This month will go down in my personal life as one of the most pivotal times of my life. As much as I could have prepared for all the change that is coming, loosening the reins and letting things unfold organically has proven to be a better way to stay sane. It’s also taught me the true meaning of the cliché phrase, “Patience is a virtue.”

Joe accepted a new job and my kids wrapped up an incredible year at a new school (and left two inches taller). As all these loose ends started to tie up, a new chapter for me began to materialize into a terrifying but necessary fork in the road. More on that later.

Before we look ahead to summer and what is next, I wanted to stop and appreciate the little moments that made May so memorable.

Here’s a peek into what we got up to in May 2023 and what it all felt like for me…

If you haven’t yet, you can read my other month-in-review articles right here.

The beginning of May started like horses out of the gates. Time has been flying.

All throughout the month, I spent a lot of time working on design projects. I designed new products for a few upcoming lines. I also worked on design projects at our house and with two clients (more on this soon!). At the house, we started and completed two painting projects—our basement stairs and a fresh coat for the outside of our front door. 

One of the best parts of the month was that spring weather finally arrived! I took advantage of it and ran a lot, which felt amazing. 

I started tennis lessons. We kicked off s’more season on our patio, bought lots of flowers to plant, and spent time gardening. Unfortunately, we also dealt with a lot of issues with the grass and shrubs in our front yard. The lawn is toast and so many of our large shrubs died. 

This month, I bought some new spring and summer clothes. I particularly loved what I found at Abercrombie of all places! They have some really lovely linen corset tops and dresses. This midi dress is a favorite, as is this top!

Our kids had a lot of playdates. August started track and both of the kids started golf lessons. On May 13, Joe and I went to the kids’ school fundraiser. We got very into the theme—Joe wore platform shoes.

Mother’s Day was amazing this year. On a day that is usually heavy and emotional for me, I felt really happy and positive. It was a refreshing change from my norm.

In the busyness of it all, I barely cooked this month. I mostly made easy things like salads with simple ingredients that could be assembled quickly.

This month, I started reading This Is Your Brain on Food. I read How to Keep House While Drowning a second time and it helped me get back on track during a really bad week.

I also hosted book club this month. We read The Family Firm and Book Lovers. The first was harder for me to get through (I’m still reading it) but very helpful in framing how to structure life as a busy family—and not lose your mind. Book Lovers was a total escape which was nice! 

On May 20, my brother stopped by our house on his way through town and spent some time with us. We ate potato salad, grilled burgers, and grilled corn outside on a beautiful evening.

Our pool opened over Memorial Day weekend and we spent most of our time there. I can’t help but feel overwhelmed with how fleeting and precious this time of life is. Everyone is healthy, my kids are happy and thriving, and as a family, we are blessed with new beginnings. The gorgeous weather is icing on the cake that I plan to savor as slowly as I can.

Editor’s Note: This article contains affiliate links. Wit & Delight uses affiliate links as a source of revenue to fund the operations of the business and to be less dependent on branded content. Wit & Delight stands behind all product recommendations. Still have questions about these links or our process? Feel free to email us.

Kate Arends

Kate is the founder of Wit & Delight. She is currently learning how to play tennis and is forever testing the boundaries of her creative muscle. Follow her on Instagram at @witanddelight_.