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PSA: I decided that A Few Of My Favorite Things: ____ Edition was a little lengthy for a post about a monthly summary, so I am renaming the series. Thanks for hanging with me while I figure out this blogging thing!

Well. April was….interesting.

Even though we just finished our first full month of social distancing and quarantining and masking rules changes every other day, there were still some really great things that happened. I hope that you are also able to look back on this crazy month and find some blessings throughout April, both big and small. Here are mine!

Patio Refresh.

Guys, I am so blessed. I know I already mentioned it this month, but my dad helped us to refresh our back patio and it is a game-changer. We originally just had a plain screened in back patio, and we replaced most of the screen with a heavy duty screen, and covered the bottom half and side wall with lattice. And added a dog door for the girls, can’t forget about that! We have used the dog door countless times, and I absolutely love the privacy and protection the new lattice provides. We can leave the girls out on the patio on warmer days and we don’t have to worry about them tearing the screen or escaping. It is a dream to have this project completed before summer begins and I can’t wait to spend our extra time out there! HUGE shout out to my dad, he rocks and we wouldn’t have been able to complete the project without him!

New Job.

I’ve shared this news with maybe 6 people total, but almost two weeks ago, I started a new part-time job. Starting this blog was also the beginning of my journey to find what sort of career I was born to have. I found that I really loved writing and creating content, designing my site, and doing photography to make it beautiful. I felt called to marketing, and have been looking into how to learn more about it. Now, I’m working as a Marketing Specialist for a small local company, and I’m really enjoying it so far!!

Made (And Decorated) A Cake.

GUYS. I’ve always enjoyed baking, but I’m mostly stuck to cookies, because I am TERRIBLE at icing cakes. It is not my God-given talent, at all. But I was tired of trying my best to make delicious cakes from scratch, and have them end up looking awful, no matter how good they tasted. I know, it’s not about what it looks like, but I want it to look as good as it tastes. I don’t care that it’s a little superficial, I want to make pretty cakes. So I read tutorials for 2 days, and got a piping kit on Amazon, and created this guy. It’s not perfect, but I’m really proud of myself and I think it turned out really well for my first try. Here are the photos from the crumb coat stage, the actual frosting stage, and the piping stage.

Also, our family is obsessed with whipped cream frosting, so I found a recipe for stabilized frosting so I could pipe it and it would hold its shape and not slip and slide all over the place. Here’s the frosting recipe!

No-TV evenings.

For a long time, if Elliot and I had an evening off together, we would almost always watch a movie or a few episodes of a favorite show. We could all use some relaxing entertainment now and then, but with this new lifestyle, we’ve found that we really enjoy spending the evening playing board games or reading together. We’ve had several evenings of chess (because Elliot insisted on playing until he FINALLY won) and we just had a Monopoly night this week…..but we’re not talking about who won that one. I’m digging the board games, because I’m a winner ( LOLZ) and I like the friendly competition. I can’t wait to get my hands on Clue! Professor Plum, I’m coming for you!

Whatever is getting you through this season, I hope you find some joy in the midst of the craziness. For me, it’s trying something new and crushing my husband in chess. There is light at the end of this tunnel, friends, you just have to look for it!

“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” Romans 12:12

“Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.” James 1:12