A Friday Thoughts post ready for you in…3…2…1! Let’s go! It’s a fun one. 🙂
{Here are some past Friday Thoughts posts if you are curious about what this series is all about.}
Quick Summer Updates
We took off for a family camping trip the week after school let out (I had a high school graduate this year 👏🏼 but he didn’t want to walk in the official graduation ceremony, so the end of the school year was kind of quiet for us!). We headed up to Silver Creek Plunge campground for the first time and LOVED it. Stay tuned – I’ll be sharing our favorite Dutch oven lasagna recipe next week. It’s a camping staple!
My oldest son, Jackson (20), is living at home while he works full-time. He is also in the process of enlisting in the Air Force. We are very proud of him and learning a lot as he works toward this goal!
The other three boys (18, 16, 15) are working together at a bounce house company (and Cade, my 16-year old also is working three days a week mowing lawns and landscaping). Walker, my 18-year old starts his missionary service to the Philippines in two weeks, so there’s a lot going on and we’re speeding toward some huge adventures and milestones. The boys spend almost all their free time fishing or bowling.
I did a little presentation for our church girls’ camp this week (it’s Cam’s first year going!). My presentation was basically about “On days when you don’t feel like you are enough, remember that God thinks otherwise.” 💗 When I was up there, I spied this “hug hut” that was in the middle of camp. It was so fun and welcoming! What a great idea (the girls were lined up!).
Our little town recently got a Dairy Queen (people here either love it or hate it 🥴). And we’ve found the secret to enjoying DQ nights (ahem, more often than I should admit) is to order lots of mini-size blizzards to try all.the.flavors. I’m really loving the seasonal peach one right now, but the brownie batter with cookie dough is probably my all-time favorite.
Summer is…interesting…when it comes to cooking (especially dinner!). We’re eating a lot of quick, simple meals. I try to add to my What’s 4 Dinner at Mel’s series on Instagram (saved in Instagram highlights if the link doesn’t work) to share ideas. Cam is baking bread again this summer to sell to friends/neighbors, and she very often jumps in for Sunday dinner dessert duty. She rocked the cinnamon scones!
Cookbook Party
Last week was my cookbook launch/signing party, and I hardly have words to describe the magic of the event.
Not only was the venue amazingly beautiful (and the weather absolutely perfect), but I was completely blown away and humbled by how many people came.
I met over 400 of you! Many of you stood in line and waited for hours to get a book signed and/or chat for a minute. I could have talked to you (and laughed…and cried) for hours and hours beyond the time available to us that night.
As much of a homebody as I am, meeting you one-on-one like that filled my soul in countless ways. Several of you came in from states all across the country. Others shared your favorite things (cards and sourdough starter and MORE) with me! And many of you made me cry with your sincerity and experiences and sacrifices to be there.
It took me years to finally write a cookbook. Your response (whether you were at the event or not!) has been absolutely more than I could have ever asked for. I have long felt that this, whatever “this” is, is so much more than “just recipes.”
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
I posted a quick Instagram reel of the event here (thanks to Sara from Our Best Bites for putting this together for me!). The food by Whitney Fredin Events was so yummy…people are still asking me about those flavored butters! I’ll try to get recipes soon!
I couldn’t have made the event happen without the help of so, so many friends and family (including Emma, who stepped in as an event planner and literally saved my sanity – if you’re interested in her amazing services, message her on Instagram).
Also, all the merch available at the event, like homebody and other hoodies, aprons and menu planning pads, will be up on the shop site soon!
What I’m Reading
Emma M. Lion books (I’m almost done with book 7) – witty, heartwarming, fun, charming. One of you even brought me an Emma M. Lion shirt and I am wearing it nonstop #iykyk
Sacred Struggle – incredible book 💗
The Choice – an absolute must-read memoir from a Holocaust survivor
Things I’m Loving
These flipflops
The permanent jewelry Cam and I got (LOVE, love my anklet)
This air fryer – I think it’s available at Costco although I bought it on Amazon (I have a long sordid history with hating my big, bulky air fryer and have even done an Instagram series on how much I hate it…but this bigger, toaster-oven-style one has been a game changer for us)
This chapstick (actually, I am loving this on behalf of my two kids on Accutane – it is the only chapstick saving their extremely dry lips)
This Relyte electrolyte mix (most days I blend a scoop of this + a scoop of clean simple eats collagen into 12-16 ounces water and drink it midday) – my kids mix it in water after an intense workout
These habanero BBQ almonds. Contrary to their name, they actually aren’t very spicy at all, but WOW, the flavor is so good. We always have them in the pantry.
Podcast + Health
Content warning: I’m about to say the word menopause. Probably more than once. You have been warned.
I recently listened to this podcast and this podcast (both from Huberman Labs) and can I just say: 🤯 🤯 🤯 (also reading The Hormone Cure – not all the way through it yet).
It has prompted me to dive headfirst into the pool of women’s health, particularly in regards to hormones and peri/menopause. I am embarrassed at how little I knew in regards to all of this; I definitely have some issues to tackle, but I’m kind of weirdly excited to keep learning, seek out some help, and make some changes. 💪🏼
Looking through all the notes I’ve jotted down, below are four things that stand out as improvements I can make now (obviously, there are MANY, many more than just these ones – gotta start somewhere!):
Increase protein
Eat lots of colors
More fiber
Lift weights/build muscle
⬆️ Protein
I mentioned in my last Friday Thoughts post I was starting to track this, and it is going pretty well! My goal is to get about 115 grams of protein a day. I don’t always hit that, but I try to get close. Lots of you asked in the comments of the last post what I eat for my protein goal.
Here are my go-to foods that I rotate through: Greek yogurt (Two Good brand is my fave), tuna, G2G protein bars (the coconut chocolate is the best, and they sell them at Costco now – these are the only protein bars I’ll eat because they taste normal and not full of fake stuff), hard-boiled eggs, pumpkin seeds + almonds, Parmesan cheese crisps (again, from Costco), cheese, salmon, cottage cheese, apple + peanut butter, lots of chicken, and beans. And I try to make our family dinners lean protein-focused. But if they aren’t (hello, lasagna), I don’t stress too much. Kind of going for the 80/20 philosophy here.
Eat Lots of Colors
This goal is good for my family, too! I don’t really over think this; I am just buying lots of fruits and veggies on sale (and starting to eat from our garden!) and incorporating them into our snacks and meals.
More Fiber
I definitely need to work on this one. When I started tracking my fiber, the results were abysmal. The research is fascinating in regards to the importance of fiber on overall health, especially as we age. Eating all those extra colors I mentioned above will undoubtedly help get more fiber in.
I also bought this fiber supplement – can’t say if it’s great or not yet since it just came, but will keep you posted! (disclaimer: I always get nervous to mention supplements in any form – some people love supplements, others think they are the devil, so please do your own research and decide what’s best for you and don’t just take my word for anything! )
Lift Weights/Build Muscle
You can’t take two steps in any direction online these days without reading about the importance of this. It is so crucial for women, especially, to build muscle to prevent bone loss and help with hormone regulation.
I have to give a huge shoutout to the Sadie Active app that I’ve been using for a year and a half. It has changed my life, not even kidding. I didn’t really *lift weights* before starting this program, but over the last 18-20 months, my strength (and confidence) has increased a hundred fold. I actually look forward to working out, and I cannot believe how strong I feel!
I do all of the workouts at home using the gym setting (and just modifying the equipment as needed) – but there is a *home setting* on the app, too. Many, many of you have started using this app, too, since I can’t stop talking about it – I get comments all the time about how much it has helped you, as well! (I’m not affiliated in any way with the app, I pay for my own membership…but I can’t recommend it highly enough.)
I would love your thoughts on this…can we all stay open-minded and kind? 😘
A Few Last Things
Hmmph, this is quite the rambly post. But let’s continue with that theme!
Yes, our animals are still around! Lots of scratches, brushes, and fresh water to beat the heat during the summer. (We got 20 baby chicks in the spring and they will be laying eggs in just a few months, and we just had a baby calf born to one of our back pasture heifers!)
Temperature blanket is still coming along. Slowly but surely. My method is to get about 25 rows behind and then spend a few days catching up. 😬
We relocated our garden to our front pasture (necessary after it was demolished from the recent remodel). I have nine 4X8-foot garden boxes packed to the gills with…tomatoes. Ok, also jalapenos, peppers and a few other things, too, but there are A LOT OF TOMATOES, because I really only plant a garden for this salsa.
And on a final, more somber note, I just want to put a placeholder here to remember my sweet friend, Liz, who passed away from cancer last week. She was a powerhouse of faith, love, friendship, and goodness. She had an extensive network of really close friends who supported her and her family through her cancer battle, and although I wasn’t one of Liz’s closest friends, I did have the privilege of bringing dinner occasionally and talking to Liz about everything from pigs (she and her husband, Adam, bought kunekune piglets from us years ago) to her favorite scripture verses to if it’s ok to eat dessert before dinner. As I’ve felt the loss this last week, I’ve also felt kind of guilty for being sad. Like, that should be reserved to those who were the very closest to Liz, right?? But I’ve taken it as a reminder to readjust priorities in my own life so that I’m focusing more on what really matters. Life is so short; none of us are guaranteed a tomorrow, but I can make the most of today. And truly, I am so grateful for the light and influence Liz was to me. She always treated me like I was important and valued, and her example of living as a disciple of Christ with absolute faith will always, always stay with me. 💗
I hope summer is going well for all of you! Would love to hear your thoughts about any of the above…and I always want to know what’s going on in our world.
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