Currently {May 2021 Edition}

 Reading:

I have a stockpile of Amazon First Reads in my Kindle app, so I've been working my way through them this year. If you have an Amazon Prime account, make sure you check out the First Reads options every month and get your free e-book! Just a reminder, you don't have to have a Kindle. I use the Kindle app on my iPhone, and I have it linked with my Goodreads account so I can access all my highlights in Goodreads. 

Technology... so complicated, yet so amazing.

Watching:

I haven't read the Shadow and Bone series (also known as the Grisha series) by Leigh Bardugo, but I listened to the audiobook for Six of Crows (which is the first in a companion duology to the Grisha series) last year. Unfortunately, I listened to it with COVID brain, and was kind of distracted, so when I tried listening to the second book, Crooked Kingdom, my mind just flatlined, and I couldn't remember what happened in the first book, so I gave up... knowing I could watch the Netflix series someday. Alas, the Netflix series has arrived. The show combines the Grisha series and the Six of Crows duology.

Buying: Mother's Day, teacher appreciation, and birthday gifts. May is a big month for gifting!

Craving: a cherry Pepsi with nugget ice in a styrofoam cup from Maverick. I'm back on the sauce. 

Trying: to set some goals for the month of May (accountability post to follow). I've been rather low-achieving so far this year, so I need to push myself to get a few things accomplished. 

Singing: "What Lovers Do" by Maroon 5. 

Listening to: 

The Cay was one of my favorite books from childhood. I bought a copy from the DI a while ago to read to my kids, but I never got around to it. Yesterday I decided to listen to the audiobook on Overdrive while I cleaned, and I love it just as much! I'll finish it today. Next in queue is Greenlights by Matthew McConaghey, which came in on Overdrive just this morning. I've never been much a fan, but I've heard enough good things about the book to give it a try. It sounds like his book has been a pleasant surprise to many, so I'm hoping it is for me, too! Let's see if MM can convert me to fandom.

Needing: to clean under my family room couch. I have a feeling there are a lot of socks and pencils under there. 

Annoyed by: the inconvenient task of activating new credit cards and having to go into all the accounts to update them. 

Playing: Dr. Mario. I'm inspired by Nicky's girlfriend who can beat the highest level of Dr. Mario at the highest speed. Here I am worried that blogging is my "immature" hobby while I've been sneaking to the family room late at night to play Nintendo...

(Did I just discreetly mention that my son has a girlfriend? Why, yes, I did. #thingsIcantblogabout)

Working on: My Dr. Mario skills. Obviously.

Struggling with: motivation to eat healthy. Let's just say I've had a few weeks of way too much fast food. 

Eating: anything I want. 

Looking forward to: June. May is crazy. It's full of good things, but I'll be glad when it's over. 

Worried about: keeping my kids busy during the summer. I'm already stressing about how to keep electronic use under control and how to get my kids to help around the house. I feel pre-tired. I'm already worn out from summer, and it hasn't started yet. 

Lately I've been realizing how lacking my kids are in their skills. There is so much I haven't taught them. So this summer, I really want to focus on skills. "Summer of Skills."

I need to find the energy to drag the kids around the house and be like, "Okay, folks! This is how you clean a window. This is how you boil pasta. This is how you get a stain out of your shirt. This is how you answer a phone."

(My kids don't understand that you need to say "Hello" to initiate a phone conversation. They just pick up the phone and breathe in it. I always have to tell them to say hello. How many years do I need to instruct them to say hello before they finally understand?" Dear World, these children are my gift to you. You're welcome!)

Enjoying: being back to church! We just started having primary again last Sunday! I got to return to my calling (I'm the music leader for the children's organization - children from 18 months to 11 years old), and it was an absolute joy. I was a little out-of-practice after a year away, but it felt so good to be there. I feel bad for everyone who wasn't able to come to primary last week because it was the best place to be! The last time we had primary was March 1, 2020 (due to stake conference being the following week). 

The kids were amazing. We are still asked to wear masks to church in our area, which I thought would really affect the children's singing, but it wasn't too bad. They sang beautifully! I had permission to wear a face shield so the kids could see my mouth, and that worked pretty well once I got use to sounding like Darth Vadar. The kids were spread out - ideally we are asked to have them three feet apart - and I have to say... we should have done that years ago. Not being able to touch each other is the greatest thing to happen to a room full of primary kids! Ha ha!

But we'll see what happens as they start getting more comfortable with being back in primary. The chaos will break through eventually!

Wearing: sweatpants and a t-shirt that says "Happy Camper." Always the trendsetter. 

Feeling: really good. As far as my Mystery Condition goes, I just have a couple of lingering issues - "leftovers," if you will. I have a bit of restless leg, and I have some trouble with my knees. But other than that, I am feeling so great. I would say I'm 95% pain free. I need to start building strength back up in my arms and legs now. I'm very weak after nearly three months of limited mobility. 

Grateful for: a yard. I love having a little patch of earth to call my own. We've been getting our garden planted this week, and I'm thankful to have the space and resources to do that.