Summer Reflections: Highlights, Trends, and Takeaways

Summer Recap: Recipes, Home Tours, DIY Projects & Family Moments

It’s hard to believe it has been more than seven years since we left our farmhouse by the sea and settled into our current townhouse. That summer we lived in a lovely rental and I shared a blog post that recapped everything that was happening in our lives and on the blog. I’m revisiting that post here with an updated, reader-friendly recap of the season’s favorite recipes, home tours, DIY projects, and family highlights.

If you enjoy bright summer recipes, simple home decor ideas, and easy DIYs, this roundup gathers some of the most popular posts and projects from that season. Below you’ll find the recipes we loved making, tours of the rental and other homes, and craft projects that inspired us to pick up a paintbrush or a glue gun. Images are included to give a feel for the season.

We cooked a lot that summer—trying new dishes and relying on tried-and-true favorites. Many of these posts remain some of the most-visited recipe pages on the blog. You’ll find a mix of salads, desserts, beverages, and comfort classics that are perfect for warm-weather entertaining or a family dinner.

1. Black Bean Salad
2. Texas Brownies
3. Homemade Apple Juice that’s clear and refreshing
4. Grandma Bernice’s amazing strawberry pie
5. The best meatloaf recipe—comfort food made simple
6. Summer Greek Salad
7. Cold pasta salad with a classic ketchup dressing
8. Grasshopper Pie—a cool, minty dessert
9. Our family favorite: soft and chewy oatmeal chocolate chip cookies

Beyond the kitchen, that summer included a full tour of our “oh-so-good-to-us” rental home, a peek inside my niece’s modern house, and the start of a small kitchen inspiration series. Each tour highlighted practical decorating ideas and storage solutions that are easy to adapt to rented spaces or compact homes.

1. Boys’ Basement Bathroom
2. My niece’s modern home tour
3. Small kitchen inspiration and smart layout ideas
4. Rental house laundry room tour
5. Small entryway solutions that make a big difference
6. Basement family room tour with cozy design tips

I also stepped out of my comfort zone and began filming real-life DIY projects. The process involved plenty of trial and error, lots of laughter, and a fair share of editing—yet it was incredibly rewarding to share quick, approachable tutorials that readers could follow at home.

1. DIY dining chair seat covers—easy and budget-friendly
2. Chalk paint bookcase makeover
3. Anchor decoration craft for coastal or cottage decor
4. How to use cottage paint wax to seal and protect painted finishes
5. How to hang pictures—an easy, handy hack for perfect placement

On a personal note, that summer was full of meaningful family moments: bridal showers, sweet celebrations, house-hunting adventures, and learning a few social media basics along the way. The season culminated in the joyful signing of the papers to buy our first house together—an exciting milestone that shaped much of what followed.

I’m deeply grateful to you, my readers, for taking the time to visit, comment, encourage, and share your stories. Your engagement is what keeps this blog alive and helps us continue to explore simple, beautiful ways to live well—one small project, recipe, and room at a time.