Well, this month is chugging right along. I am finding it hard to believe that next month is May. It feels like once we hit mid-May, there won’t be much stopping until September. Our family already has lots of fun things planned for the summer – including some rest time – but it’s still planned!
But for now, it’s still April and here are some Happy Things from my life this week.
EASTER WEEKEND
It’s the most important weekend on the calendar for me and the messages at church did not disappoint.
On Saturday I needed to spend an extra $1.35 to get a points deal on groceries, so I added some chocolate eggs to my cart. John hid 10 mini eggs per kid and…that was it in terms of treats. I really enjoy not feeling the pressure of preparing Easter baskets. I know it’s a beloved tradition for so many people, but our kids seem oblivious to the consumerism and I intend to keep it that way.
No Easter decor this year, no pastel outfits (though I did paint my nails in a cheery purple – Lacey Lilac by Sally Hansen).
- Friday morning: Good Friday service, then helped set up for the church-wide breakfast on Saturday.
- Friday afternoon: A sunny family walk (I’m a cool walker after all…)
- Friday evening: Hosted some friends from church for supper. They stayed well into the evening and our combined group of kiddos spent the entire evening outside, which was perfection! Simple food, fun company, and an easy vibe.
- Saturday morning: Volunteered at the church breakfast. I was in the kitchen the whole time (so were John and Belle), and I loved it. I much prefer being behind the scenes. We fed over 200 people and helped with prep, serving, and cleanup. I was exhausted afterward. Indy had friends over in the afternoon, and I snuck in a nap.
- Sunday morning: Church in the morning, then another nap and a short walk.
- Monday: The kids spent eight hours outside – doing trick shots, filming movies, and generally being hilarious and loud. John and I voted (hooray for democracy!), I batch-cooked for a week of solo parenting, and finished a book.
FRAMED ART
When we travel, our go-to souvenir has become art. We always buy unframed pieces so they fit in carry-ons… but then they have a tendency to sit in a drawer for the foreseeable future.
Finally, I got my act together and framed everything from the past year.
Clockwise from top left:
- A streetcar print from Portugal
- A line drawing from an artist in Paris (we got to watch him draw and he signed it in front of us!)
- A watercolour from Barcelona (purchased directly from the artist)
- A folk-art block print from Barcelona
- A tiny watercolour from Nazaré, bought from the artist on the boardwalk by the famous beach.
This layout had been the same for years, but this week I added another shelf on the opposite wall which had been empty since getting rid of the treadmill.
(Do not ask how long it took me to hang solo – but I did it!)
It made sense to display our Paris LEGO set over our toy storage.
The main photo ledge got a refresh too. I’ll keep tweaking it – it’s not quite right yet – but it feels so good to have these pieces framed and visible.
YUMMY TACOS
A few months ago we tried a new taco spot a few towns over, and were smitten. We’ve been hoping to return and finally made it happen at the end of last week. The ingredients are fresh, simple, and delicious.
I had to laugh at the coffee mugs for sale and thought immediately of Nicole (and her love for morning coffee) and Kae (and her love of nachos).
The Front Porch Peach Lemonade from Hitchhiker Beverage Co. was unreal. It tastes like sipping a fresh, juicy peach. I think they’re available in Sobeys across Canada, though I’ve never gone looking for them. We usually just get water at restaurants but the server recommended this and I’m so glad we bought it. Apparently the raspberry flavour is even better but I find that very hard to believe.
BONUS HAPPY THINGS
- Thrift score. I have been looking for a) more sports bras and b) ones with non-removable liners – why is the latter SO HARD TO FIND? Does anyone else feel like kicking a hole through the wall every time they have to replace sports bra liners after they go through the washing machine or is this just me? Anyhoo. I found two brand-new exercise tanks at a thrift store last week. And – can you believe it – they have sewn-in cups?! I used a 20% off coupon to lower the price a bit further. It is so satisfying to fill a missing hole in one’s wardrobe and even more satisfying to do it at a thrift store.
- Outside time for the kids. Admittedly, if they’re not outside they’re probably inside on screens (IXL/YouTube/Minecraft). But…they have been outside so much. Hours and hours and hours.
- Peanut butter and banana + peanut butter and chocolate toast = perhaps my ultimate comfort food.
- Eufy, our beloved robovacuum, did a heroic job cleaning Indy’s floors. I moved his bed and the collection of dust-covered miscellany was astonishing. I picked things up, pushed a button on Eufy, closed the door, returned to magic. I’ll write more about Eufy soon (Engie, you asked!)
- My Yeti mug. I brew in a regular mug, then transfer to my Yeti. It keep drinks the perfect temperature for hours.
- Go As A River. Recommended by Ernie…and now me. (I know Lisa loved it too!) Trigger warnings do apply – I’ll write more about this in an upcoming book recap.
- LEGO on sick days. When Indy knocked on my door early yesterday, I just knew. Sure enough, he was congested and had a sore throat. This meant audiobooks, PJs, and LEGO. Cozy and creative.
- The first sip of ice-cold sparkling water.
- Our POÄNG chair. It’s so comfy.
- Making soup first thing in the morning so supper is ready before the breakfast dishes are done.
- Sunshine.
- Friends writing great blog posts. Nicole encouraged everyone to embrace their beauty, Jenny channeled her inner Winnie the Pooh, and Kristen asked readers about their strong feelings on inconsequential topics (I chimed in that I didn’t think toilet paper placement was inconsequential).
Your turn.
- What’s brought you joy this week?
- Do you have any favourite travel souvenirs?
- What’s your go-to comfort food these days?
- Are you someone who hangs art right away—or lets it sit for months like me?
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Coree
That sounds like such a nice week – although I hear you on the chaos of the next few months. Lovely to have the time outside / be able to shove the kids out the door. It sounds like the neighbourhood situation is improving? I love your space and framing artwork. For your rejigging of the main shelf – clock in the middle, smaller pictures on either sides, bookend with the larger portraits? We brought these amazing tree prints on our anniversary trip and now have to figure out how to hang them (after a very pricey framing. That’s maybe a May project – I’d just like the sitting room done by the end of the year – needs some shelving in the recess and the artwork up.
The stupid sports bras liners are the bane of my existence – once I had my mum sew the liners in a bunch of them, it makes them a bit lumpy but I never wear anything super tight anyway.
We had such an amazing time on our trip and a bumpy reentry – at least for me, with a pile of marking awaiting me. But yesterday, I did school pickup and let T run around the park rather than dragging him home. I couldn’t possibly stare at the screen any more and I had a good long chat with a mum I’d like to know better. Then we went to the library and got some graphic novels and books on ancient Egypt (their subject this term).
I’m volunteering for our town zero-waste event tonight and tomorrow, so long days carrying stuff/being on my feet, but I feel like that’s a good antidote to staring at my screen and bemoaning the state of higher education. And Sunday we need to sort our lives out before a month of chaos – MIL here, my trip to Berlin, a work trip, dad here, T’s 2 night Scout camp, etc.
I keep feeling like we’re gaining on summer but have to keep reminding myself… there’s May AND June – schools don’t get out til the very end of June. I’ve got way too much annual leave so am taking almost 4 weeks off this summer. TBC on whether I’ll be climbing the walls – but we’re in Portugal and then Norway for much of it.