April 2020: Recap + On My Shelves / So Obsessed With

April 2020: Recap + On My Shelves

May 4, 2020

It felt like March lasted for ages, but April passed in a blur. The month was marked by more days at home but lots of special memories. There are hard things about this season, but I'm trying to find all the good stuff, too.

1. My New Planner – I started using a weekly Simplified Planner last year and was excited for the new academic year release on April 1. I've been curious about using a daily edition and went for it with this gorgeous gold dot Dapperdesk. I can't wait for August! (Here's my referral code for $10 off your first purchase, if you're interested.)

2. Social Distancing Movie Date – While talking to Kelly one day, she mentioned that she was watching Little Women later that night. Then, she asked if I wanted to watch it, too. I couldn't say yes fast enough! We got our snacks, started our movies at the same time, and texted throughout. Here's her view. It was delightful!

3. Backyard Camping – One of the items on our 20 in 2020 list was to enjoy camping in the backyard. Many of the adventures on our list are on hold due to COVID-19, so we've been focusing on the ones we can do at home. Nick and our big boy made s'mores and slept in a tent one night, and it was the most adorable thing ever.

4. Solo Dinner Date in My Car – Nick had to travel for work in April, and it was the first time I was home alone with both boys for a few days. Once he got home, I needed a little time to myself out of the house. So, I picked up Culver's, parked my car, and enjoyed dinner + dessert while reading a book. It was exactly what I needed!

Read 15 Books | Favorites:

Memory-Making Mom by Jessica Smartt

Beach Read by Emily Henry

The Kingdom of Copper by S.A. Chakraborty

Girl Gone Viral by Alisha Rai

“And that was the moment I realized: when the world felt dark and scary,
love could whisk you off to go dancing; laughter could take some of the pain away;
beauty could punch holes in your fear. I decided then that my life would be full of all three.”
Beach Read by Emily Henry

“You don't stop fighting a war just because you're losing battles. You change tactics.”
The Kingdom of Copper by S.A. Chakraborty

“Some people contend there are two primal fears.
The first and most basic is the end of our existence. The second is isolation;
we all have a deep need to belong to something greater than ourselves.”
You are Not Alone by Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen

“Every time you hurt someone, you break off a little piece of them.
Not only do they have to live with that broken piece,
then the next person who comes along has to figure out a way to spackle that spot.
Your behavior has ripple effects.”
The Right Swipe by Alisha Rai

“Many times in life I've regretted the things I've said without thinking.
But I've never regretted the things I said nearly as much as the words I left unspoken.”
Sugar Daddy by Lisa Kleypas

I'm so pleased that I've been able to maintain my blogging mojo! While I still have a backlog of posts I keep wanting to write, I'm glad that I've still been relatively consistent. I started the month with my March 2020 recap and then my April 2020 goals. I participated in one Top Ten Tuesday topic: Ten Books I Bought Because... and highlighted different reasons for each. After wrapping up The Contentment Challenged at the end of March, I shared what I bought during the no-spend challenge and what I'd been waiting to buy.

From a bookish perspective, I posted my March 2020 Quick Lit with mini reviews of six books. Then, I wrote a separate post I titled Mondays are for Murder to recommend two delightful mysteries I'd read. And I closed the month with a review of Memory-Making Mom by Jessica Smartt, which was the inspiration I needed lately. And speaking of memories, the only other post I wrote in April was about creating bookish March Madness brackets to complete with my bestie. It was so much fun, and I loved chatting about what inspired it (and who won).

Another month where I only posted once on bookstagram! While I'm still taking plenty of photos for the blog, I just don't find myself as drawn to that platform. But I do appreciate being able to connect with other readers and occasionally checking in there, so I just can't bring myself to quit it completely. This month, I mused on how the words "You Are Not Alone" could be the title of my quarantine memoir. • @soobsessedblog

Favorite Album #1: SOUTHSIDE by Sam Hunt
I've been anxiously awaiting new music from Hunt, and I think that raised my expectations.
I listened to this album a lot (and do love it!), but it's had to grow on me.

Favorite Album #2: Carly Pearce by Carly Pearce
I loved Pearce's debut album, so I was excited when Spotify told me she had a new album.
This has been such an enjoyable listen! Sometimes country just hits the spot for me.

Little Women (2019) starring Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Florence Pugh, Eliza Scanlen, Timothée Chalamet, and Laura Dern – I saw this in theaters this past December, and it was definitely my favorite movie of 2019. I couldn't wait to own it and be able to re-watch it as much as I want. I was thrilled when Kelly suggested we watch it "together." It was just as gorgeous, emotional, and perfect the second time around. I'm so glad it exists in the world!