April 2025 Goals

Happy Wednesday and Happy April! I'm so excited that it's finally April. March was an emotional month for me because it was the death anniversary of my baby brother. However, I made sure to try to comfort myself. I listened to music, read good books, and sat at my favorite window while trying to work on some crafty projects.

Although March is (and it certainly was) a heavy month, there were good days. We visited the Marietta Square Artisan Market and our city's St. Patrick's Day event. I shopped at several small businesses and was very intentional with my shopping. I went to the grand opening of a new bookstore, Sincerely Your Bookstore, and John and I went to a new-to-us coffee shop, Smyrna Coffee. We also tried a new pizzeria, DaVinci's Pizzeria. I also bought a few things from one of my favorite small businesses, The Gifting Tree. I gave up Pepsi and Coke for Lent, but I am drinking Poppi and Olipop. However, I'm limiting how much of those I drink as well. I bought a few dresses for spring and summer. We spent time with family. My little sister moved out of state, but we all went to Mami's house to spend time together before she did. It was so much fun seeing all of my nieces and nephews. They have grown so much over the years. 

In April, I hope for more creativity, exploration, and feeling more at ease. Since it's a new month, I have some new goals, and some of those goals include creating more. I think the theme for this month may just be creativity. Since I mentioned goals, let's recap my goals for March and check out my new goals for April.

Recap of March Goals

• Read 5 books: I read 33 books. Many of these books were short stories. Once again, I read various genres such as fiction, romance, children's books, and nonfiction. My favorite reads of the month were Banned Together: Our Fight for Reader's Rights, Victory for Vampires by Hazel Mack, The Fall Risk by Abby Jimenez, The Bookstore Keepers by Alice Hoffman, Ushers by Joe Hill, and 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff.

• Read 1 book I borrowed from the library: I read a lot of books that we borrowed from the library.  Most of the library books I read were children's books that Raphael and I read together. However, a book that I read by myself (and absolutely loved) was 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff.

• Read 1 book I received from NetGalley: I read a few books I received from NetGalley and am happy that I'm working my way through the massive list of books I received from them. I focused on reading books that I stopped reading months ago. I read Murder Ballads by Katy Horan, an anthology called Banned Together: Our Fight for Readers' Rights, and Dear Medusa by Olivia A. Cole.

• Participate in Exhale's March blog hop: I did participate in the blog hop. I shared the things that have been comforting me over the past few weeks as I dealt with the waves of grief of my baby brother's death. You can check out my piece here. 

• Try 1 new recipe: I'm pretty certain I did not try a new recipe in March. I stuck with mainly comfort food and my go-to meals.

• Make time to play with my scrapbook/memory-keeping supplies: I'm really disappointed that I didn't scrapbook or journal much in March. I didn't make time and felt stuck when I considered playing with my supplies.

• Complete this month's One Little Word prompt: Unfortunately, I didn't complete the prompt for March. I'm a little disappointed about this, too. I have the supplies, but I just didn't feel like working on the prompt. I didn't feel creative and felt a little overwhelmed once I tried to start, especially once the first few days of the month had passed.

April Goals

• Read 2 books I borrowed from the library
• Read 2 books I received from NetGalley
• Participate in Exhale's blog hop
• Try 1 new recipe
• Make time to play with my scrapbook/memory-keeping supplies
• Work in my sketchbook/journal at least once a week
• Make my own flower arrangement using grocery store flowers
• Work on writing a piece for an online publication 

What are your goals for April? How did you do in March?

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time...

Photo by Sixteen Miles Out on Unsplash

March 2025 // A List

1. March. What a month you were. As usual, it was an emotional month for me. There were good days and bad days, days filled with joy and sorrow, days when I felt gratitude, and days when I was left asking so many questions.

2. March kicked off with a trip to the Marietta Square Artisan Market. That same day, we went for an evening walk in our city's downtown area. 

3. Nature had me in awe—the gorgeous sunrises, the magic of the moon, and the jonquils finally blooming. However, I was also annoyed with nature—the bugs and the pollen. 

4. Daylight Saving Time will always irritate me. I don't know why I'm still surprised by the time change. Sometimes, I wonder why it's still light outside after 5 p.m. I guess I was so used to winter's darkness. 

5. I shared my piece for Exhale's blog hop. This was a very personal piece for me. I am and will always grieve the death of my baby brother, Mike. However, I find myself grieving even more in March, his birth and death anniversary month.

6. In March, I made sure to comfort myself. I read several good books and even managed to read several that I had stopped reading but wanted to finally finish. I listened to music, watched TV, and spent time with my family. I also stocked up on my favorite self-care items like bath bombs and face masks.

7. I went to new places and really tried to support small businesses. I went to the grand opening of a new romance bookstore, Sincerely Yours Bookstore. I was so excited about this new bookstore that I returned with John this past weekend. John and I went to a new coffee shop, Smyrna Coffee, and loved the shop. The decor was amazing. The drinks and food were great as well. I highly recommend the Dalmation Latte. We also tried a new-to-us pizzeria for dinner, DaVinci's Pizzeria, and loved the food. The Cajun Alfredo was delicioius.

8. This month was full of treats—Easter candies like jelly beans, Cadbury caramel eggs, Ferrero Rocher eggs, and YumEarth candies. 

9. For Lent, I gave up Pepsi and Coke. Instead, I'm drinking Poppi and Olipop, but I'm still limiting how many of those I drink. I've been trying to up my water intake.

10. I bought some new dresses for spring and was happy they were all on sale. I even wore one this month. 

11. We went to Mami's house to say goodbye (or rather see you later) to my little sister. She's moving out of state, so we got all the kids together for a playdate. I got to see my oldest nephew and nieces. I was blown away at how much they have grown. It was so much fun to look at old photos of them when they were babies and compare them to now.

12. I still haven't worked in my sketchbook or on many of my creative projects. I've been having a hard time getting started. I gave myself grace this month but hope to work on these projects in April.

13. I'm still working on figuring out what I want in my career. I'm taking baby steps, but I'm moving forward, and it's a good feeling.

14. As the month ends, I'm grateful for the lessons I learned, thankful that it was a kinder month, and glad I gave myself grace this month. There were definitely some difficult days, but overall, it was surprisingly a decent month. 

15. Goodbye March. You were so kind to me, and I thank you for that. April, I hope you're an absolute dream. I have such high hopes for you.

10 Things That Made Me Happy This Week

Happy Saturday! Today, I'm linking up with Charlotte, Lindsay, and Beth for their weekly happy and grateful list link-up.

1. Getting some new self-care goodies from my favorite local shop. I bought a Sow The Magic wild rose bath bomb, a Lemon Lavender dryband set, and a coaster.

2. I tried Chick-fil-A's new pineapple dragonfruit lemonade, which was surprisingly delicious. 

3. We bought a new toaster, and I was oddly excited about it. You know you're an adult when you are excited about getting new appliances.

4. On my wishlist: But Her Emails hat

5. Big Salad's The March Edit

6. We tried a new-to-us pizza spot, Davinci's Pizzeria, and really enjoyed the food. Their calzones are gigantic. I highly recommend their Cajun Alfredo.

7. My little sister is moving out of state, so we all decided to meet up at Mami's house to say goodbye before she moved. I'm going to miss my nephew and baby niece. It was also so nice to see my older sister's kids. I can't believe how much my nieces and nephews have grown.

8. John and I went to a new coffee shop, Smyrna Coffee. It might just be our new favorite spot. I tried their Dalmation Latte, and it was so good. 

9. After reading a few book recommendations, I put a few books on hold at my library. I was so excited that my library had a couple of books, and I can't wait to read them. I'm really looking forward to reading The One Thing You'd Save by Linda Sue Park and These Precious Days by Ann Patchett.

10. Brad and Kristi Montague's We Hope You Fail Better exhibit. I absolutely love the idea of their Community Fail Wall. 

What made you happy this week?

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time...

10 Things That Made Me Happy This Week

Happy Sunday! Today, I'm linking up with Charlotte, Lindsay, and Beth for their weekly happy and grateful list link-up.

1. John bought me some gorgeous flowers. I absolutely adore tulips.

2. Eugénie's art—I love the idea of using black and white photos and images and then adding color, collage, or even embroidery.

3. I finally finished Dear Medusa by Olivia A. Cole. I stopped reading it a while ago and decided to pick it back up, and I'm really glad I did. It's a heavy but powerful read. 

4. r.h. Sin shared 36 things he learned in his 36 years of life in honor of his birthday. So many of these lessons 

5. I've been feeling under the weather, so chicken noodle soup has been such a comfort this week.

6. I needed some new t-shirts, and luckily, Old Navy had my favorite t-shirts on sale.

7. Getting Back into the Swing of Things (The New Yorker) 

8. I participated in Exhale's March blog hop. You can check out my piece here.

9. Currently drinking and loving: Evolution Fresh cold-pressed juices. I highly recommend the Mighty Watermelon and Organic Defense Up juices.

10. I'm loving these lazy Sundays. It's been so nice lounging, reading, and catching up on shows. 

What made you happy this week?

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time...

In the stillness

March is often a chaotic and emotional month for me. It's the birth and death anniversary of my baby brother. When I think about peace, I think about the little moments that have comforted me over the past few weeks as the waves of grief ebb and flow.

1. I go for a walk on the Silver Comet Trail. I walk for miles and miles and miles. The weather is warmer now. The flowers are blooming, and the plants are coming back to life. I crave the stillness. The only sounds are the birds singing and the squirrels and chipmunks running across the trail and into the bushes and trees. I think about anything and everything. Sometimes, a runner passes by, and we share a brief nod or a smile. Sometimes, I'm surprised by a friend or coworker, and we stop to chat. And then we're on our way. I continue to walk and walk and walk.

2. I discover a new-to-me song on one of my favorite Apple's playlists, Chill Mix. Skott's Overcome has been on repeat. I always stop what I'm doing, and my eyes well up when she sings, "Do you ever wonder what it's like losing what you cannot be without?" And I wonder, is it strange to miss someone who you never got to meet? Still, I mourn. Still, I find comfort in music. 

3. I reread Hello Grief by Alessandra Olanow. The images and words are much needed and appreciated. Although it's a quick read, I love that there were some great reminders. 

4. I sit at my favorite spot in my home, the bay window in my dining room. I light a candle and smell the fresh flowers. I pull out my art and memory-keeping supplies and pour my emotions onto paper. It's the first time in weeks (it may very well have been a month or so) that I've actually used my crafty supplies. I realized how much I missed creating and how much I needed to make something—anything—with my hands.

5. After the boys are in bed, John and I watch a show on TV. When we finally decide to go to bed, he senses I'm feeling down. He listens while I tell him how I'm feeling and holds me until I fall asleep. I'm grateful that it doesn't matter if I need to speak or simply be held; John is always there.

6. Tonight, I sit alone on the living room couch. I sit in the stillness of the night. It's well past bedtime, and John and the boys are asleep. I allow myself to feel my emotions and grieve privately. I end up crying. I cry for my mother, who had to endure the loss of a child. No parent should ever have to go through that. I cry and wonder how she managed to overcome that loss. I will forever be in awe of Mami. I cry for my older brother and sisters because we never got to meet our baby brother. I wonder if they still grieve for him. I cried for myself and everything I had hoped for my little brother, Mike. I cry for Mike. I cry because he didn't get to experience life. He didn't get to see this world. I cry because I feel like we were robbed of his life. I cry because the "what-ifs" (and the could've, would've, should've) still plague my mind. I cry because I can only imagine what life would have been like if Mike were here...if he had lived. I cry and cry and cry. And when I stop, I embrace the stillness of the night, and for a little bit, I feel a bit of relief, comfort, and peace. 

This post is part of a blog hop with Exhale—an online community of women pursuing creativity alongside motherhood, led by the writing team behind Coffee + Crumbs. Click here to view the next post in the series "Peace."

Photo by Jun on Unsplash

Spring 2025 Bucket List

Happy Wednesday! I'm a little early, but happy first day of spring! Spring officially begins tomorrow, but I'm so over winter, and I can't wait for spring's arrival. I'm so ready for warmer weather, the return of my local farmers market, and all the flowers. 

As always, with a new season comes a seasonal bucket list. May this tradition never end. Although a few things on my bucket list have been included in previous lists, there are also some new additions. Check out my bucket list below.

• Read outside
• Visit 3 new-to-me coffee shops
• Finish watching With Love, Meghan
• Publish 5 personal pieces on the blog
• Try 3 new recipes
• Submit a piece to an online publication
• Participate in Exhale's blog hops
• Complete 1 unfinished (i.e., abandoned) creative project
• Work in my sketchbook/journal
• Try a new art technique
• Complete 1 class by Liz Lamoreux
• Complere 1 Studio Calico class
• Visit a museum
• Buy flowers
• Participate in a book challenge
• Visit a new-to-me bookstore
• Go for a family walk every week
• Make and publish a photo essay
• Make a zine
• Watch 3 new (or new-to-me) movies
• Give myself grace
• Catch up on reading my Bella Grace and In Her Studio magazines
• Go to the library at least once a week

What is on your spring bucket list?

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time...

Photo by Zoe Richardson on Unsplash

10 Things That Made Me Happy This Week

Happy Friday! Today, I'm linking up with Charlotte, Lindsay, and Beth for their weekly happy and grateful list link-up.

1. The afternoons have been so gorgeous! I love that we're getting warmer, spring-like weather. 

2. 99 Questions To Ask Your Partner To Know Them Better (The Good Trade)

3. A song on repeat: Pain by Boy Harsher (I recently discovered this band and this song from this post by r.h. Sin.)

4. Massachusetts just made birth control and emergency contraception free for eligible people

5. I watched the first two episodes of With Love, Meghan, and have really enjoyed this series. Now, I want to make a frittata and a balloon arch.

6. I love seeing the yellow Jonquils and other flowers around the city. I'm definitely still in my floral era.

7. Unfortunately, I didn't see the blood moon due to the weather. However, I really loved seeing photos people took of the blood moon in different cities and countries of the moon. 

8. I've been getting a lot of stuff done well in advance, and I've never been more grateful for my planner than I am now.

9. Reading. I've read good books, articles, and newsletters in the past two weeks. 

10. It's finally Friday! I'm looking forward to getting some rest, spending time with my family, and working on some creative projects.

What made you happy this week?

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time...