It’s never a bad idea to pause and take stock of all the wonderful things in life, but summer is an especially fitting time to celebrate all things good and bright and beautiful. Inspired by the joyous vibes of summer, this month’s 28 Things post is dedicated to a potpourri of recent discoveries and sundry delights that have brought a smile to my face in recent weeks.
1. Sleeping until 7:00 most mornings, a summertime indulgence.
2. The cute little flower arrangement that is a perfect fit for a shelf that needed a touch of color.
3. The typing app Charleston is using to learn to type this summer. AND the fact that he’s finally learning to type!
4. This website that is helping me practice my own typing.
4b. Discovering that my typing speed (around 100 wpm on a good day) is faster than Luke’s. He’s better than me at almost everything else, making this an especially celebratory win.
5. Phylicia Masonheimer’s newsletter in which Phylicia shares her thoughtful perspective on motherhood, homeschooling, and challenging theological issues.
6. This thought-provoking essay on how to counter the unfortunate trend of flakiness in our culture.
7. My new Rothy’s. This is my third pair, and I’ve worn my others almost every day for the past several years. It was time to expand the collection.
8. The book of Proverbs. It’s one of my favorite books of the Bible, and I get more out of it with every year’s read through the Bible.
9. Write at the Edge on Substack, where Mallary shares about the craft of writing as well as her eating disorder recovery—two subjects that speak into my own life.
10. Our summer date night schedule with the kids: I have Tuesday, Luke has Thursday, and we cycle through the three big kids so that every child gets a solo dinner out with each of us every three weeks.
11. This adorable video that my mom shared with me.
12. Huggie earrings, which are a step up from studs but not as enticing as statement earrings for my grabby infant.
13. Roasted carrots (cooked whole and totally unadorned, at 425°F on my oven’s Air Fryer setting for 45 minutes, or until slightly charred).
14. The brand-new mural filling the wall of our rec center/gym, featuring blacklight paint for a fun interactive flashlight scavenger hunt.
14b. Public art in general, which is such a delightful gift to the community. A few other recent faves include the mural on our town water tower and the mosaics filling the walls of the pediatric hospital where we go for Nico’s check-ups.
15. Artwork and/or artists making an appearance in fiction. A few notable examples from books I’ve read this year are All the Colors of the Dark, My Friends, The Bright Years, The Names, and A Sea of Unspoken Things. (Note: the first three were 5-star reads, the last two were both 3 stars, so artwork in a book does not guarantee the book itself will be a winner!)
16. Tomatoes from our garden, and the fact that I’m the only one in our family who likes them so I get them all to myself!
17. Freeze-dried tomatoes. My in-laws have been experimenting with their new freeze dryer, and these are unexpectedly delicious.
18. Michelle Watson’s Substack, Library Binding. I look forward to her insightful posts every Saturday morning.
19. This Zillow find Luke discovered that is the fantasy home of my dreams.
20. Nightly prayer time with Luke. We’ve been diligently consistent about this lately, and it’s been HUGE for both our marriage and our spiritual lives.
21. The floppy red hat Charleston bought at summer camp and wears proudly and unironically.
22. Deep-dive podcasts that enhance my appreciation of some favorite shows. I loved listening to Office Ladies along with our rewatch of The Office, and now Parks and Recollection is adding extra sparkle to our rewatch of Parks and Rec.
23. Faith Moore’s summertime podcast series exploring deeper themes in well-known fairytales.
24. Meredith Hinds’ beautiful tribute to larger families.
25. This jumpsuit (romper?) that is comfortable but nicer than my usual shorts and a t-shirt, and nursing-friendly when paired with a crop top or sports bra.
26. Nico’s Fisher Price garage playset (and how much the older kids love playing with it too!).
27. Shannon Hood’s essay reflecting on nine years of homeschooling.
28. Our backyard sunflowers, including one that is literally taller than our house!
It’s YOUR turn! I’d love to hear from you about the surprise gems and standout finds that are bringing a little extra joy to your summer days! Share with me in the Comments or, if you’re reading this through email, just hit Reply and it will come straight to my inbox.