APRIL ROUNDUP – Detroit, Michigan

Where did April go? I for one, have no idea. The months and years just seem to be blowing right by me. But the good news about another month coming to a close means it’s time to reflect a bit! Here’s a list of a few of my very favorite things from April 2019. If you try ‘em or have your very own favorites, please don’t hesitate to share!

Cozy Blue Stitch Club

Juggling life, family, fun things, and running my own business makes me one busy lady. With so many to-do lists running in my head non-stop, I have a really hard time sitting down and truly relaxing! My husband, Matt, loves watch shows together, but I get too antsy just sitting still and watching a show. That’s where Cozy Blue Stitch Club comes in. It’s a monthly embroidery subscription with all new and original designs. The adorable owner, Liz, preprints the color-coded pattern onto cloth and sends threads! You can make the patterns as challenging or easy as you want depending on your stitches. It’s honestly the perfect creative outlet and helps me have more mindful downtime. Matt likes it too because it means I can watch Parks & Recreation with him without turning into a jittery psycho.

 

Honey Citrus Mint Tea (aka The Medicine Ball) from Starbucks

Guys. I got super sick in the beginning of April and let me tell you. This drink saved meeee. They make it with jade mint and peach citrus tea, heated lemonade, and honey. It sounds like a weird combination, but don’t knock it till ya try it! Pretty sure this drink singlehandedly healed me. (sorry T-cells and B-cells. You don’t get any credit around here).

 

Eating at Gran Castor

Do you ever love something so much that everyone around you starts to hate it just from being around the sheer force of your extreme love for it?? Yeah. That happened to Matt. I can’t help that I love Gran Castor so much! They have amazing tacos and their décor is just so cute. Make sure you get their salsa and guacamole. It’ll change you.

 

Joanna Gaines + Cedar Magnolia Candle

Will Joanna Gaines EVER make something that I DON’T love?? I think not. She puts so much care and detail into everything she creates. This candle smells so woodsy and makes me feel so relaxed. I also think it channels Joanna-Boss-Energy into the room, so I always make sure to light it while I edit.

 

Audible (Current Read: 168 Hours by Laura Vanderkam)

Last year I made myself a goal to read five books…..and I only read ONE in an entire year. I was embarrassed. So one of my goals for 2019 was to beat the amount I read last year. Luckily the bar was set low. With Audible, I’ve increased my reading by 300%!! Don’t be too impressed. I’ve only read three books (like I said, the bar was low okay).

Air plants

My normal plant obsessions include cacti, succulents, leafy things, and snake plants….so when this alien looking thing called an air plant came into my world, it was like meeting a new little friend! Care of air plants is very different from the plants I was used to. Instead of growing roots in soil and watering the soil regularly, air plants do not get planted in soil and just get submerged in water every week! Eventually they can even flower and propagate just like succulents. This is my first one, but so far it seems to be happy.

 

 

Podcasts, Podcasts, Podcasts!

It’s 2019! Who doesn’t love a good podcast in this day and age! My current favorites are…

1. 1. “The Six Figure Photography” by Ben Hartley. SO informative for my fellow photographers. He has this crazy energy
   2. “The Secret Life of Weddings” by Lisa Mark and Rebecca Lozer. So great for soon-to-be brides or anyone in the wedding industry. It is hilarious and they swear a lot, but if you’re looking for something light-hearted as you work through addressing envelopes or refining your registry…this one is for you.
   3. “Expert on Expert” by Dax Shepard. A honestly this a great listen for everyone. I feel like I learn so much on such a variety of topics. The last one I listened to was the February 28th episode with John Gottman. SO GOOD.

 

Jeremy from MyHybridCPA.com

Hi….my name’s Olivia…and I procrastinate on my taxes. I’ll be really honest with you, last April was a great big mess for me. Before Liv in the Moment Photography, I would quickly and easily do my taxes every year on Turbotax. Unfortunately, one of the downsides of running your own businesses means your taxes can get real crazy. So in 2018 I put off doing them until the very last minute because I was dreading it so much. Next thing I knew, I was at the post office 5 minutes before they closed anxiously trying to mail my forms in before the deadline. I was so stressed and knew that I had just barely made it. I promised to myself that I would not let it happen again in 2019.  Here’s where Jeremy comes in. I found him on Dave Ramsey’s website as a referred CPA in my area. He was a lifesaver. After one phone call, a meeting at his office, and then a few emails, my taxes were done! Hence, my boy Jeremy goes into my April Favorites Roundup. Okay, enough with that boring tax stuff. Onto jewelry!

Mantra Band

You’ve probably already seen these bracelets around because they’re all over Instagram. I asked my husband, Matt, to get me one for Christmas and he ended up getting me two! I just really loved the idea of having a physical representation of something that inspires you. Almost like a motivational quote charm bracelet. To be honest, I was a bit worried he was gonna get me one that said “Live. Laugh. Love” or “Stay Calm and Carry On”, but he picked out quotes for me that were so much sweeter than I anticipated!

The first one he picked out says, “She Believed She Could So She Did.” and the second bracelet says, “Not Alone.” Last year, I achieved a lot of my dreams within my business and my personal life. However, 2018 wasn’t all goal smashing and celebrating. I also struggled intensely with fear and anxiety. These bracelets showcase my achievements alongside my struggles with a reminder that my husband and God will always stand by me. I wear them almost everyday and they mean so much to me!

 

And that’s the roundup everybody! April seemed to disappear too quickly, but these are some of the things that made it such a good month. What are you some of your favorites things lately?