Issue #18: Welcome to the new and improved Life Your Way weekly newsletter, where you'll find the latest posts from the blog plus special features to help you live more intentionally and creatively!
Dear Reader,
We've been "enjoying" a heat wave here in the east, with heat indexes as high as 110 (and the humidity to go with it!), but the good news is it's brought some spectacular sunsets, like the one above, with it!
This week we're heading to VBS at our church, and even our littlest will be attending (well, she says she's going, but I think she reserves the right to change her mind!), so we'll be sticking with a super easy menu plan of meals that we can throw together quickly in the evenings.
In today's newsletter, I'm also sharing 4 tips for encouraging kids to play outside as well as the highlights from this week on the blog.
I'm definitely not a fashion blogger, but I thought it would be fun to give you a peek inside my maternity wardrobe and how I'm getting through this pregnancy without spending a lot of money!
Last Child on the Prairie {On Playing Outside, Part 1}
I've been thinking about the way our kids interact with nature a lot lately as I reread Last Child in the Woods, and this week I shared my thoughts about the role that nature plays in child development and how it's shaped me as a person.
Thankfully, our girls love to play outside, and they've spent more time outside this summer than ever before, despite the heat. I think part of that has to do with their ages, but some of it is because we're intentional about encouraging it as well.
Here are a few ways to encourage outside play, even during the hottest days of summer:
1. Restrict electronics.
By far, the thing that's made the biggest difference for our family is our new screen-time rule. The girls only get 30 minutes of TV right before bed plus 20 minutes of game time on the computer or iPad (which they often use in the early morning as soon as they wake up), so those electronics are not calling to them during the day!
While they do like crafts, reading and various other inside activities, they also have plenty of time for those during their afternoon quiet time or during the almost-daily thunderstorms, so they tend to take advantage of the rest of their free time for outside play as much as possible.
2. Add water.
As I mentioned, though, we've just experienced record-breaking temps and an icky heatwave that kept a lot of people inside, which meant it was time to pull out the big guns: including the baby pool for the backyard.
Not only is water play fun, but it also helps them stay cool and hydrated on hot days (drinking lots of water is important too, of course!), which is definitely a win-win.
3. Move indoor activities outside.
For kids who love to read or craft, getting them outside can be a challenge, but one of our favorite ways to spend summer days is taking advantage of the shade and breeze on our front porch.
Have a picnic lunch (bonus: no crumbs on the floor of the kitchen to clean up!), cuddle up on the porch swing or a beach chair to read a book, or spread out a dropcloth to paint or play with play-doh. They might not be running around or exploring the yard, but they're still getting outside in the fresh air and change of scenery, which tends to make long days run smoother in our house!
4. Try early morning or late evening.
And finally, when the heat is really just unbearable, try taking advantage of the early morning or late evening hours. It's cooler out, and it can also feel like a whole new world out there with different sounds and creatures to observe.
We like to take early morning walks to count the different types of wildflowers growing,climb a few trees and get some exercise in before it gets too hot, and catching fireflies or playing glowstick tag always make twilight feel magical!
It's not quite like the days of ol', when kids would head out in the morning and not come home until dinnertime after a full day of playing outside, but it still makes me happy to have to call them inside rather than push them out the door!
Italian Roasted Potatoes
These potatoes have become one of our very favorite side dishes recently. Although they need to cook for almost an hour, they're easy to prepare and oh so tasty!
Ingredients:
▪ 4 cups potatoes, cubed ▪ 3 tablespoon olive oil + extra for preparing the pan ▪ 1 tablespoon italian seasoning ▪ 1 teaspoon pepper ▪ 1 teaspoon garlic salt ▪ ½ teaspoon salt ▪ 4 tablespoon parmesan cheese
I used a mixture of yukon gold and red gold potatoes because that’s what I had in my produce drawer!
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Scrub and cube the potatoes, about ¾” on all sides. Add 3 tablespoons of olive oil and toss to coat.
Add 1-2 tablespoons of oil to a baking dish and use a paper towel to coat the bottom and sides.
NOTE: I use stoneware baking dishes and don’t often have to oil them since they’ve developed a nonstick coating of their own, but these definitely need the extra prep!
In a small bowl, combine the spices and cheese. Add spice mixture to the potatoes and toss until all of the potatoes are evenly coated.
Spread potatoes in the baking dish in a single layer.
Bake for 30 minutes. Use a spatula to flip the potatoes and bake for an additional 20-25 minutes.
Serve warm! (But the leftovers are yummy reheated in the oven as well.)
Photography Gadget and Gear Round-up {+ a Fun Giveaway for You!}
What is your must-have photography gear? Krystal's sharing her list, plus enter to win photography gadget gift bundle, including a Lightscoop!
It should lift you up, encourage you, help you feel connected, etc. If it’s dragging you down, making you doubt yourself or becoming a dreaded task, step away! It will still be there when you’re ready to try again, and you’ll be much happier if you use it in a way that enriches rather than detracts from your life.
Our girls are constantly asking to help in the kitchen, and — if I’m honest — I still cringe a little bit every time they do, even though I’m making it a priority to include them.
For me, cooking can be stressful because it doesn’t come naturally or easily to me, and as an introvert, I tend to use my time in the kitchen to think…something that’s just not possible with little ones underfoot.
But I’ve been on a quest for the past year to include them more often, and the one-at-a-time rule has made a huge difference; I no longer feel pressured to include everybody (which quickly results in me feeling overwhelmed and — ahem — snappy), and instead use that as special one-on-one time with whoever happens to be my helper at the moment.
