Is getting coffee work?

I had the occasion today to grab coffee with a friend/colleague with whom I hadn't spoken in about a month. It was great to catch up, hear about the exciting things God is doing in her life, and to dream big about collaborative things we could work on. It was really energizing to switch gears away from the to do list and get to the thinking big thoughts with someone who isn't steeped in my world all the time. It got me thinking though, was that a work or more of a personal meeting? Where does networking fall in our daily work priorities?

Switching gears

Someone asked me last week if I'm the only person who wears a tie during the summer. "We're casual around here during the summer!" My response was typical of me, I pick my outfit depending on what is on my calendar for that day. If I'm getting office work done, I'm business casual. If I'm moving furniture in the residence halls or doing teambuilders with students, I'm casual. If I'm meeting with a Vice President or presenting to a group of professionals, I'm business. Attire sets the tone for your interaction, whether we like it or not.

I got kicked out of my house yesterday

So, as I've mentioned before, Lyndsie is away at a mission camp with the FUMC youth. It is sounding like a fantastic experience for them! Folks who have been with the blog for a while know that I also suffer from a ton little anxiety. Well yesterday morning it all came to a head and my mom kicked me out of the house for the afternoon.

Daddy daycare

As you know, loyal readers, Lyndsie is the Minister of Discipleship with Youth Emphasis at the local United Methodist Church. This week, she has taken a group of youth on a mission trip to southwest VA. In fact, you can follow their adventures over on the Fusion blog. Check out our blogs we love page to find the mission blog.

Doing what I love

So as I type this, I'm sitting in our campus auditorium having just finished speaking to our final summer orientation for new students. Yesterday, I co-presented on Title IX investigations for four hours straight. This introvert is exhausted and worn out but also totally energized. I love presenting, public speaking, and educating.

It's sort of bizarre how I've found myself slipping into more and more large group presentation roles. Although I am hoping to increase this part of my professional identity, I haven't been actively marketing myself yet. I pray that I'll continue to be fortunate enough to continue getting opportunities to impact people. 

I just love what I do! What do you love to do? Let's have a little challenge loyal BB readers: leave a comment with what you love to do (and your name) and after 24 hours we'll randomly pick one for a prize! Happy commenting.

Summertime Harvest

The abundance of fresh local vegetables and fruits is one of my very favorite things about summer!  We try to eat local as much as we can here in the Blakely household.  I've already told you about the Local Roots Co-op we are a part of, which is one way we support and eat local.  We also have a very small garden at our new house containing strawberry, tomato, squash and basil plants.  But since we only moved a couple months ago, we didn't have time to really cultivate a large garden this season.  Our focus was on unpacking and getting the house set.  I hope to plant more this fall, though, and use our harvest in our weekly menu plans.

My son's arm is not your chew toy

Well, it was bound to happen eventually, I suppose. Noah got bit today by another kid at daycare.

Yup, another human bit him. I bet you thought I was going to say something about the dog snapping at him. Nope, a person.

It turns out, our daycare provider has a rule that the bitee's family does not get to know who the biter is. When Lyndsie told me that, my immediate reaction was, "what, do they think we are going to retaliate against a two year old?"

The sad truth is, someone out there would do exactly that.

Parents of the world, how about we agree to one thing: let's treat our kids and each other with respect? Accountability and discipline are, of course, necessary but let's keep the whole vibe supportive of one another. We're in a little club here parents, let's stand together and not make things harder on each other by forcing daycares to set up rules that prevent the flow of information.

Loyal readers - what rules have you gotten frustrated with in the past? Leave your thoughts in the comments below!

Go with the flow

So, overall, we have a fairly well-adjusted two year old. Certainly, he has his share of toddler moments but overall he's a pretty happy little guy. Folks ask us all the time how he got to be such a happy guy. Other than the grace of God himself, we're convinced it's due to our strict adherence to a routine.

Roasted Red Potatoes!

I love potatoes!  I love how versatile they are.  Baked, fried, roasted, in soups, frittatas, side items...with breakfast, lunch or dinner.  Yum!

One of my absolute favorite ways to fix red potatoes is to roast them.  So easy.  So delicious.  And it makes the perfect side item for tons of different dishes.  Here's what you need for about 3-4 servings of roasted red potatoes:

Here goes nothing

We're working on improving our blog site here since it has expanded beyond just updates on our little one. Let us know if you have any ideas for blog posts or things you'd like to see us write about!

You can learn more about who we are in our new "About the family" page. You can also connect with each of us through our social media accounts there. We hope you'll reach out to us so we know who is reading!

Is it fall yet?

Our very favorite season here at the Blakely household is fall!  Really, we love things about every season, but there is just something about the crisp air, the leaves turning bright hues of red, orange and yellow, the smell of cinnamon and cider, the pumpkin flavored everything (but especially pumpkin spiced lattes), and finally getting to pull on that favorite sweater.  Apparently we are longing for a little bit of fall because on this week's menu plan, Josh picked out a new recipe to try that clearly belongs in October or November!  And, after making it tonight, I think it will be made many times throughout this fall.  It was yummy yummy!