Here we are, somehow on the cusp of autumn. Where did summer go?! I was looking through my daily iPhone photo highlights the other day and there was a pic from a May 27 dog park outing that stopped me in my tracks. I swear it was just a couple weeks ago, not four months ago. Those three months, though, were lovely and packed full of backyard hangs, tag teamed lap swim and splash pad fun, stroller walks, patio dinners, family bike rides. You know, the usual stuff when you have a 2-year-old.
Perhaps the most notable thing about summer, though: I was unemployed for most of it. I’ve dubbed it my sabbatical summer, and while being laid off was rough, it turned out to be the best thing (not gonna lie, though: I miss my job and colleagues a lot). Because when as an adult – other than mat leave and that doesn’t count, don’t even get me started on abysmal mat leave in the U.S. – do you have a chunk of time off to just be?! To have the space to play, explore, rest, have no schedule like a kid again? (OK, I tried to keep a schedule of “work” in the mornings and lunchtime workouts with afternoons open to whatever I felt like.) It was exactly the reset and space I needed to reflect on how I want to spend my time, how I want to work (and what type of work I want to do), and how we want to structure our lives. It’s also not lost on me what a privilege it was to have had this time and not have to worry. I’m so grateful. Anyway, I returned to work the beginning of August – a lucky break to have found a content designer position in this terrible tech market – and it’s been an adjustment in all sorts of ways, but overall it feels good to be using my brain that way again.
The time off also gave me space to return to the sport I once did with gusto. I originally mapped out an 8-week build to a mid-September 70.3 in Washington, but after racing the YWCA sprint I realized I wouldn’t have the fitness depth I would like so I switched gears to instead race another sprint and the TC 10 Mile (this weekend!). It turned out to be the best thing because it still gave me the time I want with my family, downtime for myself, and time for Body & Bell kettlebells 2-3x/week (referral link – come play with meeeeee!). All in all, it’s a pretty lovely season of life right now 🤍✨
Other summer glimmers
Long weekends at my sister and BIL’s cabin in Wisconsin. We love spending time with family here – it’s such a special place! Grilling, bonfires, jumping off the dock, boating, wake surfing, lazy mornings on the deck drinking coffee. Weekends don’t get much better.
My 25th class reunion. I blinked and suddenly it’s been 25 years since I graduated high school in 1998. It simultaneously feels like all that time has passed and like it hasn’t at all. A handful of us (out of 39!) celebrated with a float in the parade (we won most school spirit!), loads of laughter, oversized letter jackets, a classic garage party, and so much nostalgia. I had the best time, and I’m grateful to have grown up with such great friends.
Jackson’s 2nd birthday! I also blinked and Jackson turned 2 the end of June. Time is such a thief. He loves his paci collection, running nonstop constantly, climbing on everything, building with Duplos and Magnatiles, filling small containers with Annie’s cheddar bunnies, being outside, snuggling and reading, and cruising on his strider bike. He makes our world sparkle and we love him so, so much ✨
Landscaping our front and back yards. We started phase 1 work – backyard paver patio and sod – last summer and wrapped up phase 2 this summer with landscaping both the front and backyards. We mostly planted hydrangeas – limelight, firelight, and annabelle – and hostas and I’m obsessed with the floppy mops of flowers and all the shades of green. The front was a bit more extensive and involved removing a crumbling retaining wall, awkward built-in benches, and overgrown bushes, and regrading and laying sod. I’m so pleased with how it all turned out! Phase 3 next year will include a new fence and filling in the rest of the landscaping with sedum, more hostas, and ferns.
And things I’m loving:
- Hydroflask water bottle. After my glass bink bottle shattered to smithereens (I bought a replacement, but now just don’t bring it everywhere anymore), I bought a 32oz Hydroflask with a straw (in color oat) and it’s the best bottle ever (sorry, all you Stanley lovers!).
- Unreal coconut bars. We stock up on these gourmet Mounds bars at Costco and they’re the perfect after dinner treat.
- Sing 2. I couldn’t tell you how many times we’ve watched this movie the last couple months. Jackson loves it, and we love it! The music is fantastic and Moon looks just like Matthew McConaughey in koala bear form.
- Ridwell. We’re always looking for ways to cut down what goes in our trash and recently started seeing all these cute white boxes on front steps in the neighborhood (the branding is tops). Turns out it’s a recycling service called Ridwell that takes most of the things that can’t be traditionally recycling – plastic film, multi-layer plastic, lightbulbs, batteries, fabric scraps, etc. We started saving our plastic, but procrastinated signing up until a random marketplace Duplo pick-up happened to be at the city’s Ridwell HQ. After the GM gave me a tour (and I picked up the Jurassic Park Duplos 😆), I signed up on the spot. (Hit me up if you want a trial!)
- Cutco cheese knife. We’re a Cutco knife household – Nick used to sell them – but we didn’t have the cheese knife until recently. It’s pricy, but gosh, it’s the best knife for cutting cheese, tomatoes, kiwi, etc. Buy it immediately.
- Scamanda. I rarely listen to podcasts – mostly because it’s more info overload and my brain can only take so much – but someone on insta recommended Scamanda, and I was intrigued. After one episode (that look like a week to listen to because I only listen in the car and don’t drive much) I was hooked. What a bonkers story about a woman who lied about having cancer, scamming hundreds of people out of thousands of dollars.
- Bissel steam mop. Anyone else hate mopping? It’s my least favorite chore, but with 2 dogs and a toddler, our floors are always dirty. I recently bought this Bissel steam mop and it’s the best $100 I’ve spent in a long time. A cinch to use and cleans wood and tile floors so well!
- Beautycounter All Bright Triple Acid AHA toner. I’m not one to gush about a skincare product, but this stuff is legit. My skin is so much smoother, softer, and even toned since I started using it 3 months ago.
Hope you had a great summer, too, whatever season of life you’re in!
No Comments