It’s been a little while since my last “Friday Thoughts” post, and I truly apologize for the delay in getting another one published! These informal updates are genuinely some of my favorite pieces to craft, primarily because I absolutely adore reading your insightful and engaging comments. To me, any reader who makes it to the very end of these lengthy posts deserves a grand prize – perhaps a lifetime supply of gourmet chocolate chip cookies delivered right to their door, or even a magical wand capable of making all dirty dishes vanish into thin air.
The year 2019 has certainly hit our family with full force. Not in any negative sense, but rather in an incredibly busy manner, filled with its share of exhilarating highs and challenging lows. We’ve been juggling time-consuming projects, extensive traveling, and numerous responsibilities. So, I’m particularly excited for this installment of “Friday Thoughts” to serve as a much-needed brain dump for everything that’s been occupying my mind lately. Let’s dive in!
1. Family Game Night: Our Latest Obsessions and Why We Love Them
As many of you already know, my family and I are avid game enthusiasts through and through. In fact, my annual holiday game gift guide, which typically goes live every November, consistently ranks as one of my most popular posts – a clear indication that I’m not alone in my passion for card and board games! This year, we’ve already discovered a few hidden gems that have quickly cemented their place as fast family favorites. While you’ll undoubtedly see them featured on my comprehensive gift guide later this year, I couldn’t possibly let you wait another eight months without sharing these fantastic finds!
First up is the deceptively simple yet endlessly engaging Skull game {affiliate link}. The premise behind this game is an age-old classic, making it incredibly straightforward to learn and play. The core objective is simple: if you happen to uncover another player’s skull card, you immediately lose that round. Its fast-paced nature is a huge bonus, ensuring that a single game doesn’t dominate your entire evening. We absolutely love this one for quick, competitive fun! Speaking of skulls, our family’s current obsession has limited our exploration of new games, as literally all my kids want to do on Sunday nights is play Skull Kings {affiliate link}, a fantastic game I highlighted in last year’s gift guide. It consistently ranks as one of our all-time favorite games, ever.
The other phenomenal game we recently stumbled upon and have been playing for hours over the past week or so is Superfight. It shares a similar vibe with popular games like Apples to Apples or Snake Oil, but our entire family unanimously agrees it’s a thousand times more entertaining. I picked up the base game along with a few expansion packs, specifically the green and yellow sets {affiliate links}. I can honestly say I’ve never heard my kids laugh as boisterously as they do while playing this game. It’s truly hilarious: you essentially create unique character card combinations that then face off against another opponent’s character cards. The core of the game involves debating who would ultimately win in a fight or challenge, with everyone casting their votes at the end. I often find myself silently giggling about some of the ridiculous combos during the day, even when I’m alone (a clear sign I probably need to get out more). The cards in the black base deck are very family-friendly – I only had to remove one card I wasn’t thrilled with, though I haven’t thoroughly reviewed all the countless cards yet. The green deck, in particular, is perfectly geared towards younger players, offering endless creative scenarios.
Since so many of you have asked about our game organization strategies, I thought I’d finally reveal my super-secret method. Prepare to take extensive notes, as it’s a remarkably intricate system. 😉 Essentially, it involves finding any available space and stuffing games into it, then hoping for the best. #sendhelp
2. Exploring Intermittent Fasting: My Brief Foray and Your Insights
Is anyone out there currently practicing intermittent fasting (IF)? I’ve spent a considerable amount of time reading about it, delving into the “whys” and “wherefores,” and many of the purported health benefits are quite appealing to me. However, when I personally attempted to incorporate it into my routine, I only managed to last about four days. This track record, I must admit, is fairly consistent with my past experiences with “diet-y” type endeavors. Haha, I famously lasted 4.5 days on the Whole30 years ago, and I still consider those 4.5 days I’ll never get back! The primary reason for my short-lived attempt with intermittent fasting was the overwhelming fatigue I experienced. I was bone-weary tired, transformed into arguably the grumpiest mom in the entire universe, and simply couldn’t hack it.
Despite my personal struggle, I remain incredibly interested in this wellness trend. Therefore, I’d love to hear from any of you who are intermittent fasters! What has your experience been like? What benefits have you noticed, and what challenges have you overcome? Please share your thoughts and tips in the comments below.
3. Navigating Screen Time: A Family Technology Plan for the Digital Age
Defining healthy boundaries around screen time is an ongoing and challenging journey, not just for kids, but for us adults (myself included!) as well. In our increasingly digital world, I’m constantly seeking out effective resources to help both myself personally and our family as a whole navigate the murky waters of screen time and technology. I cannot emphasize enough how much I LOVE the practical tips and comprehensive guides offered by Better Screen Time (you can also find them on Instagram here). We’re currently utilizing their quick guide to establish a Family Technology Plan – and let me be clear, this is not merely a restrictive cell phone contract! Their self-evaluation guide for teens and phones is particularly outstanding, fostering self-awareness and thoughtful discussions.
My overarching goal lately has been to remove the “fear” aspect from discussions about technology and screens with my children. This means consciously avoiding parenting decisions driven by anxiety surrounding these topics. Instead, I strive to create open opportunities for us to talk about technology as a family, fostering a collaborative environment where we can set collective goals and plans. Currently, my 14-, 13-, and 11-year-olds all have school-issued laptops. While these come with a somewhat poor internet filter, I’ve also come to the humbling realization that kids these days are often far savvier than I am and can circumvent almost anything! My 13-year-old purchased an iPod Touch with his own money late last year, which has restricted access to the internet and apps. My 14-year-old, bless his heart, still uses a very ancient slide phone. So, yes, you could definitely say we’re not exactly on the “cutting edge” of the technology/screen time spectrum, haha. However, what we currently have in place is working effectively for us right now, including our established nightly docking system for devices and other household rules. If there’s one profound lesson I’ve learned in this challenging age of modern parenting, it is this: what I choose to do with my kids and my family will likely look vastly different from what other families are doing, and any time spent comparing ourselves or stressing about these differences is ultimately time wasted.
Don’t get me wrong, I still occasionally compare and stress about it (#truth), but I’m getting significantly better at letting go of that unnecessary pressure. That being said, I’ve also gained a tremendous amount of valuable insight from other intentional parents out there (and from invaluable resources like Better Screen Time). What resources have you found particularly helpful in managing screen time? Do you have any practical tips to share on navigating technology with kiddos that have worked for your family?
4. IGTV Adventures: “Bake with Mel” and Culinary Experiments
Have you had a chance to check out the videos I’ve been posting to IGTV? I’ve been developing a “Bake with Mel” series, sprinkled with a good dose of randomness and real-life moments. For those who aren’t on Instagram, no worries at all – I make sure to post all of them here on my blog as well. Anyway, I have some truly FUN, fun videos coming your way very soon! Later today or tomorrow, I’ll be posting a “Bake with Mel: Cream Puff” video. In this particular installment, I found myself hilariously interrupted by a bunch of high school kids who unexpectedly returned home after their school experienced an emergency evacuation (thankfully, everyone was safe). Spoiler alert: they were absolutely thrilled to indulge in cream puffs instead of sitting through history class!
And, as you’re reading this, I’m fairly certain that my wonderful friend, Sara from Our Best Bites, is sitting right here with me in my kitchen, filming yet another exciting IGTV video that will be coming to you in the near future. This one is… well… special. Haha. We’re embarking on a culinary exploration of all the trendy, sometimes bizarre, flavor combinations circulating out there that people claim are “life-changing.” And yes, we’ll be making each other try a few of them (I’m genuinely hoping we don’t end up vomiting!). If you have a recipe that you consider tricky, a little scary, or perhaps even slightly sketchy, that you’d like me to try making on a future video to see if it’s truly worth the hype, please let me know! I’m completely open to all your wildest and most intriguing ideas.
5. Teenage Driver Diaries: Navigating New Roads and Parental Fears
We’ve officially entered the surreal world of having a permitted teenage driver in the house. It feels incredibly surreal – much like that rear-end accident on the second day of driving, yikes! But I constantly remind myself that he has to learn how to navigate roundabouts and busy streets somehow, somewhere, so it might as well be with his high-strung mom by his side. In all seriousness, I’ve managed to surprise myself (and I think everyone who knows me) with how patient I’ve been. Even if I am frantically slamming on an imaginary brake pedal that doesn’t exist on my side of the car, he’s doing a fantastic job, and I’m genuinely excited for the day he can finally drive himself to his various activities. I do feel a little sorry that he has to learn to drive in our behemoth suburban, but hey, it builds character! And to top it off, I only have four more children to guide through this nerve-wracking process. Someone, please hold me. The end.
6. Reflecting and Connecting: Positive Parenting, Delicious Bakes, and Pantry Bliss
I absolutely loved our engaging discussion in January about positive parenting. Honestly, you guys inspire me so incredibly much. While I can’t claim to have been 100% perfect in ensuring only positivity has crossed my lips since then, I can confidently say I’ve been significantly better than in months and years past. I truly believe it’s making a huge, positive difference in the atmosphere of our home and family life. I remain determined to keep up this effort, even after those inevitable days when I feel like I’ve failed miserably.
My dear friend, Nicole, shared a fantastic article in the comment thread of that same Friday Thoughts post, and I gleaned so, so many invaluable tips from it. The author of that article also has an excellent book on similar themes – {affiliate link}. Her 10 practical tips highlighted at the end of the article are pure gold for any parent. Additionally, I just saw that Ralphie over at @simplyonpurpose (who many of you adore for her insightful parenting advice) is currently offering a free email course on “staying safe,” which I’ve unofficially retitled as: “how to stop yelling as a parent because it doesn’t work and never will.” It sounds pretty amazing and is definitely on my list to explore.
Also, you all absolutely blew me away with your incredible response to the new cinnamon roll recipe I recently posted. Your enthusiasm for cinnamon rolls brings a tear to my eye – I truly love it so much!
One final recap: I am loving my new pantry about a thousand percent more than I ever thought I would. Honestly, it has become my favorite place in the entire world. No kidding. (Clearly, I am not a world traveler if a pantry ranks so high!). My sister, Em, and our friend, Deb, enlisted the help of our incredibly talented friend, Bobbi, who crafted the most perfect sign for the pantry door. Truer words have never been written, and it brings a smile to my face every single time I see it.
Thank you for being here, for your continued support, and for sharing this journey with me. I love all of your guts! Please, as always, leave me all YOUR thoughts, reflections, and insights in the comments section below. It’s truly my favorite part of these posts, and I can’t wait to read what you have to say.
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