How did you research places for the reunion? Can’t wait for the cookie recipe next week.!! Thanks for all the inspiration you give us all.
I did a lot of online searching – but based on our size of group, the search narrowed pretty quickly. VRBO and air bnb is a good place to start. Love the cookie name suggestion!
“Patchwork” cookies
I want to do more spending time with Jesus and less busy work.
Love your genuineness, Mel. I’ve used more of your recipes this summer than anything else:). You’re a great cook, a great wife and great mom:)
Cutest name! Thanks, Laurie! And your answer is the best. The best.
“For Good Measure” cookie!
Love that name suggestion!
I want to do more “getting it done” and less “we’re gonna”!
Yes, me too!
Cookie name: Everything But the Kitchen Sink
I think that’s going to be the winner! A lot of you guys think on the same wavelength! 🙂
I love the name , but I have cookbooks with cookie recipes that already have the Everything but the Kitchen Sink cookies name ! Same with Fibber McGee cookies! Hardly anyone keeps recipe books since you can find anything on social media, but I still do!
I am not good with naming things, but maybe something like “Hidden Treasure” cookies , they could finish out a Pirate theme for kids!
Yes, I already know cookies by that name.
Ahh…Mel…these Friday Thoughts posts are great! I would fill in the blank with I’d like to do more letting go and less holding on. And I would love to see more Bake With Mel videos on your blog, just saying. For the name the new cookie, all I can think of is “Chaos” cookies because that’s what they look like to me…..beautiful chaos!
I played pickle ball this summer for the first time and it was so much fun. We decided to make it a bit more aerobic and play up and down 3 courts. We were all worn out by the end but laughing so hard.
Thanks for all your thoughts. I have a lot to work on as far as my own anxieties. I get so concerned about what others think (mostly about me) that I don’t do things that I would really love to do. I also spend a lot of time comparing myself to others and I would love to just be able to find out and be who I am. I’ve been reading Daring greatly by Brenne Brown and it is helping me think through a lot of things.
You are amazing! So grateful for the space you have here and how much it blesses my life!
Haha, that made me laugh out loud about the three court playing, Deanna! Also makes me tired just thinking about it! I loved that book by Brene Brown. It offered so much clarity – for me the trick is putting it all into action. Good luck! Half the battle is just recognizing what needs to change. I can tell you are intentional and amazing – you’ve got this!
Thank you, Vicki! I have some Bake with Mel videos in the works once summer dies down and we get back to a normal schedule! I’m glad you enjoy them. Thanks for letting me know that. I think chaos cookies are so fitting!
I want to be more active and spend less time watching TV. I want to do less worrying and more living in the moment. Love your Friday posts. The recipe posts are great too, but I like reading about your kids and what they’re up to. I just ordered the card game on Amazon. Thanks for the game suggestions, and hurry up with the cookie recipe! It looks like an Everything Cookie.
Great responses, Teresa! I am just loving reading what all of you have to say! It is the best way to spend my Friday night and I’m not even kidding. Cookie coming next week! Promise!
Thanks for the update! I added Play Nine to my amazon wish list. Love reading about the fun ideas you had for the family reunion- though a little shocked that you guys do it every year . But is this just his parents and all his siblings or is it bigger than that?
I love to do less screen time- email, social media- and more quality time with my kids. I feel the years are slipping away far too quickly.
Enjoy what’s left of your summer!
That was my error in the post, Jennette. It’s every other year. 🙂 It’s Brian’s parents, all his siblings and all their kiddos.
Pretty sure I’m not the only one who had this name for the cookies, but I’ll say it anyway: “Kitchen Sink” (as in everything but…).
I want to be more mindful/in the moment and less distracted/worried about future stuff.
Great Friday post, thanks for sharing. Have a great rest o’ the summer!
Yep, that’s a popular name suggestion but I love it. Very fitting! Thank you for your comment, Lee!
What an awesome family reunion! Can’t say my family has ever done one, so when I hear of others who do (and 48 people under one giant roof?? I can’t even imagine!) it’s pretty impressive to me.
And yay for your boys and their entrepreneurial jobs! If no one has told you lately, you and your hubby are awesome parents for teaching your kids the value of work. Seriously, good job to you both!
I actually have Play Nine in my game closet and have never played it once. Totally going to pull it out! Also, have you ever played Tiki Tumble? Such a fun one; quick, for 2+ players, and especially awesome if you play the music from Disneyland’s Tiki Room in the background while playing. 😉
For my fill in the blanks: I want to do more utilizing my time better and less where did the time go today. I want to do more connected mom and less stressed mom. I want to do more intentional wife and less coasting-along wife.
Remember, no judging here! 🙂 You are the sweetest – I’ve been questioning some parenting decisions lately. It’s been a rough couple weeks for us in that way. I do love seeing my kids develop an hard working/resilient/creative spirit and I’m hoping the summer work helps them with that. Get out that Play Nine game! It’s so fun! Based on your recommendation and a couple others, looks like I’m going to have to order that Tiki Tumble game. It doesn’t take a lot of convincing for me to get a new game. 🙂 Thanks for your comment/responses to filling in the blanks. I could give an amen to all of it.
I’m thinking you should call them road trip cookies. Mostly because the tops of them look like the floor of my car after a road trip. It has a ring to it and I think anyone with children can relate!
Love the info about the family reunion. I’m curious about the 9 square game. I’ve never seen anything like it but it looks fun. What is it?
My fill in the blank would be
I want to do more doing and less thinking.
Haha. Hilarious road trip name but so true! The 9 square game is a bunch of connected PVC pieces and you hit a ball over into each others’ squares like volleyball (you’re out if you hit it twice or it goes out of the full 9 square “arena” – the person in the middle is the king and they stay in until someone gets them out. You rotate in a spiral to the king spot. That’s probably confusing explanation so let me know if you have other questions. 🙂
Do you make your kids get jobs or have they done it on their own? I’m REALLY struggling with this with my almost 14-year-old. He says he wants to earn money to buy a new mountain bike, but he spends all of his time looking at bikes and none of it working to earn the money. It’s so so frustrating to me! I’ve brainstormed ideas with him, but he takes no initiative to actually do the work. I had a job when I was 12, so it’s super hard for me to see him not doing anything! I love the cookie dough idea! Have you had issues with your son not having a food handlers permit (or does he)? I think this is something my son would do!
Oh, and I want to do more loving and less criticizing (see above….).
Hey Diane – I hear you on the kids working thing. We haven’t had to deal with the food handlers permit thing yet but it’s probably something I should check into. He’s only selling to close family and friends (not going door to door) so it hasn’t been an issue yet. Both my husband and I worked as teenagers and we’ve set the same expectations for our kids. We sit down with them and outline the expenses they need to pay for (it’s kind of a sliding scale…as they get older, they help pay for more of their personal things) and how much money they should save for college/church mission service. And then we kind of work backwards and say “so if this is how much you need saved by this certain age, this is about how much you should save every summer” – it’s not a straight equation. Obviously my 12 year old isn’t going to work as many hours or get great jobs like a 16 year old can. But we really champion the work aspect – we spend hours helping them brainstorm work ideas (especially entrepreneurial ideas) and help them execute those while still making sure they retain a lot of responsibility. We’ve kind of set the expectation that during the summer break at 13, they should be doing something productive/work related for 4-5 hours a week, at 14, it should be a few more hours a week (maybe 6-8), and so on. So by the time they are 16, they can visualize working full time in the summer and not have a heart attack. All of my kids have been pretty motivated to earn money because they have certain things they want to save up for that we don’t buy for them (kind of like the mountain bike thing with your son)…but we also get a lot of complaining on certain days or insistence that none of their friends have to work, etc. Basically, it’s not always smooth sailing and angels singing. I’ve gotten criticism from other parents at times that I should just let my kids be kids and that we are expecting too much of them. Maybe we are? But they still have a lot, a lot of time to just be kids! I can very heartily agree that my teenagers are very much like your son in that they don’t take a lot of initiative on their own without some serious encouragement, so don’t be too hard on yourself (or your son!). Good luck!
I love reading through these Friday thoughts! It is always fun to hear about what is going on in your life.
I want to do more loving and less judging. Many times I am too quick to judge others around me and I actually feel like this has been more harmful for me than for them. I just want to be more understanding of others and try to know them better.
I also want to do more pondering and less complaining. While I feel that a good, healthy vent is great sometimes, complaining about the hard things in life over and over again doesn’t seem to improve my outlook on the hard situations that I face. I need to be a little more careful and thoughtful in this area of my life.
I also want to live a bit more and dream a bit less. Just want to appreciate the day to day with those I love. ❤
Summer has been fun for out family this year. One of the highlights for me was watching my kids have a bake sale to raise money for a children’s hospital. Your over night sweet rolls were included in the line up here and it was a great success.
I read the book that you suggested about parenting, “How to Be a Happier Parent,” and absolutely loved it.
Thanks for all your work in bringing such delicious food to us and for sharing your life. It has definitely made a difference in mine in such a positive way.
I loved and appreciated that response, Sara. I could do with loving more and judging less, too. Thank you for being so heartfelt in your responses. And that is so amazing about the bake sale your kids did to raise money. So amazing!
I truly love your Friday posts. I am totally stealing the fill in the blank idea. Mine is “Today I want to do more smiling and less complaining.” We are in El Paso, TX and our house does not have traditional A/C (we do have a cooling system but once the temp hit 95+ outside it just can’t keep up–leaving my home at 80 degrees) so I have been complaining and ornery all the time. I complain about cooking, sweating, sitting, feeling yucky and frankly I don’t think anyone wants to be around me. LOL. So, today I will complain about it less.
I tell my husband I have reverse seasonal depression–like when it gets hot I turn into a total psychotic mess. Here’s to a temperature drop this week! I can do it!
Also, your instant pot recipes and grill recipes have SAVED me this summer! And that quilt is to die for!
Oh, girl, I actually think you can complain about that heat all you want! You are amazing! I think I’d be a grump, too. Don’t be too hard on yourself. I’ll pray for a temp drop for you, too!
The first thought was, “I hope they are wearing sunscreen.” I love that your boys are learning to set goals and work toward those. Are they still selling flags too?
I have never heard of pickle ball, so I need to learn more. Also, I will definitely order that card game. We have found so many games from your posts. Thank you.
That is one extreme cookie.
Our public schools start in 2 weeks; we start our homeschooling in 3 weeks. Time to finish our projects.
That quilt is gorgeous. I can’t sew but appreciate the skill and time involved. That should be an heirloom for your boys.
I would like to do less texting and more picking up the phone to hear a friend’s voice. I would like to worry less about getting certain household things done and more about making time for me to exercise.
Oh yes! Sunscreen always! 🙂 Yes, we still have a bunch of flags in our bonus room and so that’s a side hustle for them, too. Whenever they are short on cash but want to buy something for themselves, we gently remind them of all the flags in bins up there and they are welcome to sell as many as they can! 🙂 Best of luck as you embark on another homeschooling season!
Cookie names: the works cookies, everything but the kitchen sink cookies, cookiepalooza,
The cookie that has it all, couldn’t decide cookies, omnicookies, Fantasia cookies. Stretchy pants cookies 🙂
Stretchy pants cookies 😉
Hahaha. Stretchy pants cookies. I’ll be giggling about that one for a while.
I want to do more enjoying and less worrying. Cookie name suggestion: the first thing that came to mind was cowabunga cookies.
Love your posts, Mel. Always a great way to start my day!
My summer has been a mixed bag—sold our home (we were only there 9 months), road tripped from Texas to ND with stops in AZ, UT, CO, WY, and MT. Cut short our stay with son and returned to AZ where we purchased a home. Always great to be around grandkids and family.
The hard part is unpacking and organizing in a new location. Love our new community! I’m anxious to start sewing/quilting again and once I replenish the pantry and it cools off, to get back to baking.
PS—I’ve not played pickle ball so you’re not the last person. LOL!
Oh man, Janie – you’ve had quite the summer already! It is definitely challenging getting settled in a new community. Good luck to you!
Really enjoy you and your blog. We are selling our home in MT and relocating to a warmer, sunnier and less expensive cost of living in WA. I have really struggled since May with doing it all while my husband is working in Washington. I have had a lot of revelations about myself and our marriage and my mothering insecurities and how I don’t react well to life stressors. My children have carried the brunt of my overwhelming frustration and anger. It hasn’t been pretty.
I would like to do more real friendships, and living, believing, and willingly accepting what God says about me and less feeling insignificant , critical , and hiding because I believe I deserve that.
Thanks for sharing your life in post, Mel and Happy Summer!
Wow! Moving is no joke but doing it alone while your husband is working elsewhere poses some serious challenges. I’m sure it’s been hard having those revelations kind of all hit you at such a vulnerable time. I hope you are able to sort through those difficult feelings and figure out maybe what could change for the better?? You are amazing…good luck with all you have on your plate!
KKK – Kitchen Kounter (or Kupboard) Kookies
Look wonderful. Cannot wait for the recipe. If we lived closer I would totally buy some of those dough balls from the kids too!
I just don’t know how you do all that you do. I feel like I am on top of it and organized with work, kids, ranch etc and you blow me out of the water.
You go Girl!
I’m so impressed with your reunion planning! It makes me so happy (and envious) that your family can enjoy your talents. I’ve planned a few reunions for my family and in-laws and while I enjoy it, the aftermath of adult feelings is the most work for me. Your section on boundaries and responsibly for others’ feelings is so important and something I have to work at every day. Cheers to you, and much love.
Jlilly – that was a difficult part of the reunion for me as well, so I totally understand. It was actually a tender mercy that I started doing some work on boundaries/managing emotions before the reunion. It helped the entire experience end on a high note instead of me being stressed out of my mind. I have to work at it every day, too.
Oh trust me, Abby – it’s not all organization and roses over here. Haha. Totally real life (lots of tears and stress this week and seems like everything is falling through the cracks but next will be better, right?).
Mel, I love your Friday thoughts posts!
#1 – We are going to have to check out Play Nine. We took Bold and 3Up3Down to a mini-family reunion last week (both recommendations from your holiday gift guides, I think), and they were a huge hit! My husband has started pulling out a game most nights after dinner lately, and it’s amazing what a quick game can do to help chill everyone out a bit at the end of the day. The witching hour of dinner prep is past, but bedtime looms large, and at that time of day, my no-longer-napping-2YO can. Not. Handle. His. Life.
#2 – I love the suggestion one of the other readers had to call the cookies “Candy Aisle Cookies.” That seems fitting! They look delicious.
#5 – I have just recently been able to get back to sewing and helped my sister use a longarm machine to quilt two quilts when she and her family were visiting our family. Quilting is so fun and so maddening, so relaxing and so stressful, and so expensive… but really, it is the best to snuggle up under a quilt that you have made, start to finish. Have you used minky as the backing on any of your quilts? Talk about leveling up the cozy factor!!
#6 – We recently discovered a pickleball court a mile from our new house and we are really intrigued. It looks really fun, and more manageable for my younger kids than tennis. So, nope! You are not the last person on Earth to play pickleball, but I might be.
#7 – Today, I want to spend more time playing with my kids and less time cleaning the house. Summer cleaning is so… blah. Well, really, all-the-time cleaning is so blah. But it somehow seems to need more effort in the summer because everything is so much less scheduled than during the school year. Also, in response your first less/more statement, I have been listening to Jody Moore a lot lately — have you heard of her? She has a podcast that is wonderful! In the last episode I listened to, she talked about family reunions and our expectations concerning them. She says so many wise things, I can’t even begin to list them. You should check her out if you aren’t already a listener!
Haha, I totally laughed at the end of your #1. I can relate to your 2 year old. I can barely handle my life at that time of day either. Ha. Candy Aisle cookies IS a great name! I love it! I haven’t used minky but my mom has made my kids a couple pillowcases with that fabric and yes, so, so warm and comforting! But I also agree, dang, quilting is expensive! You are so lucky to have a pickleball court so close! Go play! Honestly, it has been fun for our whole family. I hope you were able to get out and do some playing today because you are right: DOWN WITH SUMMER CLEANING. Ugh. I have listened to a few of Jody Moore’s podcasts. But I need to get back on that!
I can’t wait to try out your cookie! My name suggestion is CHAOS!
I think it’s so awesome that this name has been suggested by a few others. I love it!
Boundaries for people we love is so hard!! I am not very good at it myself ! I pray that you will be Blessed with strength and knowledge to create boundaries that are best for you!! After I looked at the delicious ingredients in this unnamed cookie, my first thought was “gimme that now!” So how about “Gimme Cookies”?
I so enjoy your posts and love your recipes!
I want to do more de-cluttering and less “piddling”. I want to spend more time with my beautiful 82 yr old Mother and less time doing things for others. I want to do more focusing on what is important for me and less focusing on what is important to others.
Thank you, Veronica! I love that cookie name suggestion! And I really, really loved your fill in the blank suggestions. I think we all have a lot of things we can actively and patiently work on, and that is a great thing.
Love your Friday thoughts posts. I want to do more living in the moment and less borrowing trouble from worrying about the future and things I don’t even have control over. It’s some thing I’ve struggled a lot with but I’ve been making progress. And you will too! Whatever your goals-just remember the small steps you take every day do really add up over time
“borrowing trouble” – that resonated with me! And also the statement about it all adding up over time. Thank you!
The cookies sound amazing. Also, my husband is really into pickleball; he is playing at Nationals in November. He also sells paddles, balls, and portable pickleball nets that you can set up anywhere. There are two websites: https://crazy4pickleball.com and his ebay store is https://www.ebay.com/str/crazy4pickleball.
For goodness sake, good luck to your husband. That is amazing! Thanks for sharing those resources! (I didn’t see the portable pickle ball nets on the website, though…am I missing them somehow?)
I’m so glad you loved the lodge! My kids look forward to it every time we go. My answer would be: I want to do more enjoying the present and less panicking about future possibilities. I love these posts! Thank you for starting this conversation, it really has me thinking.
It was amazing, Bonnie! Thanks for telling me about it!
Your cookies look fabulous. I am at our cottage by the Chesapeake Bay in Virginia and they remind me of my walk just a few minutes ago…I saw sand (cookie), driftwood (pretzels) and sea glass (m&ms). I see all of these in your cookie.
Cookie name : By the Sea
So proud of your boys working hard to help fund their trip. Great job mom and dad.
What a great cookie name (and what a beautiful walk by the sounds of it!)
Congrats on the successful reunion! We just got back from a big, lovely family reunion and my thoughts were—whew, I’m so glad I didn’t have to plan that! So big kudos!
And those cookie…they sure look like “cookie crack” to me. So good you could get arrested!
Haha…and my thoughts were “I’m so glad I don’t have to plan this again for a REALLY long time!”
Cookie Name: Bottom of mom’s purse cookies
Haha. Good one!
This summer has been insane for us too. We were Ma and Pa for trek, then my sister got married the next weekend, then celebrating my hubby’s birthday in bear lake the next, then 4th of July and my baby turned 3, then my oldest got her tonsils out, and my son got strep or scarlet fever the same week, and next week I go to stake girls camp where I’m in charge of the craft for 350 people. So I want more playing with my kids, and less obligations. But it’s been good. Just ready for a break! Your family reunion sounds awesome, we’re doing one up in Washington next summer, so I’ll be sharing your ideas!!
Ashlee – what a busy summer! I can’t believe it. I hope you are hanging in there…that sounds insane. And I kind of want to cry for you. But I hope you really do get to playing more and ridding yourself of a few obligations (or at least getting them over with). You are amazing!
I just ordered Play Nine (even though I told my husband I was done shopping after buying both a Bosch mixer and an ice cream compressor this week!) You’ve never steered me wrong in the game category. One game we are loving that I don’t remember ever seeing on your blog is Skyjo. It’s a very fun card game for as little as 2 or up to 8 people and easy to learn. I love these kind of posts from you and I’m saving this one for the inevitable day when I have to plan a reunion!
A Bosch and an ice cream compressor! Life is surely complete! 🙂 Thanks for the game recommendation, too!
I highly recommend a card game called The Mind. It is so simple and so fun! When you master it, try playing it without talking–so funny!
I also highly recommend books by Brene Brown! They could help you in your search for setting boundaries.
My fill in the blank would be: I want to care more about what God thinks of me and less of what others/the world thinks of me.
Thanks for the game recommendation, Melissa!! And I have really enjoyed a few of Brene Brown’s books so I second that. Your fill in the blank answer was a wonderful reminder to me. Thank you!
I’m so happy to hear that you are quilting! I love your blog, and my kids will eat things they normally won’t try if they know it is your recipe. It is nice to hear you found the best hobby on earth! You can indulge in a creative outlet AND have an awesome gift to give someone! It is addicting, and fabric shopping is a hobby of its own. The flag quilt is moderately ambitious for a beginner and it looks great! Keep it up! I bet you would like some of the patterns by Then Came June, or Suzy Quilts.
Thanks, Holly! I’ll look into those patterns for sure!
I want to do less comparing myself to/coveting others’ professional accomplishments, and more focusing on/appreciating what I have accomplished in my career 🙂
Yes, Anna! Such a great response.
I want to do more ENJOYING and less STRIVING. I am definitely a Martha vs a Mary, and I am realizing more and more that I am missing out on the opportunities throughout my day to simple sit and enjoy God’s creation – whether that is by reading a book, having coffee with a friend, or simply sitting. Less doing, more appreciating. 🙂
Love your updates (and you!) so much. I can identify with your comments about the daily anxieties. I think you will find the more you are willing to be open about it, the more you will hear SO MANY voices responding with, “Me too! I thought it was just me!” I don’t know how something that so many of us struggle with is still such a private and off-limits topic. 🙂
I think is “off limits” because we don’t want to share our weaknesses. But you are right, the more open we are, the more we can help each other 🙂
I was thinking about Martha vs Mary the other day, too, and wondering how I could make some needed changes in my life related to that, so when you mentioned it, I was like, yes! I get that for sure. Thanks for your comment, Gwen!
Those cookies remind me of the bottom of my kids backpack and you probably need a backpack to carry all the ingredients.
So why not backpack cookie.
I love the name Backpack Cookie
Great name suggestion, Zed!
I suggest ‘Sinful Indulgence’ or ‘Sinful Peanuty Indulgence’ which my spell check doesn’t like, but does indicate the danger if people are allergic to peanuts or even ‘PB indulgence’. This is definitely an everything cookie and an indulgence.
So glad you had such a wonderful reunion, pat yourself on the back for your good planning.
I think for me the sentence should be ‘I want to be more productive and do less idling’ or ‘I want to be more aware of others and less introspective’ or maybe ‘I want to do less reading and more housework and crafts’.
You pose interesting questions and topics. Thanks for sharing your life with us. As you work on boundaries, remember that taking care of yourself is important for all the people around you as well. For one thing it sets a good example for your children. (grin) Also, a phrase by Lord Peter Wimsey from the mystery ‘Thrones and Dominations’ seems to contain a lot of wisdom for me. To paraphrase it since the book isn’t in front of me: There is what we can do for any child of ours, and what no one can do for any child.
We may love our children dearly, but they must still learn to cope with the world and while we are not facing WWII it is still a scary world in many ways. Learning to deal with their emotions and handling their disappointments is part of growing up. You seem to be doing a good job of teaching your kids important lessons such as earning the money they need for camp, etc. Don’t be too hard on yourself, Mel.
Thanks for the name suggestion, Alice! I liked your fill in the blank responses! I could say yes to all of them, too. Thank you for sharing that about raising and doing for children in your last paragraphs. It is so true and a good reminder. Thank you, Alice.
Mel, Have you thought about naming them “candy aisle cookies”?
Thank you for your honesty and tips, I love these Friday Thoughts posts! Love the ideas of the baby pictures for the reunion and the bobble-head skit! I bet you all made tons of memories. Here’s to a good rest of the summer for you and your family!
I want to do more listening and less talking. That’s always a work in progress for me 🙂
It’s a great name, Molly! Thanks for your comment!
#2: Faceplant worthy! These look pretty epic (in the sense how can one capture such gloriousness ) so I’d vote to incorporate a memory of your cousin’s wedding (or any of the other times you’ve made it) into the name – that way it’d be super unique on Pinterest and have a sweet story attached to it!
#7 One of the most LIFE CHANGING books I’ve ever read is “Boundaries: When to Say Yes and How to Say No To Take Control of Your Life”. Seriously Mel – life changing! It teaches you how to set healthy, BIBLICAL boundaries “with your spouse, children, friends, parents, co-workers, and even yourself”. I was going to write my experience here but I feel like a short summary wouldn’t do it justice, and I especially love the fact that it is faith-based. If you don’t have time to sit down and read it, get the audible version pretty please with a MKC sugar cookie on top!
Here is the link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0310351804/ref=dp_ob_neva_mobile
That sounds amazing, Anna! I’m definitely going to look into this. Thanks for sharing!
I second the “Boundaries” book mentioned above! The authors are Cloud and Townsend.
We’ve been living in eastern Europe for the past year and a half, and will be moving back to the US in September. Our summer has been busy with travel and visitors. We are at the tail end of our final temple visit in Helsinki. We are in the Helsinki temple district and come stay for the better part of a week every few of months. We will enjoy being closer to a temple, but will really miss the more focused experience of several days of temple worship at once.
While we’ve been in eastern Europe, I’ve learned quite a bit about the enneagram, which is a personality framework. It has been extremely helpful I’m showing me where my boundaries need work. I feel like I’ve made great boundary progress over the past year or so! (Though I think it will always be a work in progress.)
To answer your phrase, I want to do more joyful movement and less waiting until I feel perfectly energized. I also want to do more sleeping and less tossing and turning. Maybe the second will help the first.
I was about to say the same thing! I LOVE that Boundaries book. I don’t mean to sound dramatic, but it was life-changing!
Thank you for the book suggestion, Anna! Really, thank you! I’ll be looking into it (especially with that cute little plea!). Haha. 🙂
Mel, I really love you a lot. Pretty sure you posted this in the middle of the night which makes me feel so kindred-spiritish as I myself am awake at unholy:hour MST.
So proud of your entrepreneurial 12-year-old! If I was in the vicinity I’d definitely take him up on that. I am WAAAY more in support of homemade Mel cookie dough than that ultra-greasy frozen stuff the soccer kids used to sell. Blegh.
Boundaries are so hard. I envy people whose well being, stability, and life rhythm is completely independent of those around them. Mine seems to often get tangled up in a lot of things that I don’t have control over. (Can we start an online therapy group for kindred control freaks?) Are you familiar with codependency? SUCH a fascinating (and sometimes depressing when you’re neck-deep in it) thing to learn about: this idea that codependency–shielding or trying to protect others from negative feelings or particularly consequences–is Satan’s counterfeit to charity. (Mind blown emoji) I could talk more about this, and for the billionth time I’m wishing we were real neighbors really chatting on the front porch, but for now I’ll just say, you’re doing great. Pursuing boundaries is well worth the effort. Love to you, Mel. (ALSO, I recommend the BYU devotional “100% responsible” by Lynn G. Robbins. AMAZING.)
Our summer started with a very sudden move from Texas to Utah. A much needed job-change with a very convenient return to family. 🙂 The rest has been a blur of either moving busyness and extended family fun, or sitting blank-faced (or more honestly, probably scrolling Instagram) wondering who I am, how I got here, and how the blazes to go about establishing a new routine for my 6-, 4-, and 2-year-olds. I’m trying to take it one day a time, celebrate the days where it all works, take a deep breath and let go of days that don’t, and intentionally give myself space to mentally and emotionally adjust to our new life.
So for today, I’ll say,
I want to do more walking and less sitting. I want to do more work and less idling. I want to do more allowing and less forcing. I want to do more chill-faced-mom and less stress-faced-mom.
Love you, Mel. Thanks for sharing yourself with us on the big world wide web, you brave soul!
I will second the BYU devotional by Lynn G. Robbins!
https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/lynn-g-robbins_be-100-percent-responsible/
I second the “more allowing and less forcing” with my 8, 6, 4, and 1 1/2 years olds as well. Working on that daily.
Thank you Emily and Meridith!
I’m envious of those people, too, Annie – and yet sometimes I feel like I still want to feel a lot of feelings and help a lot of people and how do I separate all of that, you know? Lots of good suggestions in this comment thread, though. But I have thought a lot about how I can still find ways to disconnect from my kids’ emotionality and still be a good, connected mom. Does that make sense? I think it relates to what you said about co dependency and something I need to continue to work on and learn more about. Thanks for the talk suggestion! Good luck with that huge new life change, my friend. That is not easy and I agree, when we’ve gone through it, I feel very dazed and confused for a long time. Sounds like you are doing a great job at taking it one day at a time. Thank you for your fill in the blank responses! Yes to being a more chill faced mom.
“I want to do more ACCEPTING and less COMPLAINING.”….this is so difficult!:) I guess I like to ‘run the show’ and have things done my way (the RIGHT way, obviously!). It’s been hard work for me to back off some and just accept. For me, this is mostly related to household organization.
Oh I hear you, Sandra! I feel the same way. I am trying to back off, too. Good luck!