It’s been a while since I have done a monthly ramblings post. The last one was in December 2023, so I wanted to check in and talk about what’s going on in my neck of the woods.  

Let’s go!

March Highlights

10th Birthday

In March, my son turned 10 years old! #how

Generally, when it comes to his birthday, I put considerable thought into selecting a theme, planning, and decorating for it.  But this year, I wanted to do something different.  Instead of throwing him a party, I wanted to give him something that he will always remember.  So, later this year, we will be traveling to the East Coast for his birthday surprise.  But even though my son wasn’t going to have a party, I couldn’t let his special day pass by without celebrating it.  After all, it’s his birthday and he deserved a special treat! 

That said, every year, I get him a birthday cake and this year was no different.  

Enter, this adorable ice cream train cake roll from Baskin-Robbins.  Not only is it playful, fun, and screams celebration, but it also tastes just as scrumptious as it looks! It was perfect for my little train lover.  I’ll share a quick review of this cake and recap of how we celebrated on the blog for the memories in a later post! In the meantime, #staytuned

Easter

For Easter, we attended an event at one of our local parks.  It was a beautiful day to be outside and connect with the community.  There was face painting, bouncy houses, balloon animals, an egg hunt, and so much more.  My son was so excited to find so many Easter eggs! 

April Highlights

Carquinez Toy Train Museum

All aboard! 

If your kid is like mine and has train on the brain, then the Carquinez Toy Train Museum is something to see.  It is located in Croquett, CA.  Inside, they have a two-story large model train layout where several classic toy trains and operational trains run on multiple tracks through elaborate landscape year-round.  Additionally, you can also see and explore the museum’s collection of old model trains and railroad equipment.  But that’s not all, under supervision, visitors can come to the museum and run some of the trains! How cool is that?

Spring Concert

Every year, my son’s school puts on a spring concert, where all the classrooms get to perform their dances/routines for friends and family.  His classroom did so good, and I enjoyed watching the kids perform. 

May Highlights

Longchamp Bags

My brother had a business trip in April to the East Coast and my dad joined him.  They went to Boston then New York.  When I picked them up from the airport, I was shocked (in a good way) to receive not one but two Longchamp bags!

Last Day of School

The school year has officially ended and it’s wild how much our son has grown and changed over the past year.  Of course, I had to take “last day of school” pictures to capture the milestone.  

Shopping Ramblings

Supergoop

I was not always good with sun protection, and it wasn’t until I worked as a school supervision assistant that I took it seriously.  Since then, I’ve prioritized my skin’s health, and I am very conscious about applying SPF to my face every day.  The Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen was one of the products that I’d heard about for quite some time, and to be honest, I hesitated with using this because of the hype.  But several months ago, I decided to give it a try.  I am happy to report that this product totally blew me away.  It is a must have for me now and I never leave home without it.  I love that it’s lightweight, absorbs quickly into the skin, and doesn’t leave any white residue or greasiness.  

Sunscreen

Neck Fan

In related news, I bought this last summer to use while at work hoping it would help and I am so glad I did because it’s been a life saver! I really don’t know how I would have survived the scorching summer heat without this.  Not only does this fan help keep me cool and give me instant relief from the relentless heat but it’s the best 25 bucks I have spent!  

In terms of function, it has three different fan settings and has a rechargeable battery that can last up to 4-16 hours.  This neck fan is also lightweight, comfortable, and easy to use.  Simply put it around your neck and choose one of the three fan speed.  

Fan

Shein Embroidered Eyelet Fit and Flare Dress

If you’re like me and have a few events and trips coming up this summer, then you need a dress or two.  I ordered this dress to wear for a later trip this season, but I didn’t want to wait for our vacation to wear it. #noselfcontrol  So, I wore it for Mother’s Day.  I love that it’s different than anything I have.  It has beautiful eyelet embroidery detail on it and looks so high end in person.  Speaking of which, in case you missed it, I recently wrote an entire review about all the pros and cons of this dress if you want a full breakdown.  

On me: Dress | Shoes | Sunglasses | Bag

On my son: Shirt | Pants | Shoes | Sunglasses

Tory Burch Kira Camera Bag

I’d been on the hunt for a neutral handbag and ordered the moment I saw this.  I am working on a full review but what I can say is, this bag is such a beautiful take on a classic bag silhouette.  The stylish details on it add instant life to any look. So, if you’ve also been eyeing this bag, it is currently 35% off at Nordstrom.

Bag

Life Ramblings

In terms of life updates, let’s kick things off with work!

Work

For those of you that do not know, I now work three different positions within our local school district.  While I enjoy and feel fulfilled in the work that I am doing, I’d be lying if I didn’t say the past few months have felt like a roller coaster ride of sorts.  There are times where I feel like I am thriving and others where I am simply surviving.  That said, May 31st was my last day of work and I am officially in summer mode.  Let the lazy days begin!

Blog

That said, ever since I started working, my relationship with blogging has ebbed and flowed.  Since I have a lot more responsibility at my day job, it has meant that I don’t have the brain space after work to dedicate to it.  And when I do have free time outside of work, I often give myself a pass on blogging to focus on other important things.  

As such, one thing I’ve started to think a lot lately is if I want to continue blogging.  On one hand, I love creating content and writing posts.  I’ve documented everything from outfits, family milestones, vacation recap, luxury purchases and more.  On the other hand, it’s a lot of work and time consuming.  Given that, I want to be intentional with my time and choose the best things to fill it with.   

But rather than pull the plug on six years of work, I decided to step away and take a blog break. Now that summer is here, I figured that it is the perfect time to do so. By hitting the pause button, it’ll be a great way to refresh, recharge, and refocus.

Lola

Speaking of which, I understand time with every single loved one is finite.  Despite the distance, I cherish every moment I still get with my grandma. 

Home

Lastly, we are moving! 

Yep.  You read that correctly.  It’s a long story of how this all came about, and my heart is filled with a lot of emotions, about way too many things but that’s another discussion for another day.  For now, the clock is ticking, and I am doing my best to soak up our time here before embarking on a new chapter in this book – we call life.  

How have you been? What’s one highlight or favorite product that has made you smile recently?

*Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.  If you click through and make a purchase, I may receive a commission (at no additional cost to you).  

**Additionally, some items linked above are not the exact item shown because it is either old or sold out, but I linked similar items for those that are unavailable.