May 2025 Randoms

I came across this cute little duck when I was cleaning out and packing up the basement. It almost went into the "Give away" box. But then I noticed its number, which was going to be my new apartment number, and it felt like a sign that everything was supposed to be happening the way it was, so I kept it as a reminder. It's also the inverse of "42," which held many signs of hope for me during the hardest years of my life. Things are working out the way they should.

Mission pics from John!

This guy looks like a model.

Books I saw at the library that I want to read:

On Cinco de Mayo, Vera, Anna, Christine, and I met for lunch at Santa Fe Burrito Grill, which was one of our sons' favorite places to eat together. Our sons are best friends and are all on their missions together right now.

I discovered that avocado toast is super easy to make, and my personal healthy nutrition level just improved by at least 10%.

Every few years I have to replace my exercise shoes. It was time to do so in May. Here are my nice new pretty ones!

I overlooked this picture when I was putting together my "Around the House" post for this month, so it gets a spot here. I got this special cup on a Disney cruise when the live-action Beauty and the Beast was coming out. It's supposed to be like the rose that the beast kept in the glass container in his room. The top of the cup lights up, and for years I used it as my drinking cup when I took my jacuzzi baths. Those days are gone, and it was time to bid it a fond farewell. (And it doesn't light up anymore.)

I still take hair selfies sometimes:

Sam, David, and I went to see the new Mission Impossible movie the day it came out. It was good!

One of John's Facebook Stories. I take screenshots of them whenever I see them.

My mom and I went out to see Nate and Kat on Memorial Day, and we had a delicious breakfast of crepes and herbal tea at a crepe house near them.

A cute book I saw when working in the Children's Room at the library:

And a horrifying one. This was a new board book for the baby/toddler books section. This is very disturbing and morally unsound. This is not even scientifically and biologically true. I'm totally disgusted by this. 

One of John's food pics. The guy loves food and eating out!

Wisdom, Humor, and Inspiration in May 2025

It's a short one for May, and wow, no "Crazy Times" post! May and June were incredibly busy months for me. July has continued to be busy, but a little less so. Here was some of the wisdom and inspiration (no humor this time 😄) that I found in May.

One of my guiding mantras and mottos in life is to trust in God. 

From my sister's yoga class

This is so true! 

Around La Casa en May

 A lot of my time around the house in May was spent in the basement, cleaning it out and starting to pack up for my move at the end of June. The basement was the biggest and fullest area to tackle, so I started there. I took pictures of things that were special to me at one point, but that I no longer needed to keep. This is the easiest way for sentimental me to get rid of things.

Random books from various stages of my life, from college on. I gave away a lot of books this time around, way more than what's pictured here. (But I still kept a lot, too!)

Sam liked these movies a lot when he was younger.

John went through a Madagascar phase.

For some reason, John loved this particular sing-along video when he was little.

This was my favorite show for several years, mostly during my 20s. 

I sold the old playroom toy shelf for $10.

I always thought this puppy picture was so cute.

I bought this when we lived in Iowa and it hung in our house there and in Massachusetts.

I got this one when we lived in Connecticut.

Coming up for air out of the basement

Breakfast

Mother's Day 2025

 My Mother's Day was really nice this year. For the first time in several years, Sam put a lot of thought and effort into his gifts for me, and that meant the world to me. I'm so thankful to be his mom, John's mom, and a mom in general. It's one of the best and most significant choices I've ever made.

Sam picked out this floral arrangement for me at Kohl's, and I love it! It's just my style. He also made me a really sweet homemade card and a cute little origami owl. 

He threw in an illustration of Jesus that he'd been given from someone at church awhile back, too. 😄 He had put everything in a pretty basket when he gave it all to me.

He found a scripture verse about mothers and wrote about it in the card. His handmade efforts reminded me so much of when he was younger and artistic and creative and would make me the sweetest things.

I bought myself a heart-shaped tray of chocolate-covered strawberries because I love them 😋

I invited Mom over and she, Sam, David, and I enjoyed a nice dinner of lemon rosemary spatchcocked chicken with roasted potatoes, and then we played ping-pong together. It was a very pleasant evening. I'm grateful for my mom and for all that she does for me, and I'm so grateful to be a mother myself.

Adventures in New Hampshire

 I spent a lovely Saturday in May in lovely New Hampshire with my lovely sister Jennifer and my lovely niece Hayley. It was...lovely! 😄 

It really was a fun day. I got to see Hayley's cute apartment, and then we went to a great little shop nearby that I really liked and got some good things at. 

That's a flowing river right outside the window! The shop was right on the river (stating the obvious).

Then we went to Pickity Place, where we enjoyed a delicious lunch, beautiful weather and scenery, and a little more fun shopping.

 Pickity's famous fluffy, friendly cat, Poppy, was out and about.

A replica of the building as a birdhouse.

The bright flowers on this tree were pretty.

A cute scene from the fairy garden

Everything was delicious!

In one of the shops, I found a pair of socks that were personally fitting. 😄 (The boys would beg to differ!)

You can get Poppy as a stuffed animal!

When I see bees and beehives now, I think of David because beekeeping is one of his hobbies. 

I saw this in the bathroom and thought it was funny! 😯

These little bleeding heart flowers in the garden were cool!

I really enjoyed the day, and I look forward to doing it again, hopefully this fall!