Hello July!

Happy Birthday America and Happy Birthday to me! America and I share a birthday, and it is always packed full of fun. Until I was about 10, I thought the annual 4th of July parade was especially for me. 🙂 I mean it was the best day of all for a birthday: it was summer, there was a parade and there was lots of fun fireworks. What more could a girl possibly want?  Plus, my mom always made our birthdays fun growing up. She would throw creative parties with games and outdoor adventuring. Life was full of leisurely fun.

That's how I still think of July - full of leisurely fun. This is the month meant for long naps in a hammock, BBQs and games in the yard with friends and curling up in a lounger to read for hours. Oh and awesome sunsets. Ahhhhhh, good living.

In fact, July brings so many fun things to do and not do. On the not-to-do list is traveling away from home. The Pacific Northwest shines in the summertime and I love staying close to home.

On the must-do list are celebrating my besties' birthday which is also the first week of July and celebrating my mom's birthday on July 9. This year it's a biggie. She's turning 90! Go mom! Of course, we are throwing a party. 

We've already been doing a smattering of entertaining of late. Between Memorial Day and Independence Day I like to pull out all my red, white and blue things. I've got lots of them! It kind of comes along with a birthday like mine. 

Most of my plans this month, though, are low-key. I've got a stack of books to read, some great friends visiting from out of town and, drum roll please, I plan to read out loud, and post on YouTube, The Search for South Pole Santa. The whole book. It's way out of my comfort zone but as I've talked about in prior blog posts, stretching out of my comfort zone is a top goal this year. When I get it all done, I'll post the link here. Maybe. Probably. 🙂

In other South Pole Santa news, I discovered recently that there is now a whole series of South Pole Santa songs listed on Amazon. And they are all explicit and not about the nice South Pole Santa! Holy holly berries! It's a risque version of Santa Claus 😮 😮 😮 So, when you pop over to add to your library of great Christmas adventures for yourself and/or kids in your life, be sure and download the JingleBelle Jackson South Pole Santa adventures -not the others! 🙂 

Oh, and don't look now my friends, but Christmas is now less than six months away. You can tell because this whole month is Christmas in July on the Hallmark Channel which tells you how popular year-round Christmas actually is! Go Hallmark!

I love Christmas but I'm in no hurry for it to officially arrive. Let's enjoy every day this summer first.  Get out and pursue some happiness!  Happy 250th Birthday America! You don't look a day over 230.  🙂 

Oh Oh Oh - Jingle