The Weekly (Joy)Cap
Week of June 28th - July 5th (24') | Fourth of July Nostalgia & Glimmers, Ice Cream Nightcaps, & Letting Joy Into Your Everyday
This is the (Joy)Cap where I share a weekly reflection or lesson and a roundup of links, recommendations, and everything that’s bringing me joy, inviting you to do the same. Think of this as a weekly coffee date with my close friends. ☕️💕🫶🏾 Join me on a weekly joy hunt and start receiving the (Joy)Cap by subscribing today! ✨
What comes to mind when you think of summer?
For me, one of the things I always think of is the fourth of July. Growing up, I remember always looking forward to the smokey smell of the grill, the slightly charred meats, the sweet summery desserts, and the bursting of the fireworks.
Yes, we were celebrating freedom, but I always looked forward to commemorating the holiday with food, friends, and family. I would wake up to my parents preparing for the day. Dad fired up the grill, while mom marinated the meats and put the final touches on the sides and desserts she made the night before. And I, in my youth, would sit on the deck, with my Shihtzu, watching and waiting in anticipation for the day’s little glories and glimmers. My sisters and Grandma would arrive, and then we would eat, and if we were up to it, maybe play a card game, or watch a movie until the sun went down. When night fell, we would drag our lawn chairs to the front yard with a front row seat to one of the best fireworks shows in town.
I remember feeling so rested and content. In awe really. With every firework that bursted, whirled, and sparkled into the night sky, my heart swelled with gratitude and thankfulness for the beauty and pleasure I experienced in that moment. And the beautiful thing is now I get to recreate these memories and moments with my family.
On Tuesday my husband seasoned and marinated the meats — pork ribs, turkey ribs, oxtails, chicken, deer sausage, and deer burgers — he is a meat master in the making. I spent Wednesday prepping the sides, but I am learning that even when you prep for the holidays, there is still soooo much to do. No one warned me what the holidays are like when you’re trying to cook and manage and care for littles 🤪. I should’ve remembered the rude awakening I got from Thanksgiving and Christmas, but I guess I blissfully ignored it in anticipation of another holiday.
We spent the day grilling, making last-minute grocery runs, preparing last-minute sides, and plating food for friends and family, on top of playing with the kids and doing our best to keep tantrums at bay. All that to say, I was exhausted by the end of the day. In an itis-induced slumber, I dozed off on the couch while reading a Fourth of July murder mystery to be awakened by the popping of fireworks.
Just in time to capture a glimmer.
What Brought Me Joy ✨
Sneaking my son out of bed to watch fireworks. The fireworks started long after we put the kids down for bed, but my three-year-old was still up, so I told him to slide on his Crocs, and we snuck downstairs and out the door to watch the fireworks our neighbors set off. Although he didn’t last long [“Mommy, I want to go back to bed.” (He didn’t care for the noise 🤣)], it was a joy to share with him one of my favorite Fourth of July traditions.
Ice cream and Kindle nightcaps. I don’t know what it is about this summer, but I have never craved ice cream more 😩. I’ve been enjoying winding down with a few bites of ice cream and reading a few pages of a physical book or on my Kindle.
Book chats with my sister. My sister and I have been buddy-reading using the Fable app. We just finished reading A Love Song for Ricki Wilde, and the twist in that book prompted a phone discussion (iykyk 🤣). It was supposed to be our book for July… but she finished it two days in, so I had to catch up, call her, and discuss. Book chats with her are my favorite.
Currently Reading 📚
I’m still slowly making my way through Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Peter Scazzero (available on Kindle Unlimited).
I read another one of Kathleen Suzette’s cozy, short story murder mysteries on the Fourth of July. It’s a series that is also available on Kindle Unlimited if you’re interested!
This morning I finished The Sweet Life by Suzanne Woods Fisher and Summer on the Bluffs by Sunny Hostin, another buddy-read pick that I was reading with another friend on Fable.
Apparently, I am on a roll with my summer reads 😂.
I’m always sharing my thoughts in real-time on Fable and Instagram. For ratings and reviews, check out my Goodreads.
Fave Substack Read of the Week 💻
One thing that I’m realizing is that joy is a choice. If you’re having a hard time finding the joy in your life, let this post by
encourage you.It's tempting to let life's challenges, busyness, and sorrows cloud our joy. It's easier to seek solace in our pain and suffering. But what if, just for a moment, we chose differently?
Instead of letting life suck the life out of you, why don’t we infuse our hearts with joy? Why don’t we choose to believe that joy exists even in the darkest of days and hardest of times?
I would love to hear from you! What brought you joy this week? Share with us in the group chat, leave a comment, or send me a direct message!
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A cozy murder mystery?! I must check out this genre! Something that brought me joy this week was hearing my 3 month old giggle. He's *just* started to laugh and it's the sweetest sound!
Janelle, I love this joy cap. Such a good way to preserve and remember the sacred things. Thank you so much for sharing my words on your post that means so much to me!