May 2023 // A List

Oh, May. One of my favorite months of the year. 

A hectic month for sure, with a bittersweet ending.

A month that marked the end of an era and, with it, a new beginning.

May was a joyful month.

Full of fun events.

Birthdays, graduations, and celebrating motherhood.

There were tears. Happy tears, of course.

There were a few bumps along the way, but thankfully nothing major.

A much-needed walk on the Silver Comet Trail was just the thing to help clear my mind.

May was the month of growth and reflection.

I'm in a new era of motherhood.

My sons are getting older.

My oldest is now a teenager. A teenager!

My middle son is now going to middle school.

My youngest is now going to kindergarten.

It brings me joy with a hint of sadness.

There are new worries, but it's true what they say; mothers will always worry even when their children become adults.

Thankfully, I still have a few more years before they are adults.

But it's a beautiful thing to see how far they have come.

I'm blessed and grateful to see their growth and be on this journey with them.

Oh, May.

I'm sad to see the month end.

But, June, I'm so excited for you. 

Here's to hoping for exciting summer adventures and much-needed rest and relaxation.

I Am A Writer

I am a writer. There I said it. I. Am. A. Writer. 

So many times, I've wondered if I should give myself this title. For years, when asked what I do for a living, I would respond that I am a stay-at-home mom and wife. When I included that I was a writer, some people would assume that my writing was just a hobby. To claim the title of writer, it seemed like I had to have a book published or have articles published in major publications. It was sometimes discouraging to feel like my writing didn't matter or that being a writer was just a silly dream. 

Sure, I may not have published a book, but I have had a couple of articles published. Although they were not published in "big name" publications, it was still amazing to have my work published. I was and still am proud of my work. My name may not be well known, but that is ok. I write for myself first. It's a form of self-care. It's my way of creating.

Times have changed. I am now in a new stage of motherhood, and I am currently back in the workforce. I am writing much more than I did in the past, and it's been a joy working on essays and stories. It's been essential to write and create in my journal. Now, I barely hesitate (I know, baby steps) when asked what I do for a living, and I always mention that I also write. I hold many titles, and although the titles of mother and wife are incredibly important to me and are a big part of my life, I am more than that. 

I am also a daughter, a sister, a friend, an artist, and so much more. And yes, that includes being a writer. So this is a reminder to myself: I am a writer and proudly claim this title. 

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 "Create Anyway."

Photo by Content Pixie on Unsplash

10 Things That Made Me Happy This Week

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

1. Getting some much-needed rest

2. Day date with my love

3. The last day of school is almost here! 

4. Journal ideas by @janethecrazy

5. Art by @monaschreibt (I love this page)

6. Moral of the Story by Ashe ft. Niall Horan

7. This reminder

8. Hearing my boys laugh

9. How Not to Drown in a Glass of Water by Angie Cruz

10. Keebler Fudge Stripes Minis Dip'mmms (I've been on a s'mores kick)

What made you happy this week?

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time...

If You and I Had Coffee

If you and I had coffee...

We'd meet at our favorite Starbucks coffee shop (hint, hint...it's the one inside Target) and order our drinks, a couple of sandwiches, and a pastry or two. Then we'd take our treats and browse the aisles of Target.

If you and I had coffee...

I'd tell you that I am so excited for summer. I can't wait for more time to catch up on my projects. I am so behind on so many projects, and I have to admit that there are days when it bothers me. I am also looking forward to some much-needed rest. I'm still working on balancing my personal and work life. So far, it hasn't been as complicated as I thought, but there have been days where I overbooked appointments or random things caused my schedule to be out-of-whack. It's been an adjustment for sure.

If you and I had coffee...

I'd tell you that we are still actively house hunting and are hoping to get some good news soon about it. I don't want to jinx it, so I'll just leave it at that. 

If you and I had coffee...

I'd tell you that we're a little over halfway through this month, and I am behind on my monthly goals. I'm trying not to worry too much about it. I was a little too ambitious with my goals for this month. May is a hectic month, and I'm even surprised I remembered some of my goals. 

If you and I had coffee...

I'd tell you that I wish I had more to talk about, but I am so glad we were able to catch up. As always, I look forward to these little chats, and it's honestly one of my favorite things to do every month. I hope you enjoy the rest of the month, and I look forward to our next coffee date.

What would you tell me?

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time...

Photo by Tyler Nix on Unsplash

Target Finds

Happy Monday! It's time for another Target Finds! Over the past few weeks, I've found so many good things at Target, and I wanted to share some of my favorite things. So let's get to the good part and check out my favorite finds.

Starbucks Frappuccino Mini White Chocolate Mocha Light Roast Coffee

When I first saw these at Target, I was so excited! These cans are tiny but perfect for a pick-me-up in the afternoon. It was a little pricey, but it was worth it. I liked these mini white chocolate mochas just as much as I liked their bottled mocha frappuccinos.

Sterilite Stack & Carry 2 Tray Organizer

I really needed a new container to organize a bunch of craft supplies and kits that I'm currently using. This 2 tray organizer worked very well for what I needed. I was surprised at how much it holds. I definitely plan to buy an extra one or two.

Women's Mama Bear Short Sleeve Graphic T-Shirt

I love Target's graphic t-shirts and wanted to find something to wear for Mother's Day. While looking for an outfit to buy for Mother's Day, I came across this Mama Bear t-shirt, and I had to get it. This T-shirt pairs well with leggings, jeans, or shorts. I love that it's lightweight and it fits well.

Brownie Chocolate Chip Cookies with Ghirardelli

I'm a sucker for Target's Favorite Day brand and Ghirardelli. When I saw that Target carries these brownie chocolate chip cookies made with Ghirardelli, I had to try them. These were so good. If you like brownies and chocolate, you'll love these cookies.

What are some of your favorite Target Finds?

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time...

10 Things That Made Me Happy THhis Week

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

1. Encouraging words and good news

2. Catching up on my One Little Word lessons

3. Visiting Mami

4. Going for a walk on the Silver Comet Trail

5. Starbucks Java Mint Frappuccinos

6. Above Ground by Clint Smith

7. These words by @murphys_sketches

8. And these words by @amyturnsharp

9. Last day of school is almost here

10. Cuddles with my sons

What made you happy this week?

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time...

May Goals

Happy Monday! My goodness...time really does go by so fast. How is it already May? The month of April was such a dream. It was a really good month so I am a little sad that it's over, but I am so excited that it's May. 

In April, we celebrated Raphael's birthday. I can't believe my baby boy is now 5 years old! I got to see my sisters, nieces, and nephews. John and I went on a day date. I went for a walk on the Silver Comet Trail and on a random Friday afternoon, I stopped and took photos of a cross that was decorated for Easter. I tried new recipes, read some amazing books, treated myself to some early Mother's Day gifts, decluttered toys (we threw out and donated 5 bags of our kids' toys. 5 BAGS!), and enjoyed the weather.

This month, I'm looking forward to celebrating Michael's birthday and my baby nephew's birthday. I'm looking forward to celebrating Mother's Day. I'm looking forward to the last day of school and reading Meera Lee Patel's upcoming book, How It Feels to Find Yourself which will be published at the end of May (just in time for the last days of school).

Recap of April Goals

• Read and review 2 books I received from Netgalley: I read and reviewed a few books that I received from Netgalley. I read The Trees Gew Because I Bled There by Eric LaRocca and it was a dark read. I also read What Were You Expecting? First Words for New Parents by Cameron Spires and I Am Sorry: Art and Apologies by Jack Bender. I really enjoyed reading What Were You Expecting. It was such a cute read and would make a perfect gift for new parents. As for the book, I Am Sorry, I wasn't really "wowed" by it, but it was a decent read. It was a quick read that left me wanting more. The artwork was great and paired well with the messages/apologies. It's definitely a coffee table book.

• Read and review 3 books I borrowed from the library: I didn't complete this goal. I was actually one book short of accomplishing this goal. However, I finally read Woman Without Shame: Poems by Sandra Cisneros. It was absolutely amazing. I also read Good Bones by Maggie Smith. It was a pretty good read, but I didn't love it like I thought I would. There were a few great poems, but there were a few that I couldn't relate to.

• Publish 1 personal piece on the blog: I published my usual coffee date post and monthly reflections/list post. I also participated in a blog hop (see below).

• Participate in Exhale's April blog hop: I did participate in Exhale's monthly blog hop. You can check out my piece here. 

• Try 2 new recipes: I had planned on making a recipe on St. Patrick's Day, but didn't get to actually make it. There was a recipe that I wanted to try and I was finally able to make it in April. I decided to try this St. Patrick's Day Milkshake recipe I saw on the Bailey's instagram page. It was so good. I also made banana chocolate chip waffles and my boys loved them! In fact, I plan on making a big batch every two weeks or so.

• Work on my One Little Word lessons (January-March): So I didn't work on my One Little Word lessons and surprisingly, I'm not as upset as I thought I was going to be. I will say that I do think about my word (by the way, my one little word for the year is work) often and I do take the time to reflect on it.

• Work on my 2023 Project Life/memory keeping album: I did work on my project life album, but not as much as I would have liked. I'm glad that I have my photos and all I need to do is add some journaling. I really need to come up with a time where I can work on this project. It's not that I don't want to work on it, I just simply do not have as much time.

May Goals

• Read and review 3 books I received from Netgalley

• Read 2 books I borrowed from the library

• Gather and donate clothes

• Try 1 new recipe

• Participate in Exhale's May blog hop

• Participate in Messy May

• Work on my One Little Word lessons

• Continue to work on my 2023 Project Life album

• Participate in Week in the Life

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

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time...

Photo by Sixteen Miles Out on Unsplash