There’s something about May that always feels like the start of the softer part of the year for me. The mornings feel slower, the sunsets stay longer, baseball season is in full swing, and our days somehow become both fuller and more simple at the same time. It’s the month where I start craving fresh flowers on the counter, iced coffee in hand during school drop off, beach mornings before the Florida heat becomes unbearable, and little moments that feel ordinary now but will probably end up being the things I miss the most later.
I used to think bucket lists had to be big things. Trips, milestones, packed schedules, or things you save for “special occasions.” But honestly, this season of life has changed that for me. As a mom of three, the things I look forward to most are usually the little things. The realistic things. The moments that happen in between errands, snack requests, diaper changes, baseball games, and laundry piles.
This May, I want to lean into that more.
○ Get iced coffee before school drop off
○ Have a slow morning with nowhere to rush to
○ Go to the library with the kids
○ Watch a sunset from the baseball fields
○ Try a new coffee shop
○ Pack a park picnic with whatever we already have at home
○ Buy fresh flowers just because
○ Take more videos and fewer perfectly posed photos
○ Read during nap time instead of cleaning
○ Let the kids get the special treat
○ Go on a beach morning before it gets too hot
○ Match outfits with the babies at least once
○ Make a new summer recipe
○ Take the long way home with the windows down
○ Family walk after dinner
○ Start a new book
○ Date night with Jeremy
○ Sit outside after the kids go to bed
○ Do something for myself without feeling guilty
○ Soak in this season instead of rushing through it
I want library days with the kids where nobody is rushing us out the door. I want to let the boys pick way too many books and watch Evie crawl around the children’s section while I mentally note how fast she’s growing already. I want to grab iced coffee before school drop off and take the long way home with the windows down while the baby naps in the backseat.
I want park picnics that are thrown together with snacks we already have at home. I want beach mornings that start early enough to still feel peaceful before the crowds roll in. I want family walks after dinner even if everyone is whining halfway through them. I want to watch sunsets from the baseball fields while the boys play and the baby hangs out with me in a stroller covered in crushed snacks and toys.
I want to buy fresh flowers just because. Not because the house is clean enough or because we’re hosting people. Just because flowers make ordinary days feel prettier. I want to try a new coffee shop, start a new book, and maybe even read a few chapters during nap time instead of convincing myself I need to be productive every second of the day.
I want to let the kids get the special treat more often this month. The sprinkle donut. The ice cream after dinner. The cake pop while we wander Target. Those little yeses that somehow become the memories they talk about forever.
I also want to remember that I matter too outside of motherhood. Not in a dramatic way. Just in the simple ways. Taking care of myself. Doing something because I enjoy it. Picking clothes that make me feel good. Going on a date night with Jeremy. Sitting outside after the kids go to sleep instead of immediately cleaning the kitchen for the hundredth time.
I think this month I’m craving less pressure and more presence.
Less trying to make everything perfect for social media and more documenting our real life exactly as it is. The sticky hands. The loud car rides. The rushed mornings. The happy little moments in between. Because as exhausting as this season can feel sometimes, I know one day I’ll miss it deeply.
So this is my reminder to slow down a little this May. To romanticize the normal things. To stop waiting for the “big moments” to feel grateful for this life. Because honestly, I think these are the big moments.