Hi everyone!
I can’t believe we are at the end of June. This summer is going by so fast and it’s making me sad. There are a lot of good things on the horizon, but also some major changes. I’m just trying to take it one day at a time and enjoy where I am at. Since we are at the end of the month, it’s time for another Currently. Here’s a look into life lately.
What I’ve Been Up To:
Since I last caught you up on life at the end of May, a lot has happened.
I have been enjoying a lot of outside time. I have been to minor league and major league games, including a quick trip to Cleveland to see the Guardians play and win!
I also celebrated my 26th birthday with dinner at home with my family and boyfriend and cake and presents. We had Jessie James Decker’s Can of Cola Cake with raspberries and it was delicious.
I’ve spent some time at the local zoo and enjoyed a picnic too.
I’ve been enjoying lots of outdoor meals!
I’ve also been sneaking in working from outside on days off.
Lots of ice cream runs on hot days!
And Morning walks and drinks!
What I’m Wearing:
I have been loving a mix of casual and work outfits including this skort and t-shirt combination for a casual look.
I also have been wearing bold and bright colors in the summer, like this new suit from J.Crew.
Some blue and white too!
What I’m Reading:
Expiration Dates– Expiration Dates was such a fun read by Rebecca Serle. I have really enjoyed her other books and this one didn’t disappoint. It’s all about a girl who always gets a note and date of when each of her relationships will end. This happens for years until she gets a note with no end date. Has she finally met her match or is it a trick with fate? There were some unexpected twists and turns that I didn’t see coming that really added to the plot. The ending was my favorite, definitely a summer read.
The Perfect Marriage– The Perfect Marriage was a mystery/ thriller that I didn’t know I needed to read, and it was one of my favorite books that I have read in months. From the outside, it looks like this couple has the perfect marriage, that is until the husband’s mistress ends up dead. The person who defends the husband? His wife, who is a top attorney. I loved the mystery of who killed the mistress and seeing how more people got caught into the web of the marriage. I stayed up late and woke up early to finish it.
The Heiress– The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins is all about a young man who returns to his family’s estate to collect his inheritance. Once he arrives, he learns there’s more to the family story than he realized and everyone has a secret and ulterior motive, including his own mother. The books goes back and forth between the present day and letters that are written talking about what happened. There are a lot of characters which can be hard to keep track. But overall, it was a good book with a really good and unexpected ending.
It Had to Be You– It Had to Be You by Mary Higgins Clark was a page turner and thriller that had me staying up late to finish it. It’s all about twin brothers who are accused of murdering their parents. Years later, the case is reopened and new evidence is brought to light. It took a while for it to pick up, but once it did, I was hooked. Definitely recommend it!
How to End a Love Story- How to End a Love Story is by Yulin Kuang. This is a new to me author, but I really enjoyed this book. It’s all about a young woman whose book gets turned into a tv show, one of the writers is someone from her past. Will the two resolve their differences and work together or is the past too much to move forward together? I really loved the character development and the behind the scenes of the making of the show.
What I’m Watching:
Bridgerton is back, both installments of the new season dropped over the past month. Although, I’m not a huge fan of the character Penelope, she really grew on me this season and really matured too. I also loved the costumes, setting and modern music tied in.
What I’m Cooking:
This has been such a good month for cooking and it’s been filled with lots of fresh fruits, veggies, and grilling.
Chinese Chicken Salad was a hit from Jessie James Decker’s cookbook.
Caprese Chicken– I grilled chicken and add fresh mozzarella, tomato and balsamic for my birthday dinner. We also as shrimp pineapple skewers for an appetizer and a Cesear salad which was delicious. We ended the night with Jessie James Decker’s Can of Cola cake with raspberries and ice cream. Yum!
Pineapple Shrimp Rice- I got this recipe from Mix and Match Mama. I love how easy it was to make and how light and fresh it was, while still being filling.
Bowls– I’ve been enjoying bowls for lunch with things I have in my fridge. On this day, I mixed black beans, corn, rice, pork and salsa for Tex Mex bowl-yum!
Citrus Salmon with Orzo and sides- This was a light and refreshing, but most importantly, healthy dinner. All wins in my book in the summer.
Apricot Ham and Broccoli Salad– Both of these recipes are from the cookbook, Brunch with Babes. I have been saving recipes to try and this month was perfect. I love the flavor of the ham and the crunch of the salad.
What Inspires Me:
I have been reading Savannah Guthrie’s book, Mostly What God Does, every night and I have been loving ending my day with something prayerful and to cal
m my mind. This quote really stood out to me.
My sweet friend Sarah got me a necklace for my birthday, and it came with this beautiful quote. So inspiring especially in the summer months.
Some inspiration from Simplified in June!
What I Accomplished:
I have been making my way through my summer bucket list and trying to soak up as much time as I can outside.
I’ve done that by enjoying ice cream or milkshake runs.
Reading by the pool
Planting Flowers
Planting my garden
Here we have strawberries, zuchinni, pumpkins, and squash
I also ran my furthest this month of 8 miles. I was very proud of that accomplishment.
Goals from Last Month: I really wanted to make a point to soak up summer and enjoy the mornings and nights when I could. I still have a ways to go on my summer bucket list, but I’m just hoping summer slows down. I’m not ready for it to end.
I checked Donuts and Sunrise off my Summer Bucket List
I also ventured to a new place for a morning hike.
I’ve gotten to enjoy dinner by the water.
Followed by ice cream runs!
A day trip to Deep Creek, Maryland happened this month, my first time for a day of hiking and hitting the beach and reading.
Goals from This Month: Next month will be busy between the Fourth of July and celebrations. I have a wedding to go to and I want to make plans to see friends while still enjoying summer and working too. It will be busy but oh so fun!
