Connecting the Dots: April
Here we are, at the end of April, and I’m pleased to report: this month was so much fun!1
April started with a visit to the butterfly exhibit at our local botanical garden with my besties and our kids and a trip to Disney on Ice with my mom and daughter…I mean, Elsa.
It included dance recital practices and Easter egg hunts2 and Luke dressing up as Jesus on Palm Sunday for the second year in a row at our church. (No one knows why his wig looks like Oprah, we just go with it.)
This was the month we found VIP passes on a table at a local bar in my husband’s college town and used them with friends to get floor seats at The Boys of Oklahoma tour at Boone Pickens Stadium3.
April was the month we hosted our fourth annual crawfish boil and both of our families for Easter the next day.
It was the month of patio lunches and zoo visits and catching up with old friends.
In short, April was a joy.
Relishing joy is a lot harder for me than wallowing in sadness. I tend to gloss over happy times, yet I have no problem sitting in heartache. This month has been a reminder to embrace joy when she comes because I really don’t want her to pass me by.
Reading Roundup
Cue the Sun! The Invention of Reality TV by Emily Nussbaum: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.75
Format: Audiobook
Cue the Sun! provides a comprehensive look at the origins and trajectory of reality tv, which in turn provides a look at the trajectory of American culture throughout the decades. I found the cultural element the most fascinating part of this book—how culture impacts television, which in turn impacts culture. Of course, as a biased reader, I wish CTS focused more on my favorite shows and less on the others, but I still found this an interesting read. The 15 hour and 11 minute listen time was a little daunting, but I’m glad I prevailed. For anyone interested in this subject with a more Housewives focused lens, I highly recommend Not All Diamonds and Rosé: The Inside Story of The Real Housewives from the People Who Lived It by Dave Quinn.
Walking in This World: The Practical Art of Creativity by Julia Cameron: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Format: Physical book
This was my second Julia Cameron book and second experience reading her words with a creative cohort. I don’t know if it was because I loved The Artist’s Way so much, the time of year I read this, something about me, or the book itself, but I did not enjoy Walking in This World as much as I hoped I would. Admittedly, I did not commit to the weekly walks and morning pages like I should have, so it is very likely a situation of you get out what you put in. What I do recommend, though, is going through Cameron’s work in a cohort with Laura and Laura. Even when I was not feeling inspired myself, I was often encouraged by the women in our group and the conversations the book sparked.
Entertainment Honorable Mentions
Severance on Apple TV
Apparently Luke and I are the last people to hop on the Severance bandwagon, but alas, here we are—better late than never. One rainy Saturday while our daughter was at my parents’ house, we may or may not have binged the entire first season…We are halfway through the most recent season, but are moving at a much slower pace, as we have not had anymore lazy Saturdays for another marathon watching session. Imagine that. So far, it’s giving me major Lost vibes (intense and dramatic without being scary), which I’m into, even if all the hidden meanings go over my head.
Love on the Spectrum on Netflix
Taking a hard turn away from dark and broody, Love on the Spectrum is anything but. I watched the first season back when it first came out and then for no particular reason didn’t keep up with subsequent seasons. Until my friends BEGGED me to catch back up, and I’m so glad I did. If you’re looking for a heartwarming show to watch at the end of the day when you want to unwind, I cannot recommend this show enough. If Severance gives me Lost vibes, Love on the Spectrum gives me Great British Baking Show vibes. The ultimate comfort.
The Valley on Bravo
You guys. Never did I ever expect to like The Valley so much. I started hate watching last season and now here I am in season two, making it appointment television. If you have a Vanderpump Rules shaped hole in your heart, if you love soapy reality shows but don’t have time to commit to a bunch of prior seasons, or if you’ve been on the fence about starting this, I highly recommend. Should these people be your role models or friends? Absolutely not. Are they very entertaining to watch? Absolutely yes.
Gadgets and Gizmos Aplenty
If you know me IRL, you’ve likely heard me complain about my back pain or at the very least, heard me wince every time I stand up. I’m a 33-year-old woman trapped in an 83-year-old woman’s body. This myofascial release ball is changing that. Don’t ask me how rolling a spiky ball under the sore parts of my foot releases the tension in my back, just know that it does and it’s amazing.
Speaking of things I put on my feet, this eucalyptus goat milk magnesium sleep butter on my feet has become an essential step in my nighttime routine. I’m almost to the bottom of the jar and will be repurchasing ASAP. Bonus: this small business is run by a foster mom, which I love to support.
These polarized sunglasses may not support local businesses, but they do support my eyesight in the sun. At $15, they simply cannot be beat.
Something else that can’t be beat? These Yum Earth gummy bears I discovered in a good bag of my daughter’s. Unfortunately, this discovery has led to a new addiction for me. I’m not kidding when I say I eat a bag (or two..or three…) every night. But they have no artificial flavors or dyes, are non-GMO, and allergy friendly4 so they’re basically a fruit salad, right?
Come on In
Like I mentioned at the top of this post, we hosted our fourth annual crawfish boil last week—a tradition we brought with us from Houston. This is an event we look forward to every year and one I think our guests look forward to, as well.
Last year I wrote an article for Verily sharing a behind-the-scenes peek at how we prepare if you’re interested in that sort of thing.
This year we intentionally had a much smaller crowd, which I was very grateful for as I obsessively checked the weather forecast all week and resigned myself to expect rain. Rather than let the rain ruin our plans, though, we set to work clearing space in our garage and procuring enough tents to cover a portion of our driveway. I asked my focus group of friends for game ideas the kids could play in lieu of an egg hunt. While moving the party location was not ideal, I was proud of myself for not letting the prospect of sub par weather steal my joy. If this had happened any year prior, I would not have been so calm. This time, however, I told myself that with an annual spring party, rain is bound to happen at some point, so we might as well figure out how to handle it now. (Who is she?)
As forecasted, we woke up on Saturday morning to the pitter patter of rain. Another change we made this year was pushing our start time back a few hours, buying ourselves some time before making a location decision. The radar showed the rain letting up soon, but the only predictable aspect of Texas weather is that it’s unpredictable, so I didn’t get too excited. I did silently thank my past self for making this time change and started preparing what I could.
We chopped vegetables, hung banners, picked up the crawfish, and set out snacks all while not knowing where we would end up. Finally, an hour or so before the party, with no rain for several hours and the chances going down in the afternoon, we committed to the backyard. We set up tables and coolers5, uncovered our patio furniture, and threw up a prayer while doing the opposite of a rain dance.
I held my breath for the next four hours as guests came and went, afraid if I acknowledged our good fortune the rain would suddenly realize it should be falling. I’m happy to report that was not the case. We had glorious weather with only a few minutes of fat droplets sprinkling down on us. It was cloudy and cool and not at all humid—truly more perfect than I could have asked for!
After everyone left, while I was physically exhausted, I was emotionally fulfilled. I felt like I was able to be fully present with everyone in attendance and that this was an opportunity to practice the spirit of true hospitality over entertainment. No, the party wasn’t perfect, but I believe everyone, including myself, walked away feeling a little lighter than when they came. And to me, that is the mark of a truly successful gathering, rain or no rain.
In Case You Missed It
I shared some thoughts about my experience with anxiety over the years and how these days, I’m trying to befriend rather than fix it.
In preparation for the aforementioned party, I explored the difference between hospitality and entertainment in an effort to become a look at you host rather than one who demands you look at me.
Speaking of hospitality, I wrote a post for my friend Rachel’s Substack about another recurring party I host—a book swap.
During Easter week I shared how over the past few years I’ve come to identify with the Saturday of Holy Week more and more. I’ve also come to appreciate what Saturday signifies when it comes to sitting in grief rather than rushing past it.
In honor of National Infertility Awareness Week, I wrote a poem about secondary infertility.
Alright, that’s April in a nutshell. As always, I hope these words make you laugh, inspire you, encourage you, or simply provide a brief respite from the weight of the world while you read them. If you think they would do the same for others, would you share with a friend? When it comes to encouraging writers, sharing truly is caring.
The 514 photos from April alone agree.
Dress my child in a themed shirt? Check. Remember to bring her Easter basket for an egg hunt? Big fat no.
To be clear, the passes were not for the concert, but we flashed the passes at security as a joke and they let us down anyways. It might be the most rebellious thing I’ve ever done.
I don’t have any allergies but still.
By we I mean Luke and his dad.
Ok I'm loving the Oprah wig. And I'm so glad your crawfish boil went well!! Going to check out that sleep butter now!!