It's August and I think I've realized just now that August is my least favorite month.
For most of my life I've lived in either central Texas or central Arizona; August is not a pleasant month in either place! August straddles brutal heat and school and sports routines. At least during the heat of the summer break we have more control over our schedule and opt out of outdoor sports. August demands that you're at school pick up and soccer practice no matter the temperature.
So how can I reframe my blahs for August? What August does have going for it is a return to our school year routine, which I do really enjoy (aside from the hot school pick ups and outdoor sports), and my work year, which I love. August is also the last truly awful month for heat. By the end of September there is at least a hint of change in the not-quite-cool air.
In terms of routines, we're still waiting to see what shape the school semester takes. Some sports have started but not all. I'm waiting to see what kind of homework the boys will be getting, and how much shepherding they need through it. After two weeks of erratic days (lots of appointments and non-regular days), I'm looking forward to a bit more predictability. I'm trying to clear the decks of lingering to-dos to make room for a new season of tasks.
August could also be a great month to start getting ready for fall in enjoyable ways: curating my fall TBR queue, thinking about fall recipes, activities, and decorations. I'd like to welcome fall into our home on September 1st, even if we will definitely be faking it until we make it.
Big things this month:
+ Kicking off my first year as a Girl Scout troop leader. Gulp! I'm mostly excited but a little bit nervous! And I'm so glad that my good friend is joining me as a co-leader.
+ A solo trip to see my dear friends in Portland.
August goals:
+ Get completely caught up on accounting for our Eau Claire house. This includes documenting every purchase in our financial spreadsheet and making sure we have all receipts saved electronically.
+ Plan for our Girl Scout year. A friend is helping me lead the troop (yay!) so we should get together a couple of times to plan out our next few months, at least loosely.
+ Plan for and enjoy "sports Saturday." As sports and kid birthday parties get started, our Saturdays can be non-stop. But I actually love to lean into them because we're active and social, two things I love for our family. Taking busy Saturdays in stride includes coordinating with Chris about who takes which kid where, planning ahead when we'll feed everyone (the hanger in this family is REAL), and also making sure I take care of myself. Saturdays might be a great day for a Salad and Go lunch for mom and dad. Can I also tell you that any time I walk up to a kid sports event or a birthday party and a parent is holding a coffee I look longingly and think, "They are really living their best life." (LOL) I need to gift that best life to myself more often!
+ Catch up on our 2025 family photo book. We're halfway through the year and I have not worked on this!
+ Apply for another part-time teaching job. Another faculty associate position caught my eye at ASU and I'd like to throw my hat into the ring. It should be easy to pull together from my previous application materials.
+ Spend some enjoyable time planning for fall. I just looked up when Starbucks will have the Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew again and it's August 26th. Sounds like a perfect fall planning day – already put it in my calendar!
Happy August, friends!
Peek into what my past Augusts have looked like…
August 2024 | August 2023 | August 2022 | August 2021 | August 2020 | August 2019 | August 2018 | August 2017 | August 2016 | August 2015 | August 2014 | August 2013 | August 2012 | August 2011
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