Somehow, April forgot her one job – those showers that were supposed to usher in May flowers. With a lot of extra watering, our yard is embracing the beautiful colors of spring.

I hope your yard is bursting forth in shades of spring, too, as a reminder of the beauty of the season. Look for hints of spring everywhere and enjoy this time while you can. We all know here in south Georgia that it’s a short-lived time of year. Celebrate May fun with the family every day and incorporate some of these wacky, but actual, holidays to add to the family festivities.

National Start Seeing Monarch’s Day – Have you noticed butterflies in your yard yet? We spotted our very first monarch of the season just today! Watch for splashes of orange, outlined with black and dotted with bits of white, flitting from lantana bushes to milkweed plants. And while you’re looking for these winged beauties, look for species, too. Have you spotted tiger swallowtails, gulf fritillaries, black swallowtails, Palamedes swallowtails, or painted ladies? Take lots of family walks and count how many butterflies you see during each walk.

National Two Different Colored Shoes Day – Remember the embarrassment of grabbing two similar shoes for the day, only to realize later that they were two different colors? Well, embrace the mistake today and choose two different shoes to wear on purpose. And while everyone in the family has on two different colored shoes, take a family field trip to purchase new kids’ shoes to donate to your church’s clothing closet for someone in need.

National Eat What You Want Day – This celebration seems self-explanatory, so find a way to incorporate each family member’s favorite food in the dinner menu. Involve everyone in the preparation and cooking process to make the festivity even grander. If someone happens to love carrots, you might want to try out this recipe for the meal: Place one sixteen-ounce package of baby carrots in a large pot and cover with salted water. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook until carrots are tender, about fifteen minutes. Remove from the stove and drain carrots in a strainer. Return the pot to the stove and add one-half cup butter. On medium-low, melt butter. Stir in one-half cup brown sugar and three tablespoons honey. Add cooked carrots and stir until evenly coated. Cook for five more minutes before serving..

National Weather Observers Day – Keep up with the weather for the rest of the month (and pray for rain often!). As a family, check online for highs and lows, temperature-wise. But also observe the weather by taking a look at a thermometer outside and checking on the clouds in the sky. Read about the different types of clouds. Pick one of the days when the sky is particular full of clouds. Pay close attention to cloud shapes and sizes. Then for fun, grab some blue construction paper, cotton balls and glue and replicate your observations on paper

National Duckling Month – Now, how precious is this holiday? Few things rank more precious and adorable than a little duckling, right? Celebrate the day by being on the lookout for ducklings with their mamas and papas this season. Look for goslings with their parents while you’re nature-watching, too. Then read some of these fun books to continue the celebration this month: Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey; The Fuzzy Duckling by Jane Werner Watson; Seven Little Ducklings by Annette LeBlanc Cate; A Good Day for Ducks by Jane Whittingham; Have You Seen My Duckling? by Nancy Tafuri; The Duckling Gets a Cookie by Mo Willems and The Ugly Duckling by Hans Christian Anderson.

The beautiful month of May lends itself to special adventures and huge amounts of family fun. Make every day a holiday this month and treasure the ones you hold closest to your heart.

Statesboro native Julie Lavender loves the beauty of this time of year and spending time with family. She is the author, with her husband David, of books in the faith-based, educational and children’s markets.