In an attempt to continue maturing this space, both in part to continue to stay inspired when it feels more and more like blogs are dying as well as just to change things I feel like I’ve grown out of, I’m going to change my formerly monthly updates of Things I Love to updates every three months, ie, the Quarterly Diaries! I liked doing that for the 1st quarter of 2023 last year & now think that it’s more conducive to how I want to collect, curate, and write up life bits and highlights.
January: Fresh starts and big changes
The freshness of the new year is something I always look forward to, even if there’s also a weird sense of pressure that I think is all too common for many of us as January rolls around again.
In any case, I had a lot of optimism for the new year in general, but some big changes were certainly in store. My sister is finishing up her final semester at college away from home, at The Masters University in Santa Clarita. We have become inseparable best friends for the last ten years, so I knew it was going to be tough being hundreds of miles away from her. However, I was and am so excited for her, and she’s been having the best time so far.
I knew I would have to look at this season away from her as a positive. It’s been a wonderful opportunity for me to strengthen my friendships here at home and continue to get even closer to my little brother since it’s been just the two of us without her. Although I of course miss my sister, I’ve been so blessed to make so many lovely memories here on my own.
Going to bullet point some of my favourite mems from each month:
- subbing for my mother’s class for the very first time
- my youngest cousin, E, having to pick me up (so funny, i have always been his chauffeur for the longest time, so it was kinda hilarious to have the tables turned)
- basketball games for E as the end of his junior season drew to a close
- visiting Mel & Julie for the first time & then later that month for my mom’s b-day
- movie night with my gyals to see Glenn & Sydney tear it up
- final practises, photo day, and game with my basketball team
- going back to the beginning of the month: all the fun, final moments of having the Mills’ girls back in town for Christmas and New Year — gymming, In-n-Out, Emma (2020), etc
monthly playlist: the waning & waxing days quarterly diaries
February: Cold days, Whole 30, and a bit of a scare
I attempted Whole 30 for the very first time this year, in February, which I had been meaning to do for some time now. It’s essentially what it sounds like: only whole foods for 30 days, with the obvious eliminations of processed and sugary food/drink, BUT, no grains or dairy either. That was definitely what made this month such a bummer sometimes—I missed my salmon rice bowls and my cheese-topped eggs in the morning.
The adjustment period was certainly bumpy, but by the time my tummy got used to all the extra greens, I began to see and feel the benefits. I definitely had a LOT more energy than usual, even on nights when I got less than 7 hours of sleep. I had no PMS symptoms, and once my cycle did begin, my usual symptoms were pretty much all on day one, and the rest of it was a breeze. Although I definitely won’t be committing to this forever, it was incredible to accomplish and has certainly motivated me to eat better more consistently. Coming off of it, I can absolutely see how my body has reacted to things that are less than whole :’)
I had a rough Superbowl Sunday and next day as Baby started throwing up around 3 p.m. and didn’t stop until I was able to take him to the vet Tuesday afternoon :/ It was one of the scarier experiences I’ve had with him, and it was emotionally taxing. I love him so immensely that it hurts so much when he’s sick, and I can’t figure out why, and I can’t make it better. However, I thank the Lord for the blessing that times like these are. In every instance of my fear for Aquiles, the Lord has shown me His goodness and glory, and He of course sanctifies me in the process. Every struggle is always intended to make me more like His Son and to draw me to Him, and this was no exception. Thankfully, it was just an upset tummy, and he just needed some medicine to stop the cycle.
Aside from this, some notable moments were: quarterly diaries
- an insane amount of oatmilk matchas this month, the one thing I allowed myself all throughout whole 30 :’)
- meeting my friend Kayla irl for the very first time!! we’ve been friends via socials since 2020, so this was the most special moment, def my favourite of the year so far
- sports awards for my basketball team
- teaching sunday school again this month
- seeing one of my favourite little kiddos when subbing; it’s been awhile, esp bc he switched programs, so i didn’t get to see him consistently before that when i was still an aide
- going down to santa clarita to visit my sister and cousin for my tio’s birthday
- catching up with bri <3
- finally watching Sense & Sensibility with Keely & Liv
- driving down to SC just for the day with my tia amphon, to keep her company <33
- getting asked to be in Megan’s wedding
monthly playlist(s): hopeful yearning & february b-side quarterly diaries
March: girls, girls, girls!
I mentioned the sisterhood in my title because it encapsulates how special this year has been so far with two of my best friends who I hang out with so frequently now that my sister has been gone. I have treasured all of our gym & goss seshes, Teazers’ rendezvous to write, read, and gab, sleepovers and movie nights, and all the other bits and bobs that make up the beautiful fabric of female friendship.
The very first weekend of March started out in excellent, girlish fashion, as my two best friends, Keely & Olivia, came over to spend the night, so we could get up early and leave to go down and visit my sister. Once we got into Santa Clarita, we stopped at Melody’s house-share to drop off our things and hang out while she got ready for the day. We had eons of fun sitting on the floor in her room and curling each other’s hair. After lunch, we went to go watch Dune 2 (OH MY WORD UTTERLY INCREDIBLE CANNOT EVEN BEGIN TO GUSH ENOUGH) and then spent the evening at the gym. The night was wrapped up with some mediocre food (but excellent bevs, company, & conversation) at Cheesecake Factory.
Sunday morning was church, and then trying Philz for the first time! I had the Gingersnap with oatmilk and really enjoyed it. I didn’t realise that Philz don’t do espresso, only drip, I believe. My default is espresso-based coffees, and I only ever have french press otherwise, so I was a bit apprehensive, but I would defff have again in the future. quarterly diaries
Afterward, my sister & Keely went to get the cutest matching tattoos, and Liv and I spent our time at Barnes & Noble as we waited for them. I purchased Dance of Thieves, which Keely had raved about to me a couple of years ago. I’ve not read it yet, but I am looking forward to it!! Also, this B&N is so old school! From the font of the name on the outside, to the Starbucks café on the inside, it reminds me so much of my childhood!
The drive home was a BARREL of laughs. I don’t usually like the drive back because it’s a three-hour trip in the back of the van, with less leg room than I’d like and the growing discomfort of being on my backside for so long. This drive back was the complete opposite. Since I was driving, I felt like I had so much more room, and I absolutely loved having my best friends sitting shotgun and right behind me. We listened to an audiobook with a hot irishman (The Butcher and the Blackbird, honestly not great, I think I gave it 2 stars on Goodreads, LMAO), but this was preceded by live readings from my two friends for the first few chapters. Non-stop laughter. We stopped in Tejon for my first In-n-Out and diet coke since Whole 30, and it was DIVINE. The rest of the trip, even with the stint of heavy traffic we were in for a good 40 minutes, was such glorious, girlish fun, punctuated by the Burlesque soundtrack, the irishman, and the best company.
Considering how I have waxed lyrical about the first three days of March, I’ll stick to bullet points for the rest of it: quarterly diaries
- more days off this month meant more time for my brother and I to hang out and spend much too long on binge-watching The Office :’)
- my sister came home for her Easter break the weekend after we went to visit and we
- had a fun girls night with a few margs and fireballs that monday
- celebrated my Dad’s birthday in the middle of that week and enjoyed the most delicious birria tacos that my sister made
- had a couple of fun sibling days of just kicking back and enjoying each other’s company (more of The Office haha)
- watched my brother play ball competitively for the first time since his senior year <3
- wrapped up the week celebrating my dad’s b-day with my mom’s side of the family before Melody went back!
- enjoyed babysitting a couple of my fave little lads from church
- SUNBATHED PROPERLY for the very first time this year on the 20th of March, THE SUN RESTORES ALL JOY
- writing with my gyals // properly working on my new story idea
- saw Dune 2 again with Keely & Han (I NEED TO SEE IT AGAIN, inject it into my veins, AS IT WAS WRITTEN, LISAN AL-GAIB)
- dinner and drinks with Meghan <3
- celebrated Melody’s birthday and met her halfway as our Easter break began
- sunbathed with my gyals poolside and marg’d up, watched movies afterward and had the most insane taco bell
- coffee catchup with Claire at Yava <3
- watched the Giants choke on opening day in SD
- packed Baby up for Easter weekend drove down to see Melody on Good Friday
- enjoyed a cosy day at the hotel doing absolutely nothing the next day
- & had a wonderful Resurrection Sunday with my family and a few of Mel & Julie’s friends
actually didn’t make a playlist this month but i listened to Sitting on Stacy’s latest album, Looking Past Red Flags, on repeaaat. i get to see them in concert this month, and i am SO EXCITED. quarterly diaries
Fin
This first quarter has been immensely sweet. I didn’t mention it before, but I stopped with grad school, and I am truly so much better for it. Currently wrestling with a little bit of apprehension about what the future holds, but I am excited to rest and trust in God’s sovereignty over my life and what He has in store. These first three months have been nothing short of wonderful, and I have so many fond memories to characterise the first set of 2024’s quarterly diaries. Wishing you all a wonderful next three months of 2024!