10 Things I Love About May

Reflections on May

List making is one of my very favorite things. This article is part of a series of reflections on things I love about each month of the year. My hope is that in making these lists, I’ll slow down, take note of beauty, and contemplate the moments that matter. Here’s my list of 10 things I love about May.

1. Lilacs

For a few brief weeks in early May my lilacs bloom, reminding me of my grandma.

2. National Parks Road Trip

We visited Bryce, Zion, and Grand Canyon in May and they were spectacular. This was the first time my kids had been to these national parks, so it was especially fun to introduce them to the beauty of these areas.

The weather at the Grand Canyon was dramatically stormy, including thunder and lightning, hail and snow!

Banner with arrow, available in Etsy shop

3. Disneyland

We spent three days at Disneyland in May and had such a great time. The last time we were there was seven years ago, so going to Disney with three teens was much more relaxed and collaborative. Everyone got to do things they wanted to do and we all generally liked the same rides, so I have great memories of this family time.

4. Homemade Caesar Dressing

I love salads and eat salad a lot as the weather warms up, but I know the packaged salad dressings are not good for me. I’ve been trying to make my own dressings more frequently and recently tried the homemade caesar dressing from Pioneer Woman. It is delicious and easy—I’ll be using this all summer long.

5. Hanging Flower Baskets

For several years, my Mother’s Day gift has been to buy flower baskets to hang on our sunny back porch. I love seeing the colorful blooms all summer long.

6. Church Retreat

Our church has an annual family retreat over Memorial Day weekend at a beautiful nature camp, and this year, the youth group was in charge of the planning! What an amazing experience for them to work through all the details and logistics of planning an event like this. They did a fantastic job!

7. Finishing Math Curriculum

All three of my kids finished their math curriculum in May! Since math concepts build on one another, I insist we finish the curriculum even if we have to keep going into our summer break. But this year, we got through everything early, leaving extra time for fun projects at the end of the year.

8. Green Grass & Red clover

We have a big back yard and don’t water it over the summer months, so for much of the summer, it’s more yellow than green. May is the month when it is most lush and deep green. This year we have a field of crimson clover growing behind our property, which provides a stunning contrast. I love to sit on the back porch with a cup of coffee in the morning or a glass of lemon water in the afternoon and enjoy the beauty of nature in May.

9. Spindrift Strawberry Lemonade

I took a case of this delicious sparkling water with me on our road trip in May. These are such a treat, especially on a hot day—delicious.

Read: 20 Weekly Reflection Questions

10. Beautiful Sunrise

I have not been getting up at 5am every day to watch the sunrises, although I aspire to be such an early riser! I did, however, enjoy a lovely sunrise morning in May with hot coffee and my Bible on my back porch. Each time I make the effort to get up early and do this, I wonder why I don’t do it more often.

What to Love About May

A lot of my favorites in May came from vacation time, but there were also some seasonal or nature-related favorites thrown in. Here’s the abbreviated list.