And just like that…May is over (I wrote this before Nicole posted but…ditto what she said). This means we have a little over a month to go until the half-way point of 2024.
I have decided there are no ordinary weeks. There is no routine. There is no normal. There are just monkey wrenches. Between sickness or illness or happy reasons the children rarely have a full week of school – RARELY. Last week L stayed home to get his cast off on Tuesday. This week L was home sick on Wednesday and A is heading to a big youth conference that requires her to miss school today. Next week? 1.5 days off. Perhaps no “normal” is the new normal?
In between playing whack-a-mole with schedules, there were a lot of very Happy Things.
PORTUGAL
The tickets are BOOKED! Thanks to everyone for such insightful (and encouraging comments) yesterday. We’re excited; now on to the planning.*
*More generally, I feel relieved to have something planned for literally every week of the summer break. Summer can fill me with a lot of dread, and I have never, ever had the entire summer planned out before.
If anyone has specific experiences they recommend I’m all ears and have made notes of everything people suggested yesterday.
Lighthouses will have a moment. There are so many stunning spots dotted along the coastline and we plan to rent a vehicle for at least part of the trip. One of John’s summer goals for this year was to visit a new beach and/or lighthouse. While we were aiming our sights on that being in Nova Scotia, we’ll definitely tick both boxes off in Portugal.
BIRTHDAY SURPRISES
This was my birthday week!
- I woke up to breakfast in bed! John surprised me on Mother’s Day and this time it was the kids turn. They got English muffins from the freezer, defrosted them, toasted them, and topped them with peanut butter and banana. All independently! (John was on a work call and I was still in bed.) Very sweet.
- Birthday texts! It really is fun to get little messages of love throughout the day!
- In celebration of her dramatic efforts, we gave A a bouquet of flowers after her final play performance. Over the weekend, she dismantled the bouquet and filled four separate vases, scattering them throughout the house. When I walked into our office, I spotted one of them on my desk with a note. Very heartwarming.
- Tomorrow will INCLUDE UNBAKED CHERRY CHEESECAKE. I told John to wait until the weekend which feels more celebratory than a Tuesday (my actual birthday).
- Therapy. I ended up booking a last-minute therapy session on my birthday. This feels like such an adult thing to do but it is just the season I’m in right now so I embraced it, acknowledged I needed some extra support, and gave that gift to myself. It was perhaps the most encouraging and helpful session I’ve had to date and it felt like such a big emotional win and extra special since it was my birthday.
- Receiving an e-mail from one of A’s closest friends. Of all the things that happened on my birthday, this made me feel the most special. Maybe because she absolutely did not need to take the time to write me an e-mail and it was just very sweet and genuine and completely unexpected! My friends have to text me. My family has to try to make the day special. My daughter’s tween friend does NOT have to send me an e-mail. But she did. Happy Thing.
- A friend stopped by with flowers. You know how I feel about flowers, but it is different when someone who doesn’t know about my thoughts brings them. Plus, these are beautiful. I took two pictures and couldn’t decide which one to include so you’ll get both.
- The same friend also brought some mini peanut butter cakes (which is ironic because she absolutely HATES peanut butter). They were delicious!
BONUS HAPPY THINGS
- Jenny ROCKED her 50K Sweat, Swat ‘n Swear Ultra in Florida! I was thinking about her all day Sunday and on the edge of my internet seat waiting for her recap. Three cheers for Jenny!
- Sarah put up an AMAZING time at the Bayshore marathon last Saturday! She’s been so dedicated following her training plan and it was truly wonderful to see all that hard work pay off.
- Crisp morning air.
- Rolling hills. We have so much farmland – orchards, vineyards, crops – and it is beautiful to drive by luscious green hills, punctuated by giant swaths of freshly tilled soil.
- Ponds with bulrushes.
- Blossoms on our crab-apple tree. They burst into the most beautiful fuchsia blooms…and then they wilt. We only get a few glorious days of peak bloom, and I went outside to see the magic.
- Reading Calvin and Hobbes outside on a sunny day in a lawn chair while a recovering sick child rocked contentedly for hours (like 4 or 5!) in the hammock. We have already gotten our money out of this purchase and then some.
That’s enough out of me. I’m off to enjoy an abnormal weekend. A is away at her event until laaattee tomorrow night, so it’s just John and L at home with me. We have some fun things planned: a postponed birthday walk and, for my “main” gift, a day almost exclusively to myself! (John asked what he could get me for my birthday and that is the go-to answer!).
Happy Weekending friends. What’s new in your world. Was this a “normal” week for you? Are you in the throes of Maycember? Any Happy Things of note?
Sarah
“I have decided there are no ordinary weeks. There is no routine. There is no normal.” OH MAN AM I FEELING THIS right now at the end of the year. It makes the summer transition so hard for me because I miss the normal we had in, say, APRIL, so much right now even as I am trying to savor the end of the year.
Happy birthday!! Love your mani, and those PB cakes look amazing.
YAY for a whole summer planned and a delightful trip to look forward to.
Have a wonderful weekend
Elisabeth
I feel like routine falls out the window in about…April. There’s not much I can do, so I guess I need to just settle in and go with the flow!
Would you believe I’ve never painted my fingernails red in my life. It has felt a bit startling, but also fun!
Jan Coates
We’ll have to have a birthday coffee date if I’m ever in Wolfville in late May. I turned 64 on May 26th. Which date is yours? Love that story about A’s tween friend and the email. I still love seeing Liam & Shannon’s childhood friends (and now with their kids, too) – such an important part of growing up, and now such good people as adults.
Elisabeth
I’m the 28th, so we’re only two days apart! A birthday coffee date sounds lovely. Isn’t it lovely when friends stay friends over the decades?
Birchie
Happy Birthday Week!!!
Congrats to the Cool Blogger runners who rocked their races! It was so fun to live vicariously with Jenny and SHU.
Elisabeth
Thanks! And yes, there are so many experiences and adventures I’ll never pursue (ultrarunning; um, hard pass!) but it honestly feels like the next best thing (or, in my case, maybe the better thing) to join the experience vicariously.
Jenny
AWWW! I made the Happy Things list! I’m touched.
More importantly- Happy Birthday! Tuesday sounds like it was a nice day, but I’m especially excited for your day to yourself this weekend! Yes, that’s the best gift.
I love Calvin and Hobbes so, so much. I’m laughing just looking at the cover of that book. We own ALL of them- my son loved them too when he was little. I think I’ll get a couple out to reread!
Elisabeth
I was SO happy about your race. A very Happy Thing.
Calvin and Hobbes is such a comforting read for me. That and Garfield were my go-to comics as a kid, and I definitely read Calvin with a different lens now that I’m a parent. My mom HATED the books because Calvin is so disrespectful, but someone in our church owned the whole set and would loan them to us. She let us read them, but never approved of Calvin’s attitude – haha.
Rachel
Happy birthday week! There are no normal weeks. Agree! The peanut butter chocolate cakes look perfect for a birthday. Or for a day day!
I am SO EXCITED for your portugal adventure! I didn’t get a chance to comment but Portugal is going to be our first family holiday (hopefully… that’s the plan!) for April 2026. I went there in 20012 and had an awesome time. I just remember beach and sun! and Pastel de natas! Yum!
Thanks for bringing happy into my fridays 🙂
Elisabeth
Peanut butter is basically a love language for me.
How exciting you’re going in 2026!! I’ll be sure to report back on our highlights 🙂
Ally Bean
I’m amazed, it seems like everyone I know is going to Portugal or has been there in the last year. Enjoy it!
Your tulip bouquet calls to my soul, I love those flowers. Happy Birthday, belatedly.
My May was busy, me out in the garden planting flowers, or inside reading while I waited for the rain to stop so I could get back out in the garden. Is that *normal*? Why yes it is!
Elisabeth
I’m staring at the tulips this very minute and they are even more lovely today!
Love that your normal includes such wonderful activities – flowers and reading. Practically perfect, Ally <3
Karen A.
I am very glad to see the back of May. Since mid-April we’ve been in the thick of medical issues and complications with one of our sons, and we’re now seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. We’ve seen malpractice, but we’ve also seen miracles, so we’re just forging ahead. This past week was more “normal” than past weeks, but we still had a surgical procedure, please God the last one for a long, long time.
If you like Calvin and Hobbes you may like (even more so) Wallace the Brave: https://www.simonandschuster.com/series/Wallace-the-Brave
My Calvin and Hobbes loving kid adores Wallace. And Wallace is mischievious but not malicious, as Calvin can be.
Elisabeth
Karen, I’m so very sorry to hear about all the medical challenges your son has been facing – doubly exhausting with the errors/malpractice. What a heavy burden for you and your family; it is so hard to continue on with the regular routines of life when things are in such turmoil. I am hoping this most recent surgery offers relief and allows your son to continue on a path to full recovery. Sending hugs from Canada <3
I tried to order in some Wallace the Brave, but alas our library doesn't carry them. I'll keep my eyes open at my favourite thrift stores as they have a WIDE assortment of books.
Coree
OK…. it will be hot. Lisbon can be waves of heat, so I recommend getting out of the city and heading north. My parents live North of Lisbon (and we’re there 4th-18 July) and we typically stick to the beach. There are cool salt caves which are a relief from the heat.
I’m very googleable due to my funny name spelling so if you’d like to chat about it, just drop me an email.
Elisabeth
I have e-mailed you! I had forgotten about your connection to Portugal!
Nicole MacPherson
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! All the cherry cheesecake and all the mini chocolate peanut butter cakes and alllllllll the love for you! You deserve so much to be celebrated, I’m glad you’re having a birthday week full of so many lovely things! We all love you so much, you bring happiness to so many, I hope the happiness returns to you a thousand fold!
Calvin and Hobbes! Love that – but you know what I absolutely loved as a kid, For Better or For Worse. My parents always seemed to get a book of that comic at Christmas from some family member, and I was obsessed. I wonder if I would still like it? Ah, maybe better not to revisit, but stay with my warm memories.
Hip hip hooray for Portugal!
Elisabeth
Thank you for the effusively sweet words and sentiments. The Cherry Cheesecake is IN THE FRIDGE!
I also loved For Better or For Worse (but only started reading it as a teen)!
Lisa's Yarns
Happy Birthday! Enjoy some time to yourself! That is what any overstimulated or easily overstimulated person wants – time ALONE. Generally speaking Phil and I want time away for special days. He was going to try to take the kids to his mom’s for mother’s day but the to do list was too long/complicated to do with both boys around so I stayed back with Taco.
That note from A’s friend is so sweet! Those unexpected notes are extra special!
This week was an all-around pretty good week. I volunteered at Paul’s field day at school and got to watch him participate in events and talked with some of the other parents. He had such a fun time and then I had fun volunteering and watching the dynamics of the 3-5th graders. The 3rd graders were by far the most competitive. I handed out stars for their placement and there was a lot of “I got first!” “No, I got first” to which I was like “Fine, you are both getting blue stars because I am not going to argue about this.”
Yay for booking your Portugal tickets! That is going to be an amazing trip, especially w/ the weird neighborhood dynamics! 2 weeks of freedom from stress/anxiety about neighborhood tensions is very good for everyone!
Elisabeth
Time alone/solitude is the #1 key to me feeling like “myself.”
Ha – yes, there is a lot of angst about finishing first. One particular cross-country course my kids have competed at is notorious for children taking a shortcut to get to the finish line and let me tell you – that does NOT go over well. But, I’m very competitive myself, so I’d be grumpy, too!
I’m excited but now strangely anxious about it. TWO weeks to fill at a very busy time of year. As long as we can get close to a beach and find accommodations we’ll be fine. I just need to remind myself we’re going in to this with different expectations from our last trip and this is more about resting and just going with the flow (not my strong points – ha).
SHU
Excited for your Portugal decision + thank you for the marathon shout out!!
Elisabeth
I am in awe of all the work you put in to training (and with such a busy schedule + south Florida weather), so I was thrilled for such a great result!
Sophie
Happy Birthday Elisabeth, glad you felt such love and appreciation from family and friends. Love that your breakfast in bed and treat from friends both involved peanut butter. So cute. Hooray for your Portugal trip, I will be living vicariously!
And yes, we’ve certainly felt there are no typical weeks, we also have a couple of public holidays in May/June which throws things off even more (in a good way, but still!). But accepting it is the only way forward 🙂
Elisabeth
I am a creature of habit and love my routines. I think that’s why September (when schools start back here in Canada) is always such a relief. I love the heat and fun of summer, but it feels so comforting to get back to a more concrete and predictable rhythm.
Gigi
Happy Birthday, Elisabeth!!!!
Elisabeth
Thank you <3
Diane
Happy Birthday!
We found a couple Calvin and Hobbs at a Little Free Library last year and the kids love them. There was also a volume of For Better or For Worse which I remember reading as a child and which I also very much like, but I don’t think the kids really get yet. Well, maybe the 12 year old.
We started getting the Sunday paper last year and the kids always fight over who gets to read the funnies first- and I realized that this tussle over the comics section was something from my childhood that probably isn’t so common anymore. It makes me sad because I got so much joy from reading comics when I was a child.
Elisabeth
Yes! I loved For Better or For Worse, but mostly got in to that when I was a teen.
San
Happy belated birthday, Elisabeth. Dang, I am sorry I missed it (would you please – privately – send me the exact date so I can put it in my calendar?). What a lovely birthday. The tulips are beautiful and what a gift that you gave to yourself to book at therapy appointment and take care of yourself. And then all the sweet notes.
Elisabeth
Thanks for the well-wishes! (I’ve emailed you my exact birthday).
Today is my main “present” which is a shouldless day (a la Lisa), where I am HOME ALONE ALL DAY. Glory be…
coco
Happy birthday Elizabeth! I am smiling reading this post as so many people greeted you on your special day and you got to do adult thing too 🙂
Selfcare is probably my favorite way to spend birthday. unfortunately it’s a Christmas so I never get to have it just for myself.
Elisabeth
May is a very nice time for a birthday; the weather is nice and there isn’t a lot of competing demands on our time. I’m enjoying my solo day today. It’s lovely!
Tobia | craftaliciousme
Happiest belated birthday to you. And since you are celebrating a bit more this weekend I may not be too late. So enjoy your cherry cheesecake and your free day and your walk.
Portugal, how exciting. It is on my travel list for years. I have been to the island of Madeira some 20 years ago and it was beautiful. But Lisboa is a goal. Looking forward following along.
Have a wonderful weekend. Mine will have to include finishing taxes… Maybe a hospital visit to my dad since my mom is sick. We’ll see. Lots of writing and reading too.
Elisabeth
I am having my birthday present of “alone time” today! And I had my first taste of cheesecake last night and it was delicious.
I’m sorry to hear your mom isn’t feeling well; how wonderful you’ve been able to see your dad so regularly. I think you mentioned playing chess and watching sports together; I’m sure that meant so much to him.
Shelly
Happy Birthday! I hope you enjoy your cheesecake all weekend!
Those mini chocolate peanut butter cakes are surprisingly good. I bought them once on a whim and they are worth buying again.
I’m with you on the feeling around flowers. But getting a gift of them feels special and those tulips are beautiful.
Elisabeth
I just had my second slice (first one last evening) and it was DREAMY.
I have never bought anything at M&M’s (so am never there/don’t peruse their offerings) but agree – these were solidly delicious! I’d eat them again without any complaint 😉 Very peanut-butter forward flavour.
NGS
I feel like there are normal weeks in my life and I look forward to enjoy one again someday. LOL. It’s a rough time, but there are moments of bliss. A full fridge after a trip to the grocery store, Hannah jumping for a stick, Zelda curling up on my lap while I’m eating breakfast, sleeping in late on Sunday. I need to hold on to those moments.
Elisabeth
I hope you get those normal weeks back sooner than you expect.
Love these moments of bliss and thanks for sharing. Sending hugs.
Stephany
Happy belated birthday! From the comments, it looks like our birthdays are exactly 6 months apart! You’re my half-birthday twin! 🙂
Those PB cakes look amazing – yum, yum!
And hooray for Portugal – what a special year for your kids to get TWO international trips in one year. That’s amazing!
Elisabeth
Half-twinzies! My daughter has a friend at church who shares her birthday and another friend who has her 1/2 birthday. They all like to make a big deal about it. Why not celebrate the fun little quirks of life like that.
And yes – the kids have had a lot more big adventures than I did at their age!!!
Melissa
Happy belated birthday. What a gift, getting a day to yourself! And that note from A’s friend is so thoughtful. how sweet. This week is a pretty normal week, although we are having much busier weekends lately.
Marcia (OrganisingQueen)
Happy birthday to you – sounds like you had a great day.
I want to ask (because I’m thinking very much about birthdays these days – I have a milestone one in 1 month 28 days) – what is the secret to a good birthday?
Do you tell people what you want? Do you keep expectations low? Do you expect nothing but “make your own magic”?
Would love to hear your thoughts.
Your manicure looks GORGEOUS – you should wear that shade a lot more regularly.
Elisabeth
I have loooww expectations and don’t really do a lot to celebrate? The only two things I want each year is Cherry Cheesecake and time alone! It sounds boring and unoriginal, but that’s exactly what I want (and what my husband provides! He makes amazing cheesecake and outdid himself this year).
Anne
Wow, this might be the latest belated birthday wish you will get. 🙁 I am so sorry I didn’t realize it was part of this happy things post, Elisabeth. I do like to recognize birthdays when they happen, so if you are ever willing to share the date with me, I’d love to know. (I am Not a Birthday Person, but I love reading about people who are!)
I am so glad you were celebrated in the way you wanted to be. And I am so glad that the kids and John showed you so many bright spots of love throughout the day and week. <3 The flowers and the note – those are the things that make the days brighter and better. I hope the upcoming year is a happy and – especially – calm one. I hope that your time with family, at home and away (locally and afar) fills your soul. I so wish that the neighborhood challenges would cease, but hope that you can still find these bright flashes of joy. Love seeing these posts from you and the window on your life. <3