10 Things That Made Me Happy This Week

Happy Sunday! This past week was so busy, and I was so excited once it was Friday. We had a few celebrations and award ceremonies. An appointment. Some meetings. Field trips. All the things! So it was really nice to take some time to relax this weekend and not stick to a routine.

1. Michael and Gabriel had their school Honor award ceremonies this week. I am so proud of both of them. They have grown so much. I still can't believe that Gabriel will be going to high school, and soon Michael will graduate from high school. Time is flying by.

2. Inspired by: Tracey Holdyk's camp journal. Elyssa's drawings of cats and still life. Flowers...especially tulips. All things graduation season. Get Messy May prompts.

3. There are three new RYZE latte flavors available in stores! I bought their Matcha, Chai, and Ube Vanilla coffee lattes sticks and can't wait to try them. I'll probably try the Chai latte first. 

4. On repeat: Piece By Piece by Pharell Williams. I first heard this song while shopping at Old Navy, and it's been stuck in my head ever since.

5. I tried Trader Joe's Patio Potato Chips, and they are so good. I loved the different flavors that were in the bag. The Homestyle Ketchup chip caught me off guard. The Patio Potato chips reminded me of the Lays All Dressed potato chips. 

6. I preregistered for my local library's Summer Reading Program, and I can't wait to get started. I participated in last year's program, and it was fun. I even earned a free mug. 

7. On the wishlist: This shirt from Long Story Books

8. I am currently working on decluttering one room (or an area of a room) each day, and it's been nice getting rid of a lot of stuff. On Saturday, I went through a ton of papers and shredded them. It was so nice to have a clearer workspace. I also realized how much stuff I've been holding onto that I didn't even need. My paper shredder definitely got a workout, and I ended up having two big bags full of shredded paper.

9. I went to the Smyrna Market and got a free tote that I plan to use whenever I go to the farmer's market. It's a really nice size. While at the farmer's market, I bought some peaches, blueberries, sourdough bread, and my favorite lemonade tea. I plan to use the bread to make some BLTs for lunch. I'm going to use the blueberries to make a blueberry syrup. I may try to find a dessert recipe for the peaches, but I'll probably have a few packed with my lunch for the upcoming week.

10. We are just days away from the last day of school! I'm beyond excited! 

What made you happy this week?

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time...

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10 Things That Made Me Happy This Week

Happy Sunday! This week has been a busy one with lots of celebrations and end-of-school-year events. I was pretty excited for the weekend so I could get some much-needed rest and relaxation. 

1. We celebrated Michael's birthday! I can't believe he's 16 years old! I've been thinking about the day he was born and how much he's grown. Yes...there were a few tears. 

2. Teacher Appreciation Week was really nice. I gave the boys' teachers a little gift. Their teachers gave us sweet Thank You cards that I'll be adding to my scrapbook. 

3. A new favorite: Milani Cosmetics Highly Rated Lash Extensions Volumizing Tubing Mascara. I received this from Influenster and was surprisingly pleased with it. I don't normally wear makeup, especially mascara. The other mascaras I have tried usually flake or clump, but with this Milani mascara, I didn't have those issues. It also stayed on all day and was so easy to take off. 

4. Kate Baer's poem, Childhood. Short, but beautiful. Such nostalgia. 

5. On Repeat: Kaleidoscope by Chappell Roan

6. John and I went to the cutest little coffee shop. I had been wanting to check out Tuesdays Coffee + Shop for the longest time, so I decided to go on Mother's Day for a treat. I tried their iced latte with their special Mother's Day strawberry syrup, and it was so good. We also bought some BonBon's Sour Blackberry Fish, BonBon's Sour Peach Fish, and BonBon's Chocolate Wafer bar while at the coffee shop. I haven't tried the candies yet, but I'm excited to try them this coming week.

7. Currently Reading: My Name Is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout. I'm planning to read the rest of the books during the summer. 

8. Inspired by: Julia Polinsky's (@juliagetscreative) take on the Messy May journal prompts. Love this one so much. 

9. We decided to celebrate Mother's Day early. On Saturday, Mami invited us over for brunch. We exchanged gifts and spent time together. It was a low-key, but perfect start to Mother's Day. John and I also went on a date. We went to a few shops and got some coffee and pastries. 

10. We are so close to the end of the school year, and I'm getting more excited every day. 

What made you happy this week?

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time...

Photo by Zach Camp on Unsplash

May 2026 Goals

Happy Wednesday! Woo-hoo! It's finally May! I'm so excited! May is one of my favorite months of the year! We have so many things to look forward to in May, and I can't wait.

April was such an overwhelmingly busy month, but it was a good one. In April, we celebrated Easter and had a small but fun Easter egg hunt for the kids. At one point, John and I actually forgot how many eggs we hid, but eventually the boys found them all. We also celebrated Raphael's birthday. We did our usual birthday traditions and went to Urban Air to celebrate. I was (and still am) obsessed with all things Artemis II. I still can't believe that astronauts orbited the far side of the moon. I received some incredible news and have to make a big decision soon. Even though it's great news, it did make me a little anxious, so I did a lot of research and went for long walks to help settle my mind and body. On one particular day when I felt really unsettled, I went for a walk, listened to Lord Huron, read about Artemis II, and took some random photos, which was the perfect way to destress. April was an eye-opening month full of lessons and, honestly, a breath of fresh air. I fully believe that everything that happened in April needed to happen. It was a long time coming. 

This month, I'm looking forward to celebrating Michael's birthday. I can't believe he's turning 16! Where has the time gone? We will be celebrating all month long. I'm also looking forward to celebrating Mother's Day. I've already bought Mami's gift, and I can't wait to spend time with her.

I'm looking forward to celebrating my sons' teachers for Teacher Appreciation Week. I'm especially looking forward to summer break. I'm incredibly excited and have been counting down the days.

Of course, since it's a new month, it's time for a quick recap of last month's goals. Then we can check out my new goals.  

Recap of April Goals

• Read 2 books I borrowed from the library: I read Brawler by Lauren Groff. Brawler was such an interesting read and kind of a dark read at times. With that being said, if you need trigger warnings for your books, you may want to check the triggers first. Raphael and I read Fish Friends Forever by Kerry Ferguson, The Hole by Lindsay Bonilla, and The Shortest Day: Celebrating the Winter Solstice by Wendy Pfeffer. I found it funny that we read The Shortest Day during spring. We had the book placed on hold with the intention of reading it on the day of the winter solstice. However, it took forever to finally get the book.

• Read 2 books I received from NetGalley: One Moment: Poems by Luis Muñoz and Axolotl-Ella: A Sort-of Cinderella Story by Kate Messner. One Moment was a nice collection of poems. I loved that the original Spanish poems were included alongside the translations. Overall, the translations were solid. Axolotl-Ella was such a cute read. I love a Cinderella retelling, so I was excited to dive into this one. The illustrations by Lian Cho were amazing. 

• Make 1 scrapbook/Project Life layout: I didn't work on this at all. I have all my photos, so I just have to put them where I want and then work on the journaling.

• Work in my sketchbook/journal: Unfortunately, I did not work on this either. I simply did not have the time and, quite honestly, the energy to do anything really creative this month. 

• Try 1 Introverted Drawing Club prompt: I remembered wanting to do this, but I need to look at all the different prompts and decide which one I want to try first. I'm hoping to find some time this month to work on a prompt or two.

*With how busy I was in April, I'm not surprised that I didn't really cross out all of my goals for the month. In fact, I'm surprised at the number of books I read. Normally, I read way more, but even reading took a bit of a backseat.

May Goals

• Read 1 book I borrowed from the library

• Read 2 books I received from NetGalley

• Make 1 scrapbook/Project Life layout

• Work in my sketchbook/journal

• Try 1 Introverted Drawing Club prompt

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

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time...

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10 Things That Made Me Happy This Week

Happy Sunday! It's finally May! I'm so excited. It's going to be a busy month with school events for the boys and work stuff for me. Although I've been counting down the days until summer break since last month, now I can really say that the countdown has really begun. 

1. After getting some big news and having to make a big decision, I started to feel a bit anxious. I've been considering all my options and, thankfully, was able to have a really refreshing and much-needed conversation. The conversation and information I received definitely eased a lot of my concerns, and now I feel a little more at ease. I'm not ready to share the big news or my decision just yet, but I will soon.

2. Get Messy May has officially started. Get Messy May is a free month-long daily(ish) art challenge. Each daily prompt is hosted by a different artist. I know I won't complete each prompt every day, but I hope to work on them throughout the month. I think I may just pick the ones that catch my attention.

3. "When you have nothing left to give, let yourself receive." - Nicola Jane Hobbs

4. I received my copy of Beth Ann Fennelly's Heating & Cooling. I can't wait to dive into this book. I really am intrigued by the micro-memoir format.

5. On Repeat: Bayou by Mountains of the Moon

6. My youngest nephew is turning five, and I can't believe how time is flying by. It's been so fun watching him grow. My baby niece is also growing, and I'm excited to share that she is starting to say a few words. 

7. Hallie Bateman's latest legal pad newsletter. I love this hand-drawn newsletter format.

8. On the wishlist: Susan Alexander's Real New Yorker Bag. This would absolutely be a splurge, but it's so cute.

9. I went to the first day of Smyrna Market season and bought some treats. I ended up buying some sourdough bread for the week along with some pastries from Bonnin's Bakery. I'm so glad that I was able to get some Black Butterfly Lemonade from Soul Food Holistic Healing. I also bought a breakfast sandwich from Martha's Boy. I was planning on buying some fruit as well, but we still have enough for the week. I'm thinking of going back later today to buy a few extra fruits like blueberries and strawberries to make some homemade syrup.

10. Michael's birthday is coming up, and it's a milestone birthday! I'm really excited and have already started making preparations for his day. 

What made you happy this week?

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time...

Photo by Anita Austvika on Unsplash

April 2026 // A List

1. April, oh, April. To say it was a busy month would be an understatement. There were peaceful days and stressful days. April was a month full of laughter and tears. So many celebrations and good news.

2. We celebrated Raphael's birthday and had a blast celebrating all spring break. We did our usual birthday traditions, which always bring me so much joy. We also went to Urban Air and had so much fun. 

3. April is also my big brother's birthday month, and this year was a milestone birthday for him. Unfortunately, we didn't get to see him, but we sent him a birthday greeting, of course.

4. We always have a low-key Easter, and I absolutely love it. We had a small Easter egg hunt and had so much fun. At one point, John and I actually forgot how many eggs we hid. 

5. April was a month of making some big decisions. The possibilities that can arise from these decisions are fairly amazing, but it's also so nerve-racking to think of what could go wrong. This definitely made me a little anxious, and I admit, there were a few tears from the stress. However, I am feeling hopeful and a bit more at ease.

6. Surprisingly (but also not really due to certain things that happened), it was a bit of a slow reading month. I didn't read as many books as I normally do, and I'm ok with that. The books that I did read were all great. 

7. I celebrated Indie Bookstore Day by purchasing a book on Bookshop.org and supporting one of my favorite local bookstores, Sincerely Yours Bookstore. Then I went to Sincerely Yours Bookstore for a quick visit and ended up buying a really cute hairlip.

8. We all started to feel a bit better from the pollen, but unfortunately, I ended up getting sick with a really nasty cold. I'm starting to feel better, but the first few days were absolutely awful. 

9. April was a month of wonder. I am still in awe over the Artemis II mission. I still can't believe that the crew orbited the far side of the moon. I'm so proud of Astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen. 

10. I started counting down the days until summer break, and I'm so excited that we are so close to it. 

11. I didn't really work on any creative projects and barely shared anything on this space. I'm really hoping to have some time during the weekend, and it's another reason why I'm excited for summer break. I've been wanting to create, but haven't had the time.

12. Things that have bought me joy throughout April: tulips (always and forever), Trader Joe's, Noah Kahan's The Great Divide (especially End of August), and my family (for infinity).

13. April was a month full of learning and so many lessons. I am so grateful for all of them, even the ones that made me emotional. Even the ones that were difficult and scary.

14. So long, April. Thank you for everything. The good and the bad. It was an eye-opening month for sure, and I'm so grateful for the lessons I learned. April, you were such a gift. Hello May. I have such high hopes for you. I'm hoping for good days and good news. Here's to hoping I continue to learn and grow in May. 

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

If You And I Had Coffee

If you and I had coffee...

We'd meet up at a new-to-us little coffee shop. I'd order an iced mocha latte and a sweet treat. Lately, I've been drinking more refreshers, so I'll definitely order one of those to go. We'll enjoy our drinks and treats indoors and then go for a walk around the area since the weather has been nice.

If you and I had coffee...

I'd tell you I'm starting to feel better after being in pain for about a week and a half, followed by an awful cold. And let's not forget how exhausted I was feeling, too. I'm not sure what in the world was going on, but I finally went to see my doctor, and I'm so thankful to be feeling better. 

If you and I had coffee...

I'd tell you I received some really good news, which is now stressing me out a bit. It's a huge decision I have to make and is related to my career goals. I'm not entirely sure what direction I'll take, but I've been doing so much research, sending emails, making phone calls, and the list goes on and on. I'm not ready to share much more information or details, as I'm still processing and figuring things out, but I'll definitely share more soon.

If you and I had coffee...

I'd tell you this past weekend was, for the most part, a relaxing and chill one. On Saturday, I celebrated Indie Bookstore Day by ordering a book on Bookshop.org and selected one of my favorite bookstores, Sincerely Yours Bookstore, to support. A few hours later, I decided to head over to the bookstore and bought a really cute hair clip. Then on Sunday, John and I went to the Spring Jonquil Festival and walked around for a bit. I was really excited for this festival because it means the Smyrna Market will be back. In fact, the first day of the market is on Sunday, May 3, 2026. I can't wait to buy some local foods, drinks, maybe some honey, and a couple of gifts for the boys' teachers for Teacher Appreciation Week.

If you and I had coffee...

I'd tell you it's been kind of a slow reading month, and it's not really bothering me because the books I have been reading are pretty great. I picked up a bunch of books I had on hold at the library, and I'm still reading a lot of books I received from NetGalley. I've been really trying to read more of those, so I can review them soon. 

If you and I had coffee...

I'd tell you that I haven't really been watching much TV or movies. However, I'm really looking forward to watching Remarkably Bright Creatures, which is the film adaptation of Shelby Van Pelt's novel of the same name. I haven't read the book yet, but it's on my TBR list. I usually try to read books before the TV show/film adaptations, but I think I'm going to make an exception this time. 

If you and I had coffee...

I'd tell you that I'm so glad we were able to meet this month. We definitely cut it really close, and I'm in shock that we're just days away from May. I'm really excited for May's arrival because it means we only have a few weeks of school and work left. Then it's summer break! I hope you continue to enjoy the rest of the month. I can't wait to catch up again in May. 

What would you tell me?

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time...

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10 Things That Made Me Happy This Week

Happy Friday! This was another somewhat long week. I ended up getting sick towards the end of the week, but it's been nice having some time to rest. This weekend is the Spring Jonquil Festival, and I'm hoping I feel well enough to go. 

1. I usually dread Mondays, but Alessandra Olanow's list of how she feels on Mondays was so relatable. Also, it made me laugh. 

2. I finally picked up 107 Days by Kamala Harris at my local library. The wait list was really long, so I was especially excited when I received the notification that I could pick it up. I can't wait to dive into the book.

3. Resting. After dealing with some back and hip pain followed by an incredibly awful cold, I'm so grateful to have had time to rest. I plan to rest some more over the weekend, and I'm excited about taking an afternoon nap. 

4. On repeat: Noah Kahan's newest album, The Great Divide.

5. Reminder of why I prefer to donate directly to charities. 

6. I'm so grateful for modern medicine. I came down with an awful cold and was prescribed a few things. I had a great chat with my doctor and learned a few new things about vitamins, exercise, and more. 

7. I'm always anxious when I have to go to the dentist, but I had a great dentist appointment this week. My hygienist and dentist were so incredibly kind (as usual) and patient. 

8. The Ritz-Carlton, Rancho Mirage in California, closed the front entrance of its hotel entrance to protect a hummingbird's nest that was built on the door handle. I thought this was the sweetest thing ever, and I also learned about the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. 

9. On the wishlist: GoNanas Strawberry Crumble Cookie Mix and Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix. I was so excited when I found out they have new cookie mixes.

10. I just realized there are only 18 more school days left. We're all excited for summer vacation. 

What made you happy this week?

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time...

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash