Last month we were traveling all over, but this month we were getting a lot done at home. This is the last week of school for both girls. I have one more week. But our summer is going to be glorious because it’s all scheduled with fun and plenty of down time. Here is our life lately May and what we have been up to.
Books I’ve Read
- The Good Turn by Dervla McTiernan– Police corruption, an investigation that ends in tragedy and the mystery of a little girl’s silence – three unconnected events that will prove to be linked by one small town. Cormac Cormac can be a gruff character, but really does try to do the right thing so he is quite likable. I was happy to see karma play out in this book. 4/5
- Oracle by Andrew Pyper- Nate Russo is an FBI psychic who helps solve abductions and homicides. It’s often a race against time before the victim dies. I feel so undecided about this. I think the narrator was perfect and I liked the suspense. 3/5
- Verity by Colleen Hoover– Lowen is a struggling writer who is hired to finish a book series by Verity Crawford who was injured in a car accident. Things get more convoluted from there! All of the characters are constantly vacillating between likable and unlikable throughout the book. It’s fascinating! 4/5
- One Little Mistake by Lucinda Berry- SAHM is arrested for a DUI, but strongly believes she didn’t drink enough. After meeting a new friend, she begins to investigate. This was a novella I listened to just I just needed something for a long run. I wasn’t really impressed with the plot or characters. 2/5
- Local Woman Missing by Mary Kubica– Shelby Tebow is the first to go missing. Then, Meredith Dickey and her daughter vanish nearby. Years later, Delilah returns. What happened to her? This was based in my town and I really enjoyed following the story. That said it’s pretty far-fetched. I would read another by this author though. 4.5/5
- The Darkling Bride by Laura Andersen– Carragh Ryan is hired to take inventory of the Deeprath Castle library. She discovers the mystery surrounding deaths that have occurred. there. This is the first in the series and I’m interested to read more. I loved the setting and the mystery. 4.5/5
Products I’ve Tried
- Maree- Give me all of the eye patches! These ones are really fun because of the different colors and glitter. However, more importantly they feel great! My eyes looked refreshed. There were a few stray glitter pieces though.
- Bellway Fiber Gummies– If you need fiber, I recommend these. They taste great and do help cut down on bloat.
- Goode Health Probiotics and Protein mix– I like this after my workouts or if I need a small breakfast before I workout. I’m not a fan of the different recipes though. The best way I’ve tried it is with ice cold water and flavored syrup (vanilla, cinnamon, etc). It does keep me full until lunch. It’s so nice that you can personalize it a bit.
- Sophistiplate- This monogrammed board is STUNNING! I need to have more opportunities to use it. It looks great displayed behind my stovetop now though.
- Miracle Headache Relief wrap- Yes it 100% looks ridiculous. But I had one migraine this month and took a 2 hour nap with that on my head. I woke up feeling so much better. I think the pressure helped me sleep. Normally when I’m in so much pain, I have trouble sleeping, but this put pressure on my head and I was able to sleep more deeply. I will absolutely be using this again.
Recipes I’ve Made
- Breakfast Tacos– Matt ended up making these for dinner one night and they were very good! He always finds fun recipes on instagram or tiktok to try.
- Birthday Layer Cake– This was a complex cake, but the taste was worth it in the end. Both girls really liked the crunch in the filling and on top.
- Sugar Cream Pie– I liked this, but the baking times were off for my oven. The pie crust browned too fast and the filling took longer. I’d make again, but with adjustments.
- Cosmic Brownie Cookies– Yet another Crumbl dupe. These were not overly sweet which was nice. They are nice and soft when served at room temperature.
- Crumbl Chocolate Chip Cookies- Yes, I had to try these too! My family loved them. They are nice and soft, too.
- Parmesan Carrots- I tried these one night as a side and the family LOVED them. And they are so easy, too.
Currently
- Loving– I absolutely love seeing all the flowers bloom in our garden. A few years back I planted some irises and they went wild this year. It’s so pretty!
- Doing– Matt and I have been doing a lot this month! We got him a new car and reorganized our entire 3rd garage bay which is used for storage. In our neighborhood we can’t have sheds so our 3rd bay functions as one for our large riding mower, tools, lawn care, and large food appliances (smoker, pizza oven, air fryer). It looks SO much better and is much easier to find things now.
- Trying- I’ve really been trying to incorporate more protein into my diet and eat healthier. My meals are healthy, but when I snack I don’t always choose good options. Protein has been helping me snack less, and make better choices.
- Seeing- I’m not seeing it yet, but next week I will be seeing both girls on swim team and their first time trial meet. It’s going to be so excited to have them both on the team!
- Reading– I’m reading The Book Woman’s Daughter by Kim Richardson. It is really good so far and gives insight into the life in that area.
- Family Update
- Matt- Matt is now all trained as a swim judge for summer. I think he’s most worried he will need to DQ one of our girls. He also volunteered at our church pancake breakfast this month. He just got a new car and is very excited about the features he has.
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- Me– I am trying a botox at my migraine trigger points. So far so good in combination withe meds. Hopefully it will help prevent migraines. I’ve been running still and trying to get acclimated to the hot, humid weather. Yuck! I’m looking forward to volunteering at Vacation Bible School next month.
- Avie- Our little preK graduate suddenly isn’t looking so little anymore! I swear she is getting taller by the minute. *sob* She is obsessed with all things outside and loves to ride her bike (no training wheels) up and down the block saying hello to everyone.
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- Claire– Claire is so ready for summer. She is excited to start summer swim team next week and be big girl on campus next year as a 5th grader. Oh boy. She got to be the mystery reader at Avie’s school and it was the cutest! The kids wanted her to reread both books she picked out.
MAY GOALS Recap
- Sort through swimsuit drawer- Done! I tossed 5 suits and 2 coverups.
- Organize cabinet above stove– Done! It looks much better now.
- Sew on Claire’s Girl Scout patches– Done!
- Buy plane tickets/hotel reservations for summer- Done!
June Goals
- Repair marble countertop- Since we’ve moved in, there have been some scratches on one of the marble countertops we have. I want to see if there is something I can do. I’ve tried resealing it and that didn’t help.
- Book some activities for our trip- Matt and I have discussed a few things like having a high tea and dinner at Johnny Foxes Pub while in Ireland. I want to get them booked.
- Finish Avie’s registration– There is a little bit of paperwork I need to scan and send in for Avie. I want to finish it this month.
- Clean out clothes– I have lots of clothing that is just sitting on Poshmark. I have a fun idea to clear it out.