What Bought Me Joy in July
Towards the end of last month I was looking at my July calendar, and I joked to Corey that the month would be so busy it was basically already over before it started. Well, I blinked, and here we are. July absolutely flew by and I can’t believe that we’re officially staring down the beginning of the school year.
Part of me feels sad about preparing to say goodbye to summer but a (bigger?) part of me is thrilled. I love the back to school season and the routine it brings back into our lives. Also, turning the calendar to August brings us one month closer to our big Disney World trip and I cannot wait.
July was packed full of summer fun, and it’s time to recap it. Ready? Let’s go.
Moments & Memories
- We’ve been doing weekly dinners with my bestie, Parisa, and her family (we call it Sunday Supper), and it’s been the highlight of summer for me. It’s casual and chaotic and full of laughter and joy.
- Last year we started a tradition of doing Persian food with Parisa and her family for the fourth of July. I looked forward to it for weeks leading up to the big day, and it didn’t disappoint. We let the kids stay up late to watch fireworks, and Grant told me it was the “most good day I ever had” so I think it was a win.
- The boys and I had a blast opening aaaaaaall of our Disney-themed shirts we ordered on Prime Day. We wore our Mickey ears and tried things on for each other and just generally let ourselves bask in the joy and anticipation. Have I mentioned yet that I can’t wait?!
- For two weeks in July, the boys went to a half-day theater camp put on by our local high school. It culminated with a performance of Seussical and they loved every second of it. I think they’re wanting to continue doing some community theater stuff once the school year starts, so I’m really excited to continue to watch them!
- We went to the beach! It was a five day trip with us and Parisa’s family, and it was exactly what we needed. It was chill and slow and full of laughter and delicious food. Oh, and a trip to NASA Space Center. Doesn’t get much better!
Books + Media
Here’s what I read in July:
- A Court of Wings & Ruin by Sarah J. Maas – I mentioned last month that I was going through (another) re-reading of these books and I kept it up this month! No matter how many times I read this it still manages to fully captivate me every single time.
- The Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros – I’ve heard so many people rave about this book, and rightfully so. It was fantastic. I loved every second of it, and while nothing can ever hold a candle to the A Court of Thorns and Roses series to me, it honestly comes close to being just as good!
- Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld – This book was light and fluffy and easy and just delightful. It was a really quick and easy read, and I enjoyed it thoroughly! It’s a perfect summer vacation book, if you have anything coming up!
- The Only One Left by Riley Sager – I have absolutely loved every Riley Sager book I’ve read, and this one was no exception. I was all-caps texting with my best friend while reading it every time I came to a new twist in the road, as she read it right before me. It was so fun, twisty, and SO GOOD!
- The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han – I read this because I’ve heard everyone talking about season 2 of the show on Amazon Prime, and it felt like the perfect beach read. Spoiler – it was! It was a quick and easy read that left me feeling all sorts of warm summer fuzzies.
- Lightlark by Alex Aster – The same friend who insisted I read The Fourth Wing let me borrow this one, and it was good! It reminded me a bit of the Caraval series (which I really enjoyed) and I’m looking forward to book 2 later this year!
I wrapped up Queen Charlotte and then struggled to find anything great to watch. Corey and I haven’t had much time to watch television together lately (but we did finally start Black Mirror and OMG!), so I’ve been mostly on my own. I started The Righteous Gemstones and enjoyed it but am not fully hooked. I watched part of season 2 of Cruel Summer, but it similarly didn’t draw me in as much as season 1 did. I’ve been turning on Schitt’s Creek in the background when I want to watch something, because I know it’s safe and it always makes me happy.
Games
- I grabbed this game on Prime Day and we had so much fun with it! I can tell it’s going to be put into regular rotation in our house!
- We played a (very intense) round of Rack-O at the beach with our friends. It’s genuinely one of the best simple games to play with friends – it’s easy to learn, a ton of fun, and you can chat while you play. It’s one of my very favorites.
- Corey and I also played a game of Splendor while we were at the beach. It’s always one of our go-to’s for a game just the two of us! I love the strategy involved, and it never gets old.
- One of our favorite really quick games to play with the kids is Happy Salmon. It only takes about 90 seconds to play, but I promise you’ll be in fits of laughter by the end and immediately want to play again.
- And finally, the boys and I tried out the Space Mountain game one day when we were all feeling a little tired and cranky and needed a pick me up. It was really fun and got us even more excited for Disney World, if that’s even possible.
Products
- This month, I learned that I’m obsessed with tennis dresses (this one, to be specific). I bought three different ones to try during Prime Day, and I felt meh about the other two, but as soon as I pulled this one on, I knew it would be a wardrobe staple. I’ve already got another color in my cart!
- I ordered all the Disney shirts for our trip and I am over the moon excited about each one. You can see everything I got (for myself, and for all the dudes in my family) right here on this list.
- Many of you raved about this travel toiletry bag when I mentioned I ordered it for Prime Day, and I got to try it out when we went to the beach! You were right – it’s amazing.
- After over a year of eyeing it, I finally broke down and ordered this shampoo and this conditioner. So far, I’m a big fan. My hair feels so much more manageable and it stays looking good for longer than ever before. Of course, adding in this frizz reducing product also probably helped quite a bit!
- The kids needed new school shoes, and I grabbed these red sneakers for Grant. They’re so cute, and he’s been wearing them nonstop! Jackson chose these, and I honestly want a pair for myself.
And that’s July! School starts for us in just over 2 weeks and we are pumped. Everyone is ready for the routine, and Grant is so excited to be headed to kindergarten!