Welcome to Kelly’s Monthly Edit! Join me every month as I round up the little joys that sparked inspiration, from must-make recipes and Mom-approved grocery finds to favorite products in kitchenware, skincare, fashion and beyond. Consider this your behind-the-scenes bite of life at Just a Taste—no gatekeeping, just good taste.
If June had us cleat-deep in World Cup mania and cocktail cakes, July decided the only appropriate follow-up was dust, horses and a solid week without a single push notification. Between a dude ranch adventure, the absolute peak of summer heat and my first glance at the school lunch lineup, this was a month that moved fast and tasted even better. Here’s everything that made the cut.
Hey, Dude!
We traded the beach for the backcountry this month and spent a few days at Brush Creek Ranch in Saratoga, Wyoming, with my parents and my brother and his family. It was a true escape from the day-to-day chaos of camp dropoffs/pickups, sports practices and the usual summer chaos resulting from no real daytime routine.
There were ample horse rides, mountain hikes, creek swims, and the biggest highlight of them all, an afternoon spent with 90 baby goats! The kids had the time of their lives petting, hugging and just generally falling in love with dozens of animals simultaneously.
And who could forget my short-lived foray into fashion influencing? I had such a blast showcasing my western ‘fits, with cowboy hats, bandanas and boots galore.
The food was its own kind of magic—cast-iron everything, a campfire that never seemed to go out, and enough wine and (goat) cheese tastings to last a lifetime. Watching my kids fall asleep sun-baked and pony-tired every single night might be the single best parenting win of the summer so far.
Birthday Magic… times two!
July is a big birthday month in our family, with both Julian (my oldest) and Mia (my youngest) celebrating their special days this month. Julian turned 10 and Mia turned 4, and each had their very specific cake flavor and theme requests.
Making my kids’ birthday cakes each year is one of my favorite parts of celebrating them on their big day, and this year, Julian chose a Padres baseball-themed cake while Mia leaned in hard on her Bluey obsession.
Julian’s cake was my classic vanilla birthday cake layered with lemon buttercream and Mia’s was the family favorite chocolate birthday cake with cream cheese frosting. The siblings always decorate the kitchen the night before their brother/sister’s birthday, so the tape and streamers were in heavy demand this month!
Julian’s biggest birthday present request was new clothing from his favorite brand, Baseball Lifestyle 101, while Mia’s biggest wish was for a, “bright pink bike with a basket so I can drive around my babies.” Someone cue the tears! They were both overjoyed to wake up to their respective decorations and surprises, and now we’re already gearing up for our next summer birthday, with Dean turning 6 in just a few short weeks.
School Lunch Survival Guide
I refuse to fully accept that summer is winding down, and yet here I am, already thinking about lunchboxes. In full disclosure, other than a week in Wyoming, I’ve still been packing lunches all summer long for various camps the kids have attended, so I’d like to think I’m keeping my skills sharp. And that’s why I can’t keep this secret any longer…
As a mom of four, I’ve made thousands of school lunches over the years, and I decided it was time to consolidate all of my tips, all of my favorite gear, all of my tried-and-tested recipes, and most importantly, all of my time-saving hacks into one insanely practical school lunch guide.
Introducing the Back to School Lunch Survival Guide!
My new ebook features 24 pages filled with tips, tricks, and recipes from my endless experience making and packing school lunches. The (free!) guide is designed to take the stress out of the entire school lunch process by providing simple systems, kid-approved recipes, and most importantly, fewer morning decisions. Head over to the Back to School Lunch Survival Guide to download your copy and stay tuned for much more to come!
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