Welcome to Life Lately July 2026! July felt like a nice mix of wrapping up summer activities and settling into a slower routine at home. Swim season finally came to an end, which meant more evenings around the dinner table and time to try several new recipes. I also made some great thrift finds, read a few more books in my never-ending audiobook series, tackled a handful of organizing projects, and started looking ahead to back-to-school season. Here’s what we’ve been up to this past month.
Books I’ve Read
- The Witch of Webs by pirateaba– A coven of ancient witches descends on Riverfarm, where Ryoka Griffin and Emperor Laken must navigate dangerous bargains, old magic, and a legendary witch whose schemes threaten the Unseen Empire.
- The Empress of Beasts by pirateaba- Monsters awaken across the world, forcing nations, rulers, and adventurers to confront a growing threat that could reshape the balance of power.
- Hell’s Wardens by pirateaba- The Horns of Hammerad face a relentless pursuit from enemies and monsters while escorting a dangerous road-building expedition near the deadly Bloodfields, where survival may cost them everything.
- Garden of Santuary by pirateaba– Erin Solstice returns from Pallass with powerful new abilities—including the mysterious Garden of Sanctuary Skill—as her adventures ripple across Izril and Chandrar, deepening the world’s magic, politics, and personal relationships.
During our life lately July 2026, I finished 4 books. It’s another month of the incredibly long series I’ve been working through. Seriously, each book is typically over 30 hours of audio. I am still loving the story and all the different characters. It’s sad the narrator switched though. The first narrator was PHENOMENAL. I continue to rate these 4/5.
Recipes I’ve Made
- Spicy Taco Sweet Potatoes– These were delicious! I think next time I will cube then roast the sweet potatoes. It will add more crunch and texture.
- Blackberry Lemon Cake– I’m not sure I’d recommend this. The cake was good. But the frosting wouldn’t set up for me. I think there was too much cream cheese or I should have whipped the cream and folded it in. The Lemon Berry Mascarpone Cake I made a couple weeks ago was much better.
- Ground Beef Shawarma Bowls– We loved these! Pretty easy to make, too. I haven’t seasoned rice with tumeric before, but it was very tasty.
- Lemon Berry Mascarpone Cake– Oh my sweet goodness. I made this on our anniversary to try and recreate a dessert we had on vacation. It was even better! It was a process, but so worth it.
- Banana Bars with Salted Caramel Frosting– The salted caramel frosting takes this to the next level! Definitely something I need to make again.
- Slow Cooker Ruben Dip– We needed an Irish themed appetizer for a party we went to and I made this. It was really easy and Matt loved it.
- Dubai Chocolate Cake– Claire had a similar cake on vacation and loved it so we found this recipe for her to make. It’s pretty similar!
- Southwest Corn– We love fresh corn, but Claire has braces so it’s easiest to eat off the cob. I made this up quickly and we loved the bit of spice!
- Japanese Savory Pancakes– I made these the other night as a surprise for Matt. There is a restaurant in Chicago that serves them and we both love it. These were delicious and not too difficult to make.
Products I’ve Tried
- Cove Sunscreen Skinny Dip– I received the Cove Skinny Dip Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50 in the 1 oz tube to review, and I’ve been pleasantly surprised. Mineral sunscreens can sometimes feel thick or leave a noticeable white cast, but this one blends in much more easily than most I’ve used. The texture is lightweight and doesn’t feel greasy, making it comfortable enough for everyday wear under makeup or on its own. I also like that it’s fragrance-free and includes skincare ingredients like niacinamide, squalane, and hyaluronic acid for a little extra hydration. It isn’t completely invisible at first, but once worked into the skin, it leaves a natural finish. If you’re looking for a mineral sunscreen that doesn’t have that typical heavy feel, this one is definitely worth trying.
- Clean Creatine + Collagen –I’ve been adding one scoop of Clean Program Creatine + Collagen to my morning protein shake each day, and it’s become an easy part of my routine. It has a smooth vanilla flavor that blends really well without any gritty texture. One of my favorite things is that it combines creatine and collagen in a single supplement, so I don’t have to keep track of taking two separate products. I’ve also noticed my nails have been feeling stronger since I started using it. While it’s still too early for me to speak to longer-term benefits like muscle support or energy, I appreciate that it’s formulated with ingredients like creatine, collagen, ashwagandha, and maca to support strength and overall wellness, especially during perimenopause. It’s been a simple addition to my daily routine, and I’ll definitely keep using it.
Currently
- Savoring- We had a beautiful week of weather and truly savored some outdoor meals. Often it is too muggy or buggy, but these were perfection!
- Wrapping up– We just wrapped up long course swim and summer swim seasons. It’s nice to have a break from all of that.
- Preparing- I have not done one thing in preparation for school. No school supplies purchased, no calendars checked. Nothing. I need to start preparing asap!
- Remembering- Claire will be starting 8th grade this year. It’s her last year in middle school. I remember 8 years ago when we moved in and she was starting kindergarten!
- Organizing- Over the course of the summer I have organized several small areas of our home. Notably, these areas included our miscellaneous drawers like the sunglasses drawer, school work, junk drawer, and then our charging station. I’m hoping to do some garage organizing soon.
- Family Update
- Avie- Avie seems ready for school to start. She is quite a social butterfly and misses the daily interactions with friends and classmates. Fingers crossed for one of the teachers I want for her! She is off to her first week of overnight camp this week. I think she is going to have an incredible time.
Avie sleeping in the car after a fun day at the last swim meet of the season.
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- Claire– Claire finished out her long course swim season with over a 2 minute drop in the mile and 50 second drop in the 1000 (over the course of 2 meets a week apart). This summer she’s really enjoyed extra freedom in her spare time. She loves meeting up with friends and heading to Starbucks on their bikes or the pool on their own.
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- Me- I’m so ready for cooler weather! Hot weather workouts are not my jam. But as Claire says, “Summer miles, fall smiles!” Haha! I’ve been enjoying a little extra prep time for dinner and trying out new recipes. There are also some cute crafts I’ve been working on lately.
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- Matt- Matt and I were invited to a neighborhood Beer Olympics this month. Each team was assigned a country and we had to coordinate costumes and a few dishes to share. Then we competed in different games against each other. It was a great time! We were able to meet parents of many of Avie’s schoolmates. I hope they do it again.
July Goals Recap
- Date night– We had dinner and a wine tasting session last night!
- Finish our Yellowstone album– Done! It arrived Saturday and we all enjoyed looking through it.
- Try to make Lemon Berry Mascarpone cake- Done and delicious!
- Try to go on instagram 1x/day– Sort of? I did make a more concerted effort this month, but it definitely wasn’t everyday.
- Get a shelf for Avie’s room– Done! Although I actually think she may need a bigger one.
August Goals
- Do something for myself- It’s my birthday month so I’m thinking mani, pedi, or massage.
- Make an eye appointment- I am slightly nearsighted, but haven’t gotten new glasses in a few years. Some new sunglasses for driving would be nice!
- Plan a movie night– The past few summers we have hosted an outdoor movie night. We have a projector and large screen. Normally we play a 90s family movie. It’s a good night for all. I’d love to plan 1 or 2 before the summer is over.
- Get started on Redwood album– Notice a theme here? I’m working on getting our big trips documented. I would like to do the Redwood album while it is fresh in my mind. This month hopefully I can get it started.
Favorite July Posts
That wraps up Life Lately July 2026! It was a month full of good books, delicious recipes, family milestones, and enjoying these last few weeks of summer before school begins. August is always a bit of a transition month around here, and I’m looking forward to celebrating my birthday, checking a few goals off my list, and soaking up every last bit of summer before routines start all over again.
LINKING UP WITH WHAT’S UP WEDNESDAY, Currently
