As our freshly painted stools dry in the sunroom (pics tomorrow!), we wanted to finally share our May superlatives — sorry to those who have been asking. Below is a recap of the projects, moments, and small victories we checked off in May. We even included a few never-before-seen bits for fun. You can browse all of our monthly superlatives dating back to January 2011 in our archive — more than a year of projects across 16 posts. Also, I ended up playing model a lot this month (hair model, permit-getting model, etc.), so there’s a new photo of me showing off next season’s hottest look at the end of this round-up. Consider yourself warned: you saw it here first.
Biggest Party Girl: Clara, who was ecstatic about her 2nd birthday — or at least about some of the supplies we bought for the celebration.
Wormiest: Clara’s birthday party, a colorful, worm-themed celebration the birthday girl chose herself.
Most Gigantic: Clara (at least compared to the tiny family of pigs living in the dollhouse we built and decorated just for her).
Tidiest: Our newly organized bathroom drawer, which got a mini overhaul during our organization week and has stayed orderly since.
Most Secretive: Our storage ottoman and other kid-friendly storage solutions, now housing a rotating stash of toys so the living room isn’t constantly overrun.
Simplest: Sherry’s pared-down beauty routine, and other ways we’re keeping life simple around the house.
Prettiest: The reorganized Projects section on the site, now easier to browse thanks to added project thumbnails and clearer layout.
Most Appreciated: The new kitchen light (Ikea’s Aläng), which finally brightened a shadowy corner of the room and made a noticeable difference.
Dirtiest: My basement workshop — I owned up to the chaos there. It’s been a wild state of disarray, though I did share some updated shots of the space.
Most Likely To Embrace The Chaos: Us. We talked about taking our time and enjoying the DIY journey instead of stressing about perfection.
Most Level-Headed: Me, occasionally. For instance, I managed to get a pretty straight photo of our new hall bathroom fixture while acting as a human tripod and balancing the camera on my head.
Class Shopaholic: Sherry, who indulged in some window shopping at Target and shared a post about the things we loved this month. We’ll definitely be doing more store-cruising posts because you all seemed to enjoy them.
Most Likely To Contain A Hosta Pun: Our gardening update about using spare hostas to improve a weedy mailbox garden and add greenery to the front planting bed.
Most Likely To Become A Teenage Mutant Ninja: The little turtle we added to the patio alongside hydrangeas and petunias — it wins this award for being a turtle, plain and simple.
Planting Update: We also transplanted some existing boxwoods into planters on the front porch — update: they’re still alive!
Math Nerd Alert: Me again, for using a bit of algebra to reposition and rehang two botanical prints between our bedposts so they’d be perfectly centered.
Most Potential: The “alley” where our new deck will go. We’ve outlined a clear plan of attack and are excited to turn that narrow space into something useful.
Best Score: A giant 9 x 12′ rug for the bedroom that we picked up at a local tent sale for a more than $1,000 discount — a total steal.
The Brick-Breaker Award: Clearing the future deck area, which involved hauling over 100 bricks from the spot we jokingly called “the shrine.”
Most Noodled: Our bedroom, which got a little more attention this month: new lamps, pillows, art, and that huge rug are giving the room fresh inspiration.
Most Likely To Get Wood: Us — after weighing materials, we decided to skip composite and build the deck with pressure-treated wood.
Most Chipper: A fast, free hidden clipboard project Sherry made for the microwave cabinet to keep menus and grocery lists handy. Sometimes the littlest projects make the biggest difference.
Hairiest: Sherry — at least after she gave me a DIY haircut that we finally documented. I got to be a hair model for the first time; I’m mostly embarrassed, but it was fun to share.
Best Dressed: Me again, in the “permit-getting” outfit that helped boost my confidence when we went to secure the building permit for the deck. High five to that.
Most Likely To Rock The Runway: The rugs that strutted their stuff in our kitchen rug “fashion show” while we decided on the perfect color and pattern.
Worst Dressed: Also me — pictured at Clara’s party wearing her new ballerina skirt on my head. What dad wouldn’t do that when presented with mini tutus?
How was your May? Any projects big or small you checked off the list? Do you ever make a list of accomplishments to look back on? Share a few highlights in the comments — it’s a great way to pause, appreciate progress, and keep momentum moving forward. We’re looking ahead to tackling our big deck, painting the kitchen stools, updating bathroom tile, and several other projects on our list. What are you most excited to take on this month?