Life Update – Summer 2022

Hi Friends, this is a different sort of post today. Let’s call it “Lifestyle.” Lifestyle blogs are trendy, right? (EDIT: Oh, only if your lifestyle includes yoga in picturesque locations, skydiving, or high-end shopping… my bad. ha-ha)

Today is a this-and-that update on what I’m up to in real life, and a brief housekeeping announcement.

What I’m Doing: Toddler T-Shirt Dress Tutorial

My niece recently had a birthday, which means I got to pull out the sewing machine and have some fun! This only took me about 30 minutes and $4 to make, so I thought I’d put together a tutorial to share with any fellow crafters out there.

What I’m Doing: Fridge Organization

Home organization products are my kryptonite: I go all weak in the knees and cannot resist when they tell me to hand over my credit card! My latest find are these amazing fridge/pantry bins with handles. I’m loving how I can group frequently used foods together for a quick grab-and-go, instead of leaving the fridge door open while I gather everything I need.

So far, the sandwich one has been the most convenient. I keep mayo, mustard, aioli, deli meat, and cheese all in one bin, for easy lunch-making. The second one I have dedicated to all the hot sauces. Has anyone else’s man gotten really into hot sauce? We have several. Now I can keep them all (plus the “extra hot” salsa) in one bin, instead of him needing to search through the fridge for the specific bottle he’s looking for.

My only regret is that I only bought one two-pack of these bins to try. Now I’m in love, and want more! I have another order on the way, and want to make kid snack bins next. The plan is to have their snacks visible and convenient, for more independent (and more controlled/measured) snacking. Here’s to hoping that it works! (Does anyone else’s grocery bill double when the kids get out of school each summer? Always home, and always hungry–RIP my bank account!)

I got my bins from Zulily, which is a discount-shopping website that requires you to have a (free) membership. The price is better than Amazon, but the catch is that you have to sign up for Zulily and get marketing emails.

_ad:
Oggi Set of 2 Refrigerator Bins from Zulily.ca.

What I’m Reading:

A condensed version of a “What I’m Reading” Post. Here’s one book that made me laugh out loud recently.

Your Guide to Not Getting Murdered in a Quaint English Village
by Maureen Johnson & Jay Cooper
Adult Fiction/Humor

I am a huge fan of a good-old-fashioned, who-done-it detective novel. My bookshelf is full of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes, and Agatha Christie’s Poirot & Marple novels. Nothing beats the classics! Still, I can absolutely laugh at the clichés these books have in common, which have been captured by author Maureen Johnson and illustrator Jay Cooper.

I would describe this as a “coffee table book.” It’s not a novel/story. It is a collection of funny observations about detective novels. Styled like a dictionary, each page contains a sarcastic “definition” of a term frequently used in mystery books, paired with an illustration. Here are a few of my favorites:

Anywhere With a Vat:

Train: …that most murdery of conveyances.

Churchyard: Someone’s always going in at night to leave flowers or keys or letters–or any combination of the three. It’s busier than the train station. Technically you’re supposed to be dead before you end up here, but villagers aren’t strict about this.

This is a great addition to the “mystery” shelf of your bookcase, and would make the perfect gift for a mystery lover (particularly if they have a dark sense of humor… You know the type.) I give it 5 stars!

Sensory Bonus Content:

Thank you, Readers, for all the great feedback on my Sensory 101 series. I just love hearing from people who find what I write helpful. It’s why I do it!

I have started a board on my blog Pinterest page to get you started with inexpensive ways to integrate sensory play into your day. There are tutorials for making sensory bins, weighted toys, a sensory tent, and more. There are also collections of therapy games and activities you can do with the therapy items you have purchased, such as a sensory sock or peanut ball. Check it out!

Announcement:

I am taking a break from blogging for the month of August.

I’ll be back September 1st with bells on. Just taking August for some family time. This month will almost-certainly include some combination of: the taste of sweated-off sunscreen, the irritation of sand between my toes and flip-flop strap, an extra pound gained from ice-cream truck visits, and an extra 1,000 pictures to sort on my phone… and I am SO sincerely excited for it!

If you have any plans for vacation season, I’d love to hear about them in the comments. Happy Summer, All!

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