It’s the end of July, beautiful people.

I’m spending the end of the month in the beautiful Outer Banks, soaking in the sunshine, eating delicious food and spending time with friends and family. As this is my last summer without a little one, I’m savoring every relaxing moment.

As a matter of fact, I think I’ll start my post with this highlight!

Beach Week in OBX.

Our beach week this year is in the Outer Banks, North Carolina. Typically, we spend our annual beach week in Ocean City, Maryland, but this year, we have the pleasure of vacationing with good friends in OBX. It’s a completely different vibe, and I’m loving the laid-back nature of this place. We keep joking that this is Elliot’s “first time” in the Outer Banks, as we’ve been once before, but it was a borderline disaster and was cold and rainy the entire time. You can read more about that trip here. Anyway, the point is, he can actually enjoy what OBX is supposed to be like. And I’m excited about that.

HydroJug.

Over a year ago, my sister started carrying around a gallon jug of water, in an effort to drink more water. For the last couple years, my goal has been to drink half my body weight in ounces of water every day. I’ve been pretty diligent about this, but I wanted to up my game. I bought myself a HydroJug, which is 73 oz, and I also got a neoprene sleeve to help carry and insulate it. Since I’ve started using it, I drink almost two jugs of water a day, which is way more than I was before and I’m feeling super hydrated, even on those really hot days.

Nursery Planning.

We have started planning out our nursery theme, and will dive in to the rearranging and decorating shortly after we return home. A month or so ago, we cleaned out our basement and bought new shelves to make room for the baby and all of it’s required items. Although we will find out the gender shortly, we have decided to go with a woodland/owl theme with lots of greens, grays and browns, and I’m very excited to start on this project. I believe I will be upcycling a bookshelf for the nursery and I can’t wait to try my hand at chalk painting again. I started a Pinterest board for nursery inspiration, color palettes and baby announcement ideas. It’s nothing to write home about, but if you’re interested in my nursery dreams, you can check it out here.

Lemon Oreo Cake.

This year for my dad’s birthday, which is tomorrow, by the way, I made a new version of one of his favorite cake flavors. I followed a new baker on Instagram (@bakingwithblondie) and she recently shared a Lemon Oreo Cake. Uh, YUM. So naturally I hopped on board instantly. It’s made with a lemon buttercream frosting, which is a win, because buttercream is the only frosting my dad likes. I learned that one real quick. When I first started baking, I made a cake with a whipped frosting (which I thought was delicious) but he made it known that he likes buttercream. And that’s it. So friends, we’re celebrating his birthday tonight, but stay tuned on Instagram for photos!

Duck Donuts Debacle.

Okay this isn’t a highlight, but whatever. On Monday, I got up early and decided to make the annual run for donuts. Usually, we spend beach week in OCMD, which has my favorite donut shop, The Fractured Prune. Well, we’re in North Carolina, where there is only Duck Donuts. So we went.

Friends, the donuts were good, but they don’t even remotely compare to Fractured Prune. But I need to know - what’s your favorite?

Fractured Prune or Duck Donuts?

Bonus points if you can tell me why.

“Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be like the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured or numbered. And in the place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’ it shall be said to them, ‘Children of the living God.’” Hosea 1:10

“But the path of the righteous is like the dawning light, that shines more and more until the perfect day.” Proverbs 4:18