The Best of July

well fed and well read

I’ve never liked summer mainly because I live in the south and it’s hotter than hell and miserable. You can’t do anything without sweating in places you forgot existed. People are extra rage-y this time of the year too so I tend to hole up in my house all summer long the way that most people do in the wintertime. Then I end up doom-scrolling and feeling jealous that people are out having European summers (looking at you, Taylor Swift) or spending time out on water that doesn’t feel like a bathtub and just overall enjoying the summer in the way that I was always told I should.

But this summer, I have vowed to enjoy it! I love the vibes of summer. I’d be happiest at a house by the water where time could slow down. We have no travel plans currently so I’m trying to bring those vibes into our own home. It’s going about 50/50. We’ve been enjoying getting fresh produce from the local farmer’s market, playing with our favorite outdoor water toys, going to bed early, and eating lots of delicious summertime meals.

Summertime Meals

I’ve been loving a simple summer dinner that features fresh produce and a simple main dish. All of our dinners have had a big side of fruit either from the big bowl of watermelon we had for a week, mounds of berries, and, my favorite, cantaloupe. The colors make me so happy, it’s simple and makes me feel like we’re back to the basics in a way.

Here are some of my favorite meals we had this month:

• Grilled steak, corn on the cob, a simple salad + lots of fruit

• Leftover steak, a cabbage stir fry, rice, gyoza

• Smoked bratwursts, corn on the cob (it was the same batch from the farmer’s market), broccoli salad, Annie’s mac and cheese + lots of fruit

• Taco salads

• Smoked pork chops, roasted potatoes and creamed spinach

What I Read

• The Hotel Nantucket by Elin Hilderbrand was such a fun, quick read. I read it over the long 4th of July weekend and there were times I could not put it down. It was such a great choice to read that weekend as it set the perfect summer vibes. The synopsis is that a 100+-year-old hotel is brought back to life after a billionaire seeks to impress two women. The story follows the different perspectives of the new hotel staff who all have secrets and the drama unfolds. I’ve read two of Hilderbrand’s other books and this one is my favorite so far!

• The Burnout by Sophie Kinsella is genuinely the funniest book I have read in ages. I laughed out loud so many times listening to this audiobook. Essentially, Sasha has a burnout meltdown from her job and goes on vacation back to her family’s favorite vacation spot from when she was growing up. There is another guest at the hotel named Finn and they vie for their favorite spot on the beach and lead very different days as Sasha attempts to complete a 20-step guide to get better and Finn eats pizza and drinks whiskey on the beach. It’s a lovely story about grief, letting people in, and celebrating the little things. Oh! And the hotel staff is hilarious. If you loved Juno Temple’s character in Ted Lasso, there is a character that is almost just like her that will have you dying of laughter.

• Funny Story by Emily Henry had me kicking my feet with giddiness pretty much the whole way through. Daphne and Miles have found themselves as roommates after Daphne’s ex-fianceé leaves her for Miles’s ex-girlfriend. Daphne and Miles receive an invitation to the wedding and RSVP on a drunken night. Which leads to telling the exes that Daphne and Miles are a couple now. I just loved how into the facade Miles was the entire time. And Emily Henry has such a way of describing those first kisses and intimate moments. I also recognized a lot of myself in Daphne’s character, so that was a fun part to process 🙃 Overall, I loved this story. I still have two more EmHen books to go - Beach Read and People We Meet on Vacation!

• The Summer of Broken Rules by K.L. Walther is a cute story about a young character named Meredith who has been through a lot. Her older sister suddenly dies 18 months before the start of the story and her long-term boyfriend whom she has solely turned to for comfort through her grief has just broken up with her. Meredith’s cousin Sarah is getting married on her family’s beach property so the two families spend a week together for the wedding festivities. A family tradition they play every year is Assassin, and Meredith’s sister was the best at it. To make her sister proud, Meredith vows to win Assassin and forms a pact with a cute groomsman she just met. Throughout the story, Meredith works through her grief and opens up again.

• The Women by Kristin Hannah may be the best book I’ve ever read. This book was very hyped up and I honestly didn’t even look to see what the book was about until I started it. I was very interested to learn more about the Vietnam War and the women who served because I had no idea they had a role. The story follows a character named Frankie who I could not love more. She becomes an army nurse and is promptly sent to Vietnam. Hannah’s descriptive writing pulls you in, but it’s not always something you want to read when reading about the horrors of war. Throughout the story, Frankie grapples with war, a changing society, loss, and a tremendous lack of support from the country that turned their back on Vietnam veterans. It is an absolute must-read.

Some things I loved

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• I cannot say enough good things about these shirt dresses from Old Navy (#commissionablelink). These make me feel so put together and the quality is surprisingly great. In a shocking twist, I have been reaching for the denim dress a lot more than I thought I would. They all make me feel so put together and are great for any occasion. They have also been an absolute necessity in the 100+ degree days. I cannot recommend them enough. They are seriously some of the best items Old Navy has had in years. Old Navy is currently having a 50% off sale and I ordered up a few more shirt dresses to carry me through the rest of summer and into the fall.

• I bought these Birkenstock Big Buckle sandals (#commissionablelink) last year and kinda forgot about them. Thankfully, scrolling through

  Christina Tumminello
  ’s looks reminded me that I have them because they have been on repeat with those Old Navy dresses. I forgot how comfortable they are. And I just love that the big buckles add a little more elevated look to your traditional Arizonas.

• I used to be a paper planner girly. I stopped using one at some point and have primarily used my Apple Calendar and the Reminders app for a while now. I had to go into the office at the end of last month and while I was at my old desk I found 2019 planner (yes… that’s how long it’s been there). I was inspired to try using a paper planner again. I love a daily format for my planning so this is the planner I use (#commissionablelink). It’s so helpful to keep track of tasks and meetings for each day.

• Any easy baked good is great to have on hand when you have toddlers. I always keep at least one box of these protein muffins on hand (#commissionablelink). They are easy to whip up for breakfast and to have for snacks as well.

• Have you had a good vanilla ice cream lately? It’s so unrated. We had a little cup of Haagen Dazs vanilla and I could not get over how refreshing it was. Another great option is the Kirkland vanilla ice cream at Costco. Seriously one of the best out there!

• Our neighborhood has this section of wildflowers that pops up every summer and it’s the most lovely happy place.

• I still can’t get over how much fun these reusable water balloons are (#commissionablelink). We’ve had them for over a year now and they are still going strong. I love how easy they are for my kids to use. We play with them everywhere from the water table to the neighborhood pool to the bathtub.

• I’ve been making a point to go to the farmer’s market whenever I can. We have one near our house every other week, but there are a few others as well. What are your favorite items to pick up from the farmer’s market? We’ve been loving watermelon, tomatoes, corn on the cob, and sourdough bread.