When I looked through my camera roll for the last month, I realized that even though I felt super busy, I didn’t actually do a whole lot outside my house. I did spend some time with friends here at home, taking advantage of patio weather, but I was living in the moment and not taking pictures! So this month’s post will probably be short, but I did do a few things.

Like I mentioned – this is what my life looked like for most of the month when I wasn’t working. Lots of time on the deck or the patio – sometimes with the heater turned on, ha – either reading or even sometimes doing some work. I’m just trying to enjoy outside time while I still can! I definitely plan to have a bonfire soon – it’s the perfect weather.

I did make it to the Pittsburgh Zoo, though, to check out their Asian Lantern Festival. It was honestly so much fun! The displays were beautiful and so elaborate. They had so many different ones set up, too – something new to see around every turn, and some of them were pretty elaborate, with moving parts. It was also really fun to see my friends and to get to catch up. The only disappointing part was that none of the animals were out (which I knew ahead of time – they make it clear – but was still a bummer).

I got my COVID booster and my flu shot! Since I got my second dose of the COVID vaccine in February, it had been well over the six month window, and I’m definitely at high risk of a severe case, so I was really anxious to get my booster. I had some chills and a fever the next day, and I was definitely more tired, but ibuprofen helped a lot and by the second day post-vaccine I was feeling totally normal again.

I also get my flu shot every year – and take this is as your reminder that this is the perfect time to get yours if you haven’t yet! It’s so important not only to keep YOU healthy, but to protect your community – and to keep hospitals and ERs from getting overcrowded at a time when they’re already dealing with so much. Back in high school, I got a really bad case of the flu – I was vaccinated, but we know vaccines aren’t perfect, and that having more people vaccinated helps reduce the spread. I ended up in the ER and ICU, with my body going into shock, and I had to be intubated for almost a week. I don’t remember much of the time – I remember waking up and being super disappointed to learn that I had missed the freshman formal! It was really, really not fun and I’d do anything to never have to repeat that again. So please – if you’re able, get vaccinated!

My sister had an appointment to get her hair cut, so I tagged along and spent a Friday afternoon working outside from Bakery Square. I had some delicious pasta from Bakery Square Galley, walked to Gaby et Jules to pick up some of my favorite macarons, and got takeout from Mola for dinner. It was a fun change of scenery and a day full of delicious food. I also couldn’t resist snapping a picture in front of what I call an “Instagram wall.”

And finally – I saw on Instagram that Stoney Clover is releasing a collaboration with American Girl later this week. So in honor of that, I dug up a picture of me as Felicity from Halloween when I was a kid! I was absolutely obsessed – I had the doll, read the books, and pored over the AG catalogue circling allll the things that I wanted. I’m very, very excited about this collaboration.