July | Life Lately
July – August 2019 Full Moon
The dog days of summer are in full force. I've been saying this to Joel over the last week; we're lethargic and ornery yet trying to be optimistic & laugh through our heat-driven moods. Never should a Michigander complain of a warm summer, legend says it brings on worse winters. ;) Anyway, I kept saying this to him. Lo' and behold July 3 – August 11 are factually the dog days of summer because the Sun occupies the same region of the star Sirius during this time. Sirius is the brightest star in the constellation Canis Major, the Greater Dog, hence the reference to canines in the phrase. I love to run in this heat and I love how it slows everyone down, if only for a blip in the fun chaos of summer activities.
*This is the last full moon of Year 2 of my Full Moon Monthly posts! Jump to the bottom for what's next in Year 3*
Recommended book: The 13 Original Clan Mothers by Jamie Sams
July
Some readers could relate to this photo of my Dad & I circa 1990's on Instagram
Lake Time
Speaking of heat, it's not all that bad when you're nearby water. We don't have air conditioning so getting to the water is also survival for us! ha. Luckily our cottage is a few blocks away from a little beach and we have a neighborhood access ramp to the water. Whether it's swimming after the workday ends or taking our kayak's through the bayous, I'm looking forward to a lot of water time this month.
The hotel hosting my client's event is absolutely stunning
Back to Seattle
I went to Seattle this Spring for a client's event and am heading back there this month to work through the final details. I'm going one more time in September to produce the event with the team. It's going to be a quick trip and then I'm visiting one of my dearest friends in Chicago the weekend I'm back. Looking forward to both since Summer is usually a lot of studio time.
This outfit was part of my Summer 10x10 last summer 2018. One of the places in our home I like to read.
My 29th Birthday
Last year of my 20's is just around the corner. I get reflective around my birthday every year but this one I feel like I'm reflecting even earlier than usual. Something about saying goodbye to an entire decade feels monumental. Leave it to me that there's still an entire year of 29 before needing to think about 30 but here I am with all the existential questions. :P My birthday weekend we'll be in my hometown with my family; loose plans are to run a 5K and catch a minor league baseball game, my Dad's Father's Day gift from all of us. I'm excited for the time together!
June
One of the areas in our backyard where we power washed the fence, put down fresh mulch & perennials of the fescue variety.
House Projects Plan
The more we dig into house projects, the less I believe any photo in the glossies or Pinterest is just a simple DIY. Maintenance alone is no easy task. Then to add on making changes that you want vs. need? AND have it feel beautiful and all your own? It's a shit show people! Doling out mad respect for interior designers and landscapers every time I pull yet another sneaky weed. Everything has taken us twice as long as we thought but we've been chipping away at our landscaping on nights & weekends and I really love how it's coming along. Working on a home project with your spouse is probably the best form of marriage counseling there is.
Studio headshot by Leigh Ann Cobb
Business Updates
I'm proud of what was accomplished for my business last month. It was a lot of administrative tasks that needed to be executed that I finally dedicated the time to do. I'm a classic case of just wanting to do fun design stuff for clients and all the other hullabaloo gets backseat. Not anymore, I'm starting to find a good balance between the left & right brain functions needed to run a business, and to ask for help from others with the tasks that are my weakness or that I want to improve upon. Now I'm working on my design portfolio (live Fall/Winter 2019!) with a fun team to start showing all the work I've been doing, AKA the fun stuff!
Greatest Fourth in the North 5K race, an almost annual tradition for the Bode's!
Half-marathon Training
I'm running a half marathon this fall with a wonderful friend of mine. She's been the best workout buddy since I met her a few years ago and now we're going to train for a half with the aid of Joel's awesome training schedule (he's running it too). I ran a half 7 years ago and woah, training for this one is so not the same. My body's changed and I'm not as active as I was at 22. I'm starting to be more active again and it's a part of myself that slipped away for a while. Hi, happy active Em, glad you're back. Missed you! I ran a 4th of July race with Joel & one of my brothers-in-law and have another coming up with my Dad & brother. We'll see how it goes.
What's next for Full Moon Monthly
This is a wrap on year 2 of Full Moon Monthly! I'm still deciding how I want to do Year 3. I'm thinking more of the same but with a different image style or graphic elements. More to come with next month's full moon. :) I started this monthly series in August 2017 to recap life currently based on the cycles of the moon. You can see all full moons here or Years 1 & 2 listed below:
Year 1: Full Moon Monthly
August Sturgeon Moon | September Corn Moon | October Harvest Moon | November Frost Moon | December Cold Moon | January Wolf Moon | January Blue Moon | March Crow Moon | March Blue Moon | April Pink Moon | May Flower Moon | June Honey Moon | July Thunder Moon (not pictured)
Full Moon Monthly recaps life lately and what’s on the horizon. See all moons here.
