Tag: gratitude

Hello all!

Happy Wednesday! I can’t believe we are at the end of April. It feels like the month just began and now we are already looking towards summer plans. May is always a hectic month between the end of the school year, gearing up for a new season and wrapping things up as we transition from one season to another.

Here’s a look into life lately and what I’m currently up to. New this month, since I have been doing so much cooking, I added a cooking section to the currently posts, you can find out more below!

What I’ve Been Up To: The month began or technically ended with Easter! My whole family was home for the weekend.

Over a few days, we attended Church services, watched dyed eggs, ate lots of Easter chocolate, and enjoyed family traditions and dinner. We packed a lot into a few days together.

I spent the evening in Cleveland for dinner in Little Italy, nothing better than a spring night in the city with delicious food!

April also brought the once-in-a-lifetime event of viewing the Total Solar Eclipse! It was an incredible experience that I got to witness at work.

I also enjoyed lots of spring walks and time outside.

What I’m Wearing:

I showed you this pink jacket for dressing up for work, but here it is for a casual look with jeggings, a crisp, white t-shirt and ballet flats.

What I’m Reading:

The Sweeney Sisters was such a cute and fun read. It’s about three sisters who come home after their father dies. As they prepare for his funeral and to sell their family home, they learn they have a fourth sister. The three sisters grow closer and start to bond with their new sister. Each of the sisters are going through their own problems and stressors but they sort them out together. I loved reading about how a loss brings a family together. I also loved how one of the characters was named Elspeth, too funny! I have read other books by Lian Dolan and was excited to pick up this one too.

Wellness was a heavier read. I heard about Wellness from a few other blogs and was interested in the book about a couple who after being married for 15 years starts to drift apart. The book goes back and forth between the past and present. There are a few side stories that take place that I found to be a bit confusing and hard to follow at times. I also read the book on my phone when I had time, so that may have made my reading experience not as enjoyable. It was also very heavy with psychological themes, which isn’t what I’m used to reading. Overall, the book was good, but not my favorite. If you have read it, I would love to hear your thoughts on it.

Dear Edward was a book that I couldn’t put down once I started it. It’s all about a young boy who is the only survivor of a plane crash. He loses his entire family and is forced to start over with his aunt and uncle. The book goes back and forth between the plane crash and the present day as Edward grows up. I loved reading about his journey from a young boy to a young adult. This book was raw, emotional, beautiful and filled with so much hope. There’s a series on Apple TV based on it and I watched it once I finished it.

The Beginning of Everything- This was a charming book about a girl who is squatting in an old house that gets purchased. The owner lets the woman stay there as long as the woman promises to help renovate the home. The two become friends and toy with the idea of a relationship. I loved the relationship between the landlord and the tenant. I also loved all the references to the the United Kingdom culture. Definitely a cute book to curl up with.

The Good Part– This was a book that I finished on a rainy afternoon that I related to in so many ways. It’s all about a girl in her mid-20s who is feeling rundown and wants to skip to the good part of life when she has everything in order. She ends up waking up in her 40s with a life that isn’t her own. She must navigate her future life while she tries to get back to her old life. Such a cute book that takes place in the UK. I loved every minute of it.

We Run the Tides is by Vendela Vida. It’s all about a group of girls who after stop being friends after they disagree about an incident they witness. One of the girls ends up getting kidnapped and that changes everything. Themes of friendship, betrayal, coming of age, and seeking attention are all found in the book. It wasn’t my favorite book and I found certain aspects of the plot to be confusing and hard to follow, but overall, I’m glad I read it.

What I’m Watching:

Besides watching my weekly shows like Grey’s Anatomy and the Masked Singer, I have been making my way through books and watching the series or movies based on them. It’s been fun to do this as a comparison and to see which ones I enjoy over the other. I did this with Dear Edward (which I’ll get into more on Friday and I’m currently doing this with another book I’m in the middle of reading.

What I’m Cooking:

Taco Soup- I started out the month with a taco soup recipe I found on Pinterest. I have made variations of taco or tortilla soup, and this was a new one. You can cook it on the oven or in a slow cooker. I chose the slow cooker option and was happy with my decision.

Stir Fry- A shrimp stir fry was healthy and affordable and filling. Just mix rice and veggies you have on hand and a protein and you are good to go. I went with frozen shrimp and I was able to pull together this meal in 15 minutes.

Balsamic Chicken with salad and rice- Such a quick recipe when you marinate the chicken and then pop it in the air fryer for 20 minutes.I also added a salad with homemade croutons, and roasted chick peas and rice. Yum!

Homemade Peanut Butter Cookies

Homemade Lobster Bisque Soup with Crab Cakes and Salad- A delicious seafood night that had me dreaming of New England.

Air Fryer Bagel Bites-Such a super easy snack that’s healthy too!

Chicken Casserole, a meal that was filling and fast to make and was a crowd pleaser.

What Inspires Me- I have been inspired by all the spring vibes on Pinterest, from home decor to flowers.

I also have been inspired and working on gratitude instead of stressing. This past month has been a busy and stressful one and I have been TRYING to approach stress with a grateful mindset and focus on the good rather than the bad. I also have been working on finding pockets of joy every day (the sunshine, a walk with my dogs, a home cooked meal) to combat any outside stressors I can’t control.

What I Accomplished– I accomplished a lot this past month from family time at Easter, to meeting up with friends, a few fun date nights, and really being present in the moment. I also had a few big work projects get checked off my list which felt so good.

Goals from Last Month-I really wanted to make more of an effort to get outdoors more in nice weather and I accomplished that. I also wanted to continue to check things off my Spring Bucket List and by and large, I’m doing a good job with that as well.

Goals for this Month– May is a busy month! Over the next 31 days, I have birthdays to celebrate (including my own), my brother’s graduation, siblings moving home for summer, the end of the school year and then Memorial Day and the unofficial start to summer. It will be a busy month but I’m looking forward to everything it brings.

That’s a look into life in April. I hope you have a wonderful month ahead!