Surviving Midsummer: Friday Reflections and Tips

Welcome to the heart of summer! How are you doing?

Some people greet summer like a long-awaited vacation—no schedule, favorite seasonal foods, and relaxed days—while others need structure to keep working through the heat. I’m curious where you land on that spectrum.

I almost skipped a Friday Thoughts post this time, but after running into a couple of readers at a wedding who said they enjoy these catch-ups, I decided to sit down and share a few updates. If you prefer just recipes, no worries—there’s a light, delicious dinner recipe coming Monday that I’ve been making on repeat.

In this post I’m mostly chatting about life, food, and a few things I’ve been loving lately. I always wish I could pull this corner of the internet into my kitchen so we could hang out around the counter, share cookies, and solve the world’s little problems together.

Homecoming + Cold Plunge

We welcomed my son Walker home after a two-year church mission in the Philippines. Seeing him at the airport felt surreal—so happy and a little emotional. It was a quiet reunion with just our family at the airport, and we even video-called his older brother in Utah and his younger brother in New Zealand while waiting for luggage.

Right after he returned, we escaped to the mountains for a few days. We did very little—listened as the boys played guitar by the fire, paddleboarded on the lake, and enjoyed good food. The Airbnb had a sauna, so we attempted a sauna-to-cold-plunge challenge. My mom filmed the whole thing (my 72-year-old dad joined too). I had imagined looking athletic diving into the lake—reality was more of a lumbering, noisy belly flop. Middle age brings humility and laughable moments.

Walker loved the food he ate overseas, but now that he’s home he’s been craving favorites from our kitchen. He’s also decided to bulk up, and I’ve happily taken that as my responsibility to support with lots of hearty meals.

Some of his favorite recipes I’ve made recently:

• Cinnamon rolls
• Homemade pizza rolls
• Rollup pancakes
• Crispy baked shrimp tacos
• Bagel bread (a top pick!)
• Egg roll skillet meal
• Freezer bean burritos
• Breadsticks
• Homemade pizza
• Hawaiian haystacks

Games + Puzzles We Are Loving

We keep several games on the kitchen table all summer so they’re easy to pick up between meals and outdoor activities. Rotating games keeps things fresh and encourages more spontaneous play.

• Brian and my daughter have been playing a clever two-player strategy game nonstop; they also enjoy classic Mastermind together.
• We have another quick, fun two-player game that’s easy to learn and sometimes frustrating in the best way.
• My parents have a mechanical puzzle always on their coffee table, and I finally brought one home for our family—we tinker with it while we chat.
• An active outdoor game I gifted to two nephews was an instant hit—one nephew played with it outside for hours.
• I keep a jigsaw puzzle going all summer. We especially enjoy Spaghetti Tree puzzles and recently did a patriotic-themed 1,000-piece design.

Any games you love? I’d be thrilled to hear your recommendations in the comments.

AI and Blogging

This is a big topic and one that affects my daily life as a food blogger. AI tools have many positive uses, and I use them myself, but they also change how people discover content online. Historically, search engines drove a lot of traffic to tested, trusted recipes on sites like mine. Now AI-driven search and chatbots can deliver quick answers and recipes without sending users to actual websites.

That shift reduces clicks and can lower revenue. While I don’t blog solely for income, this site is a full-time business with operating costs, and the revenue helps support my family. The disruption from AI has been significant and uncertain for many creators in the food space.

I’ve talked with other food bloggers and my husband about the future, and the truth is none of us really know what will happen. My hope is that people will continue to value human voices, carefully tested recipes, and the trustworthy tips that come from real experience. If that happens, there’s a path forward for small creators.

I’m grateful for those of you who click through to read recipes, leave reviews, subscribe to the email list, and tell me when a recipe worked for you. Those human interactions matter more than ever and help sustain this space. After nearly 20 years of food blogging, I’ve weathered many changes online, and I hope there’s a way to keep sharing tested recipes and stories with you.

Thank you for being here—your support means so much.

A Few Extra Things

On a lighter note, a few things I’ve been enjoying lately:

• Jennifer Garner mentioned my blog when asked about her favorite food bloggers on a podcast—an unexpected compliment that made me blush and immediately brag at dinner, where my family was predictably unimpressed.
• I used inexpensive, colorful ice cream scoops to serve hundreds of sundaes at a wedding reception—such an easy, practical tool.
• I found a lightweight striped button-up I love; I sized up for comfort and it’s become a go-to summer piece.
• When homemade granola isn’t in the cards, I’m reaching for a dark chocolate coconut granola that has become a pantry favorite.
• With my younger son heading to college this fall, I’m assembling a care kit and printing a Cooking 101 packet to send with him—hoping he’ll try a few simple recipes before he leaves.
• I’ve been eating overnight chia oats every morning for months. I make individual portions using 45 g rolled oats, 22 g chia or basil seeds (or a mix), one scoop protein powder, a pinch of salt, and just under 1 cup almond milk. I store them in small containers for grab-and-go mornings.

I’ve been busy testing recipes this summer and I’m excited about what’s coming to the blog in the next few months.

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I love this photo above: my oldest son with his two grandmothers. I feel lucky to have those three in my life.