Hello, Reader.

Yes, May is nearly halfway over, but a couple of subscribers have already written to say they missed getting my normal monthly preview.

I guess graduation and Mother's Day kept me sufficiently distracted that I missed posting anything about May's many quirky holidays. Nevertheless, there's still plenty to celebrate in the second half of the month! 🎉

I'll be sharing Memorial Day resources with you next week, but -- in the meantime -- you'll find ideas for celebrating a few lesser-known holidays in the link list below. Enjoy!

Free resources for you this week:

• May 15 - National Bike to Work Week - because it's sometimes good to slow down​
• May 16 - International Day of Light – the Lord is My Light, and I'm so thankful for that!
• May 18 - National Stress Awareness Day – try these tried & true tips to banish stress​
• May 19 - May Ray Day – these 50 Fun Things to Do Outdoors will help you soak in the sun
• May 23 - Staycation Day – follow this link for tips on planning the perfect Staycation.
• May 24 - National Scavenger Hunt Day - try one of these family-friendly scavenger hunts​
• May 29 - National Biscuit Day – whip up a batch of our made-from-scratch biscuit recipe​
• May 30 - National Creativity Day – check out these ideas for encouraging creativity ​

What I'm reading this week:

My daughter recently borrowed Fredrik Backman's The Deal of a Lifetime from our local library, but the premise made her mad. She wanted to talk about it, so I read it, too. It's short--a novella, really--so that didn't take long. The story centers on a father who is consumed with the accumulation of wealth. Though wildly successful, his work means he completely misses having any meaningful relationship to his child. The character tries to justify this tradeoff in his own mind, but his family members and the people reading their story all have a better grasp on the true cost of his choices. This tale makes me grateful for both a father and a husband who prioritize family over worldly pursuits.

What we're eating this week:

The kids and I are absolutely obsessed with this quinoa chili. It is so full of flavor! I'm a little embarrassed to admit it, but we've made a fresh batch three times in the five days. It's that good!

What we're watching this week:

Doug took me and our oldest daughter to see The Sheep Detectives a few days ago. We really enjoyed the film, starring Hugh Jackman and Emma Thompson. It's an adaptation of Leonie Swann's Three Bags Full, which I started reading aloud to my children several years ago, but stopped because (1) I didn't think they were as interested in it as I was and (2) something made me suspect the book's narrative was about to take a turn for the worse.

Well, if the movie stuck very close to its source material, those fears were unfounded. We were especially touched by the kindness and compassion the shepherd showed toward his sheep, even when the sheep didn't treat one another with much mercy.

I may eventually go back and finish the book (I don't think I own it anymore, so hopefully I can check it out of the library). If and when I ever do, I'll let you know whether or not I was right to abandon it the first time.

On the podcast this week:

Although I did record an interview episode on parenting this week, it was for a friend's podcast, not my own. So here's another from the archives for you. I hope you'll listen in if you've not already heard it!

Loving Life at Home: Episode 2 ​7 TIPS FOR DEALING W/DIFFICULT IN-LAWS​ Are you dealing with difficult in-laws? Do they seem overly demanding or impossible to please? Have you grown weary of even trying to satisfy them? Imagine how much easier your life and marriage would be if everyone could just learn to get along! These proven strategies should help keep the peace! Listen Now

Progress on last week's goals:

I made decent progress on all my stated goals last week: I ✅ made a new patriotic tree skirt for my Memorial Day tree, ✅ recorded an online interview for a friend's podcast, and ✅ wrote 15 exam questions for our family reading challenge.

I also ✅ started (but ❌ didn't finish) painting my lap desk and ✅ worked on (but ❌ haven't posted) another ​Timberdoodle review​.

Last but not least, I ✅ traded my ​Microsoft Reward points​ for a $23 Amazon gift card, which I spent on... more books. Does that count as buying books, if I get them for free? I'm not doing a very good job sticking to my resolution to wait for fall (or until I finished all the books in my to-read pile) before purchasing any new ones! But I'm making a serious dint in the stack--especially after I read 11 books in April.

Personal goals for this week:

• finish painting lap desk
• finish writing Timberdoodle review
• write & mail thank you notes
• take dance lesson with Doug
• start woolen quilt
• plan itinerary & pack for vacation
• memorize 1 John 4:15-21

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Thanks so much for all your help! I'll be back next week with more links, reviews, and resources. If you have any special requests, please let me know. 😊