⛱️ Radiant Summer Era 📣 — Let’s go June! 🙋🏾‍♀️

A One- pot Moroccan chicken and couscous that came out delish one night!

I’m declaring this my Radiant Summer Era ✨

Not just a summer focused on looking good, but feeling good. A season of protecting my peace, nourishing my body, moving with intention, laughing more, traveling lighter, and choosing experiences that make me feel alive.

This summer is about wellness, joy, boundaries, confidence, softness, financially disciplined, and becoming even more rooted in who God created me to be.

Radiance starts with Me ☀️

The GOOD 😊

So I had the moment ya’ll, when the dish I was making sorta came together and poped off! This meal was so stinkin delicious I was impressed myself! 😆

The PIVOT 😟

May was the month my systems were challenged… which in hindsight was a good thing! I fully had the chance to see the systems I was using that were supporting me well, vs those that that are not.

One big fail I had to abandon, was the creation of my own planner 😟. Not that it won’t become a future goal, but developing planning in one of the busiest months (end of school, work commitments, band concerts, ect…) did not go well. When I went back and reviewed, I wasn’t using the system like I should…. so I went back to an old faithful…. not not bujo 🤣

LV MM Agenda 3 years old and still working beautifully!

Back to my personal planner calendar! This planner allows me to hold a full year calendar in the planner so I can look ahead all the way through Dec when I need to.

This is especially important for work and family when we can get notices for things up to 6 months in advance. Just this week I got the schedule for a new commitee at my son’s school district I joined to stay an engaged parent. Keeping up with these commitments on my phone is #1, but then they all o in my planner as well so I can at a glance know how the days, months, year is committed.

After just a few days she’s back to doing the heavy lifting. 💪🏾

The Beautiful… ⛱️

After planning and planning, I can say I am so EXCITED about my summer plans!! I’m soooo looking forward to summer and my self-imposed summer of fun!

Even trying some new things and revisting some old haunts! :

Visiting other AirBNBs to get ideas for my own. 😉
College and family visits with my Son….
Solo Bday trip travel for personal joy 🤩
Taking my Mom, Son and Fam to see the Obama Presidential Museum
Taking My Sis and Son to the Taste of Chicago!! Ohhhh it’s been so long since I’ve had a turkey drumstick! 🍗

It’s going to be busy, but a GOOD busy! Trust and believe you will hear about it… as I challenge myself to do things a bit different.

Cheers!

📙 What Am I Reading?

I resurrected my kindle! It’s been a MILION years since I used it. Thankfully, it fired right up! I love transferring my free library checkouts to kindle so I can carry it on the go. Getting ready for an on the go summer!

For reference I have a Kindle Oasis I purchased in 2020 😅. It’s still running fine! I don’t thnk they even make that version anymore, I personally appreciate the portability of a reading device during a busy season.

Although I’m not a big fan of Amazon, I am a fan of saving money. Here is a link to an article how to read library books on your kindle.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=GUWACXF9HENBXTQP

Through a series of heartfelt letters, Syreeta shares her deeply personal experiences of grief, reflection, and reconciliation. With vulnerability and authenticity, she invites you to explore your emotions as she guides you through the complexities of your maternal bond. This book is not about fixing the past; it’s about finding beauty in the ashes of your circumstances and creating a path to emotional wholeness.

Full disclosure, this is a book written by a dear friend. However, I bought this book with my own (hard earned haha) money and plan to read it this month.

Authored by Nina Cherie Franklin, PhD, affectionately known as “That Salad Lady,” this cookbook empowers you to create delicious, nutritious salads that are both easy to prepare and delightful to eat. Leveraging her extensive expertise in health, fitness, and nutrition, along with her passion for salads, Dr. Nina introduces the “Build Your Bowl” system, an easy-to-follow blueprint for creating balanced, nutrient-rich bowls. In her trademark system, each salad is a flavorful masterpiece designed to save time, reduce food waste, and nourish your body and mind.

Family salad night will be on the calendar! Looking forward to trying a few of these out right in time for summer.

I typically like to read books from other cultures and the book nerds say this one is hilarious! Can’t wait to give this book a whirl. I’ll most likely listen via audiobook as I have some travels by car coming up!

Shop once, cook once, eat all week? Sign me up! Summer is looking like it will be mega-busy! Just the way I like it 😉. We’re not over-planned, but I do have some fun and function built into the summer! I really wanted to make sure the summer would be as balanced as possible. With a busy summer ahead, batch cooking especially to have meals on the go sounds like an amazing way to get ready!

This book makes BIG promises. It provides 80+ recipes that are all freezable and able to be made in advance, to make fast meals that I can stock up on so that I am free from cooking mid-week.

Let’s give it a whirl folks! You will hear about it! Maybe even a future class?

Spice of the Month: 🪻Lavender Vanilla Sugar

Premium vanilla sugar, made in small batches with hand-chopped Madagascar Bourbon vanilla beans and extract. Then we add just the right amount of high-end lavender to get a subtle floral note without tasting bitter. We love this lavender sugar in strong black tea or coffee or as a fragrant topping for baked goods, pancakes, and waffles.

Although I am not a proponent of white sugar, this spice gives just the right amount with vanilla and lavender! I use it in homemade oatmeal, tea, smoothies, and much more! It’s very versatile!

🙋🏾‍♀️ Posts This Month:

💈 Eating well for Natural Hair

I’ve been natural for 5 years now! What I know to be true is healthy hair starts from the inside out. What we eat plays a major role in the strength, moisture, growth, and overall health of natural hair. Nourishing foods rich in iron, healthy fats, protein, leafy greens, fruits, seeds, and hydration can help support stronger strands and a healthier scalp.

🤎 4 Questions for Friends as Friends

Sometimes caring for people means going deeper than “How are you?” Many people are carrying stress, exhaustion, loneliness, health concerns, or questions about purpose silently. Asking intentional questions lets our friends and family know we truly see them, not just our transaction.

Here are a few meaningful check-in questions:
✨ How has your body been feeling lately, really?
✨ How has your sleep been lately?
✨ Is work in balance of life right now?
✨ What’s something bringing you joy, hope, or peace lately?

Sometimes one thoughtful conversation can remind someone they are not carrying life alone. We will dive deep!

⏲️ The Meal Prep Container that just may be the BEST ever! 🌿

You know a container is good when it survives busy weeks, freezer prep, reheating, overstuffed lunch bags, and still keeps your food fresh. As someone constantly prepping nourishing meals for work, travel, and regular-shmegular home life, finding containers that are durable, practical, and actually make meal prep easier feels like a small win!!!

🍯 5 Kitchen Items that bring me J-O-Y!

I love geeking out from time to time on the simple items that bring me joy! I can’t promise a book or two won’t be in the count but there will definately be some kitchen items to gush all over! ♥️

Should be a fun writing ✍🏾 month!

Happy Eating!