It’s been a long minute, friends. Life has been hectic and I’m sorry for quietly stepping away without a proper update. It wasn’t intentional — we’ve been in a major season of transition, and now that things are settling, I can finally share again.
I started this post back on June 24th — yes, June 24th — and it’s time to finish it. Here’s what I’ll be covering:
- 30-hour road trip
- Moving house
- Black kitchen
- Homeschooling
- Blog design
- Never giving up
- Motherhood
Pour yourself a cup of tea, coffee, infused water or Ovaltine like me, and let’s dive in.
ROAD TRIP FROM CALIFORNIA TO MINNESOTA
In May we drove from California to Minnesota — a full 30-hour road trip with Mr. N and our four children (all eight and under). Yes, we’re a bit crazy, but having completed that trip both ways, I feel like we could go anywhere by car now. It was quite an adventure.
We took plenty of breaks for bathroom stops, meals, and to enjoy the scenery. I packed a huge bag of snacks, fruit, and easy-to-eat items, so feeding the kids wasn’t a problem. Mr. N set up mini-screens for the girls with some DVDs, which kept them entertained and helped the miles pass more smoothly.
After that experience, a two-hour drive now feels short — even though my husband did all the driving! One thing I really missed, though, was the road food from my birth country, Cameroon. In Cameroon it’s a highlight to stop at roadside vendors for roasted plum (different from the American plum), grilled fish over charcoal, suya, roasted plantains, corn, and other tasty treats. Those little stops make road trips so special, and I miss them.
What I loved about the American road trip, however, were the views. The rocks, canyons and mountains were breathtaking and really reminded me of the Creator behind it all. I couldn’t get enough of the scenery. Are you a nature person?
I filmed parts of the trip and planned to share videos on my YouTube channel, but I hesitated since my channel is called “Precious Kitchen” and a road trip doesn’t exactly match a cooking focus. Would you like to see travel-style videos on Precious Kitchen, or should I start a separate channel for lifestyle and travel content? Tell me what you think.
Our main reason for the trip was to attend Mr. N’s graduation. He completed his bachelor’s degree while working full time and caring for our family — I’m incredibly proud of him. Balancing work, study and family life was no small feat, and he did it well.
MOVING HOUSE
We moved again — this time to a new house in Southern California. Moving is exciting and exhausting. I started packing early, which helped avoid last-minute overwhelm, but it’s still a lot of work. I’m obsessed with our new home! I keep picturing decor ideas and plans for each room, even when I should be unpacking first. Old habits of dreaming up the perfect space are hard to resist.
My favorite feature right now is the very large backyard. It’s mostly dirt at the moment, but I have big plans and visions for what it can become. I’m so grateful for this home and for God’s continued provision.
You can catch glimpses of the new house in a recent video I posted on my YouTube channel.
BLACK KITCHEN
The kitchen in this house isn’t white — it’s black — and I love it. I originally wanted white cabinets, but the finish on the black cupboards is beautiful and I’m learning to embrace it. I may paint them white someday, but for now, I’m excited to film future cooking videos in a spacious black kitchen.
HOMESCHOOLING
This July 4th marked three years since I began homeschooling our children. I actually started on July 4th, three years ago, before the typical school year began in September. I began early with the plan that if it didn’t work, we’d enroll them in September. Three years later, we’re still homeschooling and I’m grateful for the journey. It’s meaningful that our start date coincides with American Independence Day — every July 4th now reminds me of our homeschooling story.
BLOG DESIGN
You’ll notice the blog looks different. I updated the design for technical reasons and tried to keep it consistent with the old look where possible, but there are some changes. Feel free to explore the new layout. The search box remains on the right side so you can find recipes and ideas easily. If you run into any issues, please let me know.
NEVER GIVE UP
Keep going. Even when life gets hard, don’t give up. You may fall, but don’t stay down — get up and keep moving forward. Success often belongs to those who persist through failure and keep trying.
There have been many moments I wanted to quit this blog, yet I keep returning. What you see here is the result of persistence. I hope that encourages you to pursue your own dreams. Setbacks are part of the journey and can shape and strengthen you if you let them.
MOTHERHOOD
This is me, doing my best every day to love and raise the children God entrusted to us. This summer the older girls attended kids’ camp at our church; they were excited and learned a lot. I’m so glad they had that experience.
Yoyo is an amazing big sister.
The older girls have the best poses for pictures.
We went berry picking and had a wonderful time together.
We’ve been enjoying delicious meals together.
We resume homeschooling this week and the girls are excited. I pray we make memories that last a lifetime.
Have a lovely week ahead, friends. I love every one of you — thank you for being here.