Hello and happy Monday! I hope you had a great weekend. We got home late Saturday night, and then spent most of the day yesterday trying to get our lives organized. Well, I did while Trav cut the grass and did other things around the house…the kids went to the pool. haha!
Also…Happy July 1st.
Well, July 1st stings a little bit. For us, it’s definitely the midway point of summer. I hate to sound pessimistic, but once July rolls around, I tend to start thinking about school and all I need to do…and I feel the start of the school year closing in on us. June was such a busy month that I am hoping to relax a bit the next few weeks.
Since it’s the first Monday of the month, I’m joining Tanya to share my Prime Purchases this month.
I did feel this way for most of June:
Here are my purchases this month:
I showed Hadley this tank at the beginning of summer, and she ordered it in pink. She loved it so much, and the price was so good, that we ordered it in light blue as well. She has one similar “designer” tank, and this one is very similar (or at least similar enough!) and perfect for her in the summer.
While scrolling Instagram, Hadley saw these shorts. Again, they are similar to a pricier pair she has, so I said we’d give them a try. She loved them so much that she got them in pink and navy. They come in SO many colors.
I shared this short sleeved henley last month, and I ordered it in pink as well. It’s definitely over-sized, so my true size gives the over-sized fit to wear with leggings.
I really wanted a new pair of white denim jeans. I only have one other pair that I’ve had for years. Some years they fit, and some years they don’t. haha!
I did size up one in these which I feel like I have to do in white jeans, but I really love these. They have a cuff at the bottom and are stretchy.
I wanted to try the layered necklace trend and thought this rose gold one with my initial was cute. I’ve been wearing it consistently for a couple of weeks with my other regular necklace, and I love it.
This romper is SO cute. I bought it thinking I’d wear it on vacation, but I never did. That being said, I’ve worn it otherwise, and it’s very comfy and cute. I can even see myself wearing it to school…probably with one of my favorite cardigans.
While I still use these eye gels daily, I still also love these gold ones. I bought another pack of them, so I could take some with me on our vacation. I put a few packs in the fridge everywhere we stayed, and they were just easier to pack than the jar of the other ones.
I still enjoy using my Seint make-up, but I was intrigued by this liquid blush, and I really like it!
We got Travis this acupressure mat as one of his Father’s Day gifts. As suspected, the kids have used it too!
So, those were my purchases this month. Knowing that I might buy a few things for back to school in August, and coming off a vacation, I hope to have a lighter spending month overall in July…including Amazon…but we’ll see!
I hope to post pretty regularly this week, and even start recapping our trip, but I will just see what I have time to get accomplished.
Have a great day,
{This post contains Amazon Affiliate links. Thanks for supporting my blog.}
We’ve had our best week of summer exploring Oregon and Washington. It’s been a really memorable trip where we’ve done a lot, but also had a little bit of downtime.
As always, I’m linking up with Andrea and Erika for this week’s Friday Favorites.
Well, we’ve had a busy week full of favorites.
I’m sure I will recap our trip, but here’s the quick run down:
We flew into Portland, Oregon and spent some time there…
…then on to Eugene, Oregon for two nights of the Olympic track trials…
…then we spent two days Rockaway Beach, Oregon in the cutest little house steps away from the water.
Our first day there looked more like this with fairly warm temps…
Our second day was definitely more of what I thought the weather might be like…overcast and blustery.
I still enjoyed my coffee on the beach…
…before we left and checked out nearby Cannon Beach…recognize Haystack Rock?
Highway 101 was so pretty to travel. We pulled over on a couple of the viewpoints, and the pictures don’t do them justice.
Yesterday, we traveled to Olympic National Park…
…where we stayed at a cute little resort.
…with these views….
…and we’re wrapping up our trip in Seattle before we fly home.
It’s been an amazing trip to remember. Besides seeing so much, crazy enough, I’ve enjoyed the road tripping hours in the car looking out the window and spending time together.
Favorite Mom Meme:
Oohhh the accuracy of this!!
Weekly Recap:
I liked keeping a pretty consistent blogging schedule this week. The end of the month always has some of my favorite posts:
This month, I definitely found my reading groove and for the first time ever I listened to a couple of books.
It felt really nice to have so many books downloaded on my Kindle that I was excited to read.
Here are the books I read this month:
{As always, book summaries are from Goodreads…}
After Annie:
Summary:
When Annie Brown dies suddenly, her husband, her four young children and her closest friend are left to struggle without the woman who centered their lives. Bill Brown finds himself overwhelmed, and Annie’s best friend Annemarie is lost to old bad habits without Annie’s support. It is Annie’s daughter, Ali, forced to try to care for her younger brothers and even her father, who manages to maintain some semblance of their former lives for them all, and who confronts the complicated truths of adulthood.
Yet over the course of the next year, while Annie looms large in their memories, all three are able to grow, to change, even to become stronger and more sure of themselves. The enduring power Annie gave to those who loved her is the power to love, and to go on without her.
Quick Thoughts:
This book was sad, but beautiful and inspirational as well. I liked how it was organized by season following the year of Annie’s death.
Rating:
3.5 stars
The Last Life Boat:
Summary:
1940, Kent : Alice King is not brave or daring—she’s happiest finding adventure through the safe pages of books. But times of war demand courage, and as the threat of German invasion looms, a plane crash near her home awakens a strength in Alice she’d long forgotten. Determined to do her part, she finds a role perfectly suited to her experience as a schoolteacher—to help evacuate Britain’s children overseas.
1940, London : Lily Nichols once dreamed of using her mathematical talents for more than tabulating the cost of groceries, but life, and love, charted her a different course. With two lively children and a loving husband, Lily’s humble home is her world, until war tears everything asunder. With her husband gone and bombs raining down, Lily is faced with an impossible keep her son and daughter close, knowing she may not be able to protect them, or enroll them in a risky evacuation scheme, where safety awaits so very far away.
When a Nazi U-boat torpedoes the S. S. Carlisle carrying a ship of children to Canada, a single lifeboat is left adrift in the storm-tossed Atlantic. Alice and Lily, strangers to each other—one on land, the other at sea—will quickly become one another’s very best hope as their lives are fatefully entwined.
Quick Thoughts:
Oh my word! I loved this book. Of course, you know I love historical fiction, but the premise of this one hooked me from the beginning. There were tense, heart-warming, sweet, sad and hopeful moments throughout the plot. I loved that it was inspired by a true story, and this was a page turner for me.
I really appreciated the historical note at the end as it just shared so much insight, explanation, and meaning.
Here are a few of my favorite quotes:
The gift of reading, a love of books, was something she would have forever, could take with her wherever she went.
Speaking about the ocean – Water has a memory, Alice, a soul.…and it knows the way home. It remembers.
…Because she knows that even in the profound sadness of death, there will always – must always – be a place for the astonishing, enduring beauty of life.
Rating:
This Summer Will Be Different:
Summary:
This summer they’ll keep their promise. This summer they won’t give into temptation. This summer will be different.
Lucy is the tourist vacationing at a beach house on Prince Edward Island. Felix is the local who shows her a very good time. The only problem: Lucy doesn’t know he’s her best friend’s younger brother. Lucy and Felix’s chemistry is unreal, but the list of reasons why they need to stay away from each other is long, and they vow to never repeat that electric night again.
It’s easier said than done.
Each year, Lucy escapes to PEI for a big breath of coastal air, fresh oysters and crisp vinho verde with her best friend, Bridget. Every visit begins with a long walk on the beach, beneath soaring red cliffs and a golden sun. And every visit, Lucy promises herself she won’t wind up in Felix’s bed. Again.
If Lucy can’t help being drawn to Felix, at least she’s always kept her heart out of it.
When Bridget suddenly flees Toronto a week before her wedding, Lucy drops everything to follow her to the island. Her mission is to help Bridget through her crisis and resist the one man she’s never been able to. But Felix’s sparkling eyes and flirty quips have been replaced with something new, and Lucy’s beginning to wonder just how safe her heart truly is.
Quick Thoughts:
I’ve read the other two summer books by Fortune, and this one was similar to those in regards to setting, plot elements, and “R rated” scenes. It was organized by present day and flashback and the story came together bit by bit. It’s definitely a summer book for sure.
Rating:
3.5 stars
Summer of Songbirds:
Summary:
Four women come together to save the summer camp that changed their lives and rediscover themselves in the process.
Nearly thirty years ago, in the wake of a personal tragedy, June Moore bought Camp Holly Springs and turned it into a thriving summer haven for girls. But now, June is in danger of losing the place she has sacrificed everything for, and begins to realize how much she has used the camp to avoid facing difficulties in her life.
June’s niece, Daphne, met her two best friends, Lanier and Mary Stuart, during a fateful summer at camp. They’ve all helped each other through hard things, from heartbreak and loss to substance abuse and unplanned pregnancy, and the three are inseparable even in their thirties. But when attorney Daphne is confronted with a relationship from her past—and a confidential issue at work becomes personal—she is faced with an impossible choice.
Lanier, meanwhile, is struggling with tough decisions of her own. After a run-in with an old flame, she is torn between the commitment she made to her fiancé and the one she made to her first love. And when a big secret comes to light, she finds herself at odds with her best friend…and risks losing the person she loves most.
But in spite of their personal problems, nothing is more important to these songbirds than Camp Holly Springs. When the women learn their childhood oasis is in danger of closing, they band together to save it, sending them on a journey that promises to open the next chapters in their lives.
Quick Thoughts:
I loved this book! I’ve read quite a few books by Woodson Harvey including the entire Peachtree Bluff series, and while I enjoyed all of those books, this one is my favorite.
I think the camp setting immediately reminded me of my love for The Parent Trap, and my mind kept thinking of that movie. I enjoyed the three main characters equally, and their friendship was so special.
A few fave quotes:
“…because she knows that even in the profound sadness of death, there will always – must always- be a place for the astonishing, enduring beauty of life.
“Just like every year, every phase of our life had its seasons. Cold ones, windy ones, sunny ones, warm ones. We could not choose which part we were living; we could not predict how our future would play out.
This is definitely a perfect book to read in the summer.
Rating:
Birdie & Harlow:
Summary:
The funny and poignant story of one woman’s wonderfully codependent relationship with her dog – and what he taught her about chosen family and the reward of motherhood. Birdie & Harlow is the story of a baby and a dog. But motherhood is never quite that simple. In Taylor Wolfe’s case, it’s a long, zigzagging and winding road. Meant to be a last-minute anniversary gift for her then boyfriend (and now husband), the highly-energetic and loud-mouthed Vizla puppy named Harlow turns out to be the best snap decision twenty-year-old Taylor ever makes—and the beginning of the most epic friendship she ever has. As Wolfe’s resistance to 9-5’s and traditional adulthood grows, Harlow becomes the perfect companion for her eccentricities in a world that thrives on conformity. Wolfe’s twenties—full of pitfalls and surprises, sad days and silver linings—led her to the realization that life is too short to spend your days in a crate (or a cubicle), that parks are meant to be enjoyed, and most importantly, she wants to be a mom. But really, isn’t she one already? A charming and touching memoir, Birdie & Harlow is a tribute to the many expressions of modern motherhood, to both human and fur babies alike. Taylor’s story reminds all of us that life will surprise you and that families should come in every shape and size.
Quick Thoughts:
If you are on Instagram, then you probably follow Taylor (@thedailytay). She is so funny! Her Instagram reels just crack me up. Anyway, I remember when she shared that her beloved dog passed away, and then later sharing about her book. I think she linked it to Audible, so I bought it. I listened to it off and on over the past month, and finished it on my car ride to KC a few weeks ago.
I really enjoyed Taylor reading it and truly hearing her voice as she shared about her life, upbringing, career, Harlow, becoming a mom and more. She even shared Harlow’s internal dialogue which was endearing and sweet.
Anyway, I thought it was a good book, and it was a great one for me to listen to as my first audio book.
Rating:
The Office BFFs:
Summary:
An intimate, behind-the-scenes, richly illustrated celebration of beloved The Office co-stars Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey’s friendship, and an insiders’ view of Pam Beesly, Angela Martin, and the iconic TV show. Featuring many of their never-before-seen photos. Receptionist Pam Beesly and accountant Angela Martin had very little in common when they toiled together at Scranton’s Dunder Mifflin Paper Company. But, in reality, the two bonded in their very first days on set and, over the nine seasons of the series’ run, built a friendship that transcended the show and continues to this day. Sharing everything from what it was like in the early days as the show struggled to gain traction, to walking their first red carpet—plus exclusive stories on the making of milestone episodes and how their lives changed when they became moms— The Office BFFs is full of the same warm and friendly tone Jenna and Angela have brought to their Office Ladies podcast.
Quick Thoughts:
I’ve watched quite a few episodes of The Office, but I’m not a huge super fan. I think both Jenna and Angela are so funny. So, since I knew I had a car ride back to KC with time to kill, I downloaded it from the library Libby app.
I really enjoyed this insight and background info. It was fun hearing them narrate this and hearing their relationship in real life. I’ve listened to some of their podcast episodes too, and I’m assuming there’s some overlap, but overall, I thought it was light-hearted and heart-warming.
Rating:
Summer Reading Update:
I was able to read a couple of summer books this month!
Read:This Summer Will Be Different and The Summer of Songbirds
Ready to Read:On Fire Island, The Comeback Summer, and The Darlings
On library wait list:A Hundred Summers
Not out yet:The Summer Pact,Swan Song , A Happier Life (just recently released)
I think July will be another good reading month for me. Thanks to listening to some books, I’m back on track with my Goodreads Reading Challenge goal of 40 books. I’m up to 19/40 books that I hope to read this year.
Hello and happy Monday! How is this the last Monday in June?! How?!
Well, besides being the last Monday in June, it’s also my wedding anniversary with Travis.
N I N E T E E N years. Wow. I’m not sure where the time has gone, but I appreciate the time more year after year.
Also, did you catch my Sunday post all about some of my favorite travel items?
Well, you know I like to share a few funnies every month, so here are a few that “stopped my scroll” on Insta, and made me laugh.
1.
Listen, you’ve been warned:
haha
2.
Truly, the heat does me in quicker than it used to!
3.
I really do…and even more so in the summer…when I know I have some extra time to savor it.
4.
I saw this one and got to thinking…I didn’t even start drinking coffee until a couple of years after the kids were born…I think. I’m not sure how I survived the lack of sleep without it, but we didn’t get our first coffee pot until a couple of years after the kids were born.
Hadley and friends like to go to Starbucks, but they definitely don’t get coffee…yet.
5.
#math
6.
Ooof…that’s right…especially for the new HVAC unit we just purchased!
Screenshot
7.
8.
The older I get, the more this one is true…haha!
Just let me do the bare minimum and be a good person!
9.
This one literally made me LOL. I love seeing people charge for car payments, Costco and more!
10.
Me…especially before I’ve had my coffee.
I hope these started your week off with a laugh!
Come back on Wednesday when I’m sharing the books I read this month…your girl was on a roll with her reading.
‘Tis the season for travel! I’m keeping up with my Summer Sunday series to share some of my favorite travel items.
Here are a few of my “go to” items when we travel:
These TSA approved travel bottles are perfect for lotion, shampoo, conditioner, and more.
I bought them two years ago when we went to Mexico, and we still use them.
I bought these clear bags with handles for the same trip, and again, we still use them. We put various things in them including snacks, toiletries, chargers and more.
Hadley loves these cute toiletry bags for a a variety of her needs.
You know I love my packing cubes. I’ve shared them many times before, and we have them in blue,teal, and gray.
You know I don’t leave home without my eye gels! I have been using these, but I still love these gold ones…and they are probably easier to travel with as I can take a few packs with me rather than the jar.
I actually purchased this pack of toothbrushes when I started my Invisalign journey, but they have come in very handy for travel. Everyone in my family has one, and they know which one is their color of toothbrush.
I’m new to these sponges, but I love them. I brought a few with us on our trip to Washington, DC, and I use them at home as well. I liked packing things that when I use them, I throw them away which means I come home with less than I packed!
I bought this belt bag last year, and it’s still one I use especially when we travel. It holds quite a bit, and since it’s a cross body, it’s easy to wear and not have to carry or keep up with it.
This mini speaker isn’t a “must have” for travel, but I got it for Hadley last year (maybe for her birthday?), and it comes in handy for listening to music at the beach or hanging out.
I gave Travis this charging strip in his Christmas stocking a couple of years ago, and it’s great because you can charge so many things at once.
One of the first times we actually used it was spring of 2023 when our power went out. We went to my brother’s house a couple of time to charge everything, and we can do so when we plugged in this charging strip.
This travel bag is great for keeping all of the chargers and cords organized.
We’re off on a fun trip this week, and are using most of these items.
What are some of your travel “must haves?”
{This post contains Amazon Affiliate links. Thanks for supporting my blog.}
How was your week? It sure is feeling like summer around here with lots of sunshine and hot temps.
I’m going to need June to pump the breaks a bit!!
As always, I’m linking up with Andrea and Erika for this week’s Friday Favorites.
Here are a few favorites from the week:
Hadley coming home from camp was definitely a favorite. She had a great time, but I know she was happy to sleep in her own bed (and see us!)
On Monday evening, we celebrated Travis for Father’s Day. Since we were still waiting on our new air conditioner, we all ate dinner in the sun room where it was cooler, and then enjoyed some cake. He opened a couple of presents which included some shorts, a shirt, and this acupressure mat. He hadn’t mentioned wanting the mat, but I figured it would be something even the kids would use. He was actually really excited to receive it which was sweet.
Snickerdoodle Bundt cake for the win!
My niece’s birthday is in late May, and I hadn’t gotten her a present yet. She went with Hadley and me to the nail salon. The girls got manicures while I got a pedicure…
….Then, we got some ice cream on that hot summer day.
While it’s a expensive favorite, seeing my new thermostat finally find the 70’s in the house was really appreciated. We were tired of being hot.
I used to set our old a/c on 71 most days, and now, 73/74 really cools us off.
I’d seen some people share about the “all day rose'” Waterloo, so I thought I’d give it a try. It’s really good! It is kind of weird at first (in a good way) that, to me, the first few sips really do taste like rose’. After that, I feel like it just tastes like (good) flavored sparkling water.
Favorite Mom Meme:
This is so true! I can’t keep up with my kids’ changing tastes. haha
Well, I think this past year I’ve felt a little more sentimental than usual. I guess with the closing of the middle school chapter for my kids and knowing (fearing?) the next four years of high school are going to fly by, I’d like to capture a few more memories on the blog.
Like my “Summer Sunday” posts, I had hoped to start a Throwback Thursday post earlier in the summer, but never got to it. Now is the time 🙂
Hadley just got back from camp this week, so I thought it would be fun to have some of her camp experiences in one spot.
The first year Hadley went to camp was the summer of 2019 after her 3rd grade year. It was for six days and six nights. She went to a camp about an hour and a half from Lexington. Many of her friends had been to the same camp, but the previous years, for their age, it was just three days.
I remember being so nervous for her as she prepared for camp. I did take comfort knowing she was excited, and she would have friends there too….I had just wished that we had “tested the waters” for three days before jumping in to a week! When you registered, girls could write down one roommate, so again, I knew she’d most likely have a good friend in her cabin.
We all went to drop her off, and I left a “care package” for her to receive mid-week.
I did give the camp address to family, so she received lots of mail that week. The camp would post photos on Facebook every night, and those first couple of nights I would stay up late to see her smiling face. I just wanted to know she was having a good time.
I had told her that when I picked her up, I’d probably be there early because Hayden had a baseball tournament that weekend. We could pick up starting at 9:00, and I was there by 9:15. Once the counselor went to get her, she came out smiling, and the first thing I noticed (besides her smiling face) was all the bug bites she had. haha!
She immediately asked that I sign her up for the next year, and also told me she hadn’t brushed her teeth since Tuesday since she’d lost her toothbrush! haha
Once I got her packed up and in the car, she told me all about her week at camp before falling asleep for most of the ride home. I was so happy that she’d had such a great time.
We’d signed her up to go the summer of 2020, but that session ended up getting canceled. She was really bummed.
She proceeded to go to the same camp in 2021 and 2022. Both times, she had a blast, and I was definitely less nervous about sending her. I’m so grateful she’s had those experiences.
Hayden never seemed interested in going to sleep away camp, and since he’s a home body like me, I never pushed it on him. His first camp experience was running camp last year…and he loved it.
I feel like we’ve gotten pretty good at packing Hadley for camp. Last year, I wrote this post sharing what Hadley usually took to camp.
The camp she went to last year and this year provided a packing list, but she put everything in a suitcase since that is easier to load into the belly of the coach bus, and put other odds and ends in her backpack.
Last year, was Hadley’s first year going to Young Life camp in Missouri. There is a YL branch at her school, and she’s been involved in it all three years of middle school. She’s made amazing connections and has been provided great opportunities to grow in her faith with wonderful leaders.
This camp experience is different compared to what she did the previous three years as she packs a little differently, I don’t have to drive her to camp, and I don’t get to see the facilities (in person).
She boards a bus at a local church at 5am, and rides a coach bus the nine hours to camp. As they arrive at camp, the leaders take their phones for the five days they are there.
The leaders do send the parents emails with photos, and sometimes there are videos. Of course, I still want to see her smiling face, but I know she’s having a good time and worry less about her now that she’s older.
The camp is on a lake, so they have the best time boating, tubing, swimming, playing games, attending small group, cabin time, and club (for daily lesson/scripture) as well as journaling, playing volleyball and pickle ball, meeting other kids and more.
They don’t leave the camp until 1:00 PM (central time) on Sunday, so they don’t get back to the local church in Lexington until 1 or 2 am. I know she’s tired from camp, but I’m tired from the late pick up! haha
Last year, she was gone over the 4th of July, but they had a blast.
This year, camp was mid-June, and of course Hadley was excited to go. The packing list and logistics were the same. Travis dropped her off early last Wednesday morning, and after about eight hours, she texted us that she was handing over her phone and she’d see us in a few days.
Like in years past, I appreciated getting a few pics from the YL leaders.
For “theme” night for their group…they were Nerds. We didn’t have to provide anything for this costumer so this was a cute surprise picture to see. (Hadley is bottom row, second from left)
They had time on the lake…
…and enjoying the amazing setting.
Once she got her phone back on Sunday afternoon, I was excited to see this text from her:
I picked her up at 2am on Monday, and I was excited to see her of course. She filled me in on all of the activities and fun she had with her friends. I think this year felt a little different for her. This is a big group of girls, and a few of them are going to a different school for high school. They’ll all still see each other, but it will be different.
Hadley said on the final night, there were tears and they stayed up extra late hanging out.
I’m glad she’s had such wonderful camp experiences through the years. Each year has provided lots of memories, but going to camp has allowed her to spread her wings a bit, be independent, and navigate life a little out of her comfort zone.
We miss her when she’s gone, but I know she will look back on these camp experiences with fond memories.
I love Joyce’s Wednesday link up, so I’m joining in again today.
Here are my answers to this week’s questions:
1. It’s National Splurge Day…What’s something you might splurge on today? What have you splurged on recently?
Well, I probably won’t splurge on anything today as yesterday was a pretty expensive day. I did treat myself to a pedicure, and I took Hadley and my niece with me. Hadley wanted a summer manicure, and my niece just had a birthday…so we brought her for a manicure as her birthday gift.
What’s more expensive than paying for a pedicure and two manicures? Getting a new a/c and furnace installed yesterday!
Our a/c and furnace are close to thirty years old, so it’s been on our radar that this might be the summer to get a new system. I wish we’d taken care of this earlier, but of course the week that we’ve finally hit the 90’s, we were on the list to have it installed. Our house has been in the 80’s the past five days, so we sought reprieve in the basement and in the sunroom (where we have an a/c unit) as much as possible. Homer won’t go down the stairs to the basement, but we’d find him on the cool sun room floor by the a/c unit. He’s a smart pup! haha
So, the nail day was a splurge and the a/c was a necessity.
2. Do you have a beach bag? What’s in it? Is a trip to the beach on your summer bucket list? Do you have a summer bucket list?
I do have a few beach bags, and I wrote all about them in my first Summer Sunday post.
We don’t have a typical beach trip planned this summer which is a first for us. We have a fun vacation planned though that we are all excited about.
We haven’t made a bucket list in a couple of years, but we’d make a “summer fun” list when the kids were little.
3. What’s a song that makes you think of summer past? What comes to mind when you hear it? What memories does it stir up for you?
The first song that popped into my head when I think of “summer past,” was Tracy Chapman’s “Give Me One Reason” in the summer of 1996. I swear that “Fast Car” was also being played a lot that summer too. Proof that things that were popular come back around again!
The summer of 1996 was a really carefree one. I had my license, and I remember hanging out with friends, going to the pool, working a little, and just really feeling like a high schooler.
I’m the worst when it comes to remembering song titles, so I checked out a list of “hits” from 1996. Here were a few more of my faves that I remember singing a long to on the radio:
“Ironic”- Alanis Morissette
“Follow You Down” -Gin Blossoms
“Sittin Up in my Room”- Brandy
“Insensitive” -Jann Arden
“Name” -Goo Goo Dolls
“Who Will Save Your Soul” -Jewel
“Wonder”- Natalie Merchant
“Breakfast at Tiffanys” -Deep Blue Something
“1979” -Smashing Pumpkins
“Only Wanna Be With You”- Hootie and the Blowfish
What’s a song that you think of when you think about summer?
4. Sushi – yay or nay? Have you actually tried it? What’s your “go to” order?
Definitely “yay.” I like sushi, and it’s one of the meals that Travis and I have in common when we think about a “date” night.
He’s probably a bit more adventurous than I am…I usually stick to shrimp, yellow tail, salmon, and crab.
5. I own a ridiculous amount of…
Pajamas! The ones I turn to the most this summer are the ones I got recently from Walmart as well as the guazy pajamas (I have three pairs!) that I got from Target last summer.
6. Insert your own random thought here:
This past weekend, I was placing an order for a cake for Trav for Father’s Day. When I asked him what flavor he wanted and showed him the options, he mentioned “Snickerdoodle.” Both kids thought it was an odd option, but it was so good. Let’s just say they both had more than one slice!
Don’t sleep on the “Snickerdoodle” cake from Nothing Bundt Cakes. (The key lime flavor is good too…we picked up a small one of those for Trav as well.)
Here’s to staying cool this summer…and letting cake solve all our problems!!
Friday afternoon was a fun one. I went to summer school for a couple of hours, but I left early to tag along with Trav and Hayden for their road trip to Louisville go to the races at Churchill Downs.
It wasn’t a fancy day at the track, but I still wore a pretty pink dress!
We got there around 1:30 and stayed for a few races. One of Trav’s clients had horses running in two different races, and they were fun to watch.
I usually am just at Churchill on Oaks day, so it felt very different being there with far less people. It was a hot day, but we were mostly inside.
I did get to see the new paddock area up close, and it was really neat to see.
We left around 4:30, went to Trav’s mom’s house for a bit before heading home.
I had some pool time on Saturday. I typically want to work out and run all my errands before doing anything fun, but I knew if I went to the pool earlier in the day, it wouldn’t be as hot, and it would be less crowded. I went from 11-1:30 which was the perfect amount of time.
After the pool, I got Hayden some lunch, did my workout, and then took Hayden to his basketball game.
We’ve been watching a lot of baseball, and Saturday’s walk off win for the “Bat Cats” in the College World Series was an exciting one.
Photo c/o UK baseball
Saturday evening, I read my book and watched the Royals game. They won too.
Travis and Hayden chose dinner on Saturday night, so we went to one of our favorite pizza places. It was a really nice evening to sit on the patio (in the shade)
The best part of the weekend will be being reunited with Hadley since she’s been away at camp this week.
As I type this, her ETA home is 1 am, but I can’t wait to pick her up.
Of course, Sunday was Father’s Day, and that’s something to celebrate! I made Travis breakfast (just the Krusteaz coffee cake and microwave sausage…only the best, for T-rav…haha!), and then he and Hayden went and played 9 holes of golf.
We plan on celebrating him a bit more tonight now that Hadley will be home.
…and it’s Father’s Day! I hope all the dads are feeling the love today. I know there are many missing their dads. My thoughts and prayers are with them as I can only imagine how their heart feels today.
As our summer continues on, I’m sharing another Summer Sunday post.
While the summer provides some more time for reading and catching up on shows, my family also seems to watch quite a few movies when we can.
Today, I’m sharing my top 5 faves plus a few more movies that are perfect for summer.
1.
My #1 favorite movie of all time is The Parent Trap…the Hayley Mills version.
I’ve seen this movie a countless number of times, and it’s my favorite movie from my childhood (and it was a classic movie then!)
The Lindsay Lohan version is great too.
2.
A League of their Own is another one of my faves, and my kids love it too. “There’s no crying in baseball!” Classic.
3.
The Goonies is one of my brother’s favorite movies, and I’ve seen it so many times. Just a couple of weeks ago, Hayden was watching it, so I stopped what I was doing to watch it with him.
“Goonies never say die!”
4.
Top Gun (the original) is one of those movies that I remember watching as a teen and feeling like a big kid. It was just more of a grown up movie, but my friends and I loved it.
We enjoyed seeing Maverick a couple of years ago as a family (with some of our friends), and it’s really great too.
5.
I remember watching Overboard at my friend Jeanna’s house when we were kids. We watched it over and over. It still brings me a sense of nostalgia when I watch it.
Other great summer movies:
Here are some other movies that are faves from my childhood (and some of my kids’ faves) that are all around classics to watch in the summer:
showmeandsweettea.com 