The Lily Cafe Digest #4

My usual schedule is 6+1, 6 weeks of posts followed by a 1 week blogging break. This time around, I’ve only posted for the past 4 weeks and will now be taking a month long break. July is an important month for my family, so I decided it was best spent taking a break, though I will be sprucing up some old posts and finally getting around to creating some Pinterest graphics. You can also find me on Instagram, where I post about books.

Looking Back

Reader

Well, June was a popular month for publication! I didn’t expect to be writing and posting so many reviews. Then again, I’m a huge reader who literally can’t go a day without reading (I really can’t since I read to my daughter at naptime and bedtime) and NetGalley makes it too easy to request books. Outside of reviews, I talked about how much I love dragons and how much I hate cursing in books. I also shared the few books I’ve ever read that managed to make me cry.

If Only|Fireborn|Thousand Sunny Queen|Meet Me at the Cupcake Cafe|The Venice Atonement

Writer

Raven has come to an end. At least, I have no more of it written. It’s been a staggering six years since I wrote it and, since then, it’s been left unfinished. I didn’t mean to leave it that way, but it became too complex for my outline to handle, and I kind of lost it. Also, Caidy and Tyala have been maddeningly tight lipped about where their lives are going.

Chapter 19|Chapter 20

Baker

I’ve been baking. Almost too much. So far this year I’ve baked cakes, cookies, and bread, so I wrote about the basic ingredients you need for each of them. This month, I’ve baked a lot of bread now that the weather has warmed up and my dough can finally rise properly, but, instead of posting about bread, I’ve written about the three types of cake I’ve mastered: pound, high ratio, and sponge.

Mother of 2

My son graduated from preschool last month, so he’s home all summer. I know many parents count down to the first day of school, but I’m really enjoying having both of my kids home with me right now. They’re definitely two peas in a pod, and it couldn’t make me happier. Since I’ve been blogging about being a mom, it’s given me time to think about how I parent and what guides me. Most of the time, I’ll say my psychology background, but I’ve also realized I actually have a parenting philosophy. Also, blogging about being a mom has put me in contact with tons of other moms, moms who are both similar and very different from me. Regardless, I admire all of them.

The Weekly Question

#7: If you had to (not got to) live on another planet, which one would it be?

#8: What is your favorite breakfast?

#9: Do you pay attention to the number of words in your posts?

#10: Share a post

Looking Forward

I’m taking most of July off from blogging. I’ll be back July 29th. During that time, I’ll be sprucing up some old posts and I plan on crafting some Pinterest images (though we’ll see if that actually happens as I’ve been planning this for awhile). I do plan on continuing to post to Instagram, so, if you like books, you can find me there.

But my big projects in July will be Camp NaNo, and one I’m not quite ready to reveal. It’s been years since I participated in NaNo, not since before my son was born. After reading so many books in the past year, I’ve been itching to start writing fiction again. My husband thinks I’m crazy since writing so many words isn’t always easy, but I’m really excited about my story and, if all goes well, I start posting it here in August.

I don’t have many posts planned after my return yet, but I’m really excited about an author interview with Jenni from Housewife Hustle. She recently published a book on body positivity called Eat the Damn Muffin.

Favorite Posts from around the Blogging Community

Mostly because I feel self-centered about writing a whole post about my own blog, but also because there are so many lovely blogs I enjoy and want to share them with you. Here are some of my favorite posts from the last 5 weeks. I do hope you check them out and give them a follow.

A PhD in dragonology: planning (II) from Bits and Dragons: This is part of a fantasy story, and I could have shared the link for the first part, but I really, really like the library described here. And I really, really, really want to go there.

I Have an Unpopular Opinion from Que Sera Sera: This is written by a mom who thinks differently from a lot of other parents about things like baby sleep, baby paraphernalia, what to pack in the hospital bag, feeding babies, etc. This is a lady after my own heart! If she has an unpopular opinion, then so must I. I simply adore this post.

“Why do my kids keep ___ (whining, begging, throwing fits…)? ” Here’s your answer! from Better than Fine: This is a great perspective on tantrums and how to deal with them. Kids don’t tantrum because they can; they do it because it works. I’d like to say the same of adults, but I think adults tantrum because they can.

Black Cats and Dress Ups from Brooke Cutler: From a mom who enjoys the magic of life and childhood comes a beautiful message to all parents: it’s okay to dress up. In costumes.

No One Likes the Dentist, But Some Kids Have Special Needs from I Didn’t Want to be a Mother: I don’t know a single kid who likes the dentist (mine will scream bloody murder at the word), so this post is great for any parent with a child who struggles at the dentist’s office. I could have definitely used this last year when my son had a bit of a traumatizing visit. Don’t be helpless like me. Read this post.

The Dark Side of Publishing for Children: The 1st Roadblock by Author A. R. Curry: This is targeted at those who want to write and publish children’s books, but I think it’s very applicable to any aspiring author.

My Fellow Americans, Almost All National Media is ‘Fake News’ Right Now from Boondock Ramblings: Written by someone who was a journalist for awhile, this one really had me agreeing wholeheartedly. The big news outlets are not what they should be. FYI: Lisa didn’t write a political post; it’s about the media, written by someone who worked in the media.

My Ebook is Available on Amazon from Housewife Hustle: Earlier in this post I mentioned an upcoming author interview with Jenni from Housewife Hustle. This is the book! I couldn’t be more excited for this lovely lady. For the link to her book, hop on over to her blog via this link. And congratulations, Jenni!

Anything Helps, Even a Smile from Living Through Her Legacy: This is seriously heartwarming, and is a beautiful anecdote of a caring mother teaching her kids to care about others, something we could all learn.

It’s 75 Degrees and Sunny So Why the *Bleep* Won’t My Kids Play Outside?! from Lady of Tumult: Yes, that’s a great question. I love this post. Not only does it theorize why her, and maybe others’ kids, won’t stay outside to play, but it also lists some really fun activities.

The Western Diet Stare from Our Little Red House: A while back I wrote about adults who stare. First of all…creepy! Second of all, looks like this mom from Our Little Red House might have come across an explanation.

And if you miss my weekly questions over the next 4 weeks, Author A. R. Curry posts a weekly question on Saturdays.I

Thank you so much!

Kat

Check out all the other Digests here!