Joy Comes in Threes | Vol 03 🐌

What I’m loving, reading, watching, and listening to this spring.

Welcome to Joy Comes in Threes, a seasonal roundup of my newest favorite things. 

I’ll share three things I’ve been loving, reading, watching, and listening to lately, and a few rhythms and routines I’ve been experimenting with.

A few snaps from my travels to NH & TX

Spring began with a well-anticipated trip to New Hampshire to celebrate my dear friend Emily’s first event for New Hampshire Magazine’s BRIDE. To see her artistic vision come to life at The Social Hour was something I’ll never forget. Let this be your sign to celebrate friends in every milestone moment—it’s well worth the flight!

While in New Hampshire, I was also able to see my sweet friend Alison again. We bundled up and talked about our latest adventures in work, creative projects, The Traitors, and so much more. These ladies make it easy to keep coming back to New England.

After flying back home, April was filled with fun copywriting projects for two local nonprofits. Both were a welcome addition to my typical for-profit business client roster. Then I flew out to Dallas/Fort Worth to visit two close friends from high school and spend some quality time with their twin boys.

Little did I know that I’d return from my trip with the flu turned bronchitis, wiping me out for all of May. Spring looked different than I expected—with canceled plans, TV show binges, and lots of midday naps—but I’m grateful for the time to slow down and savor the sun.

Here’s a look at my spring favorites:

What I’m loving

My first tattoo

I couldn’t be happier with my memorial tattoo. It's exactly what I envisioned. In the weeks leading up to my dad's passing about three years ago, I had this unshakable sense that I needed to get a tattoo of his handwritten signature. I immediately knew I’d place it inside my right forearm, allowing me to see it while I'm writing. 

I'm sure I'll have more to say about to experience at a later date, but it was special to get my tattoo alongside my mom. She chose a different design featuring two hearts with one in parentheses, symbolizing “I carry your heart within my heart”—simple and beautiful, just like her. But for those of you asking: (1) Yes, it hurt, and (2) No, I don't think I'll get another one anytime soon!

Berry salads

It's finally berry season, which means you can find me putting berries on everything. Salads, coconut milk yogurt, smoothies, dairy-free ice cream... I can't be stopped.

My classic chicken berry salad is a go-to, topped with balsamic glazed pecans, walnuts, dried cranberries, and fresh raspberries and blueberries. I finish it off with a lovely strawberry vinaigrette—perfect for springtime.

Fresh lilacs

You can almost smell the lilacs just from looking at this photo, right? We are lucky enough to have light purple and pink lilacs growing in our yard, but this snap was from a recent neighborhood walk with our pup Bailey.

I'm hoping to find more ways to utilize lilacs. I've seen them used as garnishes in drinks or as a scent in candles, bath soaks, and soaps. I may not get to it this year, but I sure love looking at them outside of our windows.

What I’m reading

The Last Bookseller by Gary Goodman

What a charming collection of stories from one of the last rare booksellers after the boom of Amazon. I was delighted to read about his stores in Stillwater—arguably my favorite city in MN—and never knew it was classified as a Book Town before the 2000s.

Goodman focused most of his essays in The Last Bookseller on his travels while hunting for rare used books. I would’ve loved more stories about the day-to-day operations of running a secondhand bookstore, but it was still a fascinating read for literary lovers.

With: Reimagining the Way You Relate to God by Skye Jethani

You know when you pause while reading a book to soak in everything that’s being said? I had that experience multiple times within this book. While I thought the first half of the book had the most impact, it’s well worth the read in its entirety.

Jethani’s insights into the four postures of the heart—Life Under God, Life Over God, Life From God, and Life For God—bring an all-new clarity to the many ways we can live out of alignment with God while seeking control. There’s a little something for everyone in With, no matter if you’re faithfully seeking the Lord or curious about spiritual walks of life.

Magnolia Journal

One of my favorite recent discoveries is that my library’s Libby app allows you to borrow copies of popular magazine issues. Unless I’m planning on making an artistic collage, a digital issue works perfectly fine. The Magnolia Journal is a go-to choice, chock-full of recipes, interior design, gardening, travel explorations, and more.

Their newest issue (Boundless, No. 35) features a stunning cover set at the lake, which gets me excited for this summer. There are a few berry-themed mocktail recipes I want to try soon (full-circle moment!), and the Dreaming Big interior feature reminded me of the warehouse design ideas I had with my dad growing up.

What I’m watching

Be My Guest with Ina Garten (Max & Food Network)

My close friend Ashley is a long-time admirer of Ina, and now, I can see why. After reading Ina's memoir last year (which I loved) and watching her interview-style cooking show, I'm officially a fan.

Ina has many cooking shows to choose from—Barefoot Contessa being her most popular—but Be My Guest has been my go-to comfort show while being sick. The pacing is slow, and it's as cozy as can be. I highly recommend the Nathan Lane, Erin French, and Jennifer Garner episodes.

Loot (Apple+)

A multi-billionaire woman who publicly promises to give away all of her money? I'm immediately in! This feel-good show is exactly what I needed while sick.

Loot follows the glamorous life of Molly as she navigates a new season of life after a (very) public divorce with lots of humor and glam. Maya Rudolph is an incredible lead for the wholesome show, and I loved following along with this tight-knit crew of nonprofit employees. A must-watch!

Haley's Corner (YouTube)

I used to hunt more for secondhand books than vintage clothes, but now it's the other way around. Thrifting has been a great joy and a creative way to find my new personal style. It’s still a work in progress, but that’s the fun part!

While I haven't been able to thrift since this spring due to travel and illness, I’ve been living vicariously through YouTubers who create thrifting vlogs. My current favorite is Haley's Corner because in each video, Haley shops with a specific crowd-sourced aesthetic in mind. I especially liked the creativity of her Fishermen and Mamma Mia aesthetic videos. So fun!

What I’m listening to

Bad on Paper Podcast

Surprise, surprise—I'm bringing you another book podcast! I love listening to them anytime I'm doing things around the house.

Bad on Paper is hosted by two first-time authors who share everything from their favorite reads to their yearly goals. I like how the podcast hosts open up about their personal lives alongside their book recommendations. It's easy to get into, but their Best Books of 2024 episode might be a fun place to start.

Good Hang Podcast with Amy Poehler

Wait, Amy Poehler has a new podcast? YES, and it's worth immediately subscribing. I know there are so many celebrity podcasts out there, but this one lives up to its title.

I can freely admit that I love consuming feel-good, wholesome media. It's what I reach for in hard seasons, so Good Hang is joining the ranks. I especially loved her interviews with Quinta Brunson and Jack Black.

The Garden Within Audiobook

The Garden Within is a look at mental health through a spiritual lens. It’s as good as it sounds! It's incredibly well-researched yet so accessible, weaving plant imagery into important conversations about emotional wellness, mental illness, and the biological effects of our emotions on the body over time.

This audiobook was a fascinating listen, and I wish I could've highlighted my own physical copy. While this is geared a little more toward those who have yet to seek therapy, I still got a lot out of it.

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A season to remember

What have you been loving this spring?