The Weekly Ramble – May 1, 2026

I’m stunned that it’s already 11:11 on Friday morning. I’m not exactly sure where the last seven days went, but they absolutely FLEW by.

I’ve been awake since 4:30ish. B’s alarm goes off at 4:20. I’ve put away dishes, made bread dough, made pizza dough, read my daily Bible, done my CBS study for the day, cleaned out the fridge, troubleshot an e-store issue, taken a shower and washed my hair, loaded and run the dishwasher, posted the new products for the Good Cheap Eats Club, eaten a quesadilla and drank a cup of coffee late because I skipped breakfast at a normal time, and now I’m sitting down talking to you.

Why do I feel like I’ve gotten nothing done today?

I guess that’s the beauty of the Ta-Da list; you realize you actually have accomplished some things, even though they might not have been the things you planned on accomplishing.

Here’s what else I’ve been doing, eating, listening/watching, and/or reading this past week:

What I’m Learning

So remember last week when I waxed eloquent about staying humble? This week I learned that when you pray for something, God may give it to you, especially if it involves your character development. Ha!

There were several days this week when my humility was tested in different ways. At first I was very much kicking against the goads, seeing myself in the right, but then God…

God showed me that it was me that needed to change, not the situation. Oof, as the kids say.

That said, I’m thrilled to be on the other side of that little test, a little like Galadriel when she goes all dark. And honestly, having watched that clip just now, it’s not far off.

Not that I have super powers by any means, but that we can have such an inflated view of ourselves, that we can think ourselves so powerful and important. Oy! That we would learn for good that there is only ONE who is that.

What I’ve Been Doing

This particular morning I was doing my Bible study in the library – it was only 6:32 am on Sunday, but all the kids were awake, some putting away dishes, but all in the kitchen chatting. It was such a sweet moment to reflect on.

My kids are grown. How did we get from this to this so quickly?

Will you get sick of my processing this transition from hands-on mom to whatever this is? I think there needs to be a different term than empty nester for the season of mothering adult children.

Whether the nest is empty or not, that doesn’t really define the relationship, does it?

Anyway, I’ve been reflecting on the past and thinking about what the next season will hold. I was asked to participate in leadership in a local parachurch ministry, but after much prayer and discussion with Bryan, I decided to leave my calendar empty for a bit.

As my husband put it, “You’ve had a full calendar for so long, why rush to fill it?”

I am excited to see what God does with my days in this new season. And yes, I’m also looking forward to not having to leave my house!

It’s been a hodgepodge this week since I’ve been a bit out of sorts and not in a real routine. I think the routine will happen in June when I am past Maycember, the birthdays, the Trifecta, and graduation.

Did I mention I ordered the last high school diploma? Say what?

What I’ve Been Eating

Acts of Sourdough recently shared a recipe for red white and blue sourdough featuring freeze-dried strawberries, fresh blueberries, and cream cheese. It looked interesting, so I experimented with my chocolate sourdough loaf and added freeze-dried strawberries that I had.

So good! The dried berries absorb some liquid from the dough and it tastes amazing!

I found a freeze-dried berry mix of cherries, strawberries, and blueberries and am going to try that tonight. I’ve got the dough rising right now.

I finally got back to Costco Business for another tub of pesto so I could make those pesto beans again. I also made breaded chicken to go on top.

I did some experimenting with the original recipe, but I’m not quite happy with it yet.

What I’ve Been Listening/Watching

Miss 17 and I continue through Columbo, but more slowly than before. Since we both “work at home” right now, we usually take a lunch break and watch something for 45 minutes. That’s 1/2 an episode.

I’ve also enjoyed episodes of

• Home Fires
• The Art of Home Podcast
• This sermon about communion

What I’ve Been Reading

I’m a little disappointed in my reading progress. I read one book of substance and started two others, but the rest of my reading was rather fluffy. I didn’t even get my book club reading done which is a testament to how weird April felt.

Anywho, I’ve got lots of good books to finish/start now that it’s May:

• Was It Something I Said? by Alison M. Cheperdak – this is an etiquette expert I found on IG
• Deeper Heaven by Christiana Hale – Allison recommended this for a deeper understanding of the Ransom trilogy (CS Lewis) that I just finished
• Estrogen Matters by Bluming and Tavris – per our discussion last week
• The Enchanted April by Elizabeth Von Arnim – part of a classical book club list
• Catcher in the Rye – book club for May
• The Metamorphosis – also book club for May – Yikes!

What I’ve Been Writing

I’ve been working on the products for May’s vacation theme, including the new Staycation Meals guide. All of this was so fun to create and gave me all kinds of reasons to reminisce about our family travels.

Wow. So much fun.

Check out the bundle and see if it’s a good fit for you this season. Remember it’s FREE to members of the Good Cheap Eats Club.

Alrighty, that’s it for me! Leave a comment and let’s chat!