Fantasy Hike App I found this app randomly during a mindless scroll session on Instagram and it has become such a fun little feature to have on my phone. It's an app that tracks your steps throughout the day, but its gimmick is that it shows you how long it would take you to walk from the "Shire" to "Mordor." I just have the free version, so it only tracks up to a mile a day, but it's still fun to look at how far I've come and what day I'm expected to arrive in Mordor. (Right now I'm set to complete my journey in November of 2029 lol. I would make a terrible Ring Bearer)
Gardening This has become the Summer of the Garden for us, at least the Summer of the Attempted Garden since we didn't really know what to expect out of this first year and our tiny plot of tilled earth. We planted around 6 plants just to see what happened and have been pleasantly surprised that we've had a bountiful harvest of spinach, lettuce, cucumber, and tomato so far. It's so satisfying to eat, can, and cook food that comes directly from our backyard. It's a lot of work, but we already have so many ideas for how to expand and improve next year.
Baking I want to get good at baking. I don't know why I struggle with baking in particular, but it always feels like things go wrong despite how carefully I follow instructions. However, I am getting increasingly frustrated and disappointed with the quality of bread and baked goods from the grocery store and buying from an artisan baker is expensive. I want to learn the intricacies of baking. The science behind it and be good at it. I've barely begun, but I'm excited to try new things.
Skincare Similar to baking, I have always been incredibly intimidated by skincare. There are so many conflicting things skincare gurus and influencers say about certain ingredients and brands. I also don't know how to sort through the noise of all the sponsorships skincare companies do. How do I know if their products will actually work when everything I see are ads? But I've been dipping my toes in and trying some things to improve my skin. To heal some dry patches. To even out the tone. To feel confident without makeup. If I ever get to the point when I'm comfortable with a routine, maybe I'll share what I've used.
Reading on my Kindle Ever since I had my daughter last year, I have become very emotionally dependent on my Kindle. It made reading while nursing and rocking her so easy, and I truly would have been lost without in in those early postpartum months. Of course, I still prefer reading physically when I can. There are just certain times and types of reads I'm drawn to read on Kindle. I don't know what it is about this summer, but I have been craving Kindle reading so much. Laying out on my hammock in the evening with my Kindle has been my favorite thing, and I'm able to read through books faster.
Summer Storms It's been a mostly dry summer so far, but we've had a decent amount of rain. Enough to keep the plants alive and growing, but not too much to make for a gloomy season stuck inside. We have had a few good storms roll through. I love the gloomy, moodiness of a summer storm. It adds a sense of coziness to a time that is usually known for the brightness and heat. It's a much needed relief and has me getting ready for fall already.
Learning How to Make a Home Another big life update is that I decided to step away from working, at least for the time being until things settle down with two babies under two years old. My focus has now fully shifted to nesting and learning how to manage our home well. I could write a whole post about this alone, and maybe I will someday. But for now, I'm still getting into a new routine and learning my limits, balancing them against my perfectionism. My main goal is to be serious about feeding my family good food, creating a welcoming sense of peace in our house, while also being good stewards of what we have. It's been a lot, but I'm already so thankful for the change. I'm trying to enjoy this season of life and not take it for granted that I have this opportunity.
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What have you been loving?
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