Currently #76
Goodbye April and Hello May! They weren’t kidding when they say April showers bring May flowers. We had a wet and chilly April with some hints of warmth. I am hoping for a much warmer May filled with sunshine, fresh flowers, and new beginnings, plus inching closer to summer, my favorite time of year!
It’s time for another edition of Currently where I share my monthly updates of what’s new, what I’m up to, and how life has been treating me.
Let’s dive in!
What I’m Up To:
April was a busy month filled with Easter, family time, a trip to New England and getting ready for all things spring and summer!
Even though it was chilly, I made my way out to the beach for the first time this season.
Numerous ice cream shops opened for the season and I made sure I got mine on opening day!
Fresh blooms, the first signs of spring!
We celebrated Easter at the start of the month!
We dyed eggs!
We enjoyed an Easter dinner with all the fixings. I made homemade cinnamon butter and lemon butter to go with blueberry muffins. Yum!
We hit a day in the 80’s so a trip to the zoo was in order!
Simplified had their Launch Day for their new planners, collections, and products which is always an exciting day for me. Here’s my pick for next year.
I got in a visit to New England to visit my fiance this month.
We lucked out with great weather!
We spent 12 hours in Fort Lauderdale as part of our trip which was so fun!
This was much needed for a few hours!
I have been enjoying lots of extra sunshine and long running paths.
I love that the sun is rising earlier in the day too!
We enjoyed some ice cream dates and my pup got in the action too!
I’ve been enjoying peaceful walks by the water even with blowing wind.
We experienced some beautiful days and my pup and I took advantage.
Two things my pup loves, outside time and attention, luckily, he’s getting both in this photo.
Another weekend, another walk with my dog.
My family and I went out to dinner to try a new restaurant. The food was delicious, but the presentation was stunning. I almost didn’t want to take a bite.
A good weekend always ends with ice cream!
What I'm Wearing:
April was a transitional month clothing-wise. Some days were shorts and tee shirts, others were sweaters and tights. It truly varied as the month went on.
One example of a work day outfit
I love a spring day with short sleeve tops and jeans!
I’ve also been trying some new hairstyles out for spring and summer.
I also tried to dress for spring with bright colors!
I ended the month by getting a fresh cut for summer!
What I'm Reading:
This was SUCH a good reading month!
Lost Lambs- Lost Lambs by Madeline Cash was a book that kept popping up on book reviews from other bloggers. It’s all about a highly dysfunctional family and all the antics they encounter. The parents are going through a rough patch, their three daughters are out of control and going through growing pains and the family is barely hanging by. This was a quirky, but fun read.
Laws of Logic and Love- This was Debra Curtis’ debut novel. Laws of Logic and Love tells the story of a woman and her first love and how it shapes her current life and relationships. The theme of first loves, forgiveness, second chances, love and loss is weaved through the whole book. I thought Curtis did a great job on her first book.
This Book Made Me Think of You- Libby Page’s This Book Made Me Think of You may be in the running for my favorite book of the year. Wow, I loved every page of this book and truly didn’t want it to end. It’s all about a young woman whose husband dies and ahead of his death he arranges for her to have a new book to read every month during the first year after he dies. This book was SO relatable to me. I loved all the references and ideas for books and how the protagonist found life again after loss. I laughed and cried through this beautiful book.
The Wedding People- The Wedding People by Alison Espach is all about a woman who goes to a hotel to take her own life, it turns out a wedding is happening at the same hotel and our protagonist runs into the bride who convinces her to stay and come to the wedding. The two start a friendship and both question their lives, the decisions they have made, and how they got to their current circumstances. Although dark at times, this was an interesting book that had some unique twists.
Historic Conversations about John F. Kennedy- Jackie Kennedy’s Historic Conversations was a fascinating read. I got this book recommended to me by a number of people and wanted to give it a try for myself. I learned so much about the life, work, and presidency of JFK. I love how it was told in interview style by Jackie. I also liked how it shed light on who JFK was behind the scenes. I don’t read a lot of biographies or autobiographies but I really enjoyed this one.
What I Talk About When I Talk About Running- What I Talk About When I Talk About Running is a memoir by Haruki Murakami. It’s all about his running journey, what he learned, what he achieved and why he runs a marathon a year. As someone who is training for a marathon, I found this book to be insightful and inspiring. It was a quick read, but so good.
Look Closer- Look Closer by David Ellis was a book that I listened to on audiobook. It was a suspenseful thriller with lots of twists and unexpected turns. It’s all about a wealthy couple who ends up as suspects in a murder. There’s lots of secrets, lies, and some unexpectedly formed allies between different characters. I really liked listening to it on audiobook with the full cast.
Before We Were Yours- Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate was a book that sat on my shelf for months before I picked it up. It’s all about a family who gets separated in the 1930s once the children are sent to an orphanage. It goes back and forth between the past and present as the children work to reunite as adults. It’s heartbreaking and beautiful wrapped up in one book.
Is She Really going Out with Him-Sophie Cousens book, Is She Really Going Out with Him is all about a divorced mom who is looking to give dating another shot for a column she’s working on. The catch? her kids pick out her dates. This was such a fun and light-hearted book that takes place in U.K. and checks all my boxes for a good read. It was so good, I finished it on the way home from a trip.
50 Great American Short Stories- 50 Great American Short Stories were a fun compilation of books I was making my way through. I was reading a short story a day and I loved reading loads of new to me American authors. It has been a while I read classic authors so it was fun to change it up and enjoy some literature and change it up. This is your reminder to pick a different book or genre every once in a while.
Big Little Lies- I know I am YEARS late to the party on this book, but I finally got around to reading Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty. It’s all about the drama that comes along with the kindergartner’s and their parents. There’s murder, secrets, hidden pasts, and you guessed it, LIES! I really enjoyed meeting all the characters and the way the story was told. The plot twist and crux of the story isn’t until the end, so it’s one you have to wait until the last second to find out what happened. I immediately started the series on HBO after I finished the book and really enjoyed that as well.
Winter in Paradise- Elin Hilderbrand’s Winter in Paradise is the first of three books set in St. John’s. I have been wanting to read this series, but kept putting it off. I finally set aside time for it and I wish I got to it sooner. I love how it’s classic Elin writing, just set in a different place. When a woman’s husband is found dead in a helicopter crash in the Virgin Islands, she quickly learns there’s a lot she didn’t know about her husband. This book is filled with fabulous food, great descriptions, and a beautiful setting. It was the perfect book to get me ready for summer. Now onto book two!
A Novel Love Story- Ashley Poston’s A Novel Love Story is a good listen for a long car ride or trip. It’s all about a girl who is making her way to her book club meeting when she gets trapped in a small town that’s based on the series of books she adores. The protagonist meets all the characters she has read and adored for years, but she must decide whether she wants to stay in the town or return to reality. I thought the book was good, but it felt a bit dragged out at times. I also am not a huge fan of fantasy, so it was harder for me to get into a times. It was a good listen, just not my genre.
What Happens in Paradise- Elin Hilderbrand’s second book in the Paradise series, What Happens in Paradise is how I ended the month. This is a continuation of her first book Winter in Paradise and it’s all about the Steele family and their lives in the Virgin Islands. It reads like any other Hilderbrand book, full of great description of food, scenery, and great characters. I’m now onto the third book.
What I'm Watching:
This month I finished The Pitt and the Masked Singer.
I continued watching The West Wing.
I also watched Company Retreat, the sequel, but stand-alone to Jury Duty on Amazon Prime. Such a funny comedy where everyone is in on the fact it’s a reality show, minus one character. If you enjoyed Jury Duty, you will love this.
I also watched Big Little Lies after I finished the book. I love watching movies or shows after I complete a series.
I rounded the month off by watching Big Mistakes, a laugh out loud comedy on Netflix about all the antics a sibling duo goes through after they make some big mistakes.
What I’m Cooking and Baking:
This month was a mix of sweet treats and spring salads.
Chicken Wonton Salad- Spring means citrus to me, so I am trying to bring in my fruits to my meals. This chicken wonton salad was light enough for spring, but also packed with protein.
M&M Easter Cookies-This was my first time making M&M cookies and loved how they turned out. Flavorful, so soft and moist and perfect for spring!
Cinnamon Butter and Lemon Butter- I made lemon butter and cinnamon butter for some blueberry muffins. I got both recipes from Magnolia’s cookbook and they added just enough flavor to my meals.
Chicken Tostados- We love to enjoy Mexican inspired dishes. This was so filling and tasty. It’s basically an open-faced taco. We loaded ours with beans, gauc, chicken, cheese, sour cream, and green onions, but you can add your own toppings. Yum!
Turkey Cheddar and Apple Croissants- I love a hearty sandwich especially when it comes with different bread. This was a perfect spring meal that tasted good and was filling!
Homemade Chocolate Chip cookies- You can never go wrong with this staple through the year.
What Inspires Me:
I have been so inspired by the warmer and spring weather. I have been loving the longer days, more sunshine, and being outdoors.
Some desk inspiration as we make our way through Spring.
Some more daily desk inspiration
I spotted this picture at Home Goods and was so inspired by the colors. I almost brought it home with me.
Another wise quote that really made me stop and think and reflect.
What I Accomplished:
I have been making my way through my Spring Bucket List.
Which includes eating and reading more outside.
I also got back into outdoor running which was a huge accomplishment for me after not running outdoors in months due to weather.
Spring flowers alway leave me feeling inspired.
Fresh flowers make longer runs better!
I also got to celebrate Easter with my family.
I got in a visit with my fiance too.
I also made sure to get in lots of bonus time with my pup, which includes car rides.
Goals from Last Month:
I really wanted to make headway on some projects, enjoy family time and get back into outdoor running this month and I did pretty good with accomplishing those goals.
My pup also enjoyed the extra outdoor time.
Trees in our neighborhood park were showing signs of spring.
Goals for this Month:
This is a busy month between my birthday, my fiancés birthday, my brother moving home from college and then getting ready for summer. It’s shaping up to be a busy month, but I’m ready for it.
Plus, I’m hoping to carve out more outdoors time!
That’s a look into life this month. What are some highlights from your April?
