No. 97: What to Read, Watch, Eat & Wear in August

Are we ready for this?

As you know, last week O and I went away to celebrate all the things in a first ever four nights away. I still can’t believe we pulled it off. When we finally pulled up in the driveway and loaded up my parents’ cars to send them back home, my dad hugged us for longer than usual, did a true Mike Singletary sigh, put his hands out to his side and said, “I don’t know how we did it. I don’t know how we ever, ever raised seven kids.”

We say this about our four kids most days. I don’t know how we do it. I don’t know how we get anything else done besides feed them and listen to them and train them and take them to and fro.

I said the same when we had two, I’ll say the same when one day, Lord willing, we have more.

But something happens every August that is far better than the empty promise of rocket fuel New Years is supposed to light under me and even more than the end-of-school-year optimism that hits in May. August is my chance, my start. August holds all the hope and promises. I don’t dare mutter things like “how do we do this?” with something as shiny as August before me. For a sliver of time, this one mystical pocket of the year, the pause between the end of Summer and start of School, absolutely anything is possible.

Homeschool and a book launch and a weekly deadline and a new house and unpacking and soccer and football and basketball and a twelve month old and truly anything you can think up? I mean, why not?

We sat on the winding roads leaving the lake planning what the school routine would look like, if we wanted to revisit any old habits and routines that might not serve us anymore, when we’d make time for our marriage and what sacrifices needed to be made again or for the first time. It’s heavy. It feels important. And yet, there’s a giddiness and a lightness that weaves its way through even the most daunting and overwhelming of plans when you’re actually functioning from a place of rest.

And that’s where August gets the leg up.

In January, I’m making lofty goals and hoping for big change when everything else around me still stays the same. There’s still tinsel on the floor, confetti in my hair, fondue in my fridge. The kids will have school in a week and a project due in two. Tell me how I can make drastic, lasting change when life hasn’t even given me three business days to catch my breath? I find myself so disappointed and often surprised when, on January 4th, I’m not magically interested and able to do something I couldn’t pull off for the entirety of the school year so far. What do you mean I don’t have the motivation to wake up at 5am for my quiet time and workout? How is there still no gap in the schedule for intentional time with my kids?

It’s too dark and too cold to muster up motivation without painful effort.
It’s too January to be my best self.

But August? Sure, it always hurts to leave Summer behind. It’s no easy feat to say goodbye to an endless sea of late nights and sleepy, slow mornings. Wide open schedules and spontaneous adventures. This Summer was full of sleepovers and surprises and Olympics and otter pops. We played in the rain and took long baths in the middle of the day. We read Junie B. Jones instead of Ancient Egyptian studies and studied I Spy posters instead of Latin lessons. It was delicious and I’m already nostalgiac for this, the Summer we moved into our new home. The Summer where our babies were nine and seven and freshly four and newly one.

But every year, August shows up faithfully like a dentist with a lollipop and sticky hand. I know I have to endure something uncomfortable—the breaking of bad habits and rewiring a brain and body that’s gotten used to rest—but at the end of it, I get something sweet in return. The structure. The growth. The way the kids light up when they’re back in a classroom with their friends, the way they thrive when they step back onto the field for their Fall sports, the way our lives fall into place with immovable blocks of structure back in our schedules.

I know it won’t always be this way. I know at the start of September I’ll ache for a Tuesday morning where we had nowhere to be, no homework due and no uniform to wash (and worse, put away.) An invisible count down to the end of the school year will already have started and my kids’ will undoubtedly remind me they feel the same way—loudly and often.

But for now, I have pure enthusiasm and effervescence coursing through me. I can’t wait to watch my babies grow this year in fourth, second and pre-k. I’m elated to walk through another school year with O. Everything feels fresh, possible and brand new.

Happy August, friends. And if you’re anything like me, Happy New Year.

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1. favorite daughter crewneck. 2. goop body oil. 4. coyotas tortillas. 7. go-to container. 8. cream blush in “guava”. 9. midnight feast. 10. linen circle skirt.

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This video titled, Why are all Olympians Broke was a tough watch, but an enlightening one. As a D2 college athlete, the sheer amount of money poured into an organization never ceased to amaze me. I always found myself thinking, “if I had to fund this experience myself—paying my coaches, paying for equipment, covering the cost of travel and recovery and trainers and gear, the best massages, access to gyms and physical therapy—I could never afford it.” That’s precisely the predicament of many Olympic athletes.

If you have daughters, these Amazon shorts have become a fast favorite in our house. They’re so lightweight and flowy with the softest material and cutest colors making them a win for the girls, and they come in packs of three which makes them a win for me.

What to Read:

The book above is all I’m going to suggest. Dive in.

What to Watch:

I know many of us are sending kids back to school this month and we’ll be tricked into thinking it’s already Fall. Don’t worry—I’m here along with the sweat on your upper lip to remind you it’s not. Don’t jump the gun, guys. Hold strong. I’ll be back next month with a list that will make us all tear up, but for now we need to keep our stamina up. Enjoy the Olympics and keep that athletic energy up with Hard Knocks and DCC. I’m currently about to start Presumed Innocent with almost no context based on recommendations alone and I’ll report back. I find myself hunkering down with much less time for shows this time of year so gripping episodes that hold me over are my favorite.

What to Eat

It’s Back to School survival time and, once again, not Fall. That won’t keep me from making chili, I’m not a monster, but it’s certainly not time to whip out the pot roast and pumpkin yet in my kitchen. A group of friends and I got together the other night to brainstorm the meal plan for the season and these are the takeaways I’m putting to use: cold pasta salad makes for a great lunch or after school snack, a salad and a protein (all components prepared in advance) paired with a dessert works for a fast weeknight meal with late practices, taco night every tuesday isn’t revolutionary but a forever win and making a double batch of muffins to freeze half for later is the gift that keeps on winning.

I’ll go back to making these overnight oats every Wednesday night for their early in-school days Thursday, this crock pot barbecue chicken is a staple for fast protein bowls and sandwiches, loaded baked potatoes are my best friend, the quick stuffed peppers I’ve made for years get added back into the rotation and meals with dual purposes become more of a staple than ever (meatballs for spaghetti one night and subs another night, that sort of thing.) This 30 minute vegan stir fry sesame noodle recipe is top of my list along with this healthy cheddar cauliflower broccoli soup, these rice and bean enchiladas and healthy turkey sloppy joes. Quick meals become a lifeline in August so be sure to share your go-to recipes in the comments so we can all thrive, fam.

What to Wear

skims tee. nike sneakers. ralph hat. white tie sweatpants. lululemon espresso half zip. adanola socks.

Athleisure is my official August uniform, I’m sure we all feel the same. I’m back on soccer, basketball and football sidelines every week and after my vein ablation next week, I’ll have to be more active than usual to keep things safe. Will I have to wear thigh high compression tights for five weeks? Yep. No matter. This means lots of leggings, perfect shorts, tees that are elevated rather than sloppy and tanks to get us through. The chic, polished version is great but let’s be real—more often than not it’s a skims tee, some easy shorts and these perfect amazon socks.

Adanola, creator of my favorite seamless legging and sweats for a genuinely shocking price for the shape, just launched new releases and they’re fantastic as always (important: this is a Manchester company. hang the sweats to dry like the British do—they’re not made for tumble dryers and will shrink a bit each time if you don’t heed this warning). This lululemon espresso half zip along with this alo legging and this stunning sneaker are my most tempting piece currently. Lastly, everything is 25% off for the next couple days at Athleta—including their girl’s collection.

I couldn’t go on without mentioning that my East Coast roots are showing more than ever with my absolutely shameless rugby polo obsession. I own this one and this one but I have my eye on a few more—some of the best rugby polos you’ll find live in vintage shops and thrift stores in your own town.

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I have the first two of the three vein ablations early next week and I have lots of feelings about it. If you have any last minute advice for anyone who has experienced the procedure and recovery, please fill up the comments and my email inbox with all the thoughts. I’ll see you Sunday with outfits and meals and next Friday with the Back to School Survival Guide. It’s going to be a beautiful month, I can feel it.

Have a beautiful weekend, friends.