Currently Loving- August 2018

From a new job to a new favorite dessert, August has been a pretty good month.

Yes, I got a new job but just a weekend one. I’m still a teacher by day, blogger by night, and now a boutique worker by weekend. My friends, the Colemans, bought Wisteria Cottage and hired me to work on the weekends. It’s right up my alley because it’s a store full of cute and stylish clothes and accessories and then there’s home decor upstairs! Fun Fact: I bought my wedding dress way back in 2010 from Wisteria Cottage and now I get to work there. It’s funny how life comes full circle sometimes.

Okay, let’s talk about that new favorite dessert.

I have been craving my homemade applesauce lately, but I haven’t taken the time to make it. It makes a lot, and Paul doesn’t love it like I do, so I haven’t made it for fear that I’ll be the one to eat it all. I couldn’t shake the want for applesauce so I walked down that aisle at Walmart and stumbled across a cinnamon applesauce. Cinnamon is a spice that I always welcome. It invokes an emotional reaction from me. Anyone else? It makes me think of the holidays which happens to be my favorite time of year. I also love the smell of those fall/holiday scents of apples, cinnamon, pumpkin, warm and spicy scents, you know? I took a chance on the Organic Great Value Cinnamon Applesauce, and to my complete delight, it tastes just like my homemade applesauce! They are individually portioned, and even though I enjoy making it, I didn’t have to peel a bunch of apples to get the end result! #winning If you’re an applesauce fan or if you just need a new, seasonal sweet, then this applesauce is about to be your new favorite thing. I can’t believe I just wrote that many words about applesauce. Ha!

While we’re on the topic of food, I’d just like to say that the next time you or your husband or child kills a deer, don’t forget to get ground meat. It has been so handy and versatile. I have used it to make tacos, taco salads, quesadillas (okay, a lot of Mexican dishes), spaghetti, and a pretty delicious shepherd’s pie. (The recipe linked here is wonderful and is great to take to feed a crowd.) We’ve even made burgers and hamburger steak with the ground deer meat. We had ours processed with beef fat so that it would hold up and not dry out too much when we cooked it, and it’s so delicious. I’m writing about this because it’s new to me. I’ve never cooked deer meat until this year, and I must say, I feel like a real southern woman now. 🙂 I’m not posting a picture of raw ground deer meat. Just use your imagination, okay?

Another thing August brought is my very first Book Club. I’m so excited to have come out of my reading slump. Nothing like a meeting to talk about the book to make you actually read it. Our book for September is another August favorite, Girl, Wash Your Face.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve probably heard about this AMAZING book and its author. Rachel Hollis knows her stuff and is so motivating. I have gleaned so much wisdom and inspiration from it and recommend it to anyone! Especially those who need a nice kick in the pants. Rachel doesn’t sugar coat anything. She frequently tells you are responsible for your own happiness. I think she’s right.

Only you can make the things you want to happen for yourself happen. No other human is going to do it for you. Rachel has tons of tips to help you achieve your dreams and be the best version of yourself that you can be. Get. This. Book.

While we’re talking about Rachel Hollis, I’d like to also mention that she has a podcast that is very inspiring and educational, especially if you’re interested in business and hustling. It’s called the Rise Podcast.

She also has a podcast with her husband, Dave Hollis, called the Rise Together Podcast.

I suggest giving them both a listen. If you’re at all into improving yourself and your marriage/relationship with your significant other, then you’ll love these.

Here’s a random one. Have you seen those umbrellas that open up backward? Or maybe you call them inverted umbrellas? I’m not sure. But…

Paul gave me one for Christmas, and I love it! Next to a golf umbrella, this is the greatest umbrella I’ve ever used. It’s perfect when you’re getting into your car in the rain. When you close it, it folds upward and away from you, keeping you dry. Also, because the water is on the inside of the umbrella, your car seats stay dry. Legit one of the greatest inventions ever. (P.S. You can buy them at Wisteria Cottage.) 🙂

One of the more fun things we did this month was go to our friends’ house for a little guitar pull and sing-a-long. You don’t have to look too far to find real musical talent in this town.

One thing that wasn’t so great, but turned out to be okay was that my dad had to have back surgery. He hurt his back and couldn’t find a minute of comfort. He went to the doctor and received the news that he would be having surgery. Thankfully the surgery came and went and seems to have been successful. We’re still in the early stages of recovery, but he’s already doing better. Any prayers for a speedy and completely pain free recovery are very appreciated. And if you know my dad, you know he’s going crazy having to sit around and not do too much. He likes to keep busy and being told to be still is not very easy for him. He’d probably appreciate prayers for that too. 🙂

Though it was a pretty good month, I’m happy to close the door on August and welcome September and a new season- hello, fall. But I want to know what was great for you this August! Tell me in the comments.