August 2024 // A List

1. August, August, August. What month it has been. I wanted a slower, calmer month, which did not happen. This was an incredibly stressful month. Honestly, I realized I didn't give myself enough grace and wasn't really kind to myself. I'm definitely going to change that next month.

2. The kids are back in school, and I'm back at work. It's been a wild ride. Back to school also means back to germs time. Unfortunately, the boys have gotten sick, but Gabriel seems to have been hit the hardest. We think he may have had a back-to-back stomach virus. However, he's feeling better.

3. Michael has been adjusting well to high school, and for that, I'm thankful. He's taking a graphic design class this semester, and he loves it. He already said he plans to continue with the Graphic Design pathway. I'm so excited that he's found something he really enjoys and can see himself doing this as a career. 

4. Gabriel is also doing well at school. Now that he has a year down in middle school, he seems well-adjusted to middle school. Raphael is also doing well in school. He's excited every morning to go to school, which always brings me so much joy.

5. We were told Raphael needed to be sedated for a dental procedure because he was afraid of the laughing gas mask. We immediately scheduled the appointment, and the idea of Raphael having to be sedated made me extremely anxious for several days leading up to the procedure. However, he did really well, and thankfully, he did not have to have much done.

6. We went to the farmers market almost every Sunday and loved it. It's one of the highlights of my week.

7. Fall officially starts in September, but for me, it begins in August. I love seeing all of the autumn displays and decor in stores. Pumpkin spice season is here, and I'm so excited! I've been devouring pumpkin spiced cake donuts from Krispy Kreme and Pumpkin Spice lattes from Starbucks. 

8. I've started watching a new-to-me series on Netflix, A Discovery of Witches, and so far, I'm really enjoying it. I have also added Mayfair Witches and Kaos to my watch list this fall.

9. I read 14 books in August, but my favorite book of the month is Load in Nine Times: Poems by Frank X Walker. This was an incredibly powerful collection of poetry.

10. We have gone on a few evening walks throughout the month, and I loved them. On one of our walks, we took the boys to see the turtles, ducks, and fish at our local arboretum and pond park. It was so much fun, and I can't wait to go again.

11. John's birthday is in September, and I've started trying to come up with ideas on what to get him. 

12. I have a clearer vision of what I want for my career and educational goals. I've already started the process of achieving those goals, and I'm feeling so many different emotions about them.

13. I'm so glad that August is over. It was a rough month, but I'm also thankful for the happy moments. However, I'm looking forward to September. I always come alive during the "-ber" months, especially September and October.

If You and I Had Coffee

If you and I had coffee...

We'd meet up at our favorite local coffee shop. It's pumpkin spice season, so I'd order a pumpkin spice latte and a pastry. I'd also like to apologize for not being able to catch up. I've had such a busy summer, and with school and work starting back, it's been really hectic. Can you believe it's been two months since our last coffee date?

If you and I had coffee...

I'd tell you that although we had a busy summer, it was a fun summer. We took the boys to a bunch of fun, different places like FunBox and Urban Air. We took a much-needed, last-minute vacation to Savannah and Tybee Island. I absolutely fell in love with Savannah and want to go back. John and I celebrated our eleventh wedding anniversary in July. We spent countless hours at the pool and visited Mami. 

If you and I had coffee...

I'd tell you that I'm so excited about autumn being right around the corner. I come alive during this season. I'm so ready for all things spooky! 

I'm looking forward to cooler weather, pumpkins, and the changing color of the leaves. I'm so excited about our local fall festivals, trick-or-treating, and other fall events.

If you and I had coffee...

I'd tell you that I'm feeling a little conflicted about some career and school-related things. Right now, there are two different paths that I can take in my career, but I don't know which one to choose just yet. However, I'm really close to figuring it out. I'm hoping to have a better idea by September. I'm just glad that I've started preparing for both paths.

If you and I had coffee...

I'd tell you that I've started watching A Discovery of Witches and I'm really enjoying this series. It's spooky season, so I'm on the hunt for a lot of shows related to magic, witches, autumn, etc. I'm also adding Mayfair Witches to my list of shows to watch.

I'm reading Load in Nine Times by Frank X Walker, and so far, it's amazing! I've had to stop and research so many of the names mentioned in this book. I've been learning so much about the lives of African Americans during the Civil War era from this book than from all my years in school. 

I also borrowed some books from the library that I'm excited to read. I purchased Maggie Nelson's Bluets and the latest issue of In Her Studio at Barnes & Noble.

If you and I had coffee...

I'd tell you that I'm so glad we were able to finally catch up. I've really missed our coffee chats, and they are one of the highlights of my month. I hope we get to catch up next month. Here's to slower and calmer days ahead.

What would you tell me?

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time...

Photo by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash

10 Things That Made Me Happy This Week

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

1. Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Lattes are back! That first sip was heavenly.

2. Poem for a messy home by HannahRoWrites

3. This collage

4. Not My Problem by Laila!

5. New Converse high-top sneakers. I just bought two pairs (one in red and the other in black). I needed to replace my black and white pair and decided to get an extra one. I'm planning on buying one in almost every color.

6. Resting. I haven't been feeling well for the past couple of days and it felt good to just rest. Thankfully, I'm starting to feel better.

7. Bookstores just feel magical. I went to Barnes and Noble and picked up Maggie Nelson's Bluets and the latest issue of In Her Studio.

8. I'm on a vanilla ice cream cone kick and have been devouring these.

9. Finding new Substack newsletters to read. 

10. Going for evening walks with John and the boys.

What made you happy this week?

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time...

10 Things That Made Me Happy This Week

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

1. Pumpkin Spice Cake Donuts from Krispy Kreme are back! This was the perfect little pick-me-up after running a couple of errands on Saturday.

2. This mug from The Gifting Tree and Secret Garden. I absolutely love my new mug.

3. Our Sunday trip to the farmers market. It's become one of my favorite seasonal traditions. 

4. I've been working on my Savannah/Tybee Island mini album. Looking at the photos makes me want to return to Savannah.

5. Happy mail! I received my orders this week from Studio Calico, Scrapbook.com, and Ali Edwards. I can't wait to put my new supplies and kits to good use.

6. Summer is still here, and fall has yet to arrive, but I'm already planning for Christmas. I found some cold-transfer Christmas-themed stickers that I'm going to put on some glass cups. I can't wait to make some holiday mugs. I plan on putting some treats, drink mix packets, and a gift card in them.

7. My updated Chill Mix from Apple is absolutely amazing. I look forward to seeing the updated playlist every Sunday.

8. For dinner, I made a spicy meatball pasta dish, and it was delicious! I love that it was quick and easy to make. I'll definitely make it again.

9. MadeGood Granola Minis. Oh my goodness! These granola minis are delicious! I love the chocolate chip, strawberry, and mixed berry minis. I've been packing them in my lunch and keeping a few extra on hand for snacks.

10. This was a low-key weekend, and I absolutely loved it. It was just what I needed.

What made you happy this week?

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time...

Target Finds

Happy Tuesday! It's time for another Target Finds! As usual, I've found some really great stuff at Target over the past few weeks. Most of my favorite items are school-related since we're back at school in my area.

Nature Valley Lunchbox S'mores Bars

This was an impulse buy. I saw this on an end cap, and once I saw that it was s'mores-flavored, I had to buy a box. This s'mores granola bar is soft, chewy, and so good! It really does taste like a s'more. This is a perfect snack or treat.

12" Flexible Ruler

Gabriel needed a new ruler for one of his classes, and when I saw this flexible ruler, I knew I had to buy it. I can't remember ever seeing a flexible ruler, but I thought this was such a genius idea. Plastic rulers can easily be broken, and I'm not a fan of wooden rulers. This flexible ruler is lightweight and, so far, has held up well. 

PackIt Freezable Lunch Box

I really love this lunchbox because you can freeze the entire lunchbox. My two oldest sons said the lunchboxes kept their food cold for hours. It also has a lot of space and is perfect for middle and high schoolers. However, I would recommend something else for elementary school-aged children because the lunchbox is a little heavy. 

Pirate's Booty Aged White Cheddar Puffs

This is Raphael's new favorite snack. Before I opened the bag to try some, I thought these puffs were popcorn, so I was a little surprised when it turned out that they were cheddar puffs. These cheddar puffs are delicious and a nice alternative to chips.

What are some of your favorite Target finds?

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time...

10 Things That Made Me Happy This Week

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

1. Reading (always)

2. Weekly(ish) trip to the farmer's market

3. Beignets from Bonnin's Bakery

4. T-shirts from Old Navy

5. Starbucks drink deals

6. Strawberry Cheesecake from the Starbucks in my favorite Barnes and Noble bookstore

7. Trips to some arts and crafts supply stores

8. Sleeping in

9. Olympic memes

10. Modern medicine and healthcare

What made you happy this week?

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time...

August Goals

Happy Wednesday! My goodness! I can't believe that we're already several days into August. I'm a bit late sharing my goals for the month and welcoming the new month, but better late than never, I guess. July was an absolute whirlwind of a month, but it was also a dream. July was a fun-filled month, full of adventures. 

In July, we took the boys to a new-to-us indoor adventure park, Urban Air. We had so much fun. John and the boys really loved the go-karts. I went on several evening walks and loved going to the arboretum and pond. We also went to the Silver Comet Trail and saw a cemetery that John found several weeks ago. Michael got braces and he's been adjusting well to having them. Then John and I decided we should go on a family staycation before the kids went back to school and I returned to work. We ended up deciding to go to Savannah and Tybee Island. We had such an amazing time. I absolutely fell in love with Savannah and can't wait to go back. I may have even thought out about the possibility of moving there. A few days after coming home from vacation, Michael had surgery. Thankfully, he's recovering well. 

So now, it's August and the boys are back in school. I'm back at work and we're all just getting back into our normal routine. Although, I absolutely loved July, I'm hoping that this month is a little bit slower and not as eventful. I'm looking forward to getting back into a routine. I'm looking forward to visiting the farmer's market on the weekends, buying pumpkin spice lattes and all the fall seasonal treats. I'm looking forward to working in my sketchbook more and reading good books. I'm also looking forward to taking it easy and making rest a priority.

So before I continue to ramble, let's have a recap on my July goals and check out my new goals for August.

Recap of July Goals

• Read 5 books: I read 15 books and I also read a lot of newsletters from my favorite artists and writers. I'm actually surprised that I got a lot of reading done especially since July was such a busy month. My favorite reads of the month are The Universe in Verse by Maria Popova, The Bookstore Wedding by Alice Hoffman, and Always Haunted by LindaAnn LoSchiavo.

• Participate in Exhale's July blog hop: I attempted to work on the prompt, but for some reason, I was stuck on what to write. I may have to circle back to that prompt this month.

• Work on my Project Life album: I didn't work on my project life album because I haven't ordered photos for a few of the layouts. 

• Work on one Christmas themed project: I completely forgot to work on this project. It'll get done eventually...I hope.

• Try 2 new recipes: I made the TikTok whipped coffee, a pumpkin spice hot chocolate affogato, and I also made an Almond Butter Banana cake from Yossy Arefi's book, Snacking Cakes.

August Goals

• Read 4 books

• Work on my Savannah and Tybee Island album

• Try 1 new recipe

• Work in my sketchbook/art journal

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

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time...

Photo by Sixteen Miles Out on Unsplash

July 2024 // A List

1. July was a whirlwind of a month, but it was also such a dream. I wish it didn't end.

2. I've been going for evening walks and absolutely love it. One of my favorite places to go for a walk is the Downtown Smyrna Arboretum and Pond. I was so surprised and delighted to see so many turtles on my walks.

3. We celebrated the Fourth of July by taking the boys to Urban Air. This is such a cool place to take the kids. The boys loved the go-karts and John won so many tickets from the claw machines.

4. We also went for a few walks on the Silver Comet Trail, and John showed me the graveyard he found on one of his walks.

5. So many rainier cherries were consumed in July.

6. I tried the TikTok whipped coffee recipe and loved it. I can't wait to try it again.

7. Michael got braces! We only went to get a consultation, but he got braces on the same day!

8. A few days after Michael got braces, John and I decided to go on a family vacation to Savannah and Tybee Island. We really wanted to go on a staycation before the boys went back to school, and I had to return to work after having the summer off.

9. I fell in love with Savannah and Tybee Island. I want to go back again. The boys loved going to the beach and swimming in the ocean. I was hit with a massive wave of nostalgia when we got to the beach. I hadn't gone to the beach in years. It was so refreshing, freeing, and beautiful to swim in the ocean.

10. Savannah is an artist and historian's dream. I loved learning about the different landmarks in Savannah, and the architecture is amazing! One of my favorite places was Bonaventure Cemetery. Another favorite was Savannah's Waterfront. We saw dolphins swimming in the river and watched boats and ships go by. 

11. July 20th marked my 11th wedding anniversary. It was so nice to spend it in Savannah.

12. Shortly after returning home from our vacation, Michael underwent surgery. I was a nervous wreck, but thankfully, everything went well. He's recovering well and was able to start school on time.

13. Work started back for me, and it's going much smoother than last year. 

14. I met the boys' teachers before the new school year. I still can't believe that I have a high schooler. 

15. July was such a fun-filled month, and I'm so thankful we got to do so much stuff. I'm grateful we got to experience new things, visit new places, and make new memories. July was truly everything that I was hoping for. 

16. I'm a little sad that July is over. Although it's already August, I have high hopes for this month. Here's to hoping August is a quieter, slower, and smoother month. 

10 Things That Made Me Happy This Week

Happy Sunday! It's been a crazy, busy few weeks. Between returning from our vacation, getting ready for school and work, Michael's surgery and recovery, and finally returning to work and school, I've barely had time to post anything. However, today, I'm linking up with Charlotte, Lindsay, and Beth for their weekly happy and grateful list link-up.

1. Michael's surgery went well!

2. The Beginning (Acoustic) by Flawed Mangoes  

3. My sons all had a great first day back at school

4. Water, Water by Billy Collins

5. All autumn displays in stores (Pumpkin season is upon us...at least for me it is)

6. My Studio Calico, Ali Edwards, and Persnickety Prints orders arrived! 

7. Working on my Savannah/Tybee Island vacation album

8. Costco (We just got a membership and absolutely love it!)

9. Summer Olympics content

10. Autumn Gray by Boy Willows

What made you happy this week?

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time...