The Pulse: Mound Milestones, Half-Birthday Cakes, & a Reality Check

This past week was all about listening to what my body and mind needed to stay healthy, energized, and sane while keeping up with our back-to-school flow.

By the time Friday rolled around, the sheer weight of the week caught up with me. Balancing the top-heavy start of the week with client sessions, my spin class, back-to-school routines, baseball games, and intense heat left my energy battery running on empty. A 5-day week felt more like three whole weeks! The phrase "the days are long but years short" was deeply felt this past week.

All that said, baseball season officially kicked off, and it was incredible seeing both of my boys back in their element on the field. The major milestone of the week? My middle one, M, got to pitch for the very first time on Saturday! Despite it being ridiculously hot out, he just owned the mound. He didn't look nervous at all and pitched so well for his first time out. There is nothing quite like the feeling of watching your child step up and shine.

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Weekend Recharge: Baking Tradition, Half-Birthdays, & Ladies' Night

Instead of pushing through the exhaustion, I thankfully had Friday night to slow down, listen to an audiobook, and recharge in the kitchen.

• The Half-Birthday Cake Tradition: To moderate the chaos of our December holiday season, we host the boys' half-birthday celebrations during the summer. I spent Friday evening baking a new vanilla cake recipe, converting part of it into chocolate layers, and whipping up fresh frosting while relaxing to a few episodes of Shrinking.

  • The recipe can be found here. It worked perfectly, tasted great, and allowed two cake flavors without making two cakes.

• Saturday Doubleheader & Pool Night: After watching my youngest kill it on the baseball field, we hosted their half-birthday party! It went off without a hitch—the boys burned through all their energy with their friends, ate pizza, Cool Ranch Doritos, and cake, and seemed to have a great time celebrating with the backyard pool party.

• The Battery Recharge: Later that evening, I met up with friends for a ladies' night by the pool. Having missed seeing some of them for months, floating in the water and catching up was exactly the deep reset I needed.

• Sunday Slow-Down: Sunday was all about taking things slow—doing meal prep, tackling house chores, and transforming leftover cake/icing into cute little sprinkle-dot treats for the week.

What’s on the Menu This Week

Keeping it simple and high-protein so I don't spend any more in the kitchen:

For Me (High-Protein Meal Prep):

• Big Mac Salads: A go-to favorite for me, especially when it's so freaking hot; a classic high-protein, low-carb salad prepped into single-serve containers.

• Teriyaki Chicken & Sausage Bowls: Stir-fried chicken sausage served over cabbage and coconut rice with edamame, peas, and teriyaki sauce.

• Sweet Treats: Homemade sprinkle-dot mini cakes made from weekend leftover cake layers. IYKYK - for those moms who eat the kids' scraps as their own meals but need a little jazz every once in a while.

For the Boys:

• School Lunches: Easy classics—PB&J or peanut butter and honey, packed with sale-priced fruit (hello, peak apple season!) and homemade trail mix. They also get to pick one day to buy hot school lunch.

• Wednesday Dinner: Meatballs and roasted broccoli served with Papa Mountain cheesy bread and tomato sauce (boosted with blended white beans for extra fiber and protein!).

• Thursday Dinner (Field-Side): Slow-cooker BBQ chicken with baked potatoes (topped with broccoli and cheese) packed for the field.

• Friday Dinner: Pizza & Movie Night!

On the Bike: Dolly Tribute Ride 🚴‍♀️

With the news of Dolly Parton's recent passing, a friend suggested I put together a tribute ride. I squeezed in an extra practice session this weekend to build the ultimate playlist!

Monday’s ride will be a high-energy "Dolly for President" Tribute Ride featuring her classic hits mixed with fun, upbeat remixes.

The Unfiltered Truth: Building a Brand, Imposter Syndrome, & Real-Life Chaos

If I'm being 100% real with you guys, putting myself out there on social media feels super cringe at times.

I’m working with a business mentor who is guiding me on how to build out my website, refine my content, and hit Instagram and TikTok more consistently. But the imposter syndrome is so real. I am not trying to be a polished "influencer." I just want to share real-life tools around high-protein meal prep, budget travel, fitness, and parenting.

The truth? My kitchen right now is an absolute hot mess. There are cake crumbs on the counter and frosting splatters decorating the kitchen island.

When people ask what I’ve been up to, it’s hard to quantify, and I feel like I need to justify how I'm maximizing my time. A Reel or TikTok only lasts 30 to 60 seconds, but the time it takes to frame, shoot, edit, and caption it takes hours squeezed into 15-minute gaps throughout the day.

It feels vulnerable to put unpolished, real-life moments out there, but I hope it builds a real connection with you. There will be a video coming out soon showing the behind-the-scenes cake prep, workout snippets, and new recipes. Messy counters, raw moments, IDGAF energy, and all.

Here’s to navigating the chaos, embracing the slow Sundays, and tackling another week!