Y’all, I’ve been doing my “5 Things” posts for a year now. My first one was last May. These posts may not be the most exciting for you to read, but I love looking back at them and seeing what all we had going on at the time (both big and small). I’m going to keep going with this “series”, but thinking I’ll revamp it a little bit. As May is now in full swing, I’m starting to feel all the summer vibes on the horizon. The past five Mays, I was so looking forward to school being out in anticipation of summer. This year, I’m not currently working, but still anticipating summer because it’s such a fun time full of trips, wedding/baby showers, and pool days. We’ve already had such a great month and we’re not even quite halfway through it yet. Let’s get to it!
1. Mother’s Day
This is extra special to me this year because it’s my first “real” Mother’s Day. We did celebrate last year with me being pregnant, but it is even more significant this year as my sweet, little is here with me. I get teary thinking about how precious of a gift it is to be a mama. There are wonderful days and there are tough days, but nothing could ever replace the joy that comes from parenting a little one. I can also without a doubt say that being a mama makes me even more grateful for my own mama. It’s the best job, but it’s a hard job and I now understand so much more about the sacrifices she made day in and day out to provide for me and keep me alive and well. Moms are truly a gift from the Lord and it is such a privilege to get to be one.
2. Family Gatherings
We had some great family time last weekend as we gathered in Clarksville for Luke’s brother’s graduation. It was a great time of celebrating and hanging out. We cooked out, played games, and just enjoyed each other’s company. This upcoming week, my parents are coming in from Alabama mid-week and staying through the weekend. I can’t wait. It’s been about a month and half since I’ve seen them and that’s just way too long for this chick. I envy those of you who live super close to your parents. I always say that I’m a mama’s girl and a daddy’s girl… my parents are my people and living 6 hours away is really the only thing I dislike about living in Nashville. Anyway, it will be another fun weekend as we hang out with them and they get to spend time with Bodie.
3. Patio Hangs
Our screened porch and outdoor patio are officially open for business this season. Everything is cleaned up, swept off, and ready for summer hangouts. I’ve got new throw pillows on the furniture, citronella candles to burn, Luke’s been firing up the grill on the reg, and the cornhole boards are broken in. Also, if you saw my insta-stories last weekend, you may remember a bistro, light hanging operation that went down. It took slightly longer than anticipated but, with the help of our headlamps (and some fantastic father-son engineering), Luke, his dad, and I successfully got our outdoor lights hanging from the house to the trees in our backyard. The light it provides is lovely and it has kind of an ethereal feel to it.
4. Homemade Lattes
Okay, this is a little silly, but I’m all about it right now. We’ve had our Ninja coffee maker for well over a year, but we received it right around the time I got pregnant and my love for hot coffee dwindled away for nine months. Fast forward to having Bodie and my love for hot coffee slowly began to return (don’t fear if you’re pregnant and hate coffee right now… this too shall should pass). Each morning for the past 7 months, I would just make my regular cup of coffee and add my creamer as I always used to do. Well, I don’t know what came over me last week, but I busted out the milk frother that came with our Ninja and went to town. Now, I can’t stop. Why have we not been using this before? I’m currently trying to perfect my skills so that I can make little designs on top… right now I just kind of make blobs, but this is actually an improvement ha. Baby steps though, right? All that to say, I have now taken it upon myself to be an at-home barista. Will keep you updated with my progress.
5. Memorial Day Weekend
The unofficial, official start to summer. We will probably go to Luke’s parent’s lake place for the day and do some fishing, ride the jet ski, play cornhole, and eat yummy food. This will be Bodie’s first time at the lake and I’m excited for him to take part in something that has been such a huge component of Luke’s life. Also, his swim gear… it’s too much, y’all. Way too much.
