Hello, Reader.

As of Sunday, summer is now officially underway! Yes, I know it may feel like we've already had at least a month of summer (or more), especially here in Texas! But June 21 marked the bona fide start of the 2026 summer season.

Either way, I hope you're enjoying yours! This week's link list is dedicated to sharing a few ideas to help maximize your summer memory-making opportunities. So let's get to it!

Free resources for you this week:

• ​Bucket Lists for Summer - several styles to pick from, for both Type A & B personalities!
• ​Summertime Conversation Starters - ready-made topics for discussion at the dinner table
• ​Games for Summer Roadtrips - help sharpen your kids' observation skills
• ​Summer Fun Word Scramble - how fast can you decipher all these mixed up summer words?
• ​Picture Books for Summer Reading - six of our family's favorites from childhood

What I'm reading this week:

I've been listening to (and thoroughly enjoying) Corrie ten Boom's I Stand at the Door and Knock this week. The short, devotional chapters are translations from forty of her previously unpublished radio broadcast transcripts. I love Corrie's boldness for sharing the gospel, her unwavering faith in God's power and goodness, her fervent prayers for the lost, and her moving stories of God's faithfulness and tender care through every trial -- all of which shine brightly through her writing, and this book is no exception.

What we're watching this week:

My husband took me and a couple of our daughters to see Toy Story 5 last night. The film did a good job portraying the addictive nature of screens, the inherent dangers of social media, and how many good things children miss out on when they are allowed early and/or unrestricted access to digital technology. But it also acknowledged a few benefits we gain through the prudent use of tech.

Overall, this latest Toy Story installment was a well-balanced movie with an engaging plot line (which made me cry more than once).

On the podcast this week:

I didn't record any new episodes this week, so here's another from the archives for you:

Loving Life at Home: Episode 40 ​THE ART OF SETTING WORTHWHILE GOALS​ Even when you aren’t 100% sure what the LORD would have you do with your time, I recommend prayerfully setting a worthwhile goal and working toward it. As long as you hold your plans lightly, you can trust God to redirect you if that is what needs to happen. Listen Now

Progress on last week's goals:

If you skip down to my list of goals for this week, you might notice it looks suspiciously like last week's to-do list. That's because, other than ✅ showing up for jury duty, ✅ grading my daughter's algebra homework, and ✅ going to the gym with my son (once), I didn't feel motivated to accomplish ANY of the other tasks I "planned" to get done last week.

❌ No basket weaving. ❌ No chair repair. ❌ No garage organization. ❌ No birthday crown. ❌ No letter of encouragement. And ❌ barely any mending.

Do you ever feel like that? You make big plans, then can't muster the energy to carry them out?

What helps me overcome inertia at such times is to either (1) break essential goals into baby steps and start small or (2) put non-essential goals on the back burner long enough to work on something I DO feel like doing, which is exactly the tack I took last week.

That means that, even though my published to-do list remains largely untouched, my week wasn't totally unproductive. Not by a long stretch. I ✅ met with 1 friend I hadn't seen in years, ✅ babysat 4 grandkids, ✅ made 5 pantry meals, ✅ gave 6 haircuts, ✅ walked 7 miles, ✅ recorded 14 chapters of a new audiobook, ✅ taught 20 algebra lessons, ✅ crocheted 28 granny squares plus 1 bathmat, ✅ attended a retirement party for a colleague of my husband, and ✅ passed multiple hours visiting with family members and friends over the course of the week. It was all time well-spent.

And, with all those things accomplished, I'm ready to turn my attention back to my previous to-do list, which I've reprinted below, with a few new additions....

Personal goals for this week:

• make a new laundry basket
• repair cracked seat on daughter's wooden chair
• write the letter I agreed to write for a snail mail club (due 7/1)
• stitch birthday crown a friend requested
• empty two more boxes in my garage
• finish the stack of mending in my closet
• grade grandson's math (once he remembers to bring it to my house to be checked!)
• record 11 more book chapters
• attend birthday party
• attend welcome party for new anesthesia residents
• host grandkids overnight
• host Taco Tuesday dinner for extended family

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Thanks so much for all your help! I'll be back next week with more links, reviews, and resources. If you have any special requests, please let me know. 😊