July 2025 // A List

1. Oh, July. You slowly arrived, but flew by quickly. I'm shocked at how fast the month went by. I'm a bit sad since this means summer break is over.  

2. July was a month of celebrations. We celebrated various family members' birthdays. It was nice to celebrate with family and see loved ones that we haven't seen in a while. 

3. John and I also celebrated our 12th wedding anniversary. We went to dinner at Maggiano's, which is where we had our wedding reception. John and I exchanged gifts. I adore the bouquet that John got me. Every year, he gets me a massive bouquet of flowers just like the one I had for my wedding. And he gets them from the floral shop, Floral Creations Florist, that we hired for our wedding flowers. It's a fantastic small business floral shop, and their bouquets and flowers are gorgeous.

4. I had mixed feelings about the Fourth of July. It didn't seem like there should be any celebrations going on when the country seems like an absolute disaster. We stayed home, but we did watch the fireworks, and we also lit some sparklers. 

5. McDonald's finally brought their snack wraps back, and I was so excited. I was hit with a blast of nostalgia. 

6. In July, we had several appointments to attend since school would be starting soon. All of the appointments went well, for which I am grateful. Michael, Raphael, and John received new eyeglasses.

7. July was a month full of self-care. I tried some new face masks and a new foot mask that felt heavenly. I also made lots of tea, cooked more homemade meals, and made sure to rest. 

8. I read so many excellent books in July. I read so many books that I received from NetGalley. I read three five-star books, which were: The People's Project by Saeed Jones and Maggie Smith, 31 Days of Spooky by Harper Celebrate, and A Rebellion of Care by David Gate. 

9. Towards the end of this month, I found myself in a "nesting" stage. It was a strange feeling, yet it wasn't unfamiliar to me. I definitely embraced this phase and welcome it. I cleaned and decluttered extensively, even tackling things I had postponed for a long time. I was also able to donate some items. I tend to go through a nesting phase, especially when the seasons are about to change. 

10. This last week of July is bittersweet and also marks the beginning of what I consider one of the oddest times of the year. School starts in just a few days. It's still summer, but I always associate the first day of school with fall (even though it's incredibly hot in our area). To me, August 1st is the start of the fall season, and I'm here for it. I'm beyond excited for Halloween and all things autumn. It truly is the most wonderful time of the year. 

11. July, you were an absolute whirlwind in the best way. I'm sad to see you go, but I'm so grateful for the great summer days you gifted us. Hello August, you're going to be a hectic month, but I'm ready. August, may you please be gentle, not just for me, but for the entire world.