January 2026 // Life Lately

JANUARY 2026

 HAPPY NEW YEAR!! 

Life Lately.......

January was a COLD month....snow, low temps, wind, and ended the month with a frozen creek! Fortunately, there was a boat coming /going pretty much the whole month and I am extremely thankful! We were able to go for one night and stayed in OCMD - shopping, dinner, & a hotel with a bay view. It was short and sweet, but it always serves the purpose intended - a reset! We got to see Mom both days, but only a handful of times the rest of the month due to either weather or sickness (we had colds/Peter strep? fortunately, Mom has stayed well so far), I keep in touch with the nurses to check on Mom, but there is nothing like seeing her and getting hugs and talking to her. She's about the same overall, but her mind seems to be fading even more and that breaks my heart. Dad is not doing too well. Since his broken hip and pneumonia last fall, its been an up and down of alert days, agitated days, somewhat himself days, and some days just not responsive at all. He is still at (N) near my sister, but it's an all day trek there and back so I don't get there as often as I'd like. Much prayer needed for my parents. It's been 9 months since Mom's stroke and it is still a daily struggle to navigate through this season. Sometime over the holidays, the Lord spoke to my heart and gave me the greatest peace I've ever felt. He gave me a new perspective and some added strength to keep going to do my best for my family and myself. Its still a struggle, but thanks to HIM I am pushing through and actually finding some joy again.

Cooking is therapy for me, so of course, January was a good month for meal planning and spending lots of time in the kitchen. I bought a new Beautiful brand crock pot and got on a soup kick this month. I made Hoppin' John for New Years, a pot of my MIL's recipe for Vegetable Beef Soup, Copy Cat Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup, THE BEST TikTok Potato Soup, and the yummiest Creamy Italian Sausage Soup. We also had homemade spoon bread and fried rock fish nuggets from Peter's December fishing day, and a duck dinner for the family (thanks to Logan supplying us with some wood ducks (our fave)). 

We LOVED our football season this year!!!! The Bears gave us our best year and made it to the playoffs ANDDDD beat the Packers!!!! The season ended with the Rams game in overtime, but Caleb Williams made his biggest heart - attack play of the season and miraculously sent them into overtime!!! They ended up losing but WHAT A SEASON!!! 

I read 4 books in January (recap post coming up!), and watched hours of You Tube videos (mine and Peter's latest obsession - we follow several YT accounts we watch together and we have our own favorites). I watch zero tv...but love YT!!

I've spent 99% of January at home! I can go days without leaving the house. We have the boys over after school for dinner and homework while Nathan is away at work and Kayla is working. They all also come by for visits often. We tried to do a little visit with Kamry and fam, but again, between weather and sickness we didn't make it work. We are planning to go very soon!! I miss them so much!

January always brings out the need to declutter, refresh, and organize. I undecorated after New Years but kept the tree up till mid-January. I LOVE LOVE my tree!!! I bought it from Target last year and got a huge deal on it. I went with neutral decorations - copper, bronze, whites and creams, with a touch glitter and sparkle. The twinkle lights are my favorite part and I turn it on as soon as I get up, it's just so pretty and cozy and brings me much joy.

Word of the Year // Happy New Year // 2026

2026

Word(s) for the Year

DIFFERENT | SAME

I’ve been thinking about what my word for the year was going to be and over the Christmas holiday, after saying for the millionth time “this year things are so different”, I decided that was my word. DIFFERENT. Things ARE so different. I’m going through a season of life I wasn’t prepared for. I feel like every other season has just gradually evolved to the next stage and I was ready for that change in my life when it came - empty nest, our boys getting married, becoming grandparents, even turning 60. But this past year has been the biggest roller coaster ride ever. One day Mom and Dad were living right next door and the next day it all changed, and I know I (we) will never have those days back again and it’s just so hard. We’ve made decisions differently, celebrated differently, everything just feels different and it is. With the holidays approaching, all I could think about was how different things would be this Christmas, and they were, yet somehow my tree still brought me the same joy it always does, I still enjoyed wrapping gifts for everyone, I found happiness watching the grandkids open their presents, I enjoyed preparing the food and gathering with my family, I got to see Mom and Dad over the holiday, we still celebrated Mom’s birthday with a little party, Peter and I still carried on with our traditions like watching the Candlelight service together, and cooking dinner on Christmas Day. Most importantly I realized that no matter our circumstances or how much things change, GOD never changes. 

“He’s the same yesterday, today, and forever” - Hebrews 13:8

His mercy, grace, goodness, faithfulness, love, He just makes so many things in life bearable and even enjoyable. 

I had dreaded Christmas but I found myself many times over the past few weeks with my heart just so full and happy. I am so thankful for the blessings in my life. Thank you Lord, that while things are so DIFFERENT, you always remain the SAME. ♥️

 

R O W E N is 8!!!

R O W E N is 8️⃣ 

🖤🎉🛴🎮🎂😎 Happy Birthday to our sweet, smart, handsome, wonderful 8 year old! We love you so much! Hope you have the best day!! You bring us so much joy!

• party day!!! 09.26.25 🎉🎉🎉 #rowenturns8 #happybirthday #partyday #birthdayparty #sept29 #levelup #gamer #brothers #family #friends #lifeinpictures #loveyou #xoxo #birthdayboy #8yearsold #fun #toocool #lifeinpictures

Field Hockey, Air Show, & Little Visits - SEPT 2025

09.18.25 - 09.21.25 • We spent a couple of days with Logan, Lindsey, & Kamry • we got to watch one of her FH games [GO KAMRY!!]👏🏻🏑 and we all cooked a fish dinner together.🐟🤤 I also got to visit with Mom on Thursday and Friday.❤️ It was so nice to just be together for a few days. We got up super early on Saturday morning and headed to Virginia Beach for the air show at NAS Oceana. This was our second time and it’s something we really enjoy! ✈️⛅️Of course, we can’t be in Virginia Beach and not get dinner at Captain George’s.🦀🤤 Such a good laid back few days that are just good for the soul. 

#family #littlevisits #lifeisgrand #thisisus #lifeinpictures #weekendvibes #hellofall #familydinner #virginiabeach #airshow #captaingeorges #dinnerdate #therapy

100 Envelope Savings Challenge - The Budget Mom

100 Envelope Savings Challenge 💵 It’s been awhile since I did a money savings challenge, but I’ve been watching The Budget Mom’s money morning routine YouTube videos and she has motivated me to start up a new savings challenge again! I’ve done several challenges in the past, mostly ranging from $100-$2000, but for this challenge, I ordered @thebudgetmom • 100 Envelope Savings Challenge Kit and once completed, I will have saved $5,050!! 🤩The kit includes a container with 100 envelopes numbered 1-100 and you fill them with that amount [ex. I filled envelopes 1 & 20 which = $1 and $20 saved (that’s the cash I had on hand)☺️]. There is a dry erase scratch off sheet w/ marker to keep track of which envelopes you have filled [you can use this kit over and over again] and you can set your own pace for filling the envelopes. I plan to do it over the next year starting now, September 2025 and ending in September 2026. For me, this is a side savings account to be used for something specific • my goal is to use it for a vacation next fall.🍁🌅 • Go check out the @thebudgetmom IG account and YT videos for lots of budgeting tips and advice! ✨ #savingschallenge #savings #personalgoals #budget #tbm #money #savemoney #budgeting #cash #cashenvelopes #save #100envelopechallenge #cashenvelopes #vacayfund #thebudgetmom

menu plan monday / sept 2025

Menu Plan Monday • September 2025

We are still pretty much taking things a week at a time with what days we will be home so we really don’t have a [meal plan]. I have been doing at least one big grocery haul a month and try to keep ingredients on hand for 7-8 meals, ready for the days we are cooking dinner at home. I also started up @everyplate again and will get one shipment a month. 

*[08.30 & 08.31 - crab cakes, potato salad, & roasted brussels]

09.01 - Chicken Parmesan 

09.02 - * Peter was away | I ordered out 

09.03 • Spaghetti & garlic bread (+ dinner for boys after school + I froze a bag of sauce for a future meal) garlic bread was an add-on in E/P box) 

09.04 - E/P meal • Buffalo Ranch Chicken, mashed potatoes & roasted carrots

09.05 - lunch=From Scratch | dinner=pizza

09.06 - E/P meal • Balsamic Meatballs, parsley & butter potatoes, green beans and yeast rolls (I made 3 pans of rolls and sent 2 to the after-funeral meal) 

09.07 - E/P meal • burgers & homemade fries 

09.08 - beef stroganoff over noodles, roasted cauliflower, and garlic toast (*steak for stroganoff and garlic toast were add ons in E/P box)

09.09 - lunch= From Scratch | Dinner= Caesar Salad (add-on in E/P box) 

09.10 - Chicken Pot Pies (1 for us + 1 for K & boys) 

09.11 - Meatloaf, parsley & butter potatoes, garden salad 

09.12 - lunch = Jersey Mikes | dinner = Pizza

09.13 - late lunch at Mallard’s 

09.14 - grilled steaks w/ mushrooms & onions, grilled Caesar salad, & onion rings 

09.15 - teriyaki beef & broccoli w/rice and jello salad 

I have lots of meats in the freezer, but will need to make another little grocery haul soon. Planning meals and having ingredients on hand for the days I am cooking really helps with the grocery budget and doing a subscription boxed meal once a month adds a little variety to the menu. We will be away a few days over the next 2 weeks but I have meals planned for the days we are home including - TikTok Pasta w/shrimp & garlic toast • pork tenderloin • stuffed peppers • steak subs • chicken casserole • sweet & sour chicken • crock pot chicken thighs. Also, still using the rice cooker which makes THE BEST sticky rice and is a super cheap but delicious side to any meal.