Hi, how are you?

The last time we talked, I was saying that I didn’t feel much value. Something like that. I was feeling bogged down - spinning wheels but not going anywhere, just on auto-pilot. I shared something about it on IG stories, and I got a lot of replies. So many others are feeling the same. How about you?

That got me thinking and talking with Cameron. Basically, he suggested that we scrap everything and start from scratch. Build up the life we want. We’ve been doing and going for several years now, and we haven’t evaluated any of it. Sure, we cut things that aren’t working and are always trying new things. But overall, it’s been pretty steady.

I decided to create something. One of my strengths is planning. I’m not always the best at executing, but I am good at putting time, energy, and creativity into the planning of things. I’m in the process of making a Family Goals workbook. It will be about 30 pages, when it’s all typed and formatted, with pages for kids so that they can be involved. I’m leaning on Cam for business and money sections, and we’re going to go through the whole thing ourselves before I make it available to anyone else. I want to make sure it makes sense and is motivating rather than discouraging, you know?

Anyway, if you’ve got a catchy title for it, let me know! 😅

Cottage cheese cookie dough??

I was scrolling TikTok a few days ago and came across this edible cookie dough recipe. It’s different from other edible cookie doughs I’ve tried, so I went out and bought the 3 things I didn’t have: cottage cheese, almond flour, dark chocolate chips. We had the maple syrup, vanilla protein powder, and vanilla extract.

Here’s a link to the IG video (the first link is to the TikTok recipe!).

Anyway, we tried it and…. NOT FOR ME. It definitely tastes like a healthy sweet-ish snack for someone who wants to eat more protein. 😆 Fwiw, I don’t like gritty stuff, and I don’t like cottage cheese.

Cameron loved it, though!! 😋

All that to say, you should give it a try. Maybe you will love it!

Sewing machine

A month or two ago, I shared that the tension was off in my sewing machine. A friend suggested that I call a local sewing shop that does repairs, and that’s where I learned that you’re supposed to clean your sewing machine monthly. WHAT. I have had my machine for 7 years at least, and I’ve never once cleaned or oiled it. It’s the same needle that was on there when I bought it😆 I was put on a 3 week wait list, but finally I was able to drop it off.

I got it back, and it’s up and running smoothly.

Then, last weekend I was driving up to our church to help set up for a women’s event, and I saw a dress form at a garage sale! Naturally I whipped the car around and bought it. Now, listen, it was $20… Then I googled it, and you can get a brand new one for $25 (some of them are much more, though), so maybe I got ripped off. Or maybe this is one of the more expensive ones. No matter - I have one now!🤷‍♀️

I watched that show Next in Fashion and it inspired me, and now I want to learn to drape fabric. I think that’s what it’s called. Basically, you don’t use pattern pieces - you just use the dress form to create flowy pieces? I’ll find tutorials and give it a go!

Kid shows and movies

Here are some shows and movies we’ve watched (or regularly watch) that the kids love:

1. Bluey (of course) - this is every day. Cam and I have “accidentally” watched it after the kids went to bed. Did you know it’s one of the top-rated TV shows of all time? According to imdb, Breaking Bad has a 9.5/10 user rating (with more than 2,000,000 ratings), and Bluey has a 9.5/10 user rating (but only 15,000 ratings). Breaking Bad is in the top 5 shows ever, according to a lot of different sources, sooo that just shows how good Bluey must be too. 😄

2. Puss in Boots, the new one. We saw it in theaters. Honestly, we were out and about one day and it was hot, so I said “Hey let’s see if there happens to be a movie playing” and sure enough, Puss in Boots was about to start. We went in with zero expectations; it was just something to do, and I had heard it was a decent kids movie. Lucky us! It was hilarious. We all really liked it.

3. Mario movie. You know, the one that just came out? It was a fun watch. The sound effects were great; the whole feel was nostalgic. I loved seeing Mario (and Peach) “play a level”, and I loved the Mario Kart stuff! SPOILER: The very end, after the full credits, you see a Yoshi egg crack open. That’s the teaser for the next movie, which I’m sure will be a few years!

4. Colour Blocks. The kids already liked Number Blocks and Alpha Blocks, but we hadn’t heard of Colour Blocks until recently. They really like it too!

5. Matilda the Musical. This was super cute. I loved the original Matilda movie, and this was a charming update. It is the same basic story, just with songs. The ABC song was SO clever!!

What are your kids into? I know screen time is a funny topic. We use it daily, at set times. They know when to expect it and for how long, so it is a non-issue, thankfully! They don’t ask for it all day, and when it’s time to get off, they get off. If you have questions about that, feel free to respond and ask!

Books!!

I’m going to start reading more. I got two books that I’m going to start with: Please Sorry Thanks by Mark Batterson (he sent that to me as a gift, but I’ve got several of his other books that I love!), as well as an Agatha Christie book (except it’s by Sophia Hannah, called The Mystery of Three Quarters).

Additionally, I’m going to order these 2 books that have been sitting in my Amazon cart:

• Intuitive Eating - I’ve started learning about on TikTok, and I want to get an actual book about it. Essentially, it’s listening to your body and responding accordingly. I did this when we were in DC and want to keep it up. If I felt hungry, I had a snack. If I wanted something sweet, I had a little something sweet. (And if I wanted a nap, I had one, if it were possible. You get the idea!)

• Habits of the Household - This was recommended to me by an IG follower. It’s for Christian parents who want to be more intentional in the way their house runs. It really fits in nicely to the very first thing I talked about, the family goals!

Side note: We went to the library. Alexander isn’t a big reader. He CAN read. He’s a good reader. He just doesn’t enjoy it. And I really believe that it’s about the book. I think if you find something you love reading, you’ll read it! 🤞🏻

A lot of people suggested a graphic novel. So I picked one up, and we’re reading it together. He’s not sold on it yet, but I think he’s got it in his head that he won’t like it. It doesn’t look like a real book, you know? It’s definitely different. I’ll keep you guys posted on that! ❤️

Last night’s dinner

Here is how I made dinner last night. We had chicken, crispy potatoes, and green beans.

CHICKEN

1. Slice chicken breasts in half sideways (like butterfly but cut it all the way through). You can also pound it with one of those meat tenderizers, to make it flatter, but I feel like cutting it is easier. I only do this because it cooks faster.

2. I sprinkled some salt, pepper, onion, and paprika all over and made sure it was evenly coated. Instead of doing a full on flour —> egg wash —> breadcrumbs, I just pressed breadcrumbs directly onto the chicken.

3. Heat a big knob of butter on medium. (To me, a knob is between 1 and 2 tbsp! I’m sure it’s an actual amount, though hah)

4. Cook the chicken 3-4 minutes per side. I use a meat thermometer to keep an eye on the internal temp. The goal is 165F.

5. Let it rest before slicing into it.

POTATOES

1. Boil or steam the potatoes if you have time. I don’t usually remember this step - it just makes them extra crispy outside and extra soft inside!

2. Once they’re nearly fork tender (NOT too soft… you aren’t making mashed potatoes), take them out. Using a fork and knife, cut them into big chunks. Like, ½ to ¾ inches.

3. Heat a few tbsp (YES a few) of butter, bacon fat, lard, whatever, and add the potatoes.

4. Let them sit up for 5 minutes to get a good browning on one side before tossing them. These take 20+ minutes because they’re bigger. Also you don’t want them to burn - low heat for longer time is key. Just toss them every few minutes until they’re nice and soft but crispy outside. They’re SO GOOD.

5. Oh, once they have a little bit of crust, add salt and pepper (and whatever else you like… I just do S&P).

GREEN BEANS

[My mama makes them this way, and I love them. I use canned beans, but this will work with fresh as well. Fresh just take FOREVER.]

1. Dump 2 cans of green beans into a pot with just enough water to cover them.

2. Add a scoop of bacon fat, if you have it. Otherwise, omit that.

3. Add pepper, onion flakes, and a little salt.

4. Bring to a boil.

5. Let ‘em boil until most of the water is gone. That’s it! It takes a while, but the onions get slightly rehydrated, and the beans soak up all the flavor. Yum!

Feeling motivated and refreshed

After the trip to DC and the chat with Cameron, I’m feeling motivated. I switched up our homeschool method a little bit, we got some baby chicks!, and I’m trying to listen to my body more.

Is there anything you’d like to see from me? Is there anything I can pray about? I hope you have a wonderful weekend. And if you’re celebrating Mother’s Day, I hope yours is relaxing and beautiful. And if Mother’s Day is a hard day for you, I see you and love you and wish you peace.

That's it for this week. Have a good one!❤️ Bethany