Follow me on Instagram to see more images from my month.
Also you should follow my personal account — @jamielee841 — if you want to see even more!
1. My nephew Brody was born: Genevieve and Adela have a little brother now and he’s so adorbs.
2. I did a little faux parenting for 4 days — While my sister was in the hospital from Friday through Monday, I (and Finn plus Will for half of that time) stayed with their 6 children and dog (age ranges from almost 3 to teenager) at their house and played parent for the weekend. It was really fun to spend time with them but MAN was I tired afterwards. At one point I was just sitting quietly in the dark trying to finish my beer in peace and quiet with nobody asking me questions or whining or needing anything of me haha.
3. July 2nd marked 10 years since my mom passed and it brought up a lot of feelings: I don’t know why hitting 10 years felt even worse than normal but something about that number — being in the double digits — hurt. I decided I really wanted to be open about my story so I wrote about that day here on the blog.
4. Pool parties & dance parties: Had a really fun pool party/BBQ with my friends and their husbands. Really fun pool party at my sister’s for 4th of July. And then just went out dancing for a friend’s birthday.
This picture of Finn is pretty much accurate of how I feel from being so social — happy but exhausted
5. My brain just will not let me read (or really concentrate on anything): I don’t know if it’s just being so busy or if it’s just summertime brain but it’s taken me forever to read like ANYTHING this month. OOF. I mean, come to think about it I’ve had a lot of trouble concentrating on ANYTHING this month. My apartment is a disaster. My email is out of control. I have so much laundry to do. My to-do list is a sad state of affairs. But honestly? It is what it is.
I put all my Monthly Rewinds in a Spotify playlist so you can listen to them here !
1. Bleeding Heart — Regina Spektor
2. Fault – Hawai
3. Reload — Saint PHNX
4. Leftovers — James Quick
5. Lost At Sea — Empty Houses
6. Feels Right — Jocelyn Alice
Check out the rest of my July playlist for more of what I was listening to this month!
I only read 5 books and 1 comic this month so I feel weird listing ~faves~ out of 5 things so I’ll just list what I read.
- Split Second by Kasie West
2. Leave Me by Gayle Forman
3. The Memory Book by Lara Avery
4. This Savage Song by Victoria Schwab
5. The Nest by Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney
6. Paper Girls by Brian Vaughn
My review of One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid
“The beautiful thing about books was that anyone could open them.” ― This Savage Song by Victoria Schwab
1. 10 Years Ago Today — I don’t know WHY I shared this in my June recap post since I definitely posted it in July? Anyways, this was a really hard post for me to write to share this story but I’m so appreciative of all the love you guys showed me. I’m trying to tell stories more often and this made it feel less scary to share moments in my life that have mostly remained in my memory.
2. Ten Facts About Me: This was a nice change of pace and fun to share some random things about me!
3. Ten Underrated Books I Love: You should definitely check out this list if you are looking for some great books that went under the radar!
4. When Everything Feels Heavy: Talking about how I’ve been practicing self-care lately!
5. Whatcha in the Mood For?: I always love doing these posts and hope you guys enjoyed the recs I chose for various reading moods such as — a comfort read, a book that exudes girl power and more!
Maybe my latest If We Were Having Coffee post
1. These chai popsicles: TOTALLY making these before the summer is over.
2. Confessions of A Small Time Blogger: Loved this!
3. The Beauty of Being A Beginner: Very thought-provoking for me in a lot of ways. What could I bring a beginner’s mindset into? I immediately thought of blogging — how after 6 years and feeling like I don’t know what direction of this blog is going that maybe a beginner’s mindset will be how I work my way through it.
4. Is Blogging About Blogging Being Dead The New Blogging?: I have to agree with her!
5. Why You Need Lower Expectations: Very thought-provoking and now I’m off to watch Jenna’s video that inspired this post. I used to loooove Jenna Marbles back in the day but kind of fell off with watching a lot of Youtube channels.
1. Bullet Journalling : I’m late to the game on this one (although it’s SO kind of like something I did in my notebooks 10 years ago and maybe I should have made a name for it and become famous journal guru 😛 ) but I finally decided to actually research it and adapt it to my needs. Mine aren’t pretty but I’m loving have a place for everything in one notebook.
2. This Granger/Lovegood 2016 tee– I NEED IT.
3. Starbucks Iced Coconut Milk Mocha Macchiato: It’s been my drink of choice for July.
1. Our 4 year wedding anniversary: I can’t believe it’s been 4 years already but also it’s ONLY been 4 years? Maybe it feels longer because we’ve been together since 2007.
What’s been one of the highlights of your summer thus far and what is one thing you hope to do before summer ends? I really want to get to the beach…this has been the first summer in I don’t even know how long that we haven’t gone at all.
Pick a category (or 5… or all of them) and tell me what went on in YOUR life this month!! What sort of things were noteworthy for you this month? New obsessions? Any new song recs?? Best books you read this month? Great posts I missed on your blog? Answer to my question of the month?
Megan says
I always enjoy reading your blog. I always follow it looking for new and exciting posts.
Is your image from this month your picture or just a random one? I just love that photo. The tote is too cute. I love it. And the picture just seems relaxing. A nice picnic table (I think that’s what it is. It looks like one), a nice grassy area, and just a good spot for reading.
I can’t wait for more blog posts. And your nephew is adorable. :o)
Jamie says
Thank you! What a lovely comment to wake up to on a Monday morning!
That’s my image! 🙂 And it was taken on a park bench! Totally a good spot for reading. And I got the purse at Modcloth this summer!
And I knowwww. I’m all baby fever since he’s been born haha
Katie says
I haven’t been to the beach this summer either! Congrats on your new nephew! 🙂 I only read four books in July and my favorite was Lola and the Boy Next Door. I heard it is the least liked of the three, but I loved it! Also, chai popsicles sounds so amazing.
-Katie
Jamie says
We need to change our lack of beach trips for sure! It’s so bizarre because we always get at least ONE beach day in — normally way more than that.
I LOOOOOVE LOLA. I do not understand why it was the least liked. On first read I honestly liked it better than Anna which is one of my all time faves. Once I reread Anna soon after that I realized THAT was my favorite one and it’s held steadfast since then but oh man I looooved Lola.
Emmah says
Brody is so adorable!! And omg, I can’t believe how grown up Genevieve and Adela are now! I remember them when they were little babies, ack it makes me feel old haha.
Yes!! You finally read Split Second 🙂 What are your thoughts?
One of the highlights of my summer so far has been being able to meet one of my close online friends that I’ve known since 2011! She came up to my area (well about like 20 mins away), so I helped her shop for her movie 🙂 It was really nice to meet her for the first time!
Another couple highlights… going out for ice cream with my grampa while he was up visiting from Florida, as I don’t get to see him often. And then taking a walk around the Fairgrounds (they’re empty besides the 1 week the Fair is here in October), by myself. Forgot how nice it feels to just take a walk by yourself!
One thing I hope to do before summer ends? Get my state ID renewed LOL. I keep putting it off and it expired on 7/13! But the traveling DMV is only in my area on certain days of the month, sigh.
I got a new SS pairing yesterday and I can’t wait for this new round 🙂 I’m only doing the pen pal tier, but I love writing letters 🙂
New obsession? A salad that I created earlier in the month that has… lettuce, purple cabbage, sunflower seeds, cucumbers, extra sharp cheddar cheese (cut into little cubes), turkey breast (I used shredded from cooking a turkey), and thousand island dressing! SO yummy 😀
Check out Kelsea Ballerini’s album out on Spotify! I’m OBSESSED with it. Some of my favorite songs… “Xo”, “Peter Pan”, “Square Pegs”, “Sirens”, and “Yeah Boy”!
Best books I read in July? The Star-Touched Queen (I’m ALMOST done with it, so I’m counting it), The Winner’s Curse, The Winner’s Crime, and Firsts! Also my re-read of ACOMAF haha.
TV SHOW RECOMMENDATION!! Lucifer (FOX tv) is SO good! It’s only 13 episodes right now and doesn’t return for season 2 until September 19th! Lead dude is British (and they let him have his accent and it’s AMAZING OMG) and he’s a gem (Tom Ellis plays him). There’s great humor! It actually had me laughing out loud. And the ship is AMAZING, like OTP level haha. Also Trixie is one of my favorite characters on the show. If you watch this show, we must discuss and you tell me ALL your thoughts 😀
A little incentive 😉 http://showme-love.tumblr.com/post/147118615744
Jamie says
I KNOW. I’m like waiiiiit it feels like just yesterday that these two were babies how are they so grown up??
I LOVED Split Second! Such a great sequel/conclusion. Loved to see even more of their powers and this one was super action packed too. I seriously want more books set in this universe.
How awesome you got to meet your friend!! I love when i FINALLY get to meet one of my blogging besties. They were always the greatest of moments.
I didn’t do SS this next round bc I SUCKED at doing the pen pal tier this past round between travel and just being busy and feeling disconnected from a lot of stuff. Glad you are excited!
Your salad creation sounds AMAZING and I may have to steal it.
*off to Spotify*
Ooooh how is The Star Touched Queen??
Emmah says
The Star-Touched Queen is really good!!
Lorraine says
A busy month for you! Congrats on your new nephew 🙂
Jamie says
Thank you! And yes…super busy but a good busy. Though I’m so exhausted haha 🙂 Hope your summer is going well!
kristen says
oh, love that quote from that book! i definitely need that granger/lovegood tee. i’m not especially busy this summer, but my brain seems to be a bit fried and i’m having trouble concentrating on books… i think i just read more in the winter, who knows. i love your mood book recs posts because i’m definitely a mood reader!
Cynthia @ Bingeing On Books says
Congrats on the new nephew! He’s adorable! And I really, really need to read This Savage Song.
Jessica Lawlor says
You’re the best! <3 Thank you for including me! Your new nephew is such a cutie! xox
Tiara Amany says
Congratulations on your new nephew! I also have a new nephew, but he was born in May rather than July. I really envy that you had a chance on faux-parenting. I’m still 18, which means that there is still a long way before I have a bunch of kids on my own. But recently, I developed this motherly instincts and often wished that I could ‘steal’ my new nephew for a while because he is sooo cute and I would like to see how would I fare as a mother. Yes, they can be pretty handful, especially when they’re kids, but that is what makes motherhood so special and worthy.
Oh, yeah, Split Second is also one of my recent reads on July. I did not enjoy it much, though.
And yes, I’m also having a hard time concentrating recently. I was like having a reading rush in the early days of my holiday, but then it slowed down and now I’m having trouble to just ignore everything and read a book and review it. Practically, I’m having a hard time to figure out what I want to do next when it comes to books–do I want to read one, or do I want to search ones to add to my TBR shelf, or do I want to browse some book blogs or do I want to hunt for giveaways, or do I want to sit down and write some non-bookish blog posts–choices are hard like that.
By the way, I love rewind posts and your ‘If I Were Having Cofee’. It’s like a diary and reminds us that there is something more than just books. Read/write on, Jamie! I think I’ll be doing a similar one on my blog.
http://awaveofvellichor.wordpress.com