Follow me on Instagram to see more images from my month.
Also you should follow my personal account — @jamielee841 — if you want to see even more!
1. We spent a week in London and a week in Madrid: It was SUCH an amazing trip. Like I have no words. I’ve been meaning to recap it in some way (I have these photos I shared) but honestly there’s so much to say about it. But long story short — we had a GREAT trip, are sad to be back (except to see Finn, friends and family) and are already planning our next trip (and crying about how much money we don’t have). The struggle is real. Honestly just really thankful that it worked out for us to make this trip. It’s been hard to do much traveling ever since we started our marriage off with me losing my job but IT FINALLY HAPPENED.
2. I unintentionally was very quiet on the blog in May — Funny enough it WASN’T while I was on vacation. I went into super planning mode (which I never am in) and got posts scheduled to be posted for while I was away. Yay me. But when I got back? I kind of just didn’t feel like blogging so the blog stayed quiet for two weeks. OOOOPSIE.
3. I barely read any books this month: I KNEW I barely would read on vacation even though every time I think I will. I only read one book the whole two weeks we were gone (and like 25% of another) and most of that was on our flight to Madrid and then our flight back to the US (our flight to London was overnight and I TRIED to sleep and didn’t so I just laid there in the dark thinking about how pissed I was I couldn’t sleep). I know 5 books is still a good amount to read — especially when compared with your average person — but UGH I had sooo many books I was excited to read this month and barely got to any of them.
4. Morgan Matson came to town: I’ve been such a fan of Morgan since I first read her debut in 2010 and she’s never come to the Philly area on tour. I HAVE been lucky to meet her at BEA a couple years ago but it was still fun that she came to the area! It was right after I got back from vacation and I was so tired but I decided to rally and go and it was such a good decision.
5. We spent our first pool day at my sister’s new house: Ever since they purchased the house in the Fall all the nieces could talk about was the pool (they didn’t have one at their old house) and pretty much that was my first thought was the pool — OMG ALL THE POOL PARTIES. So on Sunday of Memorial Day we christened the pool! I have a feeling it’s going to be a fun summer of spending time there, even though we have a pool at our complex, because they have SUCH a great outdoor space now. So happy for them and all the happy memories that are going to be made there!
I put all my Monthly Rewinds in a Spotify playlist so you can listen to them here !
I honestly, since I was away for 2 weeks, did not do a ton of listening to music this month so I’m just going to pick 6 songs I really enjoyed this month and want to share with you.
1. Latch — Moonrise Nation (this Disclosure/Sam Smith cover yas)
2. No Gold — Norman Jean Martine
3. Let Me Go — Albin Lee Meldau
4. The Way I Do — Bishop Briggs (her song Wild Horses is one I always have on repeat also)
5. Couldn’t Believe — Broods
6. Something To Believe in — Young the Giant
Check out the rest of my May playlist for more of what I was listening to this month!
I only read 5 books this month because TRAVEL so I’m only going to post my top 2.
1. The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson: I don’t want to jinx myself here but Morgan’s books can do no wrong for me and this one was no exception. There is a reason she’s an auto-buy author for my contemporary YA loving heart.
2. Outrun the Moon by Stacey Lee: I loved Stacey’s debut and I loved this one EVEN MORE. Historical fiction readers…pick it up!
Umm I really didn’t review any books in May due to hiatus haha but my ~review~ of Sense & Sensibility happened here.
Well I didn’t really post ALL that much this month but here were some of what people seemed to be digging from what I did post:
1. Books That Should Be In Your Beach Bag — In need of some book recommendations for that beach trip of yours? I gotchu!
2. Whatcha in the Mood For? with a SPECIAL GUEST: Former book blogger and my dear friend, Estelle, took over Whatcha in the Mood For? this month and she gave some great book recs!
3. 10 Book Lists To Check Out: I decided to put together 10 great book lists while I was gone in the event you were in need of a good book rec!! (I also did another roundup I thought was pretty good if I do say so myself)
4. My Favorite Travel Blogs: Had a lot of fun sharing some of the travel blogs I read!
5. I Read A Classic For The First Time In What Feels Like Forever: I loved sharing my experience and thoughts with you after I dipped my toes back into classic lit!
Maybe my latest edition of Retail Therapy!
1. Stories: Big or Small or Medium-Sized: Loved this! L-O-V-E THIS. I’m guilty of saying “I’m not that interesting” and really believing it.
2. 7 Types of Content That Do The Networking/Community Building FOR You: Great ideas!
3. Wild Blueberry Lavender Coconut Ice Cream recipe: HOLY MOLY I WANT TO BUY AN ICE CREAM MAKER JUST FOR THIS RECIPE.
4. What Do You Want To Unlearn?: This was really thought-provoking and there were a few things in my mind that I personally want to unlearn because I’ve developed some bad habits.
5. How To Actually Make Time For Your Passion Projects: I don’t have an passion projects per se that I want to work on but I have all these things that I want to try or get into or spend some time on and this article gave some really helpful and practical ways I can stop saying “but I don’t have time to invest in that.”
1. Vanilla Cream Ale from Not Your Father’s : My sister, who is barely a beer drinker, got us all into the Hard Root Beer before it blew up and you couldn’t find it on shelves anywhere. They just came out with one that tastes like vanilla cream soda and it’s dangerous. I like it better than the root beer actually.
2. Tinto de verano & Pimm’s cup– Okay I know…the first obsession was alcohol and so is this one HOWEVER I did some drinking on vacation and oh man I found new fave things. First, in Spain, I had Tinto de verano which is like a red wine with lemon-lime soda. We drank a lot of that at my friend’s house. Then Pimm’s!! Will and I drank A LOT of that in London…particularly one very sunny and hot day on a rooftop garden where we ordered a whole pitcher for ourselves. Apparently you can get Pimm’s here but IT WILL NEVER BE AS GOOD. I honestly don’t even know what was in it. I think gin, fruit and spices? Maybe some lemonade or lemony drink in it? I don’t knowwww but it was good.
3. Stores I fell in love with in Madrid: We did some shopping in Madrid (didn’t do much in London tbh so these stores could be there too) and I fell in love with stores that we don’t have here. WAHHH. Pull & Bear, Sfera, Stradivarius and Springfield to name a few. Also, Zara and Mango were cheaper there than here — even adjusting for exchange rates. Like a dress I loved at Zara was 45 Euro there and the same dress was 99USD soooooo. I just need all these stores to come to the US.
1. US Soccer Match: Will and I have tickets and, while I’m sad I’m missing going out dancing with my friends that night, I’m excited for a date with Will to watch the US play against Paraguay.
Ice cream flavor of choice???
I had to ask because summer = ice cream
Pick a category (or 5… or all of them) and tell me what went on in YOUR life this month!! What sort of things were noteworthy for you this month? New obsessions? Any new song recs?? Best books you read this month? Great posts I missed on your blog? Answer to my question of the month?
Emmah says
Your trip looked like so much fun!! I hope to go to Europe/UK someday! Where are you thinking about taking your next trip to?
I barely read any books in May too!!
Hmm, ice cream flavor of choice… Cotton candy or Cookies n’ Cream!! Though… orange pineapple is really good too!
My phone that I’ve had for like… 6 years decided to die on me sometime in early May haha. Working on getting a new phone now. I have the phone, but they sent me the wrong SIM card for my area, so I have to wait -_-
A highlight of my month… Disney doing their DCOM throwback marathon weekend. ALL THE OLD DCOM’S!!
I think I read… 4 books in May? Oops haha. But my absolute FAVORITE of the month was definitely ACOMAF. It put me in a book hangover for like 2 1/2 weeks. And I’ve only got a little over a 100 pages left of Morgan’s new book, so I’m counting that as a favorite for May!!
Jamie says
I’m thinking Puerto Rico or Costa Rica or Greece! We shall see. Those are my top 3!
Oh no! My phone that I had for a few years just died recently too!
I still need to read ACOMAF. It came out while I was out of the country and I keep saving it for a time when I can really devote to it!
Lorraine says
I don’t live in a country where having a pool would be particularly practical, but I’m still jealous! That ice-cream recipe sounds bonkers. Ice-cream makers for everyone!
Jamie says
Come on over and swim! We can make that ice cream!! 🙂 (Also, where do you live?)
Lorraine says
Scotland! So we get about two days a year when we could do with a pool 😀
Kyra @ Blog of a Bookaholic says
Your trip sounds amazing! I moved to England from South Africa but I haven’t gone to London yet (I did the firs time we lived here though!) – hopefully I will go again this summer! And ah, that’s so nice that your sister has a pool. I love swimming but the weather isn’t great to swim here, so that sucks. -_- My favourite ice cream flavour will always be chocolate but at the moment I’m loving the Cornetto chocolate caramel crunch! 🙂
Jamie says
Ooh I hope you get to go sometime soon! And wow what a move!
oooh chocolate caramel crunch sounds amazing!
Ari says
Ice cream has gotta be lemon sorbet!
Jamie says
You know…I don’t eat enough sorbet! Lemon sorbet sounds so refreshing!
Tiff @ Mostly YA Lit says
STRADIVARIUS. It’s basically Spain’s version of Zara…which is weird because Zara is from Spain? But I love, love, LOVED that store when I was in Turkey and bought everything there. Did I miss the post where you showed off all the clothing/accessories you bought? Because I SO NEED THAT. =)
Not sure if you know, but I am an ice cream MAKER – I’m making a really good chocolate and a sweet basil with caramelized nuts for my best friend’s birthday this Saturday. Thanks for the recipe – I haven’t tried to make a vegan ice cream yet, but this looks like my next project. And the flavours!!!
My fave flavour of ice cream right now is probably the Toasted Marshmallow from Ed’s Real Scoop, a local store in Toronto, but for stuff you can get in the States…I don’t know, I’m such a gourmet ice cream nut! What do they have in Philly for special flavours?
I feel you re: not really wanting to blog after your vacation. Don’t worry, it’s totally natural – it takes some time to come down after that high and go back to your routine and blogging sometimes falls to the wayside because you’ve been spending ALL your time with your husband and you just want to keep recapturing that? I was totally like that after my honeymoon. But enjoy your chill time!
LOVED both The Unexpected Everything (DUH – I’m so jealous you got to see Morgan again!) and Outrun the Moon – I just posted my review of the latter today if you’re interested. I also liked Outrun the Moon better than Under a Painted Sky…so glad that really good historicals are out there about Asian characters!
I think everyone you’re hearing at your local radio station’s party is coming to the big festival I’m going to…we’ll have to compare notes! Enjoy!
Jamie says
Nah I didn’t buy that much…most of it was for Will.. Not worth showing! I’m trying to lose a little weight soooo I’m trying not to buy too many clothes unless it’s like HAVE TO HAVE. Which was even more bummery bc they had great stuff.
OMG PLEASE COME VISIT AND MAKE ME ICE CREAM (and like hang out with me)
I’m soooo the same re: ice cream. Kinda a snob tbh. I mean I won’t pass up any kind of ice cream but I prefer more interesting flavors for sure. We loooove this place called Little Baby’s — CHECK OUT THESE FLAVORS http://www.littlebabysicecream.com
Yeah, I wasn’t too worried about not blogging. I always preach about “riding those waves of not blogging” and that’s what I did. Just let it take its course…which happened to be two weeks for me.
Xandra says
Oh yay London!! I just started a video series answering like, all of the questions you just asked: http://www.heroinetraining.com/may-stories/ oh and! Just finished wish you were Italian per your recommendation, since I’m meeting my parents in Cinque Terre next week! 🇮🇹💕
Jamie says
You are so adorbs! Now I wanna go back and watch all your videos! SOOOOO HAPPY TO ENJOYED (i’m assuming)….have the best time in Cinque Terre…please take lots of pics so I can live vicariously!!!!
xandra says
aww thank you! I did enjoy – got that spirit of travel and adventure that reminds me of the 13 Little Blue Envelopes books 🙂
JennRenee says
london and madrid so cool. i always think I will read a lot of vacation and take tons of books that i dont get to. I want to read outrun the moon so bad. It looks really good.
favorite ice cream flavor… good ole dutch chocolate… mocha coffee or mint chocolate chip.
Alexa S. says
So happy to hear that you had an amazing vacation! Your pictures were fun to look at 🙂 Also, I am with you on Stradivarius! I bought a ton of pants from there on my trip because they fit me SO well. I wish they would open up branches in the US. Also, yay pool parties! That seems like a fun summer activity for you and your family, and it makes me wish I had an accessible pool close to me too for summer shenanigans 🙂