Hi, friends! August has been so long and I’m about ready to move on. It’s a transition month as we settle into school and school-year commitments. I’ve felt overwhelmed at times getting back into the swing of things. It’s also very, VERY hot. But there were plenty of good things in August too, and good things to look forward to. So, let’s catch up!

In the at-home coffee front, I’m quite pleased with my daily cup lately and have some updates to share. I’m brewing the Trader Joe’s French roast instead of Peet’s Major Dickason because it’s easier to stock up on since I do my weekly shopping at TJs. Plus it’s a few dollars cheaper but still has a nice roasty taste (no fruit notes in my coffee!). I switched up my milk from Silk Kids (which I was finding doesn’t blend in smoothly to hot coffee) to Oatly Barista Blend plus a glug of Pumpkin Spice Nutpods. I steam this in my Instant Pot milk frother which I love so much. Also important! I switched my insulated coffee mug to one I purchased at ECDC in Eau Claire. For years I had used a Yeti tumbler but always found it slightly too big to comfortably hold. As in, my thumb often felt slightly strained!

Also coffee related: the pumpkin cream cold brew is back. I had the day on my calendar and treated myself to one yesterday. These are the tiny fall joys I lean into when it’s 112º. What’s happening in your coffee life lately?

My Solo Weekend

I luxuriated in two nights at home alone while Chris and the kids went to Flagstaff with family. I made homemade veggie burgers from Oh She Glows, binged the C. B. Strike series (based on my favorite detective series), decluttered, and caught up on our 2026 photo book. It was wonderful!

Chris left me a gift card to Mythical which was both so sweet and the perfect thing to get me out of the house for a late morning coffee + cookie.

Deep Decluttering

I always love to delcutter but I’ve really been in a groove since returning from Eau Claire. It’s easier when you’ve had space from your stuff and can see it anew, and have had that emotional distance. Plus, Maeve especially is entering a new phase of being a big kid (my heart!) so it was time to let go of outgrown clothes and toys.

What pulled at my heartstrings was giving away her play kitchen. Not because it’s not time, but just because it’s such an emblem of her toddler and little kid year. It’s such a sweet toy and I love pretend kitchen play. I had a moment wondering “Is it really time?? Maybe she’ll still play with it?”

But then, as I was going through old photos, I saw how little she was when we first got it and realized that we’ve had it for years. It’s gotten great use and it sits unused in a corner of her room. So I connected with another mom of a little girl through Buy Nothing and am so happy to pass it on to another family who will use and love it. The mom messaged me the same day she picked it up saying her daughter was already obsessed with it, awww!

Eating Lately

I have a new go-to snack to keep my company on the drive home from Trader Joes: the La Colombe Everyday Oat Latte (anything branded as “everyday” really speaks to my Upholder/routine personality and I am here for it) and the Think Delight chocolate peanut butter bar.

I eat my everyday menu (see!) most days which includes overnight oats which I make with steel cut oats and almond milk. Then I add a scoop of peanut butter powder, heat it up, and add a heap of berries. Sometimes some with chia or flax, especially since Dr. Greger told me about the benefits of flax for women in perimenopause.

After years of finding salmon illusive to cook well at home (despite being a great cook and everyone saying that “it’s so easy!”) I finally found a reliable recipe. Four out of five Whartons enjoy it and the sliced lemons on top look fancy. I try to do a bigger family meal on Sundays so salmon is now in the rotation. If I remember to prep it ahead of time, a loaf of no-knead bread is a always welcome and makes me feel like such a good mom.

For Girl Scout meetings I often bake banana muffins using a recipe from Yummy Toddler Food. They are a big hit so I’ve come to think of them as “Meeting Muffins.” If you need a go-to banana muffin in your life, give these a try! By the way, have you ever thought of making muffins for dinner? I like to throw that into the rotation occasionally. (Yesterday we had spinach-banana muffins.)The kids love it and it feels pretty easy to whip up and round out the meal with fruit, veg, and/or a smoothie.

Dash Is As Tall As Me and Almost As Tall As Chris

I never grew taller than my parents so this is wild to me. Cedric’s not that far behind. (You’re welcome for the height genes, kids!) That is all.

Exercise Lately

My workout routine has changed slightly in that my Monday morning High Fitness workout isn’t fitting into my calendar consistently any more. I’m sad but also do enjoy getting right into the work day on a Monday (the class is at 8:30 am). But I do miss having that cardio workout and it’s such a fun one. I’d like to still go occasionally but the best workouts for me are the ones I do every week.

So now my weekly workouts are:

T: Lift at the gym, sometimes with an outdoor run afterwards but depends on Chris’s workout and work schedule

W: Orange Theory class

Th: Orange Theory Tread class

Sat: Orange Theory class

I really like having four cardio workouts in my week so I’m trying to see where another one might fit now that I don’t have High Fit. I’d really like for that to be an outdoor run which I haven’t done consistently in years but have enjoyed a couple recently. The time constraints are that I want to finish working out by 8 am or earlier to preserve my work days and Chris’s early morning workout days atre Monday, Friday, and Sunday. Plus, if I run outdoors I don’t want to go until it’s a little bit light outside. I have no problem being up and ready to work out by 4:30 am but it’s too dark for me to feel comfortable alone outdoors. I find myself quite annoyed by this.

It’ll probably be a season of trying different iterations before we land on a consistent routine.

I’d love to hear how late August is finding you! Some of you might be just getting into the school routine or about to be…what a busy, exciting time!