August 2021 // A List

August was a month filled with new beginnings.

August was a month of getting used to a "normal" routine.

August was a month of anxiety and fear of the boys going back to school during Covid.

August was a month of realizing how hard parenting can be during a pandemic.

August found me second-guessing a lot. 

But August was also a month full of worry but hope.

August was filled with so many quiet moments.

August was a month of personal goals.

August was an emotionally filled month.

August was an exhausting month.

August was the end of summer for us.

August was a month of letting go.

August was all about creative projects.

August taught me that it's ok to not check everything off my list. 

August was the start of that strange and exciting but sometimes frustrating seasonal transition.

My oh my, how fast August went by.

August, I'm ready for fall and September. 

Goodbye August

Hello September. 

10 Things That Made Me Happy This Week

Happy Friday! Today I'm linking up with Charlotte, Lindsay, and Beth for the weekly happy and grateful list link up.

1. Peaceful Heart collection by Jen Hadfield (I bought a few pieces from the collection over at Scrapbook.com)

2. Love Again by Dua Lipa (This song has been on repeat.)

3. King of the World by WAR*HALL (Another song that's been on repeat.)

4. This post by Lisa Spangler (@sideoats)

5. Art by @dansmoncrane and @februaryandjune

6. Raging on a Sunday by Bohnes (And another song that's been on repeat.)

7. When authors (and other creatives/artists) share playlists that inspired them 

8. Pumpkin Spice Lattes are back! 

9. Naps

10. Memorykeeping/journaling

What made you happy this week?

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time...

Atlanta Mom Blog

Happy Thursday! Today I'm over at Atlanta Mom with a new post. I'm sharing some fun things to do in Helen, GA. Feel free to check out my post and tell me what you think.

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time...

10 Things That Made Me Happy This Week

Happy Friday! Today I'm linking up with Charlotte, Lindsay, and Beth for the weekly happy and grateful list link up.

1. Letting go of toxic people

2. Cross by Shantel Tessier (Her Dark Kings series is excellent.)

3. Heat Waves by Glass Animals

4. Cooler weather (Fall is almost here!)

5. Organizing my craft table

6. Michael got two 100's on his quizzes! 

7. My kids

8. Grocery shopping/meal prepping

9. This post on Instagram 

10. This daily page by Kristin (Her daily pages are so good!)

What made you happy this week?

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time...

If You and I Had Coffee

If you and I had coffee...

We'd meet up at a new-to-us coffee shop and get some frappuccinos. We'd also order some pastries and breakfast sandwiches. Depending on the weather, we'd most likely stay indoors to keep cool while social distancing, of course. 

If you and I had coffee...

I'd tell you that the boys are back in school! Raphael started Pre-K, and he is adjusting well. He gets so excited when he sees the buses and his school. Michael is also adjusting well to being in middle school, and Gabriel has been enjoying school. I'm still slightly nervous about the boys going to school, especially since our school district has said that masks are optional but strongly recommended. 

It's a bit strange not having the boys with me during the day. Even before the pandemic started, Raphael was always with me since he's so little. Now that he's in Pre-K, I'm at home alone. Since COVID is still around, it was incredibly nerve-wracking having to send my kids to school. Michael and Gabriel are old enough to know that they have to wear their masks. However, Raphael is still a toddler, and let's be honest, most toddlers will take their masks off. We've tried working with Raphael on wearing a mask before he started Pre-K. At first, he would refuse to wear it, but I'm so happy to say that he now actually wears it. I was so surprised when his teacher told me that he wore his mask just fine. I think he was motivated to keep his mask on when he saw his classmates wearing their masks. 

If you and I had coffee...

I'd tell you that I finally finished watching the last season of The Bold Type, and I'm so sad that it's over. A few things surprised me during the last couple of episodes, but I wasn't disappointed. I'm considering watching Virgin River, but I've heard that it's such a messy show. I still have a few more shows to catch up on, but I'm looking for some new ones to watch. If you have any recommendations, please let me know. 

If you and I had coffee...

I'd tell you that I've been getting so much stuff done since the boys are in school. It's been amazing to actually complete my to-do list for the day by noon. I even completed long-term tasks in advance. I read an article, August is for the Stay-at-Home Moms by Becca Dorr over at Atlanta Mom, and it was spot on. I did every single thing on that list except for the "Great Toy Purge". I'll probably do that in the next couple of weeks. 

If you and I had coffee...

I'd tell you that I'm so glad that we were able to catch up. It's always great to catch up with friends and family. I always look forward to these chats. I hope you enjoy the rest of your day, and I can't wait to catch up with you again. 

What would you tell me?

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time...

Photo by Drew Coffman on Unsplash

10 Things That Made Me Happy This Week

Happy Friday! Today I'm linking up with Charlotte, Lindsay, and Beth for the weekly happy and grateful list link up.

1. Settling into my new daily routine

2. Fall displays at stores

3. My favorite baristas at my local Starbucks

4. Me time

5. Finishing things ahead of schedule

6. Listening to old school music

7. Words by Morgan Harper Nichols

8. Stonefire Naan 

9. This daily page/currently list by @kirstendocuments

10. Quiet afternoons

What made you happy this week?

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time...

Target Finds

Happy Wednesday! It's time for another edition of Target Finds! I have been to Target way too much. I've bought my usual go-to things, but since it's Back-to-School season (I still can't believe that my boys are back in school), I've had to get some extra stuff. 

Most of my recent and favorite Target Finds are food-related and back-to-school related. I don't know why, but it always seems like the best items are released during this time of year, and I am here for it. Also, is it too early to want to buy some apple cider and pumpkin spice coffee? There are already some fall displays and products on display at various stores, including Target. 

Anyways before I continue to ramble, let's check out my favorite Target Finds from last month.

Mixing Bowl Set - Room Essentials

I really needed another mixing bowl and found a perfect set. The set came with five bowls in various sizes, which were perfect for me. I've used them so much already. It really has made baking and cooking multiple things so much faster.

The First Years Take and Toss Bowls with Lids

I didn't purchase the complete set (as pictured). I only purchased the bowls with lids. Unfortunately, it looks likes the bowls with lids are not available, but the complete set with bowls, cups, and utensils is available. 

I bought these bowls for my son's snacks and lunches for pre-k. They are so sturdy, and it's not too hard to open or close. We use them at home and also when we have errands to run. 

Kellogg's Jumbo Snax Apple Jacks

My youngest son loves these snacks. I saw these a few weeks ago and kept debating whether or not to get some. There was a really great deal on them, so I decided to get them, and I'm so glad that I did. These taste just like the regular Apple Jacks. The only difference is that the cereal is bigger.

Stainless Steel Measuring Spoons - Made by Design

I have been on a baking kick and needed a new set of measuring spoons. I decided to get stainless steel measuring spoons because the other ones I had were the plastic kind. After losing a few of my old ones and noticing that some were damaged, it was definitely time to get some new ones. I highly recommend that you go for stainless steel instead of the plastic measuring spoons (and that goes for measuring cups).

Overall, I found some great things at Target. As usual, I was able to save on all of my Target Finds by using the Cartwheel app and buying items on sale.

What are some of your favorite Target Finds?

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time...

10 Things That Made Me Happy This Week

Happy Friday! Today I'm linking up with Charlotte, Lindsay, and Beth for their weekly grateful and happy list link up.

1. First Day of School

2. Curbside Pickup

3. More back-to-school shopping

4. Reading

5. Spending time with my family

6. Having productive mornings

7. Crossing off things on my to-do list

8. The Laughing Cow Cheese Dippers 

9. Last to Fall by Will Van De Crommert

10. Art by @autumn_moon_art and @evakalien

What made you happy this week?

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time...

August Goals

Happy Monday! I can't believe that it's finally August and it's the first day of school! This year is just flying by. 

Last month was a busy, productive, and at times a fun month. We celebrated Mami's birthday and got to see a few family members that we hadn't seen in about two years. We started to get ready for the new school year. I can't believe that my oldest son is now in middle school, and my youngest is starting pre-k. There are so many changes for this new school year, and I'm both excited and nervous. 

This month, I'm looking forward to seeing how my boys adjust to the new school year. I'm hoping to write more and share more personal pieces. I'm looking forward to exercising more. I'm also excited to work on some e-courses. I think this month will be very productive, and I can't wait to see if I'm able to accomplish all of my monthly goals for the month.

Since it's a new month, it's time to check out my new goals and have a little recap on how I did on last month's goals. Are you ready? Ok. Let's go.

 

Recap of July Goals

• Read 6 books: I definitely read more than 6 books in July. I was on a roll. I'm still trying to catch up on the list of books that I need to read and review for Netgalley, but I'm glad that I'm starting to catch up.

• Read 4 books that I need to review soon: I read 6 books from Netgalley and reviewed them. The books that I read are The Field Guide to Dumb Birds of the Whole Stupid World by Matt Kracht, You Did What? by Tova Leigh, Watering the Soul by Courtney Peppernell, Mixed Media Color Studio by Kellee Wynne Conrad, How to Be Fearless by Jessica Hagy, and Willodeen by Katherine Applegate. I may post a couple reviews of these books on the blog as well. FYI, I really loved Willodeen. It was probably my favorite book for July.

• Try 2 new recipes: Yeah...so I didn't try any new recipes. Maybe I'll do this in August?

• Complete One Little Word prompts for July: I completed the prompt for July. It felt so good to use watercolors again. I haven't used my watercolor or acrylic paints in a while. I definitely plan on using them again soon.

• Finish my Christmas 2020 traveler's notebook: So I didn't complete my traveler's notebook, but I did work on a few pages. I really hope that I can finish this traveler's notebook soon. Hopefully, before the year ends.

• Complete 2 Skillshare classes: I took Intro to Art Journaling with Nikalola and Overcome Creative Slumps with Easy Art Play by Anne Butera. I really enjoyed both classes and can't wait to take their next e-courses. The exercises really inspired me, so I can't wait to continue to work on my journal.

• Go for a walk on the Silver Comet Trail: I did not get to go to the Silver Comet Trail. The weather played a big part in why I didn't go, but July was such a busy month. 

August Goals

• Read 5 books

• Read 3 books that I need to review soon

• Try 1 new recipe

• Complete One Little Word prompt for August

• Complete 1 Skillshare class

• Post 1 personal piece on the blog

• Exercise 3 times a week

• Drink more water

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

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time...

Photo by Joanna Kosinska on Unsplash