June Check-In

Notes on feta fried eggs, tiny party hats, and my favorite seasonal part-time job.

Hi, friends! Happy June! I hope that you are having the summer of you dreams. This month, our family has been loving blowing bubbles with our girl, family runs and coffee walks, trips to the Farmer’s Market, and aaaalllllll of the amazing produce that we’ve been waiting for.

June has been such a fun month and I’m excited to recap it with you! These monthly check-ins are truly such a fun reflection and gratitude practice for me. Thanks so much for being here and reading them :)

C- CREATED
The things I made this month: projects, writing, photos, meals, or anything I put my hands or heart into.

• My daughter’s birthday is coming up and ever since I was pregnant, I’ve had a vision of creating a “birthday box” for her that would be home to heirloom birthday decorations that we can use for her every year. I made a huuuuge ribbon garland, and am working on a felt birthday crown for her to wear. I also finished my first needlepoint project, a small one candle canvas, and had it made into an ornament that we’ll use as a giftbag tag. I hope to make one of these for her every year as a keepsake. I also called in reinforcements (a kind gal on Facebook Marketplace) to make a “Happy Birthday” banner out of some of her baby clothes. I could cry just looking at it. Last just not least, I ordered her a customized cake plate on Etsy. I had hoped to paint this myself, but I don’t think it would’ve turned out the way I wanted. As she gets older, I’m sure we’ll keep adding to the collection, but that’s where we’re starting out this year.

• You know that one of my favorite places to create is here on Substack!! In case you missed ‘em, check out this month’s articles: I’m Not The Mom I Thought I’d Be, Around the Table: What I’d Tell my 17-Year-Old Self, With Daelyn, and How I Stopped Making the Same Decisions Over and Over.

• I’ve also been in the lab (at the craft table) in preparation for her birthday party. I can’t say I ever expected to be at my kitchen table making tiny party hats to put on fruit with googly eyes, but here I am.

H- HIGHLIGHTS
My favorite moments, little joys, and the things I was obsessed with throughout the month.

• This month, my two long distance besties and I booked a girl’s trip reunion to New England for the end of the summer. I am unbelievably excited! We all lived together (in the same house, then in the same town) for years before they moved away. I’ve seen them both separately since then, but the three amigas haven’t been together in three years! I’m so so so excited for some girl time with them.

• We celebrated my husband’s first Father’s Day this month and it was so special. We did most of our celebrating on Saturday. His request was an early morning drive to a town near us to try out a breakfast spot he’s been eyeing. They had a sixteen inch cinnamon roll pancake that he wanted to try and it did not disappoint. It was served like a pizza, which was hilarious to me, and was so yummy! After breakfast I weaseled my way into a stop at a local coffee shop. We sat outside for a bit before taking a short walk through the neighborhood. Such a sweet morning.

E- ENJOYED
Books, shows, places, products, or experiences that I genuinely loved and would recommend.

• On June 2 I clocked in for my favorite seasonal part-time job—Love Island Enthusiast. Honestly…it’s been a pretty good season in my humble opinion. Is it rage bait? Usually. But the drama is strong and that’s what we’re all here for, right?

• I’m a big YouTube girly and I found a couple of new favorite creators this month that I’m loving. I’ve been obsessed with Victoria Morse . Her videos just feel so real and warm and cozy. I’m a fan. Substack friend, Renee Sanchez, also recommended Sydney Graham’s Learn to Sew series this month and I’ve been slowly but surely making my way through it. I was hoping to learn how to sew this month, but then life had other plans! I’ll be back, sewing machine. In the meantime, I’m learning what I can in preparation.

• The Among Friends Summer Reading Club has really been holding me accountable to my reading goals. This month I finished reading Malibu Rising and I must say…Taylor Jenkins Reid strikes again. I also read The Summer I Turned Pretty. I love the show and with a trip to New England on the books, it feels like the perfect time to read the books! I also started How to Read a Book and I’m really enjoying it so far. Summer Reading Club friends: tell me how your reading is going in the comments!

C- COOKED
Recipes I tried, tweaked, loved, or want to remember for later.

• I think I’ve made the same thing for breakfast almost everyday this month and we’re not stoppin’ now. Feta fried eggs had their fifteen minutes of fame on the internet a couple of years ago, but I’ve been riffin’ my own version lately. I let some feta get melty in our egg pan and then mix in a dollop of Trader Joe’s Chili Onion Crunch. While that gets sizzlin’ and delicious, I scramble two eggs in a bowl and then pour them over top. When they’re mostly cooked, I flip it and let the eggs finish cooking. When they’re done I put them on a piece of toast with avocado and/or tomato slices. It’s soooo good. I look forward to it every morning!

• Putting cherries in a bowl probably isn’t considered truly cooking, but I’d be remiss not to mention that cherries are in season and more delicious than ever. If you ask me, cherries, peaches, and tomatoes are a few of the best parts of summer.

• One thing on my Summer Bucket List is to grill as much as possible. It’s not a super measurable goal, but it is a delicious one. I’ve been grilling once or twice a week and it just feels so summer core to me. A few of our favorite grill recipes are Chicken Souvlaki, Grilled Salmon, and Burgers (we get the frozen premade patties from Costco!). I usually throw a foil packet of zucchini, potatoes, or bell peppers and onions on too!

K- KEPT THINKING ABOUT
Thoughts, reflections, conversations, or ideas that stayed with me long after they happened.

• Being nearly a year into motherhood, I’ve been reflecting a ton. It’s been a whirlwind and I can’t believe how fast it’s gone. Everyone who says “the days are long, but the years are short” is right. Earlier this week I wrote about not being the mom I thought I’d be. Early on in the newborn days that thought would go through my mind and I felt a bit of shame for not measuring up to my own standards and expectations. A year later, sometimes it crosses my mind, but it feels more like a shoulder shrug follows. The work of motherhood and matrescence is no joke, but being the mom to the coolest girl I know makes the hard parts feel so small. For all of the things that I didn’t expect about motherhood, I truly didn’t expect just how cool our girl would be. You know you’re going to love your kids before they arrive, but I don’t think anything can truly prepare you for how magical it is to grow alongside a little person that you love so much.

I- INSPIRATION
What sparked creativity or motivation this month: people, posts, places, quotes, anything.

• I recently saw a graphic on Pinterest that said “I will succeed because I am insane.” It sounds a little silly (or maybe self-deprecating?) but it’s been bopping around in my head ever since. It’s…oddly motivating. When I read it, it translates to something like “I have what it takes to figure it out” and isn’t that just the reminder we all need sometimes?

• I’m not exaggerating when I tell you that I can’t stop thinking about this girl’s trip! And, of course, I’m already planning out what outfits I want to bring. The combination of my recent discovery that I’m a soft summer, as well as the general coastal vibes has both navy and light blue top of mind for me. I’ve been pin pin pinning away and am hoping to shop my closet and recreate some fun outfits for our trip. Shopping secondhand and shopping online require some creativity, but trying to recreate outfits with what I already own takes a new level of inspiration for me.

N- NEW
New things I tried, learned, bought, discovered, or added to my routines.

• I’ve been loving Ohora’s semi-cured gel nail strips recently (wearing these right now!). While not new to me, getting back into the routine is new! I used these a ton before my daughter was born and am just starting to feel like I have the time and capacity again to do my nails regularly. I always feel so much more put together when my nails are done. These are super easy to use, last two to three weeks for me, and are pretty darn affordable! If you decide to start using them, make sure to get the remover too.

• Probably hands down the most used item that we put on our baby registry was the Mabe Monarch Carrier. I recently discovered that I can carry our daughter on my back with it like a backpack and it has been a game changer. Truly, from the newborn days to toddlerhood, it has been so handy. I’ve been eying their Toddler Sling Carrier too! It seems super handy for quick trips into the store and what not.

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Thank you so very much for reading Among Friends! I’m so grateful you’re here.

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Previously on Among Friends…