Thursday, July 13, 2017

Life Hacks: Meal Delivery

The dreaded 1600 hour. The hour when I must figure out what to make for dinner

This is something I am a bit ashamed to say I have never gotten good at in our 9.5 years of marriage. So lately, especially with me working two jobs, one full time from home with two little ones, this results in us picking something up. Which is neither cheap nor healthy. Nor a good example for my daughters, who started to think dinner comes from a store/restaurant/eatery, not a kitchen. "what we gonna pick up for dinner mom?"

Enter Hello Fresh. My dear friend Lindsey turned me on to this idea of paying someone to bring meal items to my house, and I cook the preportioned ingredients to form a meal. This seemed too easy, cheating, too good to be true. J and I have talked about it for almost two years off and on, but never actually pulled the trigger (J uses this phrase a lot - as I write it, I'm wondering if maybe it's not best to write those words, but ah well) on ordering. Then we went to our neighbors' house a few weeks back and started talking about this meal planning thing. They've been getting meals from Hello Fresh for a long time and sold us on it as they busted out these rad recipe cards and talked about all the portioned ingredients and how easy it is.

So, with nothing to lose (and no cancellation fee) we ordered our first week's meals, which came last week.

oh. my. goodness.


For the first time in forever (you can sing that like Anna would, it's ok), I haven't been stressed about dinner. I don't have to worry about what to make for dinner and what to buy at the store. We pick our three meals from our seven options or whatever each week (different options each week!) and they bring three meals at a time on Mondays. (I will say, the presentation could be slightly better. But the fact that I can throw all the scraps in the bag and toss it at the end of the meal is pretty cool, so I'm ok with brown bags.)


Last week we had Burrata and Lemon Zest Ravioli


Kiwi salsa and Steak Fajitas


and creamy dill chicken.


This week, so far we have had Lemon Shrimp Risotto


and Crispy Cheddar Frisco Cheeseburgers. 


And Friday night we have New York Strip Steak with truffle potatoes and green beens. 

Let's take a minute to acknowledge that I am not a food photographer, so I don't even think these pictures look appetizing, and I ate the food. But seriously, 1. they all were really good, and 2. we made them!

Dinner has become fun! I'm sure this isn't a forever thing, but so far it's been the same cost or cheaper, and we are eating at home three times a week, and eating different types of foods and they have all been surprisingly good! And I can say I made dinner. Because I did. Someone else just helped me figure out what to make and delivered the ingredients to my door. 

SO thankful for whoever thought up this brilliant idea of food delivery. It feels like cheating, but I don't care. I am totally sold. 

Wednesday, July 12, 2017

On Waking Up and Benches and Neighbors

For a long time, I've felt like I have nothing meaningful to say. No deep thoughts. My thoughts consist primarily of things such as: when did Maddie fall asleep, did Rachel take a nap yesterday, how many cases do I have for work today, what time is it, oh it's lunch time, what should I make for lunch, my kids are crazy, I need to play with them, they are so cute, ahh girls stop hitting, and the ever famous WHAT'S FOR DINNER. Deep thoughts, I know. The what's for dinner post is for another day. But a couple weeks ago, I decided I have to beat my kids out of bed if I ever wanna have time to have a thought beyond the basic needs of life. Which is tricky, since they currently sleep with us and Rachel basically lays on top of me and wakes up the second I move. But, I've been managing about 65-70% of the time to sneak out before she's up. I've been walking my dogs (which is what you should do every day if you have dogs, just FYI... my poor puppies), and then sitting on our new deck looking at our sweet yard (which I just love and is also another post) with my bible and coffee. Trying to limit it to those things. So I've had some actual thoughts, I think, in these moments, but never wanted to grab the computer to write. Because, what a hassle, and besides, I don't actually like to write all that much.... but that is besides the point. 

Anyway, yesterday morning I was walking down our street with Emma and Baker and came upon a bench. It's almost directly across the street from my house, so it's not new to me, but I've never sat down on it. Just a lonely bench engraved with the words 

"Rest in the shade"


So, for the first time in two years, I sat down. And there's a little journal and pen (and kids' book too, which I loved) stuck in the armrest of this little bench, so I pulled it out and started reading. It's Journal #3, and in the front someone wrote a note about this being the third journal and how the others have been filled up by neighbors and people just passing through and how we all can bond through this bench. And then I read through other entries. One girl was just passing through and was headed to Kansas for a new job next week, another few people commented they also just for the first time stopped and love this idea. A man named Mark commented a few times to those posts "come back, write again, stop and rest again." One girl, Laura, mentioned how she is depressed and often wants to kill herself and this bench and the hope in this journal keeps her going. 

I wondered what I could add to such a little book. Most entries were just saying hi, but there was depth to some, and Laura's in particular, that struck me. She trusted this little book and the people reading it. I prayed for Laura and jotted a little note about it being my first time stopping also, and then I wrote 2 Timothy 1:7 

"For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline." 

I don't know why that verse, and I don't wanna be that person who throws scripture out there in the first interaction like I know it all and turns people away, but I also know that God is real, and powerful, and he conquers fear. And sometimes, well, usually, well, most always, the word of God is living and active, and more powerful than any words I can speak. And I dunno, I felt like the journal needed the name of Jesus in it. I hope Laura comes back, and I hope Jesus speaks to her and she hears his voice. I hope she knows she doesn't have to be afraid and she is not alone. 

I'm so thankful that I have absolute Hope in Jesus Christ, the living God. God is real, and alive, He is Love and Truth and Peace, and He is the ultimate authority. One day, every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord (Philippians 2:10-11). I believe that. I just want to be bolder about that truth.

I'm so thankful for strangers, and how something like a bench and a journal can bring people together and somehow, I feel like I know Laura and Mark and the girl in Kansas, even though I don't. I'm thankful that some neighbor at some point decided to pay for a bench on the sidewalk. I'm thankful that bench is on my street. I'm thankful I stopped for 5 minutes. I have to remember that stopping for five minutes often has much greater reward than I would have thought. 

All that to say, I think I'll stop again sometime and check in on my friends in the journal. Maybe I'll bring Maddie and Rachel and they can read the kids book together. Or maybe we can pray for Laura together. I dunno.