May 2020: Recap + On My Shelves

May 2020: Recap + On My Shelves

• Jun 4, 2020

In May, we celebrated our big boy's fourth birthday and spent most of our time at home. After March felt like it lasted forever, I didn't expect April and May to fly by. I can't believe we're almost halfway through the year.

1. Outdoor Picnic – We've been eating on our porch a lot more lately, but our big boy asked us to have a picnic in the front yard recently. We spread out a blanket in the shade of a big tree, made breakfast for dinner (yum!), and enjoyed waving to our neighbors on their evening walks. It was fun to do something different from our norm!

2. Drive-Thru Farm – We'd planned to take our big boy to the zoo for his birthday, but that got postponed in light of the pandemic. A local farm that typically offers strawberry picking in the spring pivoted to a "feed the animals from your car" experience, so we went. We all agreed that the homemade ice cream at the end was the best part.

3. My Big Boy Turns Four – I cannot believe our big boy is now four years old! Where has the time gone?! Although we didn't have a party, we had rain forest decor (per his request) and loved celebrating him all day long. This age he's at now just might be my favorite! It's a joy to be his mama, and I'm so thankful for him. 

4. Backyard Fun – Since we're still staying home, most of our fun comes in the form of playing outside. Our neighborhood pool just re-opened but requires masks when not in the water, which sounds miserable in the Georgia heat. So, we were thrilled to find this large $34 inflatable pool at Target. We've been loving it!

Read 16 Books | Favorites:

Blue-Eyed Devil by Lisa Kleypas

The Heir Affair by Heather Cocks & Jessica Morgan

The Guest List by Lucy Foley

Happy & You Know It by Laura Hankin

“Sometimes you think you love someone,” I said, “but it’s really just that they’ve become a habit.”
Brown-Eyed Girl by Lisa Kleypas

“It's unrealistic to expect to find peace in the arms of someone else if you can't find it within yourself.”
The Heir Affair by Heather Cocks & Jessica Morgan

“Eleanor doesn't argue,” Elizabeth said as she poured the first of five Splendas into her tea.
“She simply says things, and lets you decide whether you want to be wrong or not.”
The Heir Affair by Heather Cocks & Jessica Morgan

“The truth is just that sometimes you think you’re a good person,
and then little by little, you justify your way into being a bad one.”
Happy & You Know It by Laura Hankin

“Sarcasm is the last refuge of the imaginatively bankrupt.”
City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

While I haven't been at the peak of my blogging productivity, I have managed to consistently post about twice per week. That's a win, in my book! As usual, I started the month with my April 2020 Recap and then shared my May 2020 Goals. I participated in three Top Ten Tuesday topics: Ten Things I'd Have at My Bookish Party, Ten Books I Recently Abandoned, and Ten Favorite Opening Lines. I was particularly happy with my party post!

I shared a more lengthy review of The Happy Ever After Playlist by Abby Jimenez and wrote mini reviews for nine books in my April 2020 Quick Lit. My final two posts in May were a little more personal! I shared an updated Currently {May 2020} post with an overview of what my life has looked like lately. And my favorite post was about our newest love and ten things he's taught me. I'm so happy I finally sat down to write that one.

Favorite Album: Three. Two. One. by Lennon Stella
I remember liking Lennon's voice when she was on Nashville but didn't know she had
a music career outside the show. This album was on repeat for me all May!

Happiness Continues starring The Jonas Brothers – I wasn't a Jonas Brothers fan at the height of their popularity and have mostly just listened to their singles since they got back together. So, why did I turn on this concert film? I have no idea. Haha! But it was a suggestion on Amazon one day, so I decided to turn it on. It was pretty fun to have on in the background, I won't lie. And I'll probably watch their documentary now because why not?

Making It, Season 2, starring Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman – My mom mentioned watching this show, so Nick and I turned on when we couldn't decide what to watch next. I couldn't find season one, but Hulu had the second available. What a delight! I don't watch a lot of reality TV, but I love the kind that focuses on people's skills – like baking, sewing, or making. I'm not very crafty, but it was delightful to watch these talented people at work.

Superstore, Season 1, starring America Ferrara and Ben Feldman – I have so many shows in my queue to watch, but most of them are hour-long dramas. This wasn't really on my radar, but Nick and I decided to try it when we realized we were mostly in the mood for a sitcom. While some moments were so corny, I did laugh while watching this show. It's not a favorite so far, but we liked it enough to continue to the second season!

Never Have I Ever, Season 1, starring Maitreyi Ramakrishnan – If you attach Mindy Kaling's name to a project, it's basically guaranteed that I'll have to watch it. And when it's a teen comedy, too? Even better! Exploring the life of a first generation Indian American teen girl, I couldn't turn it off. I expected the humor, but I didn't know I was going to find it so moving, too. I loved everything about it and am so hoping there will be another season.

New Releases: Chain of Gold by Cassandra Clare, Valentine by Elizabeth Wetmore, One of Us is Lying by Karen McManus, You Deserve Each Other by Sarah Hogle, The Switch by Beth O'Leary, and Miss Austen by Gill Hornby

Gift Cards: The Jane Austen Society by Natalie Jenner, The Love Story of Missy Carmichael by Beth Morrey, and Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb 

eBay Finds: Sugar Daddy, Blue-Eyed Devil and Smooth-Talking Stranger by Lisa Kleypas

Book of the Month: The Guest List by Lucy Foley and Happy & You Know It by Laura Hankin

Gifted: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins and By the Book by Amanda Sellet 

For Review: The Boyfriend Project by Farrah Rochon

Audible: Brown-Eyed Girl by Lisa Kleypas (not pictured)

Kindle: Most Likely by Sarah Watson (not pictured)