On the last day of August 2020 I’m sharing a life lately update. Here is a peek into our lives and what’s to come in the month ahead.
Can we all agree that August 2020 was the fastest summer month of all time? I have mixed feelings about the end of this season (which I firmly believes is over once school begins). Summer is usually full of vacations, afternoons at the pool and late nights in the backyard. However this year we went on fewer trips and I spent a significant amount of time recovering in bed versus enjoying the outdoors. Regardless of a unique August, life lately has been grand.
Cape Cod August 2020
Our annual family vacation to Cape Cod was a little different this year without some key people. My Dad, brother, and sister-in-law had to hang back for a few reasons, so it was just my Mom, the kids, and grandkids. We missed them dearly!
Healing from Surgery
When I found out I had skin cancer back in June I scheduled my Mohs Surgery for the week after Cape Cod. I thought the surgery would be quick and easy with 1-2 days of recovery and a tiny scar. Boy was I wrong. I am on week three of healing and despite my bandages concealing the ugly scar, my face still hurts.
I will share more about the Mohs Surgery and the healing process soon. For now I shall keep re-applying sunscreen and checking my skin for any other suspicious spots.
Life Lately Home Projects
During the quarantine a lot of families used their time stuck in the house to complete home projects. But since I was too sick to do much of anything we spent our time doing a lot of nothing. Now that I’m better, we finally started tackling home projects from our Wish List.
DIY Fire Pit
Brandon and our neighbor built an awesome fire pit in our backyard this month. They used this inexpensive concrete fire pit kit and white stones to create the perfect little place for s’mores and cocktails during golden hour. See more before/after photos here!
Bathroom Renovation
My least favorite room in the house is the downstairs bathroom. It’s out of date with terrible floors, a giant vanity with a useless counter, and horrible light fixtures. I’m BEYOND EXCITED to share we renovated the bathroom last week and its now one of my FAVORITE rooms in the house. Here’s a sneak peek at the transformation:
Back to School Plans
Annabelle and Ailey transition into school over the next two weeks after being with us every day since March 29th. We chose to send the girls back to school for numerous reasons, one of which being the social aspect of in school learning. Even though they are excited to see their friends I know it’s going to be difficult to be apart in the beginning.
Annabelle and Ailey have become very close since schools closed. Like other children during quarantine, they had to rely on one another for entertainment. Even though they fight as much as always, their sister bond is solid. I know they will love and appreciate each other so much more with some time apart during the day.
For me and Brandon, we are going to have an adjustment to our schedules too! He has been working from home since the end of March and I only began working again a two months ago. I managed to keep this blog up and running while I was sick, but I produced the bare minimum for content. Just enough so my site didn’t disappear. But with the girls in school I will have a lot more time to focus on creating more exciting content!
If you’re wondering how to manage the transition from home 24/7 to school again, join me in re-reading my Back to School Tips for Parents post. It’ll be updated once we actually go back with how we are managing this new way of school during the pandemic.
Don’t miss this: Stress Free Ways to Get Kids Ready for School
Life Lately In a Nutshell
Just like the rest of 2020, life lately has been more interesting than ever. I’m slowly learning to let go of all expectations and roll with the punches. There are some days that are amazing while other days bring unpleasant surprises. Each moment is a reminder to stop, breathe, and find gratitude in each day we are alive.
Here’s to September – my second favorite month of the year. I hope the month is filled with joy and NO surprises. The girls go back to school, start dance and soccer, and I’m modeling for a brand’s fall line. The big event of the month: I celebrate my 35th year on Earth. Brandon and I are escaping for a few days to celebrate next week and I can’t wait to take you along!
Thank you so much for the update. Loved it. Your Mohs scar is longer than I expected, but well approximated and looks like it will heal with very little scarring. They did a nice job. The bathroom and firepit look great! Enjoy!