May 2026 goals

Something that’s neat about having published here for 18+ years and counting: no matter how often I share a new post (or not), there’s always something to dive into in the archives! I thought I’d highlight a few posts published in past Mays, just for fun and in case you’re in search of something to read…

Our teacher graduation book signing tradition (2025)
Our Google Docs family packing list (2023)
Marvelous Money: The financial implications of having a third child (2023)
I am the standard (2018)
Marvelous Mama Beth (2017)
On turning ten (2010)

With many more Mays to come! And here’s what’s going on this particular May:

On my calendar:
— Teacher Appreciation Week! Our main gift for all classroom teachers is this snackle box filled with some of their favorite treats and a gift card to a local business.
— A father-son camp weekend for John and Shep at the brother camp of June’s camp. I hope they love their parent-child weekend experience as much as June and I did!
— The start of neighborhood swim team! Our family has volunteered to move the “swimmer of the week” signs around every seven days (as instructed by the coaches!) and the kids are so excited to get to be the swim team elves :)

What I’m loving right now:
— June and I started these five-year journals on April 1 and are enjoying the practice immensely! The cover is beautiful, the paper quality is great, and the writing space is just the right size. It’s crazy to think about the life change these journals will hold over the next five years.
— John is a loyal listener to the Knowing Faith podcast and will occasionally send me episodes to listen to, including this one (“Is Retirement a Christian Concept?”). It was thought-provoking and encouraging and I recommend it no matter your background!
— My product fairy godmother Kristin recommended I start double cleansing after reading my skincare routine, and since I was still wiping off makeup with my toning pads even after using my beloved charcoal soap, I decided to give it a try. Instant convert! This balm (which I smooth onto dry skin, lather, then wipe off with a washcloth, then follow with the bar soap) leaves my skin SO soft and clean.

As a reminder, you can find allll the things I’ve loved over the last few years neatly organized right here!

What you’re loving right now:

This is where I highlight a few items here that have been popular in the last month with fellow readers, based on my analytics. Here’s hoping this will help you find something you’ll love!

— The magical, shape-shifting puzzle we took on our spring break road trip
— The embroidered floral cross from Annie’s Easter basket, now hanging over her bed
— Our favorite summer swim goggles for kids. No hair pulling (praise!).
— Annie’s little tie-dye velcro sandals. She is obsessed!
— My giant sun hat, because we all know skincare won’t go too far without physical sun protection.

Last month on The Connected Family:
— A super-simple way to build community and encourage tech-free play | An antidote for the screen-based childhood
— June’s milestone tenth birthday trip | Identity, belonging, and connection — all in one weekend ❤️
— 14 things to say to your children | And a call-and-response we use at bedtime
— True influencers | An incomplete list of the people who have shaped me

What I read in April:
— This is So Awkward | I picked up this book — “a modern guide to puberty” — to brush up on my facts as we wade into those waters. While I don’t regret that I read it, I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it: First, I think it goes into way more detail than is needed for the average person, though I could see using it as a sort of reference book if you wanted to do a deep dive on a certain topic. Second, it was published in 2023, which means it was being developed in the chaos of 2020… and it shows. Third, they presented certain changes or behaviors as unavoidable that I simply refuse to believe are inevitable. (Mostly around technology, if you can believe it ;))
— The Glassmaker | I will always have a soft spot for Tracy Chevalier, as Girl With a Pearl Earring was one of the first “grown-up” novels I read. (It was published when I was a freshman in high school.) I haven’t kept up with many of her later releases, but enjoyed dipping back into her world of talented artists in richly-drawn historical settings with The Glassmaker. It is an intriguing premise: we follow one woman and her close family members and friends through six centuries, skipping ahead 70, 80, 100 years at a time. Recommend!
— The Library of Unruly Treasures | June requested I read this middle grade novel after she finished it, and I was glad to oblige. The newest offering from the author of the Penderwick series, it is a perfect example of how a novel can exist at the level of a 10-year-old and yet still be written with excellence. A delight!

My reading list for 2026! I’m 6 / 24 so far.

Revisiting my April goals:
Write the first draft of my Sunday service (2/3 of the way done!)
Film Annie in April
Hang string lights in our backyard (Made some progress but not done yet!)
Research outdoor movie set-ups and choose date for first movie
Tend to this month’s clutter spot: the third floor bookshelf
Choose a new wallpaper for the bathroom and otherwise continue to manage our renovation projects (Wallpaper has been an absolute nightmare… but we are (hopefully!) inching closer to completion!)

May goals:
— See our renovation projects to completion
— Hang string lights in our backyard
— Edit Annie in April
— Refresh our plan for summer days at home
— Tend to this month’s clutter spot: the attic
— Get ahead on summer TCF newsletters
— Block out birthday party details for both Shep and Annie, our July babies

As a reminder, many of these are drawn from my 2026 PowerSheets goals!

Grateful for you, friends! Please feel free to comment on anything I’ve mentioned here or anything else on your mind!

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