We’re slowly but surely getting back into a routine!!

I am obsessed with routines. Want to hear some mainstays of mine? This is the first time in ELEVEN years that I’ve been home alone for such a long stretch during the day. It is wild. My kids have always been here while I work so it feels very empty! I can barely sit without a podcast or music because I’m so used to noise.

I am obsessed with being with my kids 24/7 and also keeping a warm and cozy welcoming house for them (and others!). Now that they are all in school, I want them to come home to a magical home daily. Am I crazy? Yes. Extra? Definitely.

A huge part of this is cooking dinner most nights for us, having a homemade snack in the kitchen (muffins, etc), creating traditions together that we all look forward to and putting in as much effort as I can for them to make the regular days feel magical. I never thought I’d be this person, but I am and I really love it. It’s my most favorite thing and I feel so lucky to do it!

The thing is that it takes a lot of work to make our days run smoothly, meal prep, have all the snacks made and just do regular life chores and activities. These are the main staples of my routine that I’ve kept solid for years. And they truly make a difference.

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Summer isn’t over, but I’m (heavily) drifting towards fall. Technically, our summer is over. The kids are back in school and while I’m not fully ready for pumpkin, I’m craving apple cider… just a little bit. I don’t want tomatoes and zucchini to be over, but I want to decorate for a harvest. I want all the cozy vibes. My brain is in September and October but my life is still in August.

Funny how that works.

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Hi, it’s me! And you could say that I’m a time blocking, batch working freak.

I’ve been using the time-blocking method for my schedule for as long as I can remember.

For me, time blocking essentially means that I’m batching my work. I set aside big chunks of time for everything (whether it’s my own work, housework, exercise, etc) and *only* use that time for the specified thing. I do not stop what I am doing to do something else. And I am ruthless about it. (Within reason of course. I do have children!)

This has been SO huge for my productivity and also, my mindset. It means that there is a set end time to everything - and that is something my brain thrives on. It also means that I have less distractions when doing, well - just about everything.

I love to cook and I love to eat. But I hate to spend a ton of time meal-prepping. I hate cooking ahead and I hate meals out of the freezer on a regular basis. So I have found the sweet spot - the ultimate meal prep strategy that takes up the least amount of time.

This is how I use time blocking for meal planning each week, and how it helps to get dinner on the table each night. Just in case you need inspiration for the new school year.

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We just spent the week at our favorite place in northern Michigan and it was a dream! This was the first time in nearly five years that it felt like a tiny bit of a vacation. Sure, it is a lovely change of scenery and a super fun trip, but with little kids, it’s rarely a real vacation. And part of me does need a vacation from this vacation!

But it’s the first time since my youngest was born where the kids feel very independent on many levels. Which was amazing. I feel like we’re unlocking a level of family fun here that we haven’t been in before.

I’ve come on this trip at this time my entire life - last night we decided that we think we’re the 7th generation here in our family because my dad’s great grandparents lived here. This is always how the beginning of the end of summer has started for me.The cooler lakeside temps in the morning and night are slightly reminiscent of that fall air and for as long as I remember, the minute we got home signaled back-to-school time.

I often wonder if I will ever look at this season as anything other than back-to-school, because this is how I did it even before I had kids!

A few things that have made this kind of road trip vacation easier:

Consolidating the kids’ clothes into one big suitcase. But they have state backpacks (truly the best quality, ever. They LAST!!) that they use for their smaller belongings and water bottles. Plus the other little things they are responsible for. We also always have a washer/dryer where we stay, so we don’t have to pack too much.

Utilizing the large hulken bags for packing! These are a lifesaver when it comes to packing and I bring anything home goods related, any snacks or food, reusable water bottles, beach accessories, etc in these. It’s amazing since they are on wheels. When I tell you I use these constantly… no exaggeration!

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We’re in the weird summer slump where school is getting close but we want to spend every.last.waking.moment outside, in the pool or doing all the fun summer things. And some nights our dinner is suffering! We may have had chick-fil-a twice last week… and I had to regroup to plan better for our meals. I referenced my 12 week summer menu and added a few things to list, plus jotted down a few things that have worked for us all season!

I’ve shared so many tips and tricks on my menu plans over the last year and it really is something I need to keep up on week after week. But these five things are key for me when it comes to bringing summer dinner together quickly.

Pesto in my fridge at all times. I can’t live without pesto in the summer. It elevates every meal, makes leftovers taste special and different, plus makes a rather boring meal new again. I stir it into grains, use it for dressings, use it as a pizza sauce and more!

Taco meat in my freezer. I hate freezing things but this is one that I will always continue to do! It defrosts SO quickly and it’s great for tacos of course, but also enchiladas, nachos, stuffed potatoes and more. Plus, it works with beef, turkey or chicken.

My caesar chopped salads. Especially if I add in some protein or pasta. It’s a fool-proof, no-fail dish that everyone (even the kids!) loves for dinner.

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Want to hear something crazy? I keep a detailed note guide for everything.

Yes… like, everything. Every holiday, each party we host, seasons and so on. Think of it as a handbook. A life handbook!

And it has truly changed my life.

You may have heard me talk about this with my weeknight meal list. How it makes menu planning a breeze and it has become an easy habit. That list was born from this whole idea and there are many more ways to utilize this system.

If you can relate to your mental load being over the top - but also still wanting to do and enjoy everything - I highly suggest trying this method. This is exactly how I reduce my mental load while creating experiences for my family that we all can enjoy.

I love every single season of life right now and I can be very extra about it. I mentioned this when I talked about making holiday magic, but the important thing I’ve realized is that I’ve created a system with these note guides for all seasons of our life. Yes, this method started for me around the holiday season, but now I use it all the time and it saves me. Also, I must emphasize that these center on things I enjoy doing. I really love making magic in each season for my kids, but it can get overwhelming keeping all ideas and plans in my head.

Some of the note guides that I keep on hand for myself are:

• Weeknight Meals

• Meal Prep

• Back To School

• Fall Activities

• Thanksgiving

• Christmas

• Memorial Day Weekend

• Beach Vacation

• End of School

• Birthday Parties

Obviously there is no right or wrong here. No one else is looking at your notes or if you’d see mine, you’d laugh.

I keep these incredibly detailed… I mean, you wouldn’t believe it. It’s a mix of a brain dump and a journal, in a way. But a very helpful one. It includes what works and most importantly - what doesn’t work. I always make sure to include what doesn’t work so there is no time wasted.

And after I get everything down on paper and into the notes - I am free! It can leave my brain and I have zero stress over it because I know it lives somewhere that I can reference later. No worries about trying to remember something for next time/year/event.

This has been HUGE for me!

It has made entertaining and hosting so much easier, yes. But it has also made daily life and our usual activities better too. I’ve mentioned before about how much I love celebrating micro holidays with my kids. I was never this way until I had kids - in fact, I probably thought anyone who did this stuff was crazy.

Now, I’m the crazy one. And I’m not talking about buying gifts for small holidays, I’m talking about making magic in or out of the home that my family will always remember. Like cooking a special meal, making a special treat or dessert together, putting up a banner for said holiday, having a special movie night, a night-before-school-starts experience, filling their rooms with balloons the morning of their birthdays - basically little things that create family heritage and tradition.

These are the things that my kids remember and ask about as certain times of year get closer, which is why I continue and love it so much.

Below are a few examples of the kind of notes I put into the guides for myself. This may be off base for you, but I want to stress how detailed I get. I find it important to document whether something makes you feel relieved or stress-free (or stressed out!) so you know the importance of it.

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The middle of summer is a little crazy. Some of the novelty has worn off but at the same time, we’re almost starting to feel sad because school starts in a month. This week was SO fun, we were truly the summer house and we had tons of get togethers. It was exactly what I’ve always wanted!

I thought I’d share what I keep on hand at all times to make this happen easily at our house. And to ensure that we aren’t just ordering pizza every single time.

My Always Ready Summer Refrigerator

This is how I keep things ready in case we have guests over - what I always have on hand and make sure to have ready to go in an instant. Making sure I have these things taste nearly any and all guesswork out of having guests over at the last minute. And it just gets easier the more you do it.

Luckily for us, these are all ingredients that we enjoy eating at home too. So nothing goes to waste!

The cheese I always have in my fridge is Trader Joe’s unexpected cheddar and sartori merlot bellavitano - a merlot soaked parmesan-ish cheese. These are such crowd pleasers and you can cut them up so quickly. You need nothing else! Takes minutes. Oh but - I will also usually have a ball of burrata or fresh mozzarella, which does technically count.

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Hiiii. It’s summer and everyone is in my house 24/7 and the kids are asking for 19 meals a day. Plus about 28 snacks. The whole crew is eating nonstop and the kitchen is covered in crumbs, crumpled “art” that I unsuccessfully tried to throw away before they saw it and seven random socks.

But the kitchen is the heart of the home! And I love nothing more than cooking in a clean uncluttered kitchen. I mean, honestly I wish my kitchen could look sterile and clean 100% of the time but I also have this problem of wanting it to feel warm and homey. And one of those things is not like the other. Especially with a bunch of kids.

So, this is my little kitchen reset routine that helps me feel grounded, calm and makes the kitchen feel cleaner. Even though it’s not technically “cleaning.” You know?

First things first: I put on a neutral simmer pot. I do this often, depending on what I cook. I don’t like lingering scents in the kitchen, especially when they stick to your clothes. My favorite for daytime is a pot of lemon and orange slices with a sprig of rosemary. Fill it with water and simmer. At night, instead of the rosemary, I will use a cinnamon stick. It’s cozier. This is so wonderfully odor-eliminating. It’s one of my favorite tricks.

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The biggest weekend of the summer is here (how?!) and while my favorite thing is to have a big party at our house, what I love most is all the little, last-minute gatherings that tend to happen on weekends like these. Or even in summer in general!

I love those moments because they are so fun and spontaneous, often creating the most memories. But I also like to be prepared for them as best I can… that way people feel welcome and want to come back. I always want to be the house where everyone gathers (this applies to my kids + friends too!), so these are a few ways I try to be prepared.

I keep it outside if possible. No stress on cleaning up inside, just a simple clean of the bathroom to make sure it’s ready to go.

Only cook what you know!! I have cheater snacks that I always have the ingredients for. These things are in my pantry and the dishes don’t take long to make. Recipes such as my chilled queso, or a simple burrata tomato plate with fresh basil and balsamic, cookie dough in the freezer at all times, vanilla ice cream (to pair with the cookies) and everything for a cheese board. My pantry is always stocked and this is a huge key. It’s a great idea to have a 15 minute appetizer solution. That would look like this:

• 1 cheese (asiago or sharp cheddar)

• 1 meat (sliced salami)

• 1 dip (hummus)

• 1 cracker/chip/breadstick

• 1 vegetable (cucumbers or tomatoes)

• 1 fruit (cherries with a pit bowl)

• 1 sweet treat (chocolate covered cashews)

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I can finally say it’s officially summer even though I’ve been talking about it for two months straight. We’re full force into summer meals, hot evening pool dinners, everything on the grill and allllll the summer produce.

If you’re not into following my big summer menu plan, there are so many other ways to have dinner come together quickly and easily. It’s all about a system!! I barely want to spend any time in the kitchen this summer so I can be with my kids, so this is how I’m making it happen.

I’m all for a great system and routine because it makes my life very simple. Or simpler, should I say. I have a great system for meal planning and a system I have used for years for my workflow. If you have a system in place, it makes it so easy to just plug in what you actually have or need.

Two Summer Dinner Formulas That Work

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Hiiii from the beach!

We’re on vacation this week so I thought it would be fun to share my plan with you for when I return. How I’ll get our meals back on schedule, freeing up time, space and stress.

I usually prep a few things for my family of five every weekend, but this weekend specifically, I’ll be a bit more intentional. After all, vacation! Or should I say carbcation. I actually want to eat something other than ice cream for the first time in a week!

My 60-Minute Meal Prep On The Grill

Four meals, two dressings and one lovely topping to make everything taste delicious next week!

I always feel frenzied after vacation, jumping back into work, kids activities, regular life and so on. So, having a meal plan definitely helps with this issue. These meals below will give us some great lunch and dinner options, while only taking one hour to really come together. Final touches will go on during said meal, but the big things are done in about 60 minutes!

Here’s how I use the grill to prep four different meals that can be interchanged for lunch and dinner.

The Recipes

Quick pickled onions

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Now that I’m done having kids and babies, I finally have had time to get into a really great routine. It truly takes me almost four years to get out of the baby phase after I have a kid. Which I know sounds completely nuts, but it’s just how long it takes me. I have a three year gap between the first two kids, then an almost four year gap. For the last 12 years, I’ve been either pregnant, trying to be or nursing and over the last eight months or so, I’ve come to feel like a normal human!! Jordan officially turns five TODAY.

The last 12 years have been the happiest of my life - I am completely obsessed with my life, family and kids. So if I would sink into bad habits or become overwhelmed with life/not make great choices, I barely even noticed. Everything (like, the important things - our life, health, kids, etc) was so good that I didn’t even realize how much better it would get when I actually had some time to focus on good habits!!

These are the top three wellness habits that have really made an impact on my life. I’ve never felt better, more alert and the tone is always set for the day.

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We’ve had an unintentionally packed first week of summer! The kids had some fun camps that we didn’t want to pass up, but it led to a packed week and not a ton of downtime. I don’t love camps, mostly because I like to have a low maintenance schedule during this time. And I want my kids home with me!

But there are a few fun ones that we do every year and they happened to fall in this first week. I secretly wish they were in July when we’re finally feeling bored. One night this week, we sat at the pool and came up with our at home summer bucket list. Like, the little things we all love to do in the summer or a new tradition we want to start. Over the years, I’ve found that these mini everyday things are what my kids remember the most and get excited for.

Our 2026 At Home Summer Bucket List

1. Eat dinner outside once a week

2. Watch/catch lightning bugs

3. Watch a movie outside - maybe get a big projector for a new tradition?

4. Go night swimming & have friends over for night swimming

5. Sit outside and get that morning light in the eyes first thing

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EATING

My grilled chicken strawberry poppyseed salad. Smash burgers all summer long! And caramelized peach caprese. OMG yum.

DRINKING

My summer tequila fruit punch. It packs an actual… punch!

MAKING

My smoky chicken salad stuffed avocados for lunch. These are ridiculously filling.

BAKING

Black raspberry lavender cobbler. It’s divine! Coconut zucchini chocolate chip bread too.

CRAVING

This spicy rainbow salad. It’s incredibly FRESH. And vibrant for summer! And my buttermilk herb smashed potato salad.

SNACKING

On my peach cobbler granola. ‘Tis the season!

GRILLING

These zucchini ribbon skewers. They are so fun and gorgeous too!

LISTENING

To my morning coffee playlist on repeat.

READING

All the things on my summer reading list! Very excited to start Down With The Shipmans!

LOVING

These UPF shirts for my morning walks. They are still light and airy but

SHARING

My warm weather essentials now that I have kids. These are what we’ve relied on for many summers!

SHOPPING

My favorite ric rac dress from last summer, in a short version!! OMG, I might love this one even more than the original.

WEARING

This ruffle performance tank on repeat - I love it so much! Also, these swim cover up gauze pants. Loving summer pants right now. And never taking off my favorite hat of summer.

BUYING

The prettiest rechargeable sky blue mini lamp. I am in love!

PREPPING

For for summer trips! Here’s last year’s summer vacation list!

xo

Today kicks off our REAL summer because the kids are finished with school. This year absolutely flew by and I feel very unprepared for the next three months here at home. Not sure if it’s because MDW was early or our weather has been permanently cold and rainy, but I need to get in major summer mode.

Every season I have a giant brain dump list of what I need to best prepare us for those months. Summer is no different - in fact, it’s much more detailed since we are all home together!

These are just a few of my summer prep non-negotiables & tips - I’m bringing you along for the ride.

Pick a few summer 2026 traditions. Even if you just keep them in your own head and try to make them a thing. Like sunday evening s’mores outside, monday grilling nights, wednesday dinners at the pool. These little moments are what my kids talk about and mention throughout the years. Even now, we’ve been doing an afternoon swim after school for a certain period of time and they are loving this special end-of-school routine.

Stock the ingredients for three signature summer snacks/apps. Like, the things you can throw together if friends come over or if you want a snacky dinner. For me, this is my chilled queso, lemon ricotta dip and grilled bruschetta.

On that same note, find a signature something. A cocktail or maybe a latte? A snack or app? Something summery and fresh that will remind you of summer 2026 that everyone goes crazy for.

I plan on romanticizing all the regular summer eats. Like watermelon wedges, but sprinkle them with flaky salt and lime juice (and zest!). Or fun bubbly waters with popsicles for the kids.

Write out a too-hot-to-cook list. Eight or ten meals, tops. If you’re following this 12 week summer meal plan that I developed, you may not need any last minute inspo. But it’s always great to have, especially on those 95+ days!

Sun protection for my face is something I think about constantly! My favorite flexible visor had is this one. My favorite giant hat with more coverage is this one. This rollup visor is also what I’ve worn for years in the pool. This visor is my favorite one for outdoor walks and working out since it has a washable sweatband.

And since I’m certifiably insane, this visor is what I want to wear 24/7 to protect my face, but my family would kill me.

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I could not be more excited for Memorial Day Weekend! This is always one of my favorite weekends of the entire year - we have the unofficial start of summer, plus my family gathers together so much and we have a wonderful time. I love it. It’s also the launch of my summer reading list and all I want to do is curl up and real my favorite authors’ new releases!

This is the weekend for that first glass of icy rosé at sunset, chips straight from the bag into a bowl of dip, pasta salad, at every time of day, smelling like “outside,” making s’mores by the fire and eating an entire watermelon in one weekend.

Summer food feels so much happier to me than regular food. Less routine, more throw-together feels and everything made on the grill. It’s easy and refreshing! We have a ton of get-togethers this weekend and there will be lots of food. At home, I’m thinking about cheeseburgers + the new Graza potato chips (found mine at Target!), making a giant corn salad, watermelon jalapeño salsa served with salty chips and margaritas, my lavender iced lattes (!!!), marinated cherry tomatoes over grilled bread and my take on a white cake with whipped cream frosting + red/white/blue nonpareils - straight from the fridge of course.

What’s on your Memorial Day Weekend list?!

If you need a bit of inspo, here’s a few favorites:

How I Feed People On A Beach Vacation

The Ultimate List of Summer Everything

My Salad Formula That Works Everytime

A Summer Break Meal Prep Example

All My Summer Hosting Tips!

My Take On The Viral Cucumber Salad

This no-fail recipe finds its way through my kitchen at least three times a week!

You’ve probably seen this cucumber salad all over tiktok and IG for a year or two. I love it because it’s so refreshing but also CRUNCHY! If you’re craving something salty and crunchy, this is what you should make. It’s so delicious, my mouth just waters thinking of it!

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It’s here! I’ve created a summer menu for us. Yes yes, a full 12 weeks of summer - with six dinner ideas for every single week. If you’re looking to try something new, make cooking fun again, introduce new dishes to your family or simply learn to use the grill more in the summer, this is where to start!

I will be using this primarily as my own inspiration, so, selfishly - I had to make it! Now I may not follow it exactly, because there are certain meals that my family will request over and over. But if you find yourself getting bored with dinner often, if you want meals that are nourishing and delicious and exciting but also EASY, I’ve got you. This is the list to work from!

In fact, you should basically copy this 12 week list before and paste it into the notes app on your phone. NO MORE DINNER WOES! Enjoy the summer days to their fullest since the next 72 dinners (!!!) are already planned for you.

This is the summer meal formula I’m working with:

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If there is one thing I love to do, it is to host people at my house. I absolutely LOVE it. I want our house to be the place where everyone is, all the time. And since we do this so much now, I’ve really come into my own when it comes to hosting. In fact, now it comes very easily to me. It’s practically stress-free, but I have to work to make it stress-free first.

There are so many things I have learned, things I’m still learning and tips that I use myself when it comes to having people at our house. Most of our family birthdays and big events happen in the fall, but outdoor summer hosting is my favorite time to have people over.

These can apply to other times of the year too, of course!

21 Of My Summer Hosting Tips

1. Have lots of shade on hand. As someone who hates the sun (I mean, I like it, but I hate it, you know?), I only want to be in the shade when I’m outdoors. All the time! Whether this is under umbrellas or patios or tents/canopies, it’s essential! And if you’re going to host people outside, it’s key that you have an option (or three) of shade.

2. Set out baskets of useful items for guests: including sunscreen, bug spray or stickers, visors, fans, electrolyte drink packets, wipes, etc. This will differ based on the timing of your party, but I love having everything out that someone may need in that moment.

3. I prep every single thing ahead of time. And I do mean every single thing. I do not go to bed the night before until everything that I can do that day is prepped! This makes hosting SO easy and enjoyable. This includes marinating meats or veggies, making pasta salads or prepping the ingredients for them, prepping assembly for grilled meals, having all essential items ready to go for the next day. This allows YOU to actually enjoy the party.

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EATING

My pesto peach and prosciutto pizza. This red white and berry salad! Crispy carnitas tacos. And pimento cheese BLTs - leftover from the derby!

DRINKING

This lavender mint lemonade! And gearing up for watermelon frose season.

MAKING

My grilled zucchini caesar. I wait all year for this. And my chopped wedge salad too!

BAKING

My salted brown butter chocolate chip cookie bars. With red, white and blue m&ms!

CRAVING

These sticky BBQ cauliflower bites. They are addictive! And my no churn coffee oreo ice cream. ‘Tis the season!

GRILLING

My grilled gorgonzola potatoes and my grilled chicken caprese pasta salad. Both on repeat!

SNACKING

On my pickle lovers hummus. Yes please.

READING

Starting Rules For The Summer tonight!

LISTENING

To my summer sparkle nights playlist. Summer is sooooo close.

LOVING

I ordered these planters this year and they are SO pretty. I have a few others from this brand and they’ve lasted great, even in our winter weather. I also got these sunglasses and they are cool without being overly trendy. I really like them.

WEARING

The splits 59 ribbed tops on repeat. They are so insanely soft. I have every color! And the project cloud flip flops. Definitely going to wear these out by september!

BUYING

I have my eye on this eyelet sleeveless shirt dress. I think I would wear it all summer long. I also am dying over the cherry version of this black dress I wore all last summer. Stunning! The shorts are also perfection.

SHARING

Some of my warm weather essentials right here. Now that it’s warming up, I have a few specific things I always stock up on and rely on for the kids and myself!

SHOPPING

I bought the jcrew linen shorts during their friends and family sale and I adore them. I also got this dress after seeing it in store because the pattern is stunning! And also very bright. This summer I want to try one of the stylest swimsuits. I look at them every year, but have never bought one!

PREPPING

For a long fun summer with some trips!

xo

This week I didn’t feel like cooking at all.

I had some long work days, allergies are off the charts and it was rainy and gross and it got cold again - I could go on and on. Thankfully I had food prepped for some meals and that definitely included a few items I could grab and eat for breakfast and lunch.

Nothing big happened, but I ended up feeling behind on so much. We have a biiiiig weekend and I spent a lot of time prepping for that too.

You know when nothing sounds good?! I don’t feel that way often, but when I do, it’s annoying. My oldest child feels like that often but that’s because he survives on about six foods. So he doesn’t count.

But when food is my job, and I’m physically able to make just about anything in a matter of minutes? It’s tricky.

I often get the comment that I make cooking look easy. Or I’m asked the question of how someone can learn to cook, or make cooking more enjoyable, or learn to love to make dinner, etc. And the answer is a plain and boring one: you just need to do it.

See also: make things you like. It’s that easy.

That’s the only way I’ve become better at cooking and have found it so much more enjoyable. This isn’t something I was trained in and it’s not something that automatically came easy to me. I wanted to start making the dishes my mom and grandma made when I was younger, so I just… started.

Starting from nowhere is the best thing to do. It’s what I do all the time. I started my blog from nothing almost two decades ago, and the early posts horrify me. But if I had waited until I was ready, I never would have done it. So - just start cooking some meals you like to eat.

Do it over and over again. Even if you make the exact.same.meal every single week for three months, until you know it like the back of your hand. This is how you learn to season your food, chop vegetables easily, throw things together that sound good and begin to enjoy the process. It’s relaxing.

The reason I mention this is because it makes weeks like this - like the week I just had - so much easier. Sure, I still don’t want to be in the kitchen. Nothing sounds great. But I also don’t have to think too hard about putting a legit meal together. It doesn’t take as much brain power.

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