Sadly, it’s the end of July and summer is basically over for us here in Tennessee. School will be starting back next week and while I love having a routine, I’m not quite ready for the early morning wake-ups and the after-school activities.
Here are some of my favorite things lately:
Something to Read:
- It Wasn’t Roaring, It Was Weeping: This book, written by Lisa-Jo Baker, was a memoir of the author’s troubled relationship with her father as well as with her home country of South Africa. Lisa-Jo writes beautifully and I enjoyed learning more about South Africa’s difficult history. Mostly, though, I learned a lot about forgiving others and forgiving yourself.
- Listen for the Lie: I loved this mystery which follows a young woman in her twenties who had been previously accused of killing her best friend. The catch? She has no memory of the event. A national podcaster comes to town to find out the truth, and you know I can’t resist a podcast story! This page-turner kept me on the edge of my seat trying to figure out what actually happened. The only downfall – there are some spicy scenes in the book as well as some language. If those offend you, skip over those parts or skip the book altogether.
- First Lie Wins: I’m not sure exactly how to explain this book – it’s another mystery that I couldn’t figure out until the big reveal at the end. It follows a young woman who works for a mysterious man and she must change her identity for each job as she tries to bring down a powerful entity. Lots of twists and turns in this one!
Something to Do:
- I highly recommend taking a vacation without your children! Look, I love my kids, but sometimes you and your spouse just need to get away. Peter and I did just that this summer to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary. We took a vacation to Portugal and it was amazing!
- Head to the beach! We didn’t leave our kids high and dry, though. We spent several days in Hilton Head, SC, exploring the area and of course hanging out at the beach. The kids had so much fun and I was in my happy place, watching the waves and sticking my feet in the sand.
- And if you’re looking for someone to help you plan a vacation for you and your spouse, for you family, or for you and your friends, I highly recommend Erin at Brilliant Escapes. Erin helped us plan our Portugal trip – she listened to what we wanted, things we like and don’t like, and then handled all the details from hotel and dinner reservations to private drivers and tours. We will definitely use her again!
Random Things I’m Currently Loving:
- This dietary fiber: Yes, sadly I’m aware this favorite thing shows just how old I actually am. But hear me out! I put this in my chocolate/banana/peanut butter protein shake each morning and the hint of orange flavor just adds something special!
- Dr. Mary Claire Haver: This physician specializes in menopause and peri-menopause (sorry, guys!), and she is a great follow on instagram. I’ve learned so much from her about advocating for myself as some of these symptoms have been popping up.
- Jesus Revolution: I finally watched this movie the other night and I was blown away. It was so well-done and made me quite emotional. (I know, big shocker!) If you haven’t seen it, I think you’ll love it!
- Scripture Memory: I made it a goal this year to memorize 24 scriptures (2 per month), and although I’m not super consistent with it, I am still loving it. I realize it’s important to know God’s Word and have it readily available in my mind and on my tongue. I’m doing a Scripture memory challenge on Facebook so head on over there to check it out. I post on the 1st and 15th of each month and I’d love for you to join me!
That’s it for July! I hope you all have enjoyed your summer and are ready to hop back into structure and school and all the things coming for us!
What are you loving right now?
(Some links are affiliate)