Monthly Wrap Up & Empties: September 2018

Originally, I planned to do an Inspiration Sunday post for Blogtober today. But then I realized I had September empties to discuss and it felt more important to do this post. Well, maybe important isn’t the right word… rather, it just seemed to fit better!

September was a big month for us: we were super busy with back to school, Forrest’s birthday, and lots of stuff. And that trend isn’t letting up in October. I have Blogtober, of course, and my birthday on the 20th. Forrest and I are on a mommy-son trip this weekend (I’m writing this in advance, don’t worry!). Next weekend, we have Danny’s parents visiting. Then the last weekend of October will be our Halloween weekend. Then suddenly it will be November. Whew!

I have a lot to talk about for this wrap up, so let’s get started!

Empties: Everything I Used Up

1. OGX Coconut Miracle Oil Shampoo: I reviewed this shampoo here. I love this shampoo and it’s my current favorite. Of all the shampoos I’ve used, it’s the only one that really soothes my scalp and leaves my hair feeling nice. At this point, that’s all I ask!

2. Love Beauty & Planet Murumuru Butter & Rose Magic Masque: I used this mask to help repair my hair after a disastrous PR shampoo I received. (I’m not even reviewing it, it’s that bad!) But I loved this mask! It smells lightly of roses and was so thick and lovely. It immediately helped my damaged, dry hair. You can buy it here.

3. Bliss Drench & Quench Moisturizer: I reviewed this moisturizer here. It’s not my favorite moisturizer ever, but it wasn’t awful. It was mostly just very expensive! This little tub lasted about 6 weeks and cost $20. It’s not a repurchase, that’s for sure.

4. Rosehips Oil: I recently added rosehips oil to my routine to help my dehydrated skin. As you probably know, I sing the praises of jojoba oil for removing makeup and helping improve my skin. However, jojoba as a moisturizer can give me a lot of texture. So I added rosehips oil as a sealant after my moisturizer to help my skin absorb a bit more. It has helped a lot, but I don’t love this one; I suspect the orange oil it’s mixed with hasn’t been helping my skin much!

5. Coty Flawless Complexion Tinted SPF Moisturizer: I discussed this SPF moisturizer in my Ipsy bag review here. I love this SPF, which sucks because it was such a teeny tiny tube! But it is absolutely lovely, hasn’t made me break out, and wears great under make up.

What I’ve Been Up To

Yes, that is the very rarely featured Remus. If you didn’t know (and most probably don’t), I have a beloved chocolate lab named Remus (as in Remus Lupin, the greatest werewolf). Despite playing second fiddle to Forrest, Remus remains my biggest baby. I don’t have any reason for this photo other than I took it while I was doing product photos for my Ipsy bag in September, Remus looked cute, and I can’t resist his big, golden eyes.

Anyway, I thought I’d share a few things I enjoyed from September here for your enjoyment!

1. Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger: I impulsively borrowed this book from the library because the jacket contained the words “Highgate Cemetery” and “Victorian.” For whatever reason, when I started it, I thought it would be set in Victorian times. It is absolutely not; it’s set in the early 2000s, which leads to some truly hilarious ensembles worn by the main characters (remember white denim skirts!?). That being said, I still really enjoyed it. Highly recommend! How’s that for a tiny review?

2. Dr. Death: I started listening to this podcast after it was recommended on My Favorite Murder. This was a tough podcast for me to get into, because as I’ve written before, my grandfather was paralyzed by a neck surgery. The center of this podcast is a neurosurgeon who performs bad, irresponsible, and devastating neck and spinal surgeries; he paralyzes multiple people and kills a few. That being said, I really enjoyed it.

3. Summer Wives by Beatriz Williams: I have been waiting for this book on digital hold from the library for weeks and finally, I got it! I was so excited to read it. It’s set on a fictional island off the coast of New York where wealthy families summer for years on end. It was so good and kept me captivated the entire time.

4. Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson: Another book I had waited for weeks on hold! I keep doing this thing where I put holds on books, they take ages, and by the time I get them, I’m not “in the mood” to read them. I had to force myself to read Truly Devious about 4 days before it was due and I am SO glad I did! It was excellent and I found myself so disappointed that the sequel isn’t out yet. If you like mysteries and murder podcasts (which play a surprisingly pivotal role!), you’ll love this book.

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A post shared by Michelle 💐 (@michellelocke6) on Sep 11, 2018 at 8:12pm PDT

Oh yes, Fall is finally here! Gosh, it feels like time goes by so fast! I hope you’re having a great October and you’ve been loving all the cozy Blogtober content around lately.

Things I Love: October 6

Welcome back to another edition of Things I Love (or TiLT)! If you’d like to read past TiLTs, click here.

How is your October going so far? If you’re doing Blogtober, are you drowning yet? I swear, the past week has been the fastest of my life. I really thought I’d have more time with Forrest in preschool, but I feel like I somehow have even less time.

Thankfully, it’s the best time of the year! I love, love, love October. Danny and I are on a little vacation this weekend (oh la la) so he can attend a teacher’s union event; Forrest and I are therefore having a little mommy-son bonding time. You can follow me on Instagram for photos from our little trip. MAKE SURE TO LINK.

Without further ado, here’s everything I’ve loved from the first week of October.

1. Happy Birthday, Forrest

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A post shared by Michelle 💐 (@michellelocke6) on Sep 30, 2018 at 8:58pm PDT

Sunday was Forrest’s birthday. It’s hard to believe that I’m the parent of a 3-year-old and not a baby anymore. And each day, I am consistently impressed with the wonderful, kind, caring, gentle boy he is. He loves nothing more than reading books, coloring, and playing with blocks. He loves school in the way that I loved school (which makes me so so proud). There are a million and one perfect, wonderful things I could write about Forrest, but I’ll keep this short: celebrating my boy is always going to be one of the best parts of my week.

2. Apple Picking & Assorted Apple Desserts

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A post shared by Michelle 💐 (@michellelocke6) on Sep 27, 2018 at 8:13pm PDT

Technically, I went apple picking last week. However, I’ve been making apple everything because I have about 10 pounds of apples in my house right now! I’ve made apple strudel, apple pie, apple hand pies, applesauce, and, of course, caramel apples. It’s a nonstop apple party at our house and it’s so, so worth it. (And if you don’t go apple picking, I highly recommend it! Support your local orchards!)

3. October Traditions

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A post shared by Michelle 💐 (@michellelocke6) on Sep 28, 2018 at 6:58pm PDT

Do you have a very specific October tradition? Mine is these cookies. In the first week of October, I have to buy and bake a box. It’s just the way I start the month! I got these ones mid-September to bake with Forrest before his birthday, but during the week, I definitely picked up a new box to make! They’re the perfect little cookie. Yes, I know they are processed as hell. Yes, I know they aren’t really that good as far as cookies go. But I love them. They are nostalgia in a box!

Here Are 5 Great Spooky Podcasts!

If you’ve read my blog for a while, it should come as no surprise that I listen to hundreds of podcasts a week. Yes, hundreds. I always have a podcast going while I’m cooking, cleaning, working, writing, or just sitting around. I always am listening to something because I get easily bored.

I’ve written two posts about my favorite podcasts which you can read here and here.

For this blogtober, I wanted to share 5 of the spookiest, scariest podcasts I listen to. Some of these are historical, some of them are designed to be spooky, and some are just haunting.

1. Lore

I’ve written about Lore before, but it goes without saying: Lore is super popular because it is so good. It’s one of those podcasts that is short enough for those who like short podcasts and good enough for those who don’t care. Each episode is meticulously researched and performed; you’ll learn something and be delightfully creeped out.

2. The No Sleep Podcast

No Sleep is an anthology-style podcast that sources it’s material from the subreddit, NoSleep. Basically: creepy stories written by random people around the internet, trying to write the most convincingly “real” scary story. NoSleep is one of my favorite subreddits to read and the No Sleep Podcast somehow makes them scarier. Definitely don’t listen to these right before bed.

3. Stranglers

Stranglers isn’t a scary podcast. But it’s a scary podcast. In the early 1960s, the Boston Strangler terrorized women and communities. But worse than that: the wrong person might have been arrested. This podcast does a deep dive into the lives of the victims, the women who survived, the women who were afraid, and the culture that allowed the Boston Strangler to thrive.

4. Unexplained

Unexplained is a podcast that does exactly what it says: details unexplained events. The first episodes I listened to were the season 2 episodes about the Dyatlov party deaths in the Ural Mountains. There was so much information I had never read previously. Meticulous research and spooky circumstances make this the perfect podcast to enjoy alongside a cup of coffee and all the lights on.

5. Haunted Places

Haunted Places is a podcast that visits, you guessed it, haunted places and details the histories behind them. I love podcasts that include the real history as well as the legends and this podcast combines both excellently. I also am fascinated by everything haunted (shout out to 12-year-old Michelle watched “Most Haunted” specials on the Travel Channel) and this feeds that love excellently.

Monthly Wrap Up & Empties: August 2018

After lots of hemming and hawing, yes, I'm combining my monthly wrap ups and my monthly empties posts! I feel like it just makes sense, as often I end up talking about very similar things.

August felt like an absolute blur. We've been busy the entire summer (with way more social obligations and other things than usual), but August felt like a lot. A good a lot. Usually by the time September arrives and Danny goes back to work, I'm excited for him to get back into a routine so that I can get back into a routine. But for the first time ever, I got very sad about him going back to work. Because, at the same time, Forrest will be starting preschool 2 days a week and honestly, I just can't handle it! What am I going to do with all my time? 

Probably stuff it full of more hobbies and obligations, let's be real. 

3 Good Things from August:

1. I finally got my hair cut. I try to keep this quiet, but I didn't get my hair cut for nearly 3 years. Forrest had just been born and my mom took me to get my pixie cut trimmed. And that was it, the last hair cut I got was December 2015. 2015! 3 years! My ends were wrecked, at least to me, but my hairstylist was extremely proud to see they were not bad at all. In fact, she said I could have gone another 3 years and not lost much more length. Don't tempt me. 

2. The leaves started to change. Fall seems to start a little earlier every single year. I started noticing some yellow-tinged leaves around the end of the month. The tree outside my house is maybe 10% yellow today. I get so excited for the beautiful Fall colors... I have to remind myself to be patient! We'll be raking leaves soon enough. 

3. I started collecting Fall candles. Uh, sorry to rush the end of summer (except I am not sorry!!), but in August, I started nabbing up cheap Fall candles wherever I could. My local Wal-mart had one of my favorite Yankee Candle scents, Sage & Citrus, on clearance, which of course meant I bought 3 of them! My local TJ Maxx has also had some amazing Yankee Candles and off brands with amazing scents. I need my house to smell like cinnamon and caramel for about 4 months straight, so I'm happy. 

My Empties

1. Everyday Aromatherapy Calming, Lavender Chamomile: I got this body wash/bubble bath at TJ Maxx for around $6. It's one of my favorites; I really love the smell of lavender, I know it's "old lady-ish" or can be, but gosh, it's relaxing! Danny and I finally used this one up so we could start a eucalyptus and mint scented one we got at the same time. 

2. Bath & Body Works Fresh Sea Salt Mango Body Spray: I rarely ever use up body sprays, because I tend to accrue them faster than I can ever use them. However, I've made it my mission to start using up the things I have lying around. This was the first to go and I wanted it done by the end of summer. I am starting on last year's winter scents now, so wish me luck! 

3. Pores Be Pure Mud Mask: This is one of my favorite masks, but by the end of the tube, I was tired of it. I used it exclusively the last two weeks. Can you tell I'm clearing out clutter!? This mask smells amazing though--like strawberries--and really does give a good pore cleaning. Highly recommend.

4. Hey Honey Copper Peel Off Mask: The next 3 bits are from my August Ipsy bag. I managed 3 uses out of this little tube, which is perfectly acceptable. I just didn't feel like this mask did anything. It is very pretty though! 

5. VenEffect Pore Minimizing Face Wash: My bonus item from my Ipsy bag, I got maybe 6 face washes out of this tube. I liked the smell of it, but didn't notice it doing much as I didn't receive a large enough amount to really get to use it much. 

6. Caudalie Vinoperfect Concentrated Brightening Essence: Listen, here's the thing: I talked some shit on this essence in my Ipsy bag review and I take it back. I only got maybe 4 uses out of this little tube, but 4 uses was enough to know that this improved my skin texture and redness by leaps and bounds. Leaps! And! Bounds! I hate that it's $80 for a full ounce.  

7. Wet'n'Wild Cushion Foundation: My favorite foundation of all time and I've used my 3rd compact of it. Sorry, not sorry. It's so good! 

3 Things I Read, Watched, or Listened To:

1. Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater: I read this book a while ago, but I've been catching Danny up on the Raven Cycle via audiobooks. So this is something I listened to this month. I forgot how lovely this book is (and yet, how annoying I find all the car stuff) and I'm glad Danny is finally experiencing it!

2. Overdue Podcast: Overdue is a book podcast that I started listening to. I listened to one episode about a book I like, then started listening to all of them. I've been bouncing between episodes; I listened to the Twilight episode, then all their 50 Shades episodes, now I'm only some more serious ones. If you like listening to podcasts about books, this is a good one. 

3. Enchanted Falls Trilogy: One of my favorite authors (Emma Prince) who writes exclusively Scottish romances released the first in a trilogy at the end of July; then 2 other authors released the 2nd and 3rd books through August. The 3rd book is written by my least favorite author ever (I won't go into it, but trust me: it's bad). However, the first 2 in this series were amazing. I'm still working on the 3rd because it's a slog. 

I hope you all had a lovely August. What were your 3 favorite things about the month?

July 2018 Wrap Up: Road Trips & Reading

Wasn't I just writing a month wrap up? I swear, it was just yesterday. It's that time of year where time seems to start moving a lot faster than in moved in, say, January or February. I was just on the phone with a preschool about getting Forrest registered; pretty soon, it will be his birthday, then mine, then Thanksgiving. I'm excited for the Fall and Winter, but time seems to move so fast... then slams to a halt in January. Just me? 

July was a very busy month for us, and yet, I find myself not really knowing what to write for this wrap up post! 

1. Road trips

We made our annual pilgrimage to Idaho at the beginning of July. And thankfully, we got to spend one day in the pool (courtesy of my brother-in-law's wife's family, so my in-laws-in-law?). Forrest spent nearly 3 hours swimming until I had to forcibly remove him; he was so tired, but loved the pool so much! It's so funny that I hate swimming and I have a pretty severe fear of the water, and yet, Forrest has been a water baby from the moment he was born. He loves baths and swimming and pools. He's also extremely extroverted and, uh, I'm not. 

But we had a lot of fun in Idaho, even though it was hot, hot, hot the entire time! 

2. Making Time

In previous summers, I've always had these grandiose plans of things we would do... and we ended up not doing any of them because either I was working too much, trying not to spend money, or a combination of both. This summer, I decided to say: honestly, screw it! Let's just go! Yes, Wildlife Safari is expensive. Yes, gas is expensive. Yes, eating dinner out is expensive. But life is short. We only get one go around with Forrest as a toddler. We've made it to the coast so far this summer, and now Wildlife Safari, and the Boise Zoo. We have a few more things on our list, but I feel really good about making time as a family to do fun things together, make memories, and get out of the house!

3. Joining the library club

Everyone knows I'm a voracious reader. I subscribe to Kindle Unlimited, but I may be canceling that soon now that I've got a library card! I've put it off for ages because, living outside city limits, our library card costs money. However, when you divide it out, it's only $4.50 a month! I've already read 10+ books, via the library app and borrowing from the library. Totally worth it. It's made July even better1 

I hope you had as good of a July as we did! What was your favorite highlight? 

June 2018 Wrap Up: Summer's Here!

Tomorrow is the last day of June. I can't believe I'm writing that sentence to be perfectly honest. It doesn't feel like we should be here yet. Danny is on summer break (teacher life) and I'm trying to work while he gets to relax with Forrest (it's fine, I'm not jealous). The weather is great. 

We're prepping for our big vacation of the summer (we're just going to Idaho), but there are a few things I wanted to write about on this post. I love writing these wrap ups because it's nice to look at the month and really talk about how it was. 

A post shared by Michelle 💐 (@michellelocke6) on Jun 1, 2018 at 7:31pm PDT

1. My 5-year wedding anniversary

My anniversary is June 23. It feels so strange that 2013 was only 5 years--and also, 5 years ago. 5 years is a long time. It's also weird to think that Forrest is almost 3. At the time when I got pregnant, it felt like we had waited a long time to get pregnant after getting married. But not really! I've learned a lot about relationships over the past 5 years. Sometimes, things are really good; and sometimes, things are really difficult. It's not always perfect and I don't think there is any value at pretending otherwise. Marriages don't have to be constant drama to be good, but they also don't have to be perfect 24/7 to be good either. 

A post shared by Michelle 💐 (@michellelocke6) on Jun 9, 2018 at 8:45pm PDT

2. A month with no surprises

Can I tell you guys something great? In June, we didn't have any major expenses. I wrote before about how from January to May, we had a major expense almost every single month, rarely under $500. It was rough. That's a lot of money, y'all! It felt like we were really drowning for a while and it was very stressful. But thank goodness, nothing happened in June and, fingers crossed, July will be the same. I'd love another month without me crying over a checkbook, thanks. 

A post shared by Michelle 💐 (@michellelocke6) on Jun 22, 2018 at 11:40am PDT

3. Promising more adventures

Danny and I are homebodies, by nature, but in the past few weeks, we decided that we didn't want Forrest to be bored all summer. We drove to the coast spontaneously the day before our anniversary. And we have a few other day trips planned for this summer. I'm a planner by nature, so it's hard for me to let go and not plan everything down to every single minute detail. But it was really fun to just explore, drive, and talk as a family. 

A post shared by Michelle 💐 (@michellelocke6) on Jun 20, 2018 at 8:03pm PDT

4. Potty training success

We've been potty training for exactly a year now that it's June. And finally, finally, Forrest has it. In February, I thought we might be successful in watching the Elmo potty training DVD around the clock and talking about potties nonstop--but no dice. At the beginning of June, I told Forrest he couldn't go to preschool if he didn't start wearing underpants and using the potty. And guess what? A few days later, he started wearing underpants and going in the potty almost every time. I mean, seriously. That's all it took? Preschool? 

Have the Perfect Summer!: 10 Posts to Prep for Summer

Ahhh, summer! As F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote in the Great Gatsby, "And so with the sunshine and the great bursts of leaves growing on the trees, just as things grow in fast movies, I had that familiar conviction that life was beginning over again with the summer."

For many, summer is the best season out of all of them. And while it's pretty pointless to argue with people about their favorite things, I've often found that difficult to wrap my head around. As a relatively high-strung individual, I find the prospect of having nothing to do overwhelming--which is probably why I both looked forward to and dreaded summer as a kid. (I wanted to be done with school, but summer was a long time.) 

I've gathered up a list of my best summer posts, as well as some posts from others, to help us prepare for summer. Whether that means getting your skincare in order, finding the perfect sunscreen, or gathering up supplies so your kids don't get hopelessly bored, I'm hoping these will be helpful! 

1. Actually, You Don't Need a Summer Detox

A reminder: a summer detox is just another diet and trust me when I say you don't need one. Every body is a bikini body, so instead of stressing about losing weight before your big vacation, treat yourself to an amazing new swimsuit, a cute sunhat, and anything else that makes you feel like the bombshell you are. 

2. How to Plan Summer Lessons for Your Preschooler

Have a preschooler? Well, the summer days can be long. My husband & I are already writing up some lesson plans for Forrest this summer, as my husband will be the one at home with him most of the day. 

3. Need Nail Inspiration? Check Essie's Summer 2018 Collection

Even though I can't wear nail polish anymore, I still love checking out Essie's seasonal collection. The summer one this year is giving me some major summer palette inspiration. 

4. Summer Boredom Busters for Kids

Is this the perfect blog post? A round up of summer activities for all ages of kid. 

5. 4 Summer Toddler Essentials

Wondering just what your young toddler will play with most this summer? Don't worry, I've got a grab bag of the essentials you'll need for a fun, safe summer. 

6. How to Make Your Summer Better (Even If You Hate Summer) 

I'm not a huge fan of summer, a sentence I have written way too many times already, but this post last year is still true. Make summer your own, instead of having expectations based on other people. Eat what you want, wear what you want, and have fun. That's all that matters! 

7. 5 Skincare Tips from Korean Beauty

I've learned a ton from K Beauty routines in the last year, so I'm dying over these skincare tips, especially for summer. Basically: SPF, SPF, SPF! 

8. Summer Skincare Essentials

Here are my summer skincare essentials, including my favorite SPFs for daywear and more. 

9. 5 Tips for Staying Cool This Summer

Don't have A/C? Don't worry. I survived a summer in Idaho; I can survive anything! These are my tips for cooling down your house if you don't have an air conditioner. You're welcome in advance. 

10. Learn about Multi Misting from Pixibeauty

Another way to beat the heat and improve your skin? Misting. Pixibeauty makes some of my favorite toners (their Summer Mist is to die for) and this blog post covers how to mist in style. (My tip: keep a bottle of body spray, or your favorite toner, in the fridge. When you come inside after working out, working in your yard, or whatever, spritz yourself to cool down.) 

My May 2018 Review: Hello Summer!

Remember how I mentioned that April was kind of a doozy? I feel like I've been saying this every month since January and it just keeps... going. How do I stop the dooziness? How can I make each month just, like, 25% more boring? 

May was a good month, though. Not as stressful as March, which truly took the care in terms of "how can all these bad things happen in one month", and at least we had better weather than April. Just like last month, I'm going to do something a bit different and just talk about how my life has been--something I don't do a lot here on my blog in between all the "business", you know! 

1. Enjoying (All My) Work Again

A post shared by Michelle 💐 (@michellelocke6) on May 22, 2018 at 8:11pm PDT

I think like most people, I tend to wax and wane in terms of enthusiasm for basically everything. Or maybe that's just a me thing, but it seems a little universal sometimes. For example, some days, I love this blog. I think about how much I enjoy it, how I've enjoyed improving my photography these last few months, and how good it feels to really be seeing growth in my blog. I've been feeling that way about everything in my life lately. Recently, I've been feeling a major slump with just about everything: at my day job, I felt uninspired and like I wasn't doing a good job (a byproduct of imposter syndrome, probably); at home, I couldn't find the motivation to clean or cook. It was just a bit of a slump. But in May, I felt like everything clicked back into place. Was it the nice weather? All I know is I've been loving working out lately, loving going to work, loving researching blog post topics. 

2. Confronting Our Fears

A post shared by Michelle 💐 (@michellelocke6) on May 20, 2018 at 6:57pm PDT

I am by nature a scaredy-cat. I'm scared of pretty much everything. Heights, flying, bugs of all kinds (yes, even ladybugs), the dark, heavily wooded areas. I went through the car wash recently and nearly had a panic attack. 

After Forrest's almost-broke-his-arm incident last month, I found myself afraid to take him to the park again. I was afraid he would fall. Or that he'd get pushed again and really break his arm this time (and, in the spiral of fear there, I'd take him to the pediatrician and they'd side eye my story of him being pushed again). He loves going to the park. He loves playing outside and exploring. But I found myself very nervous about taking him. What if something happened? 

But one thing I want for Forrest is for him to not have my anxiety. I've been trying hard not to express my anxiety around him, so that he doesn't see it and internalize having those kind of fears. I realized that if I don't want him to be afraid of the park for the rest of his life, we need to replace that memory of being pushed and getting hurt with memories of playing. 

So, we went to the park. He has developed a minor fear of going down slides, but he had fun running around and playing with two other kids his age we met there. He was brave. I was brave. 

3. Embracing Summer

A post shared by Michelle 💐 (@michellelocke6) on May 7, 2018 at 6:49pm PDT

I say this a lot, but I've always really disliked summer. Growing up with body image issues, summer always made me feel like I couldn't enjoy myself; I don't like wearing shorts and I definitely didn't like wearing bikinis. I also grew up 40 miles away from all my friends, so summers were often quite lonely for me. As I got older, I spent most of my summers working and saving money. And then, obviously, once I graduated college, summer meant just about the same thing as the rest of the year--just with hotter weather! 

This year, however, I'm trying to keep myself from being a grump about summer. I have a lot of negative energy surrounding summer (obviously)... but the best part about having a 2-year-old is that everything becomes super fun. I've bought Forrest some new outdoor toys. I have plans to build him a sandbox. And I find myself excitedly waiting for the weather to really stay nice so we can get out our outdoor furniture. 

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What was your favorite part of May?