Opalite - Creating My Own Joy (July 2026 Recap)

*This post contains affiliate links.  As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

I chose the word Opalite for 2026 because I love the meaning so much.  The word is the title of a song by Taylor Swift, and it means creating your own joy or happiness even when things aren’t going your way.  Life is full of ups and downs, so I thought this would be the perfect word to keep at the forefront of my mind as a constant reminder that there’s always something I can do to lift my own spirits.  And this manufactured joy doesn’t have to come from grand gestures or big events… most of the time it’s made in the small, everyday details. 

July was another wonderful month filled with lots of relaxation, hanging out with friends, celebrating Jacob’s birthday, and gearing up for school.  It was honestly one of my favorite summers ever without even trying.  Here are a few of the things I did to make things extra special. 

 

-       I allowed myself to stalk the internet as much as I wanted to on Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s wedding day, just hoping for a sneak peek of her dress.  Sadly, we still haven’t seen it, but I really enjoyed seeing all the other famous people who attended and all the things they wore.  You all know that I love me some Tay, and it just really made me happy to know that she’s finally found her lifetime love.  There’s nothing like celebrating someone else’s joy… even if you don’t know them personally.  Hahahaha.

-       I bought these tattoo star freckles to add some whimsy to our 4th of July party that we hosted.  All the ladies wore them, and they were the cutest things!  It was such a simple thing, but it made everybody happy!

-       Olivia wanted to shop the LoveShackFancy x Target drop earlier in the month, and I had zero intentions of getting anything for myself, but I fell in love with the print on this hairbrush and it was a Wet Brush (which are the only brushes I use), so I grabbed a new one.  It makes me so happy every time I use it now!  I always love when something is functional and pretty!

-       I also grabbed some new towels for our guest bathroom, and instead of going with my usual plain white, no-frills towels, I decided to get these gorgeous floral ones.  They match the decor in our bathroom perfectly and they look fantastic in there… and for such a great price! 

-       Target put all their women’s athletic apparel on SUPER sale (30% off) last month, so I grabbed three matching sets, all in different styles and colors – this athletic dress that looks and feels as high quality as Spanx, this two-piece set (I’m obsessed with the joggers), and this skort and top set.  And did a mention that ALL THREE outfits have pockets?!  Thank you, clothing designers for finally realizing that men aren’t the only ones who like to have pockets!  There’s just something about a matching athletic set that makes me feel like I’m put together while simultaneously feeling as comfy as if I was wearing pajamas.  I’m going to be living in these for the next couple of months!

-       The kids and I volunteered at our church’s outreach center three times in July, and there’s just nothing like the pure happiness that comes from volunteering your time and knowing that you’re making a difference in someone’s life.

-       We started watching Friends with our kids!!  I’ve been waiting for years for them to be old enough to finally introduce them to the best show of all time, and even though I think it’s probably still a little too early for Olivia, I’m glad we just decided to go with it because it’s a show that all four of us can watch together and enjoy.  The amount of laughing out loud I do on a daily basis now has probably quadrupled since we started watching it again.  I never ever tire of it.  And getting to share my favorite show of all time – a show that meant so much to me during my teenage and young adult years – with my kids?  Well, that’s priceless.  And you know what’s even better?  The fact that they both love it so much that they never want to stop watching it!  They’ve both declared it their favorite show of all-time and I cannot even tell y’all how happy that makes me.  I don’t know what I would have done if they hadn’t liked it.  It would have broken my heart.

 

I’m sure there were so many more things that we did to spark joy in July, but just like in June, I was terrible at keeping notes in my phone for this post.  I’m hoping to do better at keeping my notes this month since the kids are back at school.  I try not to be on my phone documenting everything when they’re around, so hopefully next month’s post will be better!

Happy Wednesday, y’all!

Opalite - Creating My Own Joy (June 2026 Recap)

*This post contains affiliate links.  As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

I chose the word Opalite for 2026 because I love the meaning so much.  The word is the title of a song by Taylor Swift, and it means creating your own joy or happiness even when things aren’t going your way.  Life is full of ups and downs, so I thought this would be the perfect word to keep at the forefront of my mind as a constant reminder that there’s always something I can do to lift my own spirits.  And this manufactured joy doesn’t have to come from grand gestures or big events… most of the time it’s made in the small, everyday details. 

June was FULL of travel and so many other good things + the kids were out of school, so I feel like joy was abounding which made my job easy for the month because there wasn’t much I had to do to create my own.  The joy was just baked right in.  :o)  That said, here are a few of the things I did to keep myself on track for my word of the year.

 

-       One morning in June, I had to get up early, which is not my favorite thing, so I treated myself to a little siesta when I found myself feeling drowsy later that afternoon.

-       Our mimosa trees were in full bloom in June, so one evening as the sun was setting, I walked out and admired them up close.  They’re at the very back of our yard (and our yard is very large) so we don’t have the best view from the house.  And those are most beautiful up close.

-       There were some gorgeous sunsets in June during what little time we were at home, so you better believe I stepped outside to see them.

-       We had to fly unexpectedly, so I treated myself to a new travel set to wear on the flight since it was on super sale for Amazon Prime Day.  I love it so much, and when I recently wore it to the movie theater and then to my parents’ house for Sunday dinner, I think my dad alone complimented me on that outfit no less than three times.  It was a great purchase.

-       I picked up another big stack of books from the library in June.  New books to read = so much joy!

-       I also purchased a book stand for my office.  It is sleek and beautiful, and it doesn’t overwhelm my already full craft table in the middle of my office.  It’s fully adjustable in height and angle, it swivels 360 degrees, and it has retractable arms that hold pages in place if necessary.  It’s one of my favorite purchases all year.  I’ve used it nearly every day since it arrived.

-       I got lots of use out of my icon glasses.  I love a fun glass or mug, and I’ve been rotating through all of ours.

-       For my cousin, Zoe’s celebration of life, my extended family decided to learn a dance so we could do a flash mob for her (she was a dancer her whole life, so she loves stuff like that).  We only had three days to learn it so at first, I was daunted by the thought of having to learn an entire dance + do all the other things I needed to do (unpack from one trip, do all the laundry and things, pack for the next trip, etc.), but instead of feeling overwhelmed by it, I just decided to go for it.  My personal trainer (Olivia) picked up the dance in, like, five minutes since she dances all the time, and she was able to teach it to me in 20-ish minutes.  We both had it down in just one session and we had so much fun doing it together!  I think we’re ready for TikTok!  Haha.

-       I purchased a cute new mug to add to my collection when we were in Denver.  I’ve wanted to go to Red Rocks for as long as I can remember, and since I finally got to see it in person, I had to get a mug to commemorate the moment.  And it was designed by a local creator in Denver, so that makes it even more special.  It makes me smile every time I use it.

-       When we found out the celebration of life for my cousin was going to be in June, we ultimately decided to all go and to turn it into a family trip.  Instead of flying out, doing the really hard thing, and then flying home, we decided to add a couple of extra days and see as much of Colorado as we could.  It ended up being a wonderful trip, and it turned a very sad situation into something I’ll look back on fondly.

-       After my cousin’s celebration of life, I came home and immediately tacked the white satin sash that we’d gotten (more on that in the recaps) on my bulletin board so I’ll always have a little reminder of her with me always. 

 

Happy Tuesday, y’all! 

Opalite - Creating My Own Joy (May 2026 Recap)

I chose the word Opalite for 2026 because I love the meaning so much.  The word is the title of a song by Taylor Swift, and it means creating your own joy or happiness even when things aren’t going your way.  Life is full of ups and downs, so I thought this would be the perfect word to keep at the forefront of my mind as a constant reminder that there’s always something I can do to lift my own spirits.  And this manufactured joy doesn’t have to come from grand gestures or big events… most of the time it’s made in the small, everyday details. 

 

May feels like 6 months ago since we squeezed so much into the single month of June, and I’m behind on these recaps which means I’m going to have to do two this month.  Anyway, May was bonkers with all that was going on, so while I tried to keep my word of the year at the forefront of my mind, I was honestly too busy most days to think about creating my own joy.  Ha!  I was also terrible at taking notes, so I’m mostly going on memory which means that I don’t have a whole lot to share today.  I vowed to recap my word of the year throughout the year, though, so here are some of the things that I remember doing to make the month a little more joyful…

 

-       It was still so chilly at the beginning of May, and one cold, rainy day I had to volunteer at the kids’ school, so I swung by Starbucks and grabbed a peppermint mocha even though I usually only drink those during the Christmas season.  It totally fit the vibe that the weather was putting out, and it sounded delicious, so I just went with it, and I was so glad I did.  ;o)  (And yes, you can totally order a peppermint mocha even when they don’t have them on the main menu… just order a mocha with three pumps of peppermint syrup!)

-       While I was grabbing my coffee, I also grabbed our resource officer’s favorite coffee to bring to him because doing stuff for others also brings me joy. 

-       Volunteering for Teacher Appreciation Week is always a lot of work, but it always brings me so much joy.  Our teachers are truly the best of the best, and it makes me happy to treat them all week.  It also brings me joy to see their gratitude.  They are always genuinely moved and so grateful every year. 

-       During Olivia’s long dress rehearsal before her recital, I always have to sit in the cold, dark theater for many, many hours, and it always makes me sleepy.  We’re not supposed to bring food or drinks in there, but I always sneak something in… this year, instead of opting for a healthy snack like I usually do, I enjoyed some almond M&Ms… life’s little pleasures.  <3

-       One evening, I was exhausted, and all I wanted to do was get in my pajamas and stay home but Olivia was dying to go see her best friend in our school play, so I gave in and told her we could go there instead.  She was so excited that she threw her arms around me and thanked me a million times, and there’s not much that brings me more joy than seeing my kids joyful, too.

-       At the beginning of summer break, I went to the library and loaded up on books to read.  I had a giant summer reading stack, and that will never not make me happy!  I love always having a good book to look forward to.  It is definitely one of life’s little pleasures.

-       I pulled out some of my summer mugs to put on my rack by my teapot, and a festive mug always brings me joy!  That first cup of tea in a cute mug every morning never fails to make me happy.

-       I went on lots of evening walks per usual even though we were super busy… my walks always make me happy, they leave me feeling energized (most of the time), and they make me better mentally and physically, so I always prioritize them no matter how busy we are.

 

And that’s about all I can remember!  I’ll be recapping June soon, too!

Happy Tuesday, y’all!

Opalite - Creating My Own Joy (April 2026 Recap)

 *This post contains affiliate links.  As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

I chose the word Opalite for 2026 because I love the meaning so much.  The word is the title of a song by Taylor Swift, and it means creating your own joy or happiness even when things aren’t going your way.  Life is full of ups and downs, so I thought this would be the perfect word to keep at the forefront of my mind as a constant reminder that there’s always something I can do to lift my own spirits.  And this manufactured joy doesn’t have to come from grand gestures or big events… most of the time it’s made in the small, everyday details. 

April went by in the blink of an eye, and I was terrible at documenting things.  My list won’t be as long today, but only because I’m going off of memory since I barely took notes.  Here are some of the things I did in April to create my own joy…

 

-       We kicked off the month at Disney World, more specifically, Magic Kingdom, the most magical park of all!  And even though it wasn’t technically my birthday yet (it was four days later), I decided to wear a birthday pin a few days early just to make the day even more joyful!  I received tons of well wishes from cast members, characters, and other Disney visitors and it just made the day even more special.

-       My favorite restaurant in all of Disney World (maybe anywhere!!) is Be Our Guest in Magic Kingdom.  The main eating area is an exact replica of the ballroom from Beauty and the Beast (my all-time favorite Disney movie since I was little), and it is so magical.  However, there are two other rooms in which you could be seated for your meal, and I was so bummed on our last trip because we weren’t seated in the main ballroom.  This year, I asked Brian if he would request our seats to be in the main ballroom for my birthday, and it’s Disney World, so of course, they honored our request.  We had some of the best seats in the house, and it just made my entire trip!  The food was amazing, the drinks were delicious, and our view of the ballroom – PERFECTION.

-       The day after my birthday, I ate leftover Funfetti cake for breakfast because… why not?!

-       One evening, we had the most stunning sunset, so I paused what I was doing, and I spent the next 15 minutes in the back yard just soaking it up.  I cannot stress enough how grounding it is to get outside, touch grass, hear the wind rustling through the trees, and marvel at the vastness of the sky. 

-       One day while tidying the kitchen, I was putting up some of my essential oils, and instead of just shelving them and being done, I took the time to look through my collection, pausing to open each of the bottles and smell each of the scents – lime, peppermint, cinnamon, bergamot, tangerine, frankincense, jade lemon – such a simple thing to do, but I enjoyed it so much.

-       I happened to stumble upon these icon glasses that just happened to be the perfect lookalikes for some that sold out months ago, and I purchased them instantly.  I’ve been using them for my cocktails all month and goodness, they just make me so happy!  I love a festive cup or mug!

-       Brian and the kids got me the Disney Inside Out Lego Brickheads for my birthday, so after Jacob put them together for me, I displayed them on my desk.  They’re so dang cute, and I love seeing them all day while I work. 

-       I added a few new things to the bulletin board over my desk – all things that bring me joy, of course!   

-       I added several new books to my hold list at the library, and I’m finally reaping the benefits now that my turn has arrived to have several of them!  There is just something so delightful about a big stack of new-to-me books to read!

-       I allowed myself to take naps as I felt the need, guilt free!  I think I took five or six in April. 

-       I went on lots of evening walks and those pretty much always bring me joy.

-       I have been devouring The Swiftie and the Scholar podcast because it is SO GOOD.  I have been a writer since I was old enough to hold a pencil, so hearing someone break down Taylor Swift’s lyrics from a literary standpoint has been fascinating to me.  Hearing someone else’s take on what each song means is wild because there are so many things I haven’t even considered about certain lyrics and the meanings behind them.  Tay’s writing is always ambiguous, and that’s what makes a great artist in my opinion – because her lyrics can be interpreted so many ways, allowing everyone to relate to them in their own personal way.

-       I snoozed an extra time several days in April… I hate early wakeups and at this point in the school year, I’m completely over it, so it brought me a lot of joy to get that extra nine minutes of sleep each day that I snoozed.  Lol.

-       Brian bought all the ingredients and perfected the cocktail that we had at Hollywood Studios that was so delightful, so we can now make it at home, and we enjoyed several in April.  ;o)  (Recipe is coming eventually to the blog!)

 

And that was April, even though I know I’m probably forgetting a lot! 

Happy Monday, y’all!

Opalite - Creating My Own Joy (March 2026 Recap)

I chose the word Opalite for 2026 because I love the meaning so much.  The word is the title of a song by Taylor Swift, and it means creating your own joy or happiness even when things aren’t going your way.  Life is full of ups and downs, so I thought this would be the perfect word to keep at the forefront of my mind as a constant reminder that there’s always something I can do to lift my own spirits.  And this manufactured joy doesn’t have to come from grand gestures or big events… most of the time it’s made in the small, everyday details. 

Here are some of the things I did in March to create my own joy…

 

-       I stopped to take pictures of beautiful things on my walks – flowering trees, greenery, blue skies with wispy clouds, and sunsets.  Springtime is just so picturesque!

-       I also sang and danced a little on my evening walks… the neighbors probably thought I was crazy, but… *shrugs shoulders*

-       It’s bumblebee season here, and they are just everywhere right now.  While I was washing our windows early on in the month, a little bee came up to the window and started thumping into it, so I stopped what I was doing and just watched it.  They are fascinating little creatures.  If you haven’t ever stopped to observe a little fuzzy bee, you should.

-       I went on lots of evening walks in March yet again and walking always makes me happy!  And even though I hate the time change in the spring, I do love the extra daylight because walking after dinner > walking before dinner.

-       While doing household chores and cleaning the mirrors and windows, instead of doing the standard spray lines, I used my window cleaner to draw little hearts and smiley faces on the windows.  Did it make my chores a little more whimsical?  It sure did!  And does that bring me joy?  Always.  A little whimsy goes a long way, friends.

-       One day, when we visited my upper cervical chiropractor, they were diffusing peppermint, and it smelled divine in the office.  So, what was the first thing I did when I got home?  I put peppermint in my diffuser, and I’ve been diffusing it all month.  It’s uplifting, it’s a clean scent, and it’s a crowd pleaser.

-       Monday after the time change, I snoozed one extra time to take some of the sting out of the rude, extra early wakeup call.

-       One weekend, our friar who moved away several years ago sent me the link to the Mass he had said in Washington DC that morning.  I love his homilies so much, and watching and listening to him brought me so much joy.

-       One particularly cold March evening, we had a beautiful sunset, and instead of staying warm inside, I bundled up and went outside to watch the sunset anyway.

-       I started listening to The Swiftie and the Scholar podcast after hearing about it from a friend, and it has been bringing me joy.  I rarely listen to podcasts, but I do love this one.

-       Brian and I made Manhattans one Monday evening just because.  We rarely drink during the week (unless on vacation), so it was a nice little treat.

-       I’ve mentioned this before here on the blog, and it’s nothing new, but I always start every single weekday listening to my favorite morning show – Elvis Duran and the Morning Show.  I’ve been listening to them every morning for more than 15 years and they always make me laugh and get my day started on a positive note.

-       One evening, I heard Clair de Lune wafting through the house, so I dropped what I was doing, and I went to sit with Jacob to watch him play.

-       I co-chaired the Mother Son dance at the kids’ school again this year, and before the dance started, my co-chair, Bianca, our DJ, Shaun, and our resource officer, Ray, all took silly photos with all the props while we were waiting for everyone to arrive.  Couldn’t let the kids have all the fun!!

-       Shaun and I also each took one of the rubber bracelets I’d purchased for favors for the dance to wear all night.  One of the styles had an error on it, making it sound ridiculous, so of course, that was the one we chose, and of course, he and I turned into a couple of teenagers making jokes about it all night.  Haha.

-       One of our neighbors drew a big hopscotch board on the sidewalk in front of their house, so of course, when I was on my walk, I stopped to do hopscotch instead of passing it by.  I also gave their front door a little wave in case they got me hopscotching on camera.  Hahahaha.

-       One evening, I paused my jog to stop and talk to our neighbor, Joe, who has been on a cancer journey.  I ended up catching up with him for about 15 minutes and had to cut my walk short because it was starting to get dark, but it was worth it to connect with him and get the good news that he is officially cancer free!  Hearing that someone is cancer free always brings me joy!!!!

-       We went to Disney World for the last few days of March, so I didn’t really have to create my own joy there because how can you not be joyful when you’re at Disney World?!

-       But the first day we were there, we were in Hollywood Studios, and Brian, Jacob, and Olivia wanted to ride Star Tours.  I hate that ride because it makes me feel claustrophobic, so I didn’t go with them.  Instead of waiting on a bench nearby, I decided to go explore, and I just happened to find Sully from Monster’s Inc.  Instead of waiting for the rest of the family to meet up with me, I went and took pictures with him all by myself.  Haha.  Because when at Disney, everyone is a kid at heart!  (And yes, when the family joined me afterward, we went to take pictures with him again.)

 

And that was March!

Happy Monday, y’all!

Opalite - Creating My Own Joy (February 2026 Recap)

I chose the word Opalite for 2026 because I love the meaning so much.  The word is the title of a song by Taylor Swift, and it means creating your own joy or happiness even when things aren’t going your way.  Life is full of ups and downs, so I thought this would be the perfect word to keep at the forefront of my mind as a constant reminder that there’s always something I can do to lift my own spirits.  And this manufactured joy doesn’t have to come from grand gestures or big events… most of the time it’s made in the small, everyday details. 

 

Here are some of the things I did in January to create my own joy…

 

-       February had quite a few warm days, and every single time it was 60 degrees or warmer, I opened my sunroof.  For whatever reason, an open sunroof has brought me great joy since I was a teenager, and I’ve had a sunroof in every single vehicle I’ve driven with the exception of my very first because it was a hand-me-down.

-       While said sunroof is open, it is pertinent to blast your favorite music (or whatever you feel like listening to that day) and sing at the top of your lungs!  Olivia and I did this many times on the way to dance, and it makes us both happy.  :o)

-       One of the songs I’ve been loving lately is Step Into Your Power by Manifestica Studio.  If you need a boost of energy, confidence, and positive vibes, I highly suggest playing that one on repeat and singing it out loud.  It’s SO good.

-       One day, I stopped what I was doing, and I basked in the sunshine.  I paid attention to the way it kissed my skin and how it warmed me from head to toe.  We had a long, cold winter this year, and feeling that warmth after so many days of bitter cold was like an extra special gift.  Sometimes making our own joy is just enjoying the little things that we take for granted every day.  (Although, I’m sure I’ll be changing my tune in about two months when the sun is way too strong and it’s charring my skin rather than kissing it.  Hahahaha.)

-       We had a full moon one day in February and it was still visible on the drive to school, so the kids and I stopped to ooh and aah over its beauty.  It was exceptionally big and bright and yellow that morning, and it was painted over a pink and purple and deep blue sky, and it was just one of those moments that make you realize just how vast the universe is.

-       One day, I was experiencing a ton of dizziness and tension from my retainer/jaw situation, so I bought myself some of my favorite banana chocolate chip muffins from the Walmart bakery.  Did those banana chocolate chip muffins alleviate my dizziness and tension?  No.  Did those banana chocolate chip muffins bring me joy.  They sure did!

-       Most of the days in February, I stopped working in the car line and I allowed myself to just read for pleasure.  I ended up reading five whole books in January and most of the reading was done in the car!  Reading brings me a whole lot of joy… especially when I’m into a really good book!

-       Another one of the days that my dizziness and tension was getting the best of me, I curled up and took a nap in my electric blanket.  Sometimes my body just needs a little reset like that when my neck is giving me trouble, and it brought me soooo much joy to allow myself to sink into my pillows and blankets and shut my mind off for a bit.  My electric blanket also makes me ridiculously happy on a cold day.

-       In the morning, instead of jumping straight out of bed when the alarm goes off, I’ve started laying for an extra 20-30 seconds and stretching all my limbs.  It always gives me a little bit of energy to get going and it makes getting up early a wee bit easier.

-       In February, I co-chaired the Daddy Daughter dance at the kids’ school, and instead of viewing it as another task to check off the to-do list, I looked at it as a way to have a little bit of fun. 

-       I made a little DJ request line sign, I sat on the stage all night, and I took requests from the kids and sent them to the DJ… all while dancing along to the music all night just having my own little party of one on the stage.  Haha.  Y’all know how much I love music!  My beautiful co-chair, Bianca, and I also had wayyyy too much fun with the photobooth!

-       I know I say this all the time, but a cup of tea always brings me joy.  It doesn’t matter if I have a cup or two every single day… I always look forward to my cup of tea just as much as I did the day before… I never get tired of it.

-       In February, I wrote a note to a friend and sent it in the mail.  I always love receiving happy mail, and being on the sending end of the happy mail also brought me joy.

-       Something I do every single day is turn on the twinkle lights in my office.  I don’t talk about them much here on the blog since they’re a permanent fixture in my office and in my life, but it never gets old turning those on.  I turn them on every single time I’m in my office.  Twinkle lights make me absolutely giddy.  My office is truly my favorite place. 

-       Olivia got an e.l.f. lip gloss for her birthday from one of her friends, and I loved it so much on her that I bought one for myself.  I have been wearing the same lipstick and lipstick shade for yearssss, but it was fun to refresh my lip color and try something different for the first time in forever.

-       I started a Lent study in the Hallow app in February, and I’m enjoying listening to it every day.  Jonathan Roumie (Jesus from The Chosen) does most of the meditations and his voice is the best.  It makes me feel calm and feeling calm makes me happy.

-       I started easing back into strength training for my upper body in February and I’m soooo happy that I’m finally back on the path of getting my arms back in shape.  I’m taking it very slow, but it feels good to be working those muscles again after a very long hiatus.

-       I walked a LOT in February because walking always brings me joy.  Usually, I avoid walking in January and February because it gets dark so early, it’s too cold, it’s too dreary, and many other reasons.  But this year, I decided to walk no matter what the weather was like, because you know what?  I always feel better when I walk… even on the cold, windy, or dreary days.  I ended up taking 16 walks in February for a total of 35.55 miles.

 

I was honestly not as good in February about documenting my little joys that I created for myself, so I know I’m missing some here today, but this is a pretty good overview!

Happy Wednesday, y’all!