I’m linking up with Anne at In Residence for her monthly Currently feature…
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Celebrating: my birthday! It was on May 30th so over the long weekend, which worked out nice. I went to The Cheesecake Factory with my parents and sister, and then we met my sister-in-law and the kids at King’s Island – an amusement park in Ohio.
On Monday, my mom, sister, and I went to the movie theaters for the first time in over a year. We saw Cruella, which we all really enjoyed. Plus, we had the theatre to ourselves because we went to the first showing of the day!
Collecting: colorful gifts for some Pride giveaways I’ll be hosting this month. If you aren’t aware, June is Pride Month, and the symbol for Pride is a rainbow. I’m taking the colors and creating little prize packs to giveaway on my blog, Twitter, and Instagram – so make sure you’re following me on social media! The red prize pack will be up in the next day or so, but I’m not telling you where!
I’m trying to include as many LGBT+ themed items (especially books) where I can, but not all the items will be specifically queer…they just fit the particular color!
Gifting: a June 2021 book release!! I’m currently co-hosting a monthly giveaway with Shannon at It Starts at Midnight where we give away a book that was released during that month.
It’s a blog hop too, so other people are giving away books! Be sure to enter to win your choice of book from June 2021! If The Book Depository ships to your country, you can enter, so go go go!!! What June releases are you excited about?
Thinking: all sorts of things. That I need to schedule blog posts. That I need to start working on my novel again. That I’m glad there are fun dance classes during the summer. That I’m ready for some summer fun. That I really need to work on my Spring bucket list and plan my Summer one. That I hope I can read more this month than I have been because I have so many books to get to. All that and much more.
Trying: to post on Instagram more often. I don’t really have a consistent schedule, though I’m aiming for every couple of days. I do post mostly bookish things, but I am trying to share some other snapshots from my life too, because I find that enjoyable.
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For example, the above photo! I had my dance recital (my class had two dances – both tap) in the beginning of May. This is a photo of my brother, myself, and my sister after the recital, so you can see a bit of my costume for one of our numbers.
I’m also a couple days late, but I’m here for Local Tourist with Dara from Not In Jersey as well!
May was the month that I attended a couple in-person library events again. One was the YA for Adults book club that I’ve definitely missed, so it was great just being there. Another was a craft program with my mom where we made Patriotic Clothespin Wreaths. I think mine turned out really well! What do you think?
I painted every single one of those clothespins! Besides that part, it was actually a pretty easy craft. I want to replicate it with other colors sometime. I gave my wreath to my sister for her place since I live at home and we already have my mom’s as decoration!
Most library craft events are still Take and Make – which means you get all the supplies and directions and you make them at home. My mom and I also recently painted these Ice Cream Cone Planters! Now we just need to get something to plant in them!
My mom’s planter is on the left and mine is on the right. I think they both turned out really cute! I’ll have to share a final photo once we have something for inside them! We did get a spray from Michael’s so we can keep the pots outside though!
As I mentioned above, I also went to King’s Island and saw the movie Cruella in theaters during the month of May. It was definitely a fun month to get out and about a bit more. I think I’ll have more Local Tourist adventures to share at the end of June though!
Go on any local adventures recently? Link up here!
Happy birthday! I just love the Cheesecake Factory and pick that for most of our special occasion meals out too.
The ice cream planters are so cute! Happy birthday and happy Pride month!
Your crafts are so cute! And more power to you painting all those clothespins. At least it came out fabulous! Sounds like the birthday was celebrated right! And good luck getting back to your novel
Wow, lots going on! Happy belated birthday wishes and congrats on your recital! Happy June 🙂
I will always be jealous that the States are slowly inching your way to normalcy. In our province (Manitoba, Canada), we’re in the peak of a third wave so yet another lockdown. Sigh.
Happy, happy Birthday again, Lauren!
And thank you both for sharing your adventures!
Happy Belated Birthday! So glad you got to get out and DO some things with people you love!
Happy Birthday! I have Cruella on my list to see. I love the wreath you made out of clothespins! How creative and so pretty!
Happy birthday! I haven’t been the The Cheesecake Factory in a couple years but it’s always yummy. 🙂 I’m hearing rave reviews for Cruella!
Glad you had a nice birthday!!!!
I am so excited about Cruella. I dont feel comfortable in the theater yet so I may pay the fee to get it on Disney+
Happy Belated Birthday! Here’s to a great year ahead!!
Isn’t it nice having the theater to yourself? I went to the movies recently as well for the first time in a LONG time lol and it was empty!
Happy birthday! I’ve heard of Kings Island, being in michigan, but have never been there…
Happy Birthday! And I love King’s Island! We used to go all the time when I was a kid. It can’t be still Hanna-Barbera themed can it? Lol.
What fun to get to King’s Island for your birthday! And it always makes me so happy but also jealous to hear about your tap classes and recitals 😉 Wish I could find a class here. Happy summer and Pride and local touristing!
Sounds like you had a really nice time for your birthday, I am so happy that you did! I still haven’t been anywhere but the grocery store and a rogue bookstore trip here and there ha. One of these days, I hope! I love when people share personal stuff on Insta, too! It makes it more fun, IMO!
Happy Belated Birthday!
I know of King’s Island because of the Brady Bunch episodes filmed there. (Dad Brady’s important architecture plans are lost and the kids have to relay it through the park to get to him in time)
Happy Belated Birthday! I haven’t been to the Cheesecake Factory in ages but that sounds like a great place for a birthday meal. Glad to hear you enjoyed Cruella. I’ve only seen the trailer for it but it looks really good.
Sounds like you had a wonderful birthday, Lauren! Congrats on the recital too! 🙂
Happy birthday! So great that things are opening up more and you’re able to get out and about this summer!
Happy belated birthday!! I’m glad you enjoyed Cruella. I want to see it as well.
Oh gosh, we just went to the movies on Sunday! It was really weird, and I think this pandemic has really heightened my anxiety. But we had fun and I feel fine so… it was good.
I know my local libraries are open again. I need to find out if I can go sit and write there without wearing a mask now that I’m fully vaccinated, or if they’re allowing that yet. Then I can get back to either finishing one of my novels I’ve started, or doing outlining for another that I want to try to do it from an outline at the very beginning this time. Love the crafts you did! I need to look for fun stuff like that to get out and do myself. Have a great June!
I can’t wait to see Cruella!! We are doing our first movie since pre-Covid too. Theres a tiny, old fashioned theatre where we are that’s playing A Quiet Place 2. Super excited!
Happy Belated Birthday! All the celebrations feel so special this year. We’ll never take dinner and a movie for granted again.
And I love those ice cream planters. I wish there were some take and make crafts around here!
I love the color themed giveaway idea! And happy birthday to you! I’ve been hearing good things about the Cruella movie. I think I need ot see it!
Happy belated birthday!!! I have a May birthday too but at the beginning of the month. I think we need to make a summer bucket list this year. We need some fun to look forward to.
Sounds like you had a wonderful birthday!
Your library’s craft events sound amazing 🙂
Sounds like a great birthday and I love the patriotic wreath.
Yay for the return of the library crafts…even take and make. Or make and take? No, take and make. Or shake and bake?? The planters are adorable and that wreath is, too. Not sure I am patient enough to paint all of those clothes pins. But I surely do like it. How many does the wreath take? Wonder if I could cheat and spray paint them?
Love is love says it all.
I haven’t been to Cheesecake factory in a few years. I miss it!
Happy belated birthday! I’m glad you had a fun one.
Karen @For What It’s Worth
Happy birthday! Glad you had a good day out.
I’m waiting for Cruella on Disney+ general subscription… I want to see it but not enough to pay for early Disney+ viewing or to go to the cinema. I think we’ll return to the cinema to see Black Widow in July. 🙂