May’s been called December 2.0 – and it is fitting. It is a time of transition and change, of running to and fro to close things down yet also beginning new things with gusto. May brings a lot of joy, but it can also be exhausting.
News events at the end of May slammed everything into perspective as I watched with horror and overwhelming grief the mass shooting in Uvalde. It is hard, particularly as a parent who sends her kids to school every day, to handle it, yet it is a requirement not to look away. To visualize what it must be like to have to identify your child’s body riddled with bullet holes makes me physically ill. All of the tonglen meditation can’t heal the wretchedness of the suffering. And it is all so unnecessary if we just dealt with guns in our country. I am taking actions and doing what I can because I am so angry and tired over this senslessness. The end of May was simultaneously heavy yet also a reminder to hug my babies and love the happy chaos they create in my life. The happy chaos is a gift many parents in Uvalde wish they had back.
With a perspective of gratitude, I will admit that this month was actually the first month where we did NOT do any adventure traveling and while I felt stifled by this, I tried to keep my focus on what actually matters.
The lack of trips was through absolutely no fault of my own. Somewhere along the way I apparently got on the wrong side of the weather gods. (I suppose that should have been abundantly clear to me after this experience.) They cancelled my best laid plans for camping in our pop up camper and winery trips over Mother’s Day weekend.
I still managed to spend some time feeling sorry for myself over being homebound. But I booked an AquaFloat and went to a creative, trendy new restaurant in Belmont (Conmole). Because true to our philosophy, adventures can happen anywhere and at anytime if you just change your perspective. And life is too tenuous to spend time feeling regret or looking the wrong way.
Here is what else got us through December 2.0 with love and hope:
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Day trips to explore our own town
Charlottesville has a delicious hidden gem nearby: the Nelson 151 corridor. Under the canopy of Wintergreen Resort lies miles of wineries, breweries, cideries, and distilleries. It is all quite gorgeous, as well.
When Mother’s Day was rained out (again and again and again), we headed to Devil’s Backbone to do a little hiking and a lot of eating.
Fun Tshirts
We bought our (now teenaged!) son this Tshirt and he loves it.
But this one is also right up his alley.
This Tshirt is still one of my favorites because if you know, you know.
Fresh Strawberries and Strawberry Recipes
We got out for our annual strawberry picking. Truthfully, we were a bit late and the monstrous rains (see above where I reference making the weather gods angry) had caused many of the berries to rot on the vine.
But we still loaded up on some fresh fruit! Since we had to use them quicker than in years past, I enjoyed these recipes:
- Strawberry lemon blondies (you don’t even need the glaze)
- Strawberry Oatmeal Bars
- Classic strawberry shortcake (Confession: I cheated this year and used the Bisquik strawberry shortcake recipe. It was honestly delicious – and super easy to make! No regrets.)
Finishing Well
I knew we were finishing some longterm commitments in May that, frankly, we were all ready to be over.
Travel soccer ended with a Memorial Day tournament. We said goodbye to winter swim season. And, after two years, I did my last presentation and turned in my last assignment to earn my Nonprofit Management Certificate from Harvard Extension School.
My goal was to finish well. It is easy when the end is in sight and exhaustion kicks in to do the bare minimum. But I wanted to show up at the end and leave with nothing but good memories and enthusiasm.
But the endings that snuck up on me resonated the most.
We finally finished, after 10 years, reading the Harry Potter series together. We have had a tradition of reading one book a year and, upon reading the book outloud together, watching the movie. It has been a part of our family fabric and ending this tradition brought a lot of sorrow to my heart. I was pierced more when our youngest told me that he thinks they are now too old to read together at night. I am not prepared to let that go yet.
As I have shared in the past, the endings and lasts you didn’t prepare for and no one told you to look out for always seem to hurt the most.
Endings aren't always a bad thing, it just means that something new can begin.
My May PowerSheets
Since May was about finishing well, PowerSheets were a constant reminder, in the midst of tearing all over town trying to balance everything, what to stay focused on.
We had a house full of guests and visitors through the month, which I love. I wanted to work on loving my body. As I shared, swimsuit season always brings up issues for me and I am ready to let those go. It is a long journey, one I am prepared to share and yet also am still working on.
To get your own set of PowerSheets (which I can’t recommend enough) visit the storefront.
Looking Towards June
We have a really epic international adventure planned (without the kids) to celebrate our anniversary. While last year we were here, this year we’ll be here. There are some adventure activities that are going to challenge us that I feel nervous about, but we’re gearing up to tackle them with intention. Follow along on Instagram!
I have an article on one of our pop up camper trips (this one, actually!) in the newest print edition of ROVA Magazine that I am excited about.
And my June PowerSheets look slower and more open.
Life is moving onward. I feel excited, grateful, and am enthusiastically waiting to see what’s next. Hope your trips are going well, friends.