I’m manifesting traveling somewhere cooler next year at this time. Texas has not seen a drop of rain all month and while I love the health benefits of a sauna, it would be nice for it not to feel like one 24/7 at more than 100 degrees outside every day 😅. Here’s a look at the sweet (and sweaty) moments that brought us joy in August!

When we lived in Chicago, one of my favorite cup-fillers was volunteering at the Saint Vincent de Paul soup kitchen serving neighbors and friends in the community. I couldn’t wait for the day when Grey could share that experience with us. This month we had the honor of unpacking deliveries and stocking shelves at our local food pantry. What a gift!

We also tackled another DIY in August demo’ing the laundry room and pool bath at the same time. ((I can’t wait for the oil based fumes to dissipate 🥲!)) This house has been the most enjoyable in a long while in terms of renovations, most likely because after ten homes, we finally decided to design for us instead of for resale. There’s a lot of blue, floral patterns, owls and JOY! It’s a lot more fun choosing materials you know you like and will be excited to live with, rather than anticipating what the next buyer will be looking for. Admittedly, I can’t turn that button off (nor quit the wanderlust) so there’s always going to be that ping in the back of our minds.

And last, but certainly not least, our 3rd grader is back to school! If you’ve been in this well + joyful community for a while, you might remember we took Grey out of school last year to homeschool and travel. It was a blessing in so many ways: a tremendous amount of work, rewarding, exciting, and… exhausting 🥹. We chose to do a hybrid this year opting for a classical, university model where he’s in a rigorous classroom two days a week, homeschooled two days, and that leaves Fridays for field trips and adventures!

{Tap the arrows for a snapshot in candids – a new neighborhood bookshop, Sunday best, and the cutest baby egret we were lucky enough to save this month!}

I can’t wait to see you back here on Sunday to Scroll together 💙. Until then, have a joyful Labor Day weekend, kind friend!