Hello everyone!
Happy Wednesday! As much as I hate to say it, we are at the end of July, I have had such a good and fulfilling summer.
Although, I know we still have plenty of summer and nice weather ahead, the end of July always makes me a bit sad since I know it will soon be back to school and back indoors and one of my favorite seasons is coming to an end.
Today, I am focusing on the positives and everything I accomplished over the past month. July was BUSY between entertaining, crossing off big goals, seeing friends, and day trips. In case you missed it, here’s what I have been up to.
What I’ve Been Up To:
I have been trying my best to enjoy as much time outside as possible, from reading by the pool, to eating outdoors, catching up on work outside, even folding laundry in the sun.
Speaking of eating outdoors, I have done my best to cook as much as possible outside and that means lots of grilling.
I’ve done some grilling myself, but I’ve enjoyed when other people do the grilling for me.
The month began with the Fourth of July which included lots of food, family, friends, and fireworks!
Plus, plenty of leftovers that we enjoyed all weekend long.
I then went to a wedding in Cleveland which was a fun afternoon and a great time to celebrate great people and love!
I enjoyed summer fun like by mini golfing!
What I’m Wearing:
Short sets have been my go-to. These polka dotted shorts from Marshall’s were a hit for the Fourth of July.
For a more casual look, I love these white, cotton shorts from Old Navy.
Florals are in this summer and I love a bold print. This was the dress I wore to the wedding at the beginning of the month from Ann Taylor. It would be perfect for weddings, showers, or a fancy date night.
I will be sharing more about this outfit as part of Friday Favorites. I got both the top and shorts from Marshall’s and were pleased with both.
A skirt and top combo for a dinner out!
What I’m Reading:
This month had some ups and downs in terms of reading. I read some great books and others fell flat.
Funny Story– Funny Story by Emily Henry was a win for me. I love Henry and have read all her books, and this one did not disappoint. It’s all about a girl who gets dumped by her fiancé for his oldest friend. She ends up moving in with oldest friend’s ex, temporarily. They end up becoming friends as he shows her around the town and community before the wedding. They decide to face the music and go to their ex’s wedding together, how about that for a plot twist?!
Mostly What God Does– Mostly What God Does by Savannah Guthrie was such a good daily read. It’s a series of essays about faith, God, his love, and life. You can read it all at once, but I chose to read an essay/passage a night. It took me a while to finish it, but I’m glad it gave me time to really appreciate the readings. I really love how Guthrie has the book laid out. It gives readers a chance to really focus on the material and then digest it.
Just the Nicest Couple– Just the Nicest Couple by Mary Kubica is all about a man who goes missing and one of the last people to see him alive is his wife’s best friend. Did she have something to do with it or is she being framed? These two couples who you think may be friends, may not be as close as they seem. There were some great twists, turns and plot points.
A Court of Thorns and Roses– Sarah Maas’ A Court of Thorns and Roses was a fantasy first for me. I have heard so many rave reviews about this book and I thought it was good, but not great. It’s all about a medieval land where a faerie is forced to live with a beast after she allegedly killed one of his people. She is treated like an outsider at first, but eventually grows to love her new world, until she is forced to leave. She then must decide if she wants to return again. The description of the land and the characters is very well done, but I think the different genre is what caused me to have a hard time getting into it. I may continue to read some of her other books in the series but decided to take a pause for another book genre. The book was good, but I don’t know if fantasy is for me.
Chasing Harry Winston– I picked up Chasing Harry Winston by Lauren Weisberg at a book sale and was interested in the plot about three young women in New York City who are all searching for new relationships. It’s a story about love, growth, taking chances, but most importantly, friendship. I thought the book was good, but not great.
The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper– This was the second book I read by Phaedra Patrick. The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper follows a widowed man who discovers a charm bracelet from his late wife which takes him on a journey about the life she had before him. He travels to India, London, Paris as he learns about each of the charms and the story behind them. This was such a quaint novel and I loved learning about all the adventures his wife went on.
Emergency Contact– This was the first book I have read by Lauren Layne and Anthony LeDonne. Emergency Contact is about a woman who gets in an accident and when they call her emergency contact it turns out to be her ex-husband. This story follows the two reconnecting and being forced to spend the holidays together in an effort to get home. I loved all the obstacles the characters had to overcome and the ending was perfect! 5 stars from me!
The Two Lives of Lydia Bird- Josie Silver’s The Two Lives of Lydia Bird tells the story of a young woman who loses her fiance and has to cope with life without him. However, when she sleeps, she finds herself in a world where he is still alive. She must decide what life she wants to live in. This is the second book I have read by Josie Silver and I loved it!
The Blue Bistro– I have been on an Elin Hilderbrand kick and the The Blue Bistro was my latest read. I loved everything about this book, from the setting, Nantucket references, the characters and storyline. My favorite part was the description of the food! Everything sounded so delicious. The story follows a young woman who takes a job at a restaurant in Nantucket for its final summer being open. It’s all about the challenges she has to overcome and the lessons she learns and the people she meets along the way. Such a good story!
What I’m Watching:
I haven’t been watching too much tv, which is typically the norm in the summertime. I like to be outside as much as possible. But I have watched a few movies which I enjoyed.
A Simple Favor– I know it’s a movie that has been out for a few years, but I finally got around to watching A Simple Favor. It stars Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick who become friends until Lively’s character goes missing. Where and why did she disappear and what secrets does she have hidden? I really enjoyed the movie, especially with the unexpected plot points.
I Am Celine– I have enjoyed Celine Dion’s music and was sad to learn when she announced her illness last year. Her new documentary “I Am Celine” is now on Amazon Prime. I really loved getting a behind the scenes look at her life before and after her illness. I also loved hearing some of her iconic songs throughout the documentary. Definitely worth the watch if you are a Celine fan.
We also have been watching the Olympics! From the opening ceremonies to the primetime events, it’s been such a fun nightly watch!
What I’m Cooking:
It’s been a great month of cooking.
Strawberry Chicken Salad- I got this recipe from Celebrate with Babs’ cookbook. It was a hit with grilled chicken and I added some extra fruit to garnish and that seemed to go over well.
Cocoa Oatmeal Treats– I found this recipe from Hershey’s and even though they aren’t the healthiest with chocolate and peanut butter, they were tasty and easy to make.
Texas Caviar– I made this salad for our Fourth of July party and really enjoyed how it turned out. You can eat it with chips or just on its own.
Lemon Blueberry Muffins– I loved citrus and fresh fruit in the summer. On a rainy day, I decided to do some baking with my blueberries from my picking and these lemon blueberry muffins were a hit!
Pineapple Chicken with Caprese Orzo and Corn- These were two recipes I found on Pinterest and loved to try. They can be eaten by themselves or together for a filling meal with lots of flavor!
Peach Caprese Salad– This was such an easy side dish. We ate it with chicken, but you can eat it on its own. I loved the flavor of the sweetness of the peaches mixed with veggies and cheese. I got it from my Magnolia cookbook by Joanna Gaines.
Shrimp Tacos and Homemade Coleslaw– I found this recipe from Jessie James Decker’s cookbook and it was a hit. I love seafood and the slaw was so easy to make too! A great summer meal!
Peanut butter Chocolate Chip Cookies– I was craving something sweet and these hit the spot. I love anything peanut butter and chocolate and this was such an easy recipe that I found on Pinterest!
What Inspires Me: I have been spending so much time outside, whether it’s going for walks, cutting fresh flowers, or eating meals. I love seeing everything in full bloom.
Here’s some quotes that have been both inspiring and left me smiling too!
What I Accomplished: I have been checking so many things off my summer bucket list and while I’m glad I’m accomplishing a lot, it makes me sad that summer is coming to an end.
Some highlights of my summer bucket list from this past month include running my first 10 K and hitting a new personal record.
I also enjoyed fruit picking from cherries to blueberries.
My garden is coming along nicely too.
Plus I enjoyed lots of summer walks to new places and old and at all hours of the day.
I also got in some zoo trips too! This is one of my favorite summer activities!
Goals from Last Month:
I accomplished a lot from celebrating the Fourth of July, heading to a friend’s wedding and seeing and catching up with friends whether it be through calls, facetime or in person.
I also got away for a day-trip to Canada. I packed a lot in and will be sharing more next week in a whole post!
Goals for this Month: I am looking forward to but also dreading August. I have a lot of fun things planned like a family vacation, but also I’m not looking forward to everyone moving out and going back to school. It will be a month of change and transition, that I’m not particularly looking forward to, but know it will be a month of growth.
That’s a look into life lately, great strides in my summer adventures and lots of memories being made.