Well, sadly, my summer is just about over. I’ve attended a couple workshops this past week, worked in my classroom to get it ready, and will head back to work in just a couple of days. Summer always feels way too short. But I’ve got some great things to share with you from July! (Some links are affiliate)
Something to Listen to:
- Don’t Mom Alone podcast episode 35: This particular episode is all about parenting neurodivergent kids. You know, those kiddos who may have autism, anxiety, ADHD, etc. If you’re a parent of a kiddo like this, tune into this episode for some great resources! And it goes perfectly with my new devotional on parenting children with special needs.
- Made for This Podcast: Jennie Allen is a great Bible teacher but on this episode, she interviews Louie Giglio. I listened to this one while running one morning and found myself gasping, covered in goosebumps while listening to some of his stories. So good!
- Hey! It’s the Luskos podcast: Another great interview! Banning Liebscher from Jesus Culture gives great wisdom – give it a listen!
- Kind: Cory Asbury recently released this new song and I love it so much. It’s all about the kindness of Jesus. Check it out wherever you listen to music.
Something to Read:
- Wish You Were Here: This was a recent book club pick of ours and it didn’t disappoint. The story is set at the beginning of COVID and follows a young couple. The boyfriend, a doctor in New York, encourages his girlfriend to take a vacation they’d been planning while he stays behind to fight the virus. This was such a great read and perfect for your own vacation this summer.
- The Night Library: Ok, admittedly this is a kids book that Jillienne and I picked up at the library a couple weeks ago. Somehow, I’d never read this one but I’m so glad we stumbled upon it. It was sweet and sentimental and encouraging and we both loved it! If you’ve got a little one at home, grab a copy of this one and let me know what you think!
- The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek: I’ve read another book about the packhorse librarians and didn’t love it so I was a little skeptical about this one. But everyone I know had read it and loved it so I gave it a try. Guess what? I loved it too! This story follows one woman, a member of the Kentucky Blue People, and I couldn’t put it down. I also couldn’t stop researching the blue people. Super fascinating and heartbreaking, all at the same time.
Something to Watch:
- Air: Peter and I watched this a couple weeks ago after listening to all the hype about it. This is the story of how Nike signed Michael Jordan to a shoe deal. It was such a fascinating look at the inside of sports and endorsements. Also, since it was set in the 80’s, I had major nostalgia moments! The cars and clothes and advertisements – it was all spot on! If you grew up in the 80’s or loved basketball or even watched basketball at all, this movie is for you!
- Shiny Happy People: I hesitate to even recommend this docuseries based on the Duggar family and their “cult-ish” affiliations but I couldn’t stop watching it. I used to love the Duggars and even modeled some of my parenting after theirs. Not anymore. This documentary contains some hard-to-watch scenes and could be triggering for some, but overall, it’s very well done. I’d honestly like them to do some more deep dives into some of the areas they covered.
Just for Fun!
- Washington DC: Our family recently visited DC and while it wasn’t a relaxing trip, we did have some fun. We visited all the museums and saw all the monuments but two things that really stood out to me were the Holocaust Museum and the International Spy Museum. If you ever get a chance to visit DC, check out those two spots. You won’t be disappointed!
- The Full Focus Planner: As a new school year starts, you might need a new planner and I have just the thing for you! I’ve been using the Full Focus Planner for a couple years now and I love it! Each day provides space for the top 3 things you need to accomplish plus extra space for other things you need to do. There is an hourly area where you can list appointments and there’s even a blank page for every day to write notes or to-do’s on. This planner really helps me think through the most important things for the day and week so that I can do a better job at prioritizing. If you need a new planner, I recommend this one. (FYI – this is a 3 month planner and it’s undated so you have to put in the dates which threw me for a loop at first. But I’ve gotten used to it and I love it!)
That’s it for this month! I hope you enjoy the last few days of summer!