Some of My Favorite Things – June & July 2025
In my last Favorites post I wrote about how May is the start of a very fun season around here: that of birthdays, anniversary baptisms, and, of course (albeit unofficially) Summer.
May, June, and July are therefore among my favorite months, period. When it’s not scorching hot out, it’s a pleasant time to enjoy the company of family and friends, be it during get-togethers for birthday parties, DIY work, or play dates around town.
And that brings me to this (belated) list.
DIY Work & Teamwork
My husband and dad have been working on a really fun structure out back, a gym. We have to cash-flow it slowly because we didn’t want to get into debt for it and it’s just the two of them who are working on it, so really hot days are out.
The two of them make such a great team! They’ve been working on things around my husband’s and my home for several years, and everything always turns out looking and functioning splendidly–even meeting or exceeding code when applicable. (The price tag is also something to be proud of, too.)
My Flower Bed
Yes, this flower bed is making a comeback on this month’s list as well. How could I not include it again?!
Sunflowers are my favorite flower so I was ecstatic when I bought seeds thinking I was going to get several planted on our my new flower bed. Then I ripped open the package and found three to four, which was surprising as it was fewer than I had intended to get.
And then those beauties started growing..and growing.. and now one of them IS TALLER THAN ME!
I don’t think I had ever seen such tall sunflowers in person, but after years of wanting my own on our yard I’m SO happy I get to call these mine and that they’re in our home for us to marvel at every day.
I’ll credit their growth and splendor to God, of course, and also to the sprinkler heads my husband installed in the flower bed as he was building it. Now all these beauties get watered at least twice a day, turning the structure into essentially a wildflower meadow.
(You can’t see them in the pictures but I had also added a couple of “fairy garden” thingies, and the way they’re hidden by all the flowers makes them look like they’re in an actual forest.)
The kids have also been getting a kick out of seeing the flowers “they” planted grow so well, and I look forward to not only seeing the sunflowers in particular in full bloom, but also what everything will look like as the years go by. Next up are also tulips (I’ll be planting those bulbs in the Fall) and roses.. and of course, de-weeding.
Homeschooling
Yes, homeschooling made a repeat appearance again as well, and it’s because we frankly can’t get enough of it. More so for our oldest, who asks, “Can we do homeschool today?” every day. On weekends, during break weeks (we do five-sex weeks “on” and one week “off”), you name it. He enjoys it so, so much and I’m super proud of how much he’s thriving (at it) and enjoying it.
I know and stand by the fact that little kids don’t need formal education and there isn’t really anything formal about what we’re doing. I’m not even teaching him to read yet because kids this little don’t need it! The activities he gets to do are all fun and didactic, and perfect for his developing body and skills.
Our school year that we began in January will end in just a couple of weeks, and then it’s time for new lessons, subjects, and skills that I can’t wait to introduce to him for the NEW school year!
Google Photos
Once upon a time I was really into de-Googling our lives, but then I saw how EASY things like Google Photos makes life, and now I’m hesitant to de-Google all the way.
(We did de-Google our email and are now with Proton Mail.)
For example, years ago before our oldest was born, we bought two Aura digital frames (one for us and another for my parents) that connect to iCloud, Google Photos, and a phone’s Camera Roll. Then from iCloud and Google Photos, one can select the ALBUMS we want to highlight on the physical frames via the virtual app–something we can’t do with just the Camera Roll functionality.
Say we want to show off pictures of the kids and each other on OUR frame, but only pictures of the kids on MY PARENTS’ frame. We could do this with iCloud and GP through albums, but not the Camera Roll–the latter of which (as I understand it) will import everything. I don’t want my parents’ frame to show my receipt screenshots or pictures from nature walks, so the Camera Roll option isn’t for us.
All that was to say that the Aura app won’t connect to any other services! So if I want to safeguard our photos in some cryptic photo storage app and decide to stop using Google Photos altogether, I might as well kiss the Aura app and the frames goodbye, and tell my parents they’ll no longer have access to their grandkids’ pictures on their frame. Not something I want for them or us!
So we upgraded our Google One storage and should be set now for many, MANY years to come. Is Google woke? Meh, sure. But has it so far done a great job of keeping our pictures safe? Most definitely. I also like the cute collages and creations it makes with our pictures. In the near future when I get an iPhone, we’ll stick with GP instead of upgrading my iCloud storage because as much as I love Apple’s technology, I don’t want to marry a smaller ecosystem.
Favorite Podcasts
To check out previous months’ lists, browse the tag Favorite Podcasts.
The Homeschool Made Simple Podcast
This is one I can’t get enough of. Sometimes I’ll “binge” listen to several episodes in a row because each one is just full of so much wisdom and wholesomeness.
Carole Joy Seid is the founder of the Homeschool Make Simple methodology (incl. her website, podcast, and seminars) which advocates for creating a homeschool focused mainly on literature and nature through a Christian lens.
In her seminars (which you can purchase digital versions of or tickets to attend the face-to-face ones on her website) and podcasts she presents such an endearing and wonderful way of looking at children’s education that it’s hard not to fall in love with, and base one’s own homeschool on, such a foundation.
A big pillar of her philosophy also involves starting formal education for kids later than expected because sometimes their bodies aren’t ready for skills that society tells us kids must master by a certain age. For instance, kids shouldn’t be reading at 5 (or 4 or 3) due to their eye balls and brains not having the physiology needed to do it successfully.
Same with writing: Children at 3, 4, 5 don’t have enough connective tissue on their hands to properly handle a writing utensil, so why insist/force them to start if their own bodies aren’t ready yet?
A child who gets started prematurely will become frustrated (and likely diagnosed with something he/she never had?) rather than excited because all he/she’s experiencing are losses rather than wins. And why would anyone want to frustrate a child rather than enable him/her to “win” during homeschool? That’s one of Seid’s main research-backed theses and motivations behind her work, and it’s one we wholeheartedly support.
