August 2026 // A List

1. August was an incredibly busy month. The first day of school...and work, all the errands, a mile-long to-do list...it was a lot. Many stressful days, but sprinkles of everyday joy and magic made their appearance.

2. I've been going to physical therapy, and it has been so helpful. I can't believe I put this off for a few years now. Please, please remember to listen to your body and take care of your health.

3. I finally got to try the Coquito Iced Latte from Cafe Coquí, and it was delicious.

4. My local Barnes & Noble was going out of business, so I went about three times during August. They had an amazing deal that was too good to pass up. I had several books I wanted to read and got them for a steal. I also went on the last day of business and felt so sad that the store was really closing.

5. While at Target, I was approached by two women in the small, tragic book aisle. One of the women saw I had a trenta-sized strawberry refresher and asked me how long it usually takes me to drink it. That question eventually turned into an entire conversation about random things. We talked about books, careers, and just general life stuff. After a long and incredibly awful day, that conversation made my day. Women really are amazing.

6. A timer was going off at work, and my colleague and I were looking for it. I remember clearly saying, "It's getting louder. I just can't see it." Friends, the timer was in my sweater...and I was wearing it! I still laugh about this.

7. I went to a new local boutique and bought a really cute top. It will be perfect for fall, and I think I may even be able to use it for part of my Halloween costume.

8. It was (and still is) incredibly hot. I was (and still am) dreaming of fall.

9. John, the boys, and I were really trying to take advantage of the last few weeks of summer. We went to the pool. We also went to the Marietta Square to check out a few stores and order some pizza from one of our favorite pizza shops.

10. Dolly Parton passed away, and my heart broke. I absolutely love how everyone loves Dolly. I loved reading so many different things people had to say about Dolly. 

11. I borrowed quite a few books and have a long list of holds at my library. I'm really hoping they don't all arrive at the same time.

12. I feel like I'm bursting with creative energy, and I'm trying to find the best way to release it.

13. The summer-to-fall transition has been a strange one this year. That being said, I need fall to arrive. I am in desperate need of cooler weather.

14. Mother Earth is trying to tell us something, and I think we really need to listen.

15. So long, August. You were a lot. However, I'm thankful for the lessons. Hello, September. I hope you're a slower month. A month of growth and becoming. Please be kind to me.

Photo by Brunxs on Unsplash

10 Things That Made Me Happy This Week

Happy Sunday! This was a rough week, so I was especially happy when the weekend finally arrived. I didn't have any major plans for the weekend, which is just what I needed.

1. I've been slowly decorating our home for the fall season. I also bought a new loaf pan, and I'm excited to make all the homemade loaves, especially banana bread.

2. The I SPY! Walter Wick's Hidden Wonders exhibition looks amazing! I foresee a trip to the museum in the near future.

3. I was so incredibly saddened to hear of Dolly Parton's passing. I absolutely love how much everyone loved her. For the past few days, I've been reading so many different things people had to say about Dolly. I also love how the younger generation is taking an interest in Dolly and the work she did in her lifetime.  

4. Ella Frances Sanders' latest newsletter post, No. 288. I really love the Sheila Heti quote she included. *Random fact: I just picked up Sheila Heti's Motherhood from my local library, so I was excited to read the quote.

5. On repeat: When They Come for You by TENDER

6. Austin Kleon shared his paper roll dispenser (?), and now I want to make one. One of my colleagues also has a large sticky easel pad in her office for taking notes and presentations that would make a decent alternative to making my own paper roll dispenser.

7. Currently Reading: Bookish Nanny for the Lycan King by Elara Haze

8. I tried the Iced Banana Bread Latte from Starbucks, and it was actually pretty good. There was a perfect hint of banana, and I was surprised it didn't overpower the drink. Would I try it again? Yes.

9. We've had a few days of cooler temps in the mornings, so I'm getting even more excited about fall's arrival. 

10. I'm really excited for September and already made some plans. I'm hoping it's a better month than August. 

What made you happy this week?

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time...

Photo by Jen P. on Unsplash

Atlanta Mom Blog

Happy Tuesday! I'm over at Atlanta Mom with a new post. Summer is still here, but fall (and winter) will be here before you know it. So I'm sharing a list of fall and winter family-friendly movies. Feel free to check out my post and tell me what you think. You can check out my previous posts here.

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time...

10 Things That Made Me Happy This Week

Happy Sunday! It was a rough week, so I was very excited for the weekend. It's also still odd to think that we just finished the third week of school. These past few weeks are flying. It's been so busy, and we're starting to get used to our routine. 

1. At the book aisle in Target, two women approached me. One of them saw my trenta-sized strawberry refresher and asked me how long it usually takes me to drink it. What ensued was a lovely conversation that really made my day after having an incredibly rough day...actually, the entire week was rough. We talked about books, career goals, and just life in general. It was so refreshing. I swear women are truly amazing.

2. Lin-Manuel Miranda's acceptance speech from the Disney Legends Award Ceremony.

3. We went to the pool and had so much fun. We also bought pizza from the Marietta Pizza Company for dinner. It was nice to not have to worry about cooking after a long day at the pool.

4. I've been watching Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's series documenting her journey of egg freezing and fertility preservation. This was incredibly interesting to watch, and I appreciate AOC sharing her story. Check out her stories for updates.

5. On repeat: Willing and Able by Noah Kahan

6. I went to my local Barnes & Noble final day of business and found some more books. I actually found several good books. I found a couple of Elizabeth Strout's books, including Olive Kitteridge. I'm planning to read this book before I watch the series.

7. Currently reading: You & A Bike & A Road by Eleanor Davis

8. A crowd celebrating a woman's 100th birthday. This was so beautiful and heartwarming.

9. I went to a new boutique and found a really cute sweater for fall. I think I may even use it as part of my Halloween costume. I also bought a chicken tortilla soup mix, and I can't wait to try it. I also went to a few of my favorite local boutiques and came up with an idea for a blog post.

10. It was such a wonderful weekend. We went to the Marietta Square, went for a walk around the area, and stopped by a few shops. The boys enjoyed some strawberry refreshers. I picked up a few treats from various shops and a coffee from Tuesday. This weekend was just what I needed.

What made you happy this week?

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time...

Photo by Julia Peretiatko on Unsplash

10 Things That Made Me Happy This Week

Happy Sunday! I can't believe we're already halfway through the month! This month really is flying by. This week was another busy one. There were definitely ups and downs. Friday didn't even feel like a Friday, but I was so grateful for the end of the week. 

1. I had a Barnes & Noble gift card, so I decided to pop in again to take advantage of their buy 5 books for $25 deal. I was lucky to find Wreck by Catherine Newman.

2. Kelcey Ervick's latest piece about creative seasons was so interesting.

3. I celebrated Bookstore Romance Day by going to Sincerely Yours Bookstore. I also grabbed a s'mores latte and two bottled lattes from Tee + Coffee Studio's pop-up at the bookstore event. I love supporting my favorite small businesses.

4. On repeat: Break Your Heart Worse by Crimson Apple

5. I got some more decluttering done and was able to get a massive amount of the boys' clothes to either sell or donate. 

6. I received my snail mail from Haley Weaver and loved all the little surprises. 

7. Currently Reading: Ava Enters the Group Chat by Emma St. Clair.

8. I got my first batch of Honeycrisp apples at the farmer's market. I was beyond excited, especially since I've been daydreaming of fall.  Also, buying apples and other fruits at the farmer's market is just so much better than buying them in a grocery store. 

9. I was finally able to try Café Coquí's Coquito Iced Latte and a mojadito cake! The lines are usually so long at the Smyrna market, but I thankfully arrived at the best time. The wait wasn't long at all, and the drink and treat were well worth it.

10. After making a big decision this week, it was nice to relax during the weekend. This weekend was everything I needed.

What made you happy this week?

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time...

Photo by Julia Kicova on Unsplash

August Goals

Happy Tuesday! How is it already August, and how are we in the second week of August? Before we know it, it'll be December. It's been a busy month already...I mean, I'm sharing my monthly goals post eleven days into the month. But better late than never, I suppose.

July went by fast. There were some busy days spent back-to-school shopping and preparing for the first day back to school and work. Thankfully, we didn't have to buy too many supplies since we still had a bunch at home. 

John and I celebrated our 13th wedding anniversary. We celebrated the entire week. We went on a lovely date. Later in the week, we even stopped by Marietta Pizza Company, which was one of the first places we went to when we first started dating. 

We celebrated Mami's birthday. It was nice to spend time with family, eat good food, and have all the kids together for the day. It's amazing how fast the kids grow. I can't believe my oldest nephew will be an adult in just a few months. It seems like yesterday he was just an infant.

July was an eye-opening month. I tried something and quickly realized that it wasn't for me. I definitely needed to take care of my health, and I'm so proud that I took the steps to do just that. I finally started physical therapy after putting it off for way too long, and after just one session, I felt so much better. I'm looking forward to seeing how I progress.

This month, I'm looking forward to getting back to a routine. I already knew it would be a busy month, but so far it hasn't been too bad. However, I'm certain it will get busy in the next week or so. 

I'm looking forward to something big happening this month, and I admit I'm really nervous. I took some time this weekend to have some me time and to prepare as much as I can for what is to come. 

Since it's a new month and I'm a bit late with my monthly goals, it's time to finally share a recap of last month's goals and check out my new goals for August. 

Recap of July Goals

• Read 2 books I borrowed from the library: I read My Name Is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout. I really enjoyed it and can't wait to read the next book in the series. Raphael and I also read several books together. We read Deep Blue: Swimming in the Big Blue Sea by Dashka Slater, Just In Case You Want to Fly by Julie Fogliano, This Is Not My Hat by Jon Klassen, and a couple of Pete the Cat books by Kimberly and James Dean.

• Read 1 book I received from NetGalley: I didn't finish reading any of the books I've received from NetGalley, but I did continue to read a few of them.

• Try 1 new-to-me recipe: I made two new recipes in July! I made a teriyaki chicken meatball bowl and a lemon pasta dish. I've been really inspired by Melissa's recipes and have enjoyed switching a few things here and there. 

• Work in my journal/art journal: Unfortunately, I didn't work in my journal. I will honestly say I was too busy and didn't make time to work in my journal. 

• Watch or stream a movie: I watched Voicemails to Isabelle and Remarkably Bright Creatures. They were both amazing! I haven't watched a romcom in years, and Voicemails to Isabelle was perfect! Remarkably Bright Creatures was amazing, and Sally Field did an amazing job in the film.

• Enjoy the rest of our summer break: I was determined to enjoy the rest of our summer break as much as I could, and I'm glad I did. It was a busier summer than usual, so I'm glad I was intentional with the time we had left before the start of school and work.

August Goals

• Read 1 book I borrowed from the library

• Read 1 book I received from NetGalley

• Try 1 new-to-me recipe

• Work in my journal/art journal

• Watch or stream a movie or show

What are your goals for August? How did you do in July?

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time...

Photo by Jiawei Zhao on Unsplash

10 Things That Made Me Happy This Week

Happy Sunday! The first week of school and work has passed. I'm happy to say the boys are adjusting well. I am incredibly grateful that it went well, especially after the awful and stressful week I had. I felt it was so important to remember the little things that gave me joy, and I'm so glad that I've made it a habit to document those small moments.

1. Things to Do When You're Standing Inside of August by Megan Minutillo

2. Barnes & Noble Haul. I mentioned this before, but my local Barnes & Noble is unfortunately closing. Supposedly, a gas station will be built in its place, which is incredibly unfortunate. My local Barnes & Noble is gorgeous. The architecture is amazing, so it's so sad to know that it's going to be torn down to make way for a gas station. As the store nears its final weeks, the sales have been amazing. Books are now 50% off. They also have another sale where you can buy any 5 books in the store for $25 (the only exclusion is books priced at $50 or more). I even found the book that I had been looking for weeks! I may or may not have let out a little squeal of excitement when I found it.

3. A drone captured a humpback whale giving birth to a calf in what was possibly the world's first.

4. I think I may have found my fall drink for this year. Cove's Blood Orange prebiotic soda is so good!

5. On repeat: Lonely Touch by Sarah Kinsley

6. I went to Sincerely Yours Bookstore and bought a new candle and a mini embroidery kit.

7. Currently reading: I've been catching up on some Substack newsletters, and I'm still slowly reading Austin Kleon's Don't Call It Art. 

8. I recently learned about the Tiny Art Show, and it's so cool. I really hope there's a pop-up one day near my city.

9. After the horrible week I had, I'm so glad this video randomly popped up on my feed.

10. I went to the Smyrna Handmade Market and bought some peaches (the last one for the season), some plain and Mexican cheese bagels, some baked goods from Bonnin's Bakery, and some drinks from Soul Food Holistic Healing. I'm set for some meals and desserts for the week. I absolutely adore shopping local and helping support some of my favorite small businesses. 

What made you happy this week?

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time...

Photo by Jess Bailey on Unsplash