The May Edit
May Mood Boosters
Each month I share the little things currently making my parenting days feel good/fun/vibey/better.
It’s been a mad month. Between two bouts of illness, a bank holiday and UK elections, both of my kids haven’t completed a full week of school since Easter. We have another long weekend coming up and I’m honestly at full capacity.
I’ve needed these little mood shifters more than ever this month, as I clung onto every bit of steadiness I could get.
It’s a short and sweet one from me, and no video this time. I barely scraped together last month’s video edit during the school holidays and it just didn’t feel worth the stress this month. Instead, I pulled together a cute collage.
What I’m listening to
I listened to Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke this month.
It’s gripping and very well written. If you enjoyed Snake Oil by Kelsey Rae Dimberg, you will enjoy this peek behind the curtain of tradwife Instagram culture, with a twist.
I also listened to Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid. I wasn’t sure I was going to love the space theme. Honestly, I could still take it or leave it, but I loved the relationships, especially between the main character and her niece. It also opened my eyes to how taboo same-sex relationships still were in the 80s, which feels crazy to me as I was born in 1986. We have come a long way.
What I’m using
I would say I’m a pretty low-maintenance girl, but there are certain things that make me feel like I’ve got my shit together.
A consistent nail routine makes me feel polished. Great skin makes me feel healthier than I probably am. A decent diet helps, although I am never giving up my nightly chocolate. A signature scent, a no-make-up make-up routine, basic but good-quality clothes that feel like me, gentle daily movement.
When I drop these small things, I feel out of whack. Like I’m surviving, not thriving. And of course, there are seasons for that. But I do make an effort to keep most of these things ticking along, because they help me feel like me in this season of life.
Essie nail polish in Not Just a Pretty Face
Day to day I like a nail that doesn’t look ‘done’. This gives the perfect soap nail without any hassle, and lasts four or five days too, without the annoying gel removal.
At-home dermaplaning
I use any good quality men’s razor to shave my face every couple of months. Make-up sits nicer, skincare sinks in more deeply, but it can dry my skin out for a couple of days if I don’t moisturise like crazy or avoid actives.
On Instagram @livingwithlandyn has a great highlight on how to do this, you will need to scroll for a bit but the highlight is called “shave your face” & its exactly how I do it.
Bulk Pure Whey Protein
Specifically, a scoop added to my mid-afternoon matcha.
As I enter my perimenopause era, protein has become a focus for me, and this is a nice way to squeeze it in without changing what I eat. I’m a creature of habit and I’m pretty happy with my daily faves so it feels good to upgrade them rather than make drastic changes.
I make my matcha in a Hotel Chocolat Velvetiser and just add a scoop right in there. It comes out lovely and creamy. It’s flavourless too, which is my preference.
I feel like I should be sponsored by Bulk I talk about them so much but sadly not.
Estée Lauder Night & Day Oil
Late to the party with this one, but my mum gifted it to me and I love it. It feels nourishing at night and works well under make-up for daytime too. The kind of product I reach for daily.
What I’m watching
On TV this month we have been spoiled with the return of Amandaland, possibly only available in the UK on BBC iPlayer, which is annoying. Sorry. It is a spin-off of BBC comedy Motherland and it is truly cringe and hilarious in equal measure.
Another very UK-specific show we’ve been watching is Scotland’s Home of the Year, also on BBC iPlayer. A lovely snoop around some of Scotland’s most beautiful properties. What’s not to love?
And following on from my reality TV re-entry last month, I have been watching At Home with the Furys on Netflix, which is a peek into the life of UK boxer Tyson Fury’s family. The family describe themselves as Gypsy Travellers and the show is a fascinating insight into their culture, including the fact that the eldest of their seven children do not attend high school and instead help out at home.
I’ve enjoyed watching the family dynamics of a bigger family, although we are tiny compared to them, play out on screen. Stressful holidays, mealtimes, morning school run routines. It is all very recognisable.
Ina Garten’s Be My Guest
I’m aware there are many series of this, including a new one, but I have just started on series one and I love it. It’s very nostalgic for me, as my mum watched a lot of Ina when I was growing up, and I am loving the celebrity guest aspect.
What didn’t make the list
Not everything I read, watch, buy or try makes the edit. Sometimes I go in expecting entertainment, comfort, enrichment or, at the very least, a nice time, and instead I find myself thinking, “This is making me feel worse”.
Which is fine. Not every bit of input has to become a mood shifter. Sometimes it just helps you understand your own taste a bit better.
Blue Sisters
I’m still working my way through Blue Sisters. I know a lot of people have loved it, and I can see why, but it hasn’t quite become a “this is making my days better” book for me yet. That might be because of the book, or it might just be because my current nervous system is asking for something a bit more up beat.
Wuthering Heights
This is possibly going to get me some hate, but my husband and I watched Wuthering Heights and I didn’t get the hype. It gave me the same vibes as Emma Stone in Poor Things. Loved the actress, hated the vibe and aesthetic of the movie.
I respect it. I understand other people may have been moved. I, personally, just wanted it to end. Again, too bleak for me.
Until Next Time…
Lou