Even though March has a full 31 days, I feel like it flew by so quickly! The weather was crazy, ranging from beautiful 65ﾟ to freezing rain and snow! Even today, as I write this on the last day of the month, it was 32ﾟ and a white-out! Big, fat flakes... sticking to my knee length, down coat. Yet, yesterday I had spring fever... windows flying open and cleaning everything, since it was actually warmer outside than inside. Well, we can only hope the saying rings true and April really does bring showers... because anything is better than more snow at this point. What gets me out of a funk, even on the greyest of cold and cloudy days, is a great playlist.

Music:

March tunes were all about sassy and eclectic funk. They subconsciously made me nod my head in time with the rhythm and curl my mouth at the corners in a Cheshire-like smirk. I'll admit, listening to this particular group of songs makes me feel sexier and cooler than I really am. I think it's my most fun list yet, and my family all agree. Go ahead and give it a listen on Spotify while making dinner or in the car for any period of time; I'd love to hear what yout think!

Salt, B. Miles
Sunflower, Post Malone & Swae Lee
Mad About You, Hooverphonic
Kiara, Bonobo
Gold, Thomas Azier
Closer. Lematrie & Jennie A.
Thunderclouds, Sia, Diplo, Labrinth
Nothing But Gold, M. Ferrari, D. Isaac Feldstein, E. J. Berdon.
Faith, Stevie Wonder & Ariana Grande

Books:

The Lost Letter, Jillian Cantor. Historical fiction, set during both the Nazi invasion of Austria and decades later in The United States. A stamp collector's daughter tries to return an undelivered letter to its rightful owner, in an effort to reconnect with the father of her childhood, before he is completely lost to Alzheimers. It was a quick read, touching lightly enough on the tragic past to make your heart ache, but mostly focused on the unlikely romances, despite circumstances.
Of Mess and Moxie, Jen Hatmaker. I had never read any of her books before this... just a few funny memes or inspirational quotes on Facebook. Now I want to move my whole family to Texas, in hopes we live on Jen's street, bump into each other at the grocery store and then become the best of friends... bonding over motherhood, Jesus, and margaritas. Without actually knowing her, she is exactly who I want the world to see me as: sarcastically funny, incredibly loving and fiercely loyal to her people.
Famous Father Girl, Jamie Bernstein. A crazy good memoir about the daughter (and family) of world renowned musician/composer Leonard Bernstein. Her candid recollections are so engaging... it's almost unbelievable someone truly had a life such as hers.
Big Magic, Elizabeth Gilbert. I wasn't quite sure what to expect with this one, but there seemed to be such a buzz around it, I gave it a go. Really uplifting and insightful; like a motivational speaker, without the eye-rolling rhetoric. If you are a believer in "fate", hard work and taking chances, pick this one up before your next big inspiration hits!

While I think these were all wonderful, noteworthy and worth passing along, I want you to know that not everything I read is. There were a couple of flops this month, too. And with no offense to the author or those of you who really connected with these stories, they just weren't my jam: The Proposal, The Library Book.

TV/ Movies:

Captain Marvel. Would it be a proper monthly review without a comic book reference? This was such a fantastic creation story of a bad-ass superhero. She's fearless, smart, strong, determined... and that's all before she receives alien abilities! The soundtrack is straight 90's, so it's incredibly nostalgic for me, plus the main actress delivers endless comedic lines with both perfectly timed sarcasm & sex appeal. She's my hero, for sure!
The Dirt. Crazy, crazy, crazy! The totally unbelievable true story of 80's rock band Mötley Cruë. You thought you knew all the dirt... until you watched this! I honestly am surprised they're all still alive!
Grace & Frankie. What happens when two men start a law firm together, vacation together, raise a family together... then fall in love? Their wives get very angry. The complicated relationships between everyone involved, as they try to move forward from the lives they once knew, are so endearing. Even though the situation is a bit of an emotional minefield, it's handled with modern grace and a great deal of comedy. Everything about this show is new and fresh, and I always look forward to binging 3-4 episodes at a time.

Miscellaneous:

A far cry from those I wore at age 7, these* smocked dresses are feminine but relaxed.

Smocked Dresses ("smocked WHAT?") You heard me. Dresses. I remember having an endless number of floral print dresses, made of stiff cotton with smocking that detailed the bodice. My mom was in love. I endured, despite them all. It's basically special diamond shaped stitching with elastic that created a pattern as well as form fitting shape. NOW I can see what all the hype was about... now that I can choose my own clothes and don't have the body shape of a Skipper doll. Smocking allows you to wear looser, comfortable clothing, while still defining your shape without being too form-fitting. It's kinda like the best old all worlds when it comes to feminine clothing, as far as I'm concerned. *You might still be able to pick up the dresses pictured above, for yourself, online. A) H&M B) Aerie C) JCrew Factory D) Target E) Target

(all photos are from the individual's account)

DIY/ Home Improvement Bloggers: I OBSESSIVELY watch any and all Insta-Stories from a few select bloggers, especially if they are showing me a project they're working on in their home. I gravitate toward simple improvements with big impact (aka: something I, too, might be able to tackle), and the belief in my ability is enforced if the tutorial is from a non-professional with a "day job". Stay at home moms, teachers, nurses; these are my people. Their dedication to home improvement and DIY is inspiring! I'm also fascinated by new power tools and love to see what each one can do. I often wonder how each person ended up deciding to one day purchase a jigsaw/planer/orbital sander/etc. and daydream about what my next trip to the hardware store will bring me!

These are my current favorites: