Every month I share a few things about life happening outside of reading – the routines, travels, meals, hobbies, and small joys filling my days when I’m not curled up with a book. (and if you want to know what I was reading this month, I’ve got you. Check out my April Reading Recap here. Spoiler: it was a good one).
This year, I’m on a very intentional journey: more simple joys, less mindless scrolling. More doing, less doom-watching. A good life isn’t always big dramatic moments, and I want to make sure I’m slowing down and living for the small joys each and every day.
7 Joys in April
1. More races & running 🏃🏽♀️
Race #7 of the year was my 3rd half marathon, the Savannah Women’s Half, and friends, Savannah did NOT disappoint. Running through those gorgeous, moss-draped historic neighborhoods felt less like a race and more like a moving tour of one of America’s most beautiful cities. The weather was damn near perfect (which, if you’ve ever trained through a Southern summer, you know is basically a gift from above), and I crossed that finish line with a time I’m proud of.
But here’s the bigger news: April was my highest running mileage month in two years. I started typing something like “it’s not that much compared to other runners…” and then I stopped. Deleted it. Because we are NOT doing that here. The number is 79 miles, and I am proud of every single one of them. Running is something I’ve wanted to reclaim for years, and every mile run is a win. 🙌🏽
2. Cycling enters the chat – and so does a Podium 🚴🏽♀️🥇
Plot twist: the weekend right after the half marathon, I showed up for Race #8, my first duathlon of the year, also in Savannah.
For the uninitiated: a duathlon is a run-bike-run situation. Specifically … a 1-mile run, a 13-mile bike ride, then a 3.1-mile run to finish off.
There is something about being surrounded by athletes, all collectively choosing to do something hard, that just fills your soul. I fed off that energy completely and loved every second of it.
Oh, and casual mention: I made the podium. First place in my age group. 🏆 Were there only three of us in that age group? Possibly. Does that make the podium less real? Absolutely not. A win is a win!
With cycling now firmly in my life, I upgraded and bought a Specialized Tarmac SL8 road bike. My old Cannondale CAAD 8 has been lovingly retired to indoor trainer ride duty.
3. Boozy Brunches with friends 🥂
Sunday brunches are a love language, and April delivered. A new-to-me spot, Uptown Kitchen, was absolutely fantastic. New place, great food, and the kind of easy, laughing-too-loud, lingering-over-drinks with friends on a Sunday energy that recharges you for the whole week ahead.
One of our gang is going through breast cancer treatments right now. Watching her show up – still funny, still herself, still present – has been one of the most quietly humbling things. She is so brave. Her strength has reminded me not to waste a single ordinary day. So yes, we brunch. We laugh. We stay too long. And it matters.
4. Digging in the dirt 🌱
Gardening is meditative, and my excuse to be outside with my hands in the soil doing something that has absolutely nothing to do with screens or schedules.
This month I’ve been deep in our little garden rearranging, tending, probably over-complicating things in the best possible way. There’s always something to do out there, which is exactly how I like it. It’s the kind of project that is never truly finished, and somehow that’s the whole point.
5. Carnival in St. Maarten 🎉
We ended April in the Caribbean island of St. Maarten for their main Carnival parade – and wow. The costumes! The color! The energy! If you’ve never stood on the street at a Caribbean carnival and just let the music and the spectacle wash over you, add it to your list immediately.
Last year we were in the parade in Barbados which was one of the most joyful and fun things I’ve ever done. This year we watched as spectators, and honestly, both experiences are magical in completely different ways.
And of course, there was beach time. Because it’s the Caribbean. Obviously there was beach time. 🏖️
April Travels: Iowa · Savannah, GA (twice!) · St. Maarten
6. Obsession of the Month: Watermelon 🍉
I cannot get enough! There is something about that first cold, juicy bite that feels like a full-body reset … instant rejuvenation, instant energy, instant uplift. We get a small one for our household of two and it’s completely gone by the end of the week.
7. What I Watched📺
April’s viewing was a whole genre salad – action, drama, thriller, and rom-com all made appearances.
- 🎬Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins ★★ Listen. I wanted to like it. I tried. It was just… boring. Skip it, save your evening, go outside.
- 🎬Yoh! Bestie. ★★★ A follow-up from the Yoh! Christmas series, this South African rom-com is not winning any awards and it absolutely knows that. Predictable? Sure. Chaotic? Completely. But the best friend duo had me genuinely cackling, and sometimes that’s exactly what you need. Comfort watch energy, certified
- 📺 The Hunting Wives S1. 👍🏽Oh, to be a wealthy Texas socialite absolutely unraveling on the inside while keeping your highlight reel pristine on the outside. This show is a lot — possibly too much drama even for me, and I have a high drama tolerance. But it was entertaining in that can’t-look-away, slightly-appalled way. You’ll know by episode two if it’s for you.
- 📺 Detective Hole S1. 👍🏽IFull disclosure: I love the Harry Hole book series by Jo Nesbo, so I came into this adaptation with both high hopes and protective energy. Happy to report it held up. The show captures Harry’s brilliant-but-broken spirit really well — the sharp instincts, the substance abuse, the complicated humanity. The plot is intricate to the point of occasionally feeling knotted, so this one rewards your full attention. Not for casual watching, but absolutely for book fans of the series.
That was April in all its full, sweaty glory. It was a month of movement in every sense of the word: running, cycling, traveling, gardening and staying connected with friends. What was one small joy that defined your April? And what are you intentionally making space for in May?
