Monthly Recap- July 2022

Grab a seat and take a minute for yourself while we catch up on July 2022.

Recent Buys

• This gray pajama set will be perfect as the temps cool down.

• This pink set has been my go-to lately at night. I love the pockets and find myself reaching for it regularly.

• I got a bottle of basil essential oil and have been loving it for summer blends in the diffuser.

• Plug in motion sensor night lights! We purchased a second set with Vaila needing a light in her room now. They are the best at night in the bathroom for kids- no more forgetting to turn the light off. Plus they have a dim and bright option! They travel well, so we took them on vacation with us last month and will again for our October beach trip.

• We got this dress for Brinley for upcoming family pictures and she loves it! I’m a sucker for the stripes.

• Back to school shopping has begun. Brinley needed headphones- this pair was highly rated and came in cute colors. She also needed some gym shoes but doesn’t know how to tie laces yet. We got these and I think they will be perfect!

This month on the Blog…

Here are some of the recent activities from the blog this month. We played outside quite a bit, but most of the outdoor activities can transition into the bathtub or shower. You can even throw down a towel or shower curtain liner if you prefer or need to stay indoors. Check out each post for details. You can also look up our favorite products here.

Family Happenings

How is it already the end of July? I don’t know if it’s related to my birthday month, school starting soon, or the rapidly growing tiny humans living at my house right now, but I’m feeling awfully sentimental lately.

I love who my children are becoming and I miss their littleness even while they drive me batty a large percentage of the time! Anyone else? Here are some of our personal family highlights from this month:

• Vaila made the transition into a big girl bed and is out of the crib. I wanted her to stay in as long as possible because all of our bedrooms are upstairs, but she was eager to make the switch. After a few nights of falling out every 20 minutes, she is doing much better now!

• All of the kids got their first doses of the Covid vaccine! Especially with having someone in our house with potential immune issues, this feels monumental. Everyone did great!

• We visited some friends traveling from out-of- state and it was LIFE GIVING! It was amazing to feel like a human outside of my role as mom, even if the conversations were interrupted by snacks and shoes falling off.

• We visited a lot of farmer’s markets and have been harvesting from our own garden. I love this time of year and the fresh produce.

• Ryan took a few days off work and we visited Lake Michigan. This was my birthday request for the second year in a row, so I’m officially declaring it a tradition. We also got to hang out as a family without the normal frenzy of managing work and solo parenting. It felt so nice to be connected and together!

Make it Monday

I’m all about the quick breakfast or snack items lately. Here is what we’ve been whipping up in the kitchen this month.

• Black bean brownie muffins via Ambitious Kitchen

• Fried bananas with honey and cinnamon via Coconuts and Kettlebells

Check back next month for the recap of some of our go-to recipes or follow along on Instagram where I share our weekly favorite every Monday.

Looking Forward to August

I know it can be tough to squeeze in activities or crafts with the kids, especially if you don’t have the supplies on hand. Here is a sneak peek at some items we will be using next month. Hopefully this makes it easier to follow along and less stressful for you.

• paper and scissors

• plain cereal

• toilet paper roll and tape

• rocks

• dish soap

Exciting News!

I have created digital downloads for some of the projects and activities from the blog! These are available to purchase from the online store. I’ll be adding more items to the store very soon, including birthday and holiday products. If you don’t see what you are looking for, let me know by sending me a message.

Extra bonus: early readers (that’s you) get a discount code for use until the end of August! Use code FODEarlyReader at checkout for 25% off your total purchase! I truly value your support in keeping this blog running.

Sending you calm, love, and joy as we head into August. I’m loving the beautiful weather and hope it sticks around. Cheers!

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