It feels like summer is finally in full swing, but with just a month of it left, we are trying to get in as many beach reads, light tv shows (in between the Olympics of course!) and fabulous family parties as possible. We have possibly been having too much fun, if our lack of Instagram posts are any indicator, but we are trying to be as in the moment as we can and enjoy this time with a slightly slower pace.

Monday Missive: August 2

What We’re Reading and Watching

• I’m a little late to this one, but I just got Matthew McConaughey’s Greenlights, and I’m so excited about it. Everyone loved this as an audiobook, but I’m starting it on my kindle at the beach this week, and I hope it’s still good without the magic of his voice narrating! -E

• I binge watched Love Is Blind last year, and I’m so excited to do the same with the follow-up, Love Is Blind: After the Altar, which just came out on Netflix. Those couple were wild and I know that several of them tried to stay together after the show, so I’m excited to see if that actually worked for them and what the drama was behind the scenes. -E

• Over the weekend I had a ton of quiet beach time, and I tore through Eliza Starts a Rumor by Jane L. Rosen. I would describe it as slightly less traumatic version of Big Little Lies, taking place in Hudson Valley with the drama revolving around four women and an anonymous post in a local moms Facebook group about an affair. There was a lot in there about Me Too and yucky men, but it didn’t feel too heavy. - D

• I started watching the second season of Ted Lasso last night and it’s just as great as the first! I love the characters so much, along with all of the British references and I’m mad that I have to wait for the episodes to drop each week instead of getting to binge them all at once. - D

  What We’re Buying

• I’ve loved J Crew’s collaboration with Liberty this year, and this new puff sleeve top looks perfect for the summer to fall transition. I’d wear it with white jeans now and then dark pants once the weather starts to cool. -E

• I literally want one of everything in the Serena and Lily catalogue that just arrived at our house. Top of my list are these lamps, this wallpaper and this rug. Summer heaven! -E

• After some disappointing Amazon fashion purchases (the shirt I bought last week was immediately returned), I got the cutest dress last week - it’s insanely trendy with the smocking and puffy sleeves, but it fits well, looks more expensive than it was and I’m planning to wear it constantly for the rest of the summer. - D

What We’re Making

• Our Gummy Bear Birthday Party was so much fun-you can see all the details here. Now, Dinah’s working on our family Olympics party, which was my favorite party from last summer and I’m so excited to have a chance to dominate in the water balloon toss again! -E

• I discovered that our mom was drinking the Spindrift Pineapple flavor, which I had never tried, and I stocked up on it for this week on Cape Cod. It tastes like vacation without being too sweet and mixes well with tequila. It also majorly takes me back to the summer in Charleston where I only drank pineapple vodkas (if Megan or Ashley are reading this, you know what I’m talking about!) - D

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