An assortment of good things happening…

HAPPY MONDAY to you! This month brought a handful of fun surprises, delights and a few laughing snorts. I’d love to share them with you…

The first is our new couch arrived! It’s light gray, tufted, a sectional (glory!) and Mid-Century Modern in design. We all love it so much! Max told me today, “I don’t know where to sit. I love all the options!” I feel the same way, bud! We’ve been needing more seating for our large family, and I’m glad the waiting is over. It’s finally here, and we’re really enjoying how it’s serving our family. Here’s a tiny peek.

We go in phases where we eat a lot of salads, and right now is one of them. Twice this week I filled large wooden bowls with freshly washed greens and then set a platter of toppings on the table. I’ve hemmed & hawed over buying a replacement salad spinner (my last one broke), and finally decided YES, that is how I’ll spend a gift card I’ve been saving from Christmas. As summer nears, I know our salad consumption will only grow. Even though we have a small kitchen, this is a very helpful “gadget” and after moving some poorly placed items I was able to find it a home a the cupboard.

This morning, while looking out our bedroom window, I happened to notice two birds growing their feathery family ;) I wonder if this is the same family that built a nest in the nearby birdhouse? If so, they’re doing a great job preparing a home for their future nestlings.

The month of April has included a lot of blustery weather, which I don’t mind. I love the way the earth is preparing for new growth, and it’s been persistent to share its preparative work with us. Even with the blurry pink blossoms, I think the colors on this tree are beautiful. There are so many vibrant colors outside right now. And if we’re paying attention, we’ll notice them. I’m glad I notice them. Soon this tree will transition to shades of green, but for now, vibrancy is here.

Yesterday we feasted on our favorite almond-flour cookie (follow the link for the cookbook it’s in). I included dried cherries and a few chocolate chips, and we devoured them post-dinner. This is such a hearty cookie that I’ve been known to serve it for breakfast. The recipe doesn’t make too many, so I always quadruple it. Have you ever served cookies for breakfast? Now is a great time to begin, if not. Ha!

Marigold turned five years old this month! We celebrated her birthday by offering her her favorite things: Peppa Pig, pizza, cucumbers, grapes, new bicycle accessories, books on babies/nurse care, and a new baby doll. Oh, and she insists we call her “Goldielox”. The spelling is compliments of her big sister ;)

The illustration below gave me a chuckle. We went on a couple nature walks with a new group of homeschooling friends. It was a little drizzly, a little chilly, but it served us a whole lot of good to be outside. We saw wild turkeys, lots of flower stems pushing up from the gardens, and walked over some really cool footbridges. Natalie noticed a lot of plants protected by wire fencing (she wanted me to let you know). I love the curiosity my kiddos pull out of life.

Illustration c/o Cup of Jo.

xx, Maggie

PPS. Would you be interested in knowing what my small kitchen must-haves are? For over five years, I’ve been preparing meals and cooking for our large family with approximately 2 square feet of usable counter space. I could prepare a round-up of my favorites if that interests you…?