The Great Cookie Stock-Up Before London

A little summer life lately, freezer stocking, London feelings, and some really good recipes coming soon!

Chelsea Lords
Jun 21, 2026

Well, the clock is ticking and I am so close to leaving for London. I am SO excited, but also nervous and definitely feeling all the feels.

My daughter woke me up the other day with a little note and I immediately burst into tears just thinking about how much I’m going to miss everyone. I’ve been trying to soak up all the time together while also working hard to make sure there are some new recipes ready to go while I’m gone.

And I have to say, the recipes coming this summer are GOOD. Like, really good. I had one of my sisters test a recipe that will be coming soon, and she and her husband said it was the best meal they’d ever eaten. So, YAY. I cannot wait to share that one with you! (Crispy beef tacos—get excited!)

My kids have been very concerned about the cookie situation while I’m gone, AKA the possibility of not having any, which honestly makes me feel like I’ve raised them right, haha. They love having cookie dough in the freezer, so we decided to make a whole cookie day out of it.

And by cookie day, I mean we made SEVEN batches of cookies. Yes, seven. There was a massive mountain of cookie dough, and then we all weighed, rolled, and set the dough balls on trays. After they froze for about an hour, I transferred them to plastic bags, and they should have enough cookies to last the rest of the summer. (We made the recipe I linked, but without Nutella and rolled each dough ball to 40 grams).

We also made about six batches of blueberry muffins and a few batches of banana bread for quick breakfasts. Everything is tucked away in the freezer, so they can pull one out in the morning and pop it in the toaster or air fryer.

And then they also convinced me they needed waffles, pancakes, and syrup in the freezer too, so apparently I’m running a tiny breakfast bakery over here.

We’ve been in the kitchen a lot, and honestly, baking and cooking with my kids is my favorite thing ever.

My younger two have been doing a little summer camp run by a neighbor who truly went all out. They had Disney day, pirate day, tons of treats, crafts, and activities, and they loved it so much. They’ve already begged to do her camp again in a few weeks when she hosts it next!

That little camp window has become my prime recipe-testing time, and I am not complaining. My sister is still here from Hawaii, so I’ve had her helping me test, test, and re-test recipes until we get them just right.

The kids and I have also been playing with lots of air-dry clay. It’s my kids’ favorite craft right now. They make little animals and objects, and recently they started making and naming their own “blends,” which is about the cutest thing ever.

My daughter also took a class at her last camp where she learned how to do hair, and now she does my hair almost every day. It has quickly become one of my favorite things.

She always insists on taking a picture afterward so I can see it, and so far I’m not sure we’ve gotten one that isn’t a little blurry, but I love them so much anyway. I asked her who was going to do my hair in London, and she said, “You’ll just have to sneak me in your suitcase.”

We’ve been pretty much exclusively grilling this past week. I love marinating meat in the morning and then throwing it on the grill when everyone is hungry. My husband is usually grilling while I make some kind of salad or side, and we’ve all eaten our fair share of watermelon.

I’ll be sharing some new chicken kabobs in a few weeks, and I think we tested six total versions before they were just right. Good thing my whole family loves chicken, haha! (From L-R: blueberry corn salad, honey-lime chicken, and corn salad).

Also, so many of you have loved my baked chicken thighs, so I created a Greek-seasoned version, and I have to say, it is OFF THE CHARTS.

That one is coming next month, and all I can say is get excited. It’s outrageous.

This past week, I also shared another “new mom meal” or meal to bring a friend in need, and this one was a Greek dinner.

It had grilled Greek chicken, lemon-herb rice, warm pita, tzatziki, hummus, Greek salad, fruit, snacks, and dessert. It’s fresh, colorful, filling, and easy for everyone to build their own plate, which is always my favorite kind of meal to drop off.

So that’s a little life lately over here: a freezer full of cookies, blurry hair pictures, air-dry clay everywhere, lots of grilling, and a whole lot of emotions as London gets closer.

Hope your week has been a good one, and I can’t wait to share what’s coming next.

XOXO, Chelsea