Favorites and Highlights One Sentence a Day in July 2025

I feel like July sped by in a blur and yet weirdly I also feel like the 4th of July was so long ago! We definitely tried to pack lots of summer fun into our weeks and make the most of our summer in between hiding out inside from some extreme heat waves and severe thunderstorms.  We've had so much fun and lots of good food this July so I can't complain. 

1. So thankful that my mother in law was available for dinner at the last minute. My mom and I went to yoga then Evan and I headed out hiking even though it was hot and muggy and threatening rain/thunderstorms but they never materialized until late that night. 12,304 steps. 

 

2. So thankful I finished my book just before we left! Gym with my mom, then I spent most of my afternoon trying to finish up the book that was due back at the library in time for us to vote after dinner (our voting place is at our library-- also the budget did not pass for the 3rd time). 9,946 steps. 

 

 

 

a new recipe we tried at dinner; it was okay

3. So thankful for a quiet, uneventful day at home. I made granola bars and brought Evan to the library to pick up his own books that came in that day (Alec had their car at work) then went to pick up my CSA box. 6,755 steps.  

4. Spending the whole evening with my family made me feel so thankful.  I spent the morning of the 4th at the grocery store then making up some new recipes before my family came over in the afternoon for the boat parade and to watch some fireworks (plus the guy across the cove has a big party and hires a live band each year). 7,422

5. So thankful for cool lake breezes! We had my husband's family's 4th of July party at the lake and we had so many new faces show up this year. 9,910.

 

6. Thankful for a new great book to fall into. Spent the morning getting ready for the week, started a new book, and then spent our afternoon and evening back at the cottage eating up the leftover foods. 9,334 steps. 

 

7. Thankful that I managed to shed a few pounds this weekend! Gym with my mom, home to finish my book, the younger boys and I walked to the cottage to get some ice cream then spent 2 hours hanging around the living room chatting-- threw off my "to do" list but TOTALLY worth it! 

 

Homemade fish tacos-- yum!

 

8. So thankful for beautiful shopping weather (the thunderstorms held off until after dinner). My mother and I went to the Wrentham Outlets for my annual birthday shopping trip we had a lovey time even if my activity tracker broke and I got a tiny dent in my car from someone else's car door hitting it (I assume). 7,794 steps. 

I got so many compliments on my blouse this day! 

 

a map of the "mall"; it's HUGE!

9. Thankful for a fabulous new audiobook my mom and I are listening to together. Gym with my mom, Target and the library with Evan, a quiet afternoon at home reading and blogging. 

10. Thankful I was able to fall back to sleep after I normally would have been out of bed. So tired after another night of thunderstorms and torrential downpours interrupted my sleep but I was able to sleep in before cleaning out the shoe closet, prepping dinner, and picking up another farm box of veggies. 

 

11. So thankful the sun made a quick appearance in the afternoon. Gym with my mom, home to make some squash casseroles, homemade marinara, my menu for the week and grocery list, etc. before ending my evening at the grocery store with my husband (exciting times here on a Friday night). 

 12. So thankful for a fabulous little birthday celebration for me! We spent the day cleaning the house inside and out and prepping food for a mini birthday party for me; we invited my mom, step father and mother in law over for a delicious steak dinner. 

I still found plenty of time to read outside though!

13. So thankful for a truly wonderful date night. I spent my morning crafting before Evan asked to go hiking and then my husband and I ended the weekend with a little date night out. 

 

14. So thankful for all my beautiful new birthday clothes! Gym with my mom then raspberry and blueberry picking with Evan and my mom. 5,396 steps. 

 

15. So thankful Evan pushes me to be more active than I might otherwise be on a hot summer day. Yoga with my mom, home to clean house, ran to get gas and books at the library, kayaked with Evan and got some more scrapbooking pages done too. 4,389 steps. 

16. Thankful for air conditioning. Gym with my mom, home to cut up fruit, make a salad, make some triple berry Jam (blueberry/strawberry/raspberry) then beat the heat indoors with a good book and some more house cleaning. 6,206 steps. 

 

a "new" breakfast Alec got me to try; fresh fruit, granola, coconut flakes, and a drizzle of honey

17. Thankful for such delicious and fresh foods. A cloudy day that threatened storms all day so I spent most of it in the kitchen mixing up a new marinade for our kabobs, making homemade ice cream, making blueberry boy bait, reading, and working on a new puzzle. A truly pathetic 3,294 steps. 

18. Thankful for the truly beautiful weather we had today. Gym with my mom, hiking with Alec and Evan then Alec and I spent our afternoon making homemade pot stickers.  10.910 steps.

My hiking/gym outfit

Alec and I made 50 or so potstickers in the afternoon for a new soup recipe

19. So thankful the boys and I have made such fabulous friends through the years. I made some cards and scrapbook pages, enjoyed lots of time outside and then after lunch the younger two boys and I headed to their friend's house for his 18th birthday party; we stayed for well over 6 hours! 5,131 steps. 

I ended up changing into shorts before we left since it got really warm out

 20. So thankful the severe thunderstorms they were predicting all day fizzled out and only left a bit of rain. Up early for groceries, then spent my day cooking, prepping food, doing laundry, reading books, etc. 5,343.  

almost done.. 

 21. Thankful for a busy but really good day ticking so much off my to do list. Gym with my mom, spent some time crafting before Evan and I headed out to the dentist then Alec and I went dorm/apartment supply shopping before picking Evan and my mother in law up to go and get ice cream. 8,954 steps.

22. So thankful for a fabulous day with my younger two boys and my mom. The boys, my mom, and I headed to the zoo; we couldn't wait to see the new cheetah cubs! 7,329 steps.  

23. Thankful for a beautiful sunrise view! Gym with my mom, a quick run to the grocery store, a bit more food prep and then I spent the rest of my morning crafting making 6 cards using some new products. I spent my afternoon reading and relaxing. 7,084 steps. 

 24. Thankful for a lovely breeze that made this hot day seem not so hot. A beautiful sunny day at home, I did spend a good part of the day reading and cooking and doing housework and I remembered to go pick up my CSA/farm box. 

 25. So thankful the rain cleared up by dinnertime so I could cook our chicken on the grill. Gym with my mom, more food prep in the kitchen, started a new painting, started a few new books... and then it started pouring right as I was ready to walk down the road to get our mail. 7,331 steps.

26. Thankful for a fun night playing cards with my mother in law, husband, and sons. Evan and I headed out for a morning hike and planned a few more college visits for August then I spent my afternoon reading, painting, and even napping a bit. 11,061 steps.

Fresh fish my husband caught Friday on his fishing trip along with kale and potatoes and onions from our farm box.

27. So thankful the pouring rain held off until we were finished with grocery shopping. After a quick morning run to the grocery store I spent the day inside (out of the torrential downpours) crafting, reading, and listening to audiobooks. We squeezed in a quick walk and invited my mother in law to dinner and to play cards again. 7,240 steps. 

28. So thankful for some fabulous new books that came in at the library. Gym with my mom, morning in the kitchen baking up zucchini bread, prepping zucchini relish ingredients, salad, freshly cut fruit, cleaned the upstairs, did all the laundry, went to the library-- it was a busy and productive day. 8,764 steps. 

29. So thankful for a good yoga class that really stretched my sore muscles and joints. Yoga class with my mom, home to do more housework and finish making the zucchini relish then I ran to Target and spent my afternoon blogging and reading. 4,137 steps. 

 

30.  So thankful to get an advanced reader copy of a book I've been dying to read! My mom and I had haircuts then I spent my day cleaning house, reading, and hiding out from our heat once again.  5,361 steps. 

31. So thankful the rain held off long enough for me to enjoy breakfast on the deck. Gym with my mom, home to clean, read, and blog and avoid the rain.. that never really came until after dinner (though we did have occasional sprinkles here and there). 5,433 steps.  

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