Currently #67

Currently

Jul 30

Hello everyone! Happy Wednesday. It makes me sad to say that we are at the end of July and summer is slowing down, but we still have one full month plus some change to go. My goal is to cram as much summer fun in these next thirty days as possible. I have done an excellent job at making the most of this summer and I still want to do that in August.

Before we get to the final full month of summer, I wanted to recap this last month. July was busy and full in the best possible way. Here’s a little bit of a recap since my last Currently post!

What I've Been Up to: I said goodbye to June and hello to July by enjoying the sunshine.

I got in some fruit picking this summer by going cherry picking. I have never been a huge fan of cherries, but there’s something special about enjoying them in the summer time.

I got to the beach for grilling, before the heavens opened up and it poured.

The effort was there, but the weather didn’t pan out.

I went to a Cleveland Guardians game and enjoyed a sun-drenched day, the only downside was that the Guards lost.

July brought the Fourth of July!

Filled with all the red, white, and blue!

It also brought my brother’s graduation party.

I got to enjoy some live music and sunsets by the water.

A nighttime date to the zoo is always a good idea!

Heritage and community festivals are always fun!

Blueberry picking is always a summer favorite!

Enjoying summer meals outside is another summer favorite of mine!

I have enjoyed lots of outdoor runs, like by the water.

Followed by walks in nature.

Completing my first half-marathon was a huge accomplishment this month!

More walks during the middle of the day brings me so much joy!

My boyfriend and I took a whirlwind of a day trip…here’s a hint at where we went.

What I'm Wearing:

This new blue top was a favorite of mine. I adore the collar.

This was a fun summer dress to wear!

This was another fun summer dress I got to wear a few times out with friends. I love how lightweight the fabric is and the colors. I picked it up from Marshall’s.

This was a fun outfit that I pulled together for work.

I love to break out bright colors and bold looks for work too!

Mixing and matching colors and prints is one of my favorite things to do, especially when it comes to dressing up for work.

More color blocking, but adding different colored blazers.

What I'm Reading:

I’ve had a pretty good month when it came to reading. Here’s what I read:

The Favorites- Layne Fargo’s The Favorites was such a good book that I heard about for months before I finally got my hands on it. The plot of the story is about a skating duo and their lives as they work to achieve Olympic dreams. It follows characters over the course of decades, there’s romance, drama, heartbreak, and betrayal. But, my personal favorite part of how the story was told is that it went back and forth between the narrator and an interview of a documentary, almost like Daisy Jones and the Six vibes. I really loved this story and how it was told.

Everyone in my Family has Killed Someone- I listened to Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson and loved how this story was told. It’s done in a second person perspective so the narrator “talks” to the audience. The story follows a man who goes to his family reunion and a murder happens and everyone is a suspect. However, as the book unravels, the audience quickly learns that everyone in the book has indeed killed someone. I loved the murder-mystery aspect, however, I do wish I read it as opposed to listen to it since I think I would have followed the story better by reading it.

The Let Them Theory- This was the first time I have heard about Mel Robbins. I kept seeing the book, The Let Them Theory all over social media when it came out and I couldn’t wait to see what all the hype was about. Let me tell you, the hype was worth it. The book is all about changing your mindset and perspective about life and how you handle certain situations. I took away so many valuable life lessons and ideas after reading the book. I can definitely see myself applying these principals to my own life and experiences.

Great Big Beautiful Life- I read Emily Henry’s latest book, Great Big Beautiful Life and I loved it. It’s all about two competing writers who are both working to write the get the contract to write a memoir for a long-lost actress. The story follows the life of the woman whose memoir they are writing, plus, there is also a parallel storyline about the two competing writers. I love Henry’s writing and the story, my only complaint is that I felt like the ending was a little rushed and I wanted more. Overall, it is in the ranks for one of my favorite books of the year.

The Paris Connection- I read The Paris Connection by Lorraine Brown and thought it was a cute, summer read. It’s about a girl who is on her way to Amsterdam, but ends up in Paris for a day. She meets a boy who takes her to the top places and some hidden gems before she gets on her train to her original destination. I thought the book was good, but not great. I loved the description of Paris for a day, but wanted some of the plots to be more developed.

Famous Last Words- Gillian McAllister’s book, Famous Last Words kept me hooked the entire time. I originally thought the book was going to go one direction, but it took a completely different turn that I wasn’t expecting at all. I got so into the book, I read the last 100 pages straight through. It’s all about a man who gets involved in a hostage situation. His wife is stunned that he got himself in the situation until she learns what led up to the incident. This book had me gasping out loud multiple times.

What I'm Watching:

I haven’t been watching too much tv since I have been really trying to be outside as much as I can. But I have been keeping up with the Gilmores by watching Gilmore girls as I get ready for the day. Such a good comfort show. It’s my first time watching it through and I wish I started it sooner.

What I'm Cooking:

This was such a good month for cooking. I tried some new recipes and enjoyed some fan favorites.

Lobster Cobb Salad- This was from Every Day with Babs cookbook. I loved all the flavors that were mixed in with this hearty salad. I paired it with a fruit salad and homemade cream cheese dip from Emily Ley’s cook book. Yum!

Plus fruit salad with homemade cream cheese dip

Homemade Chipotle Bowls- A classic meal that is so easy to make and so filling. My favorite part? The homemade guac! I love guacamole and try to use it as much as I can. I also attempted homemade tortilla chips, they were okay, but I want to perfect them.

Chili Lime Shrimp and Corn Salad- This was such a light, but hearty summer meal. I love the flavoring of the shrimp and lime with a hint of chili powder. I got this recipe from the cookbook, Every Day with Babs.

Homemade milkshakes was a fun at-home date night treat!

Peach and Toasted Cashew Salad- We enjoyed this salad as a side with grilled chicken and corn. It was so flavorful. I loved the mix of the peaches and the cashews. I got this recipe from Mix and Match Mama. Yum!

Homemade blueberry muffins from my picking during the month.

Sheet pan Sausage, Peppers, and Onions. This was a super simple dinner from Emily Ley’s cookbook. It was filled with flavor, it was colorful and the best part was that there were no leftovers.

Homemade brunch on a Sunday morning is always a good idea!

Nothing says summer like fresh fruit!

Chicken Cordon Bleu was an easy meal that went over well.

Pineapple Cupcakes- I was craving something topical and Mix and Match Mama’s two ingredient cupcakes were super easy and flavorful too!

Homemade Cinnamon Rolls- My boyfriend and I had this on our bucket list for over a year and we finally made them. They were delicious with homemade bread and frosting. We heated them up to enjoy and they were divine.

Chef Salad- Such a filling and hearty meal that takes almost no prep and tastes so good and healthy on a hot day.

Sesame Pineapple Chicken- I was leaning into the summer flavors with this sesame pineapple chicken with a lime and pineapple rice. It was so flavorful and I even had leftovers to enjoy the next day!

What Inspires Me:

Some daily inspiration from my desk this month.

Fresh blooms always leave me inspired.

Some good reminders about finding joy in the every day moments.

We unexpectedly learned we had been growing some veggies including cucumbers, peas, and some strawberries. This left me feeling inspired to work on my green thumb.

Another desk quote that popped up when I needed it most!

What I Accomplished:

Slow days by the pool with my pup.

More baseball nights for the win!

I fit in a lot this month, from the Fourth of July, to grad parties, and a few day trips.

A diner lunch with a homemade milkshake.

My boyfriend and I also did a cash only month, where we paid for everything in cash as a way to track our spending and budgeting. It was a challenge and learning experience, but satisfying to have accomplished it. I’ll have a full post about it next month.