As December comes to a close, I wanted to take a moment to slow down and reflect on what this season looked like for us. This life lately December 2025 recap includes a little bit of everything—books I’ve been reading, recipes we loved, what we’re watching, family updates, and how the month actually felt behind the scenes. Between holiday celebrations, busy schedules, and everyday moments, December was full in the best (and sometimes messiest) way.
Books I’ve Read
I stumbled upon Irina Shapiro’s historical fiction books and love them! Currently I’m in the middle of her Nicole Rayburn historical mysteries series.
- Precious Bones by Irina Shapiro– A young woman is compelled to purchase an old English cottage. She unexpectedly finds herself unraveling a centuries-old murder. Without giving it away, the ending was a bit of a stretch for me. 3/5
- The Lovers by Irina Shapiro- A quiet English village is shaken when a long-buried secret and a suspicious death force amateur sleuths to untangle love, betrayal, and the past. Are people really this devious? It seemed like the villain was too contrived. 3/5
- The Lost Colony by Irina Shapiro- A modern woman is a part of a 16th-century Roanoke Colony reality show, where she must navigate her survival. Interesting premise, but a stretch for sure. 3/5
- The Devil’s Den by Irina Shapiro– A suspicious death connected to a local landmark pulls amateur sleuths into uncovering dark secrets hidden beneath a seemingly quiet English village. This plot was better thought out. 4/5
- The Shadow Bride by Irina Shapiro– A modern woman is drawn to uncover a tragic love story that still haunt the present. I like the ghost ship element! 4/5
- The Lost Tower by Irina Shapiro– Nicole attempts to help her friend unravel the mystery of her family tree. This plot line definitely had some ick factor, but I liked the resolution. 4/5
- The Gilded Lily by Irina Shapiro- Nicole investigates a missing woman from Victorian England. I loved how Shapiro wove characters from her other series into this one. 4/5
Recipes I’ve Made
- French Onion Pot Roast– Absolutely delicious! Super flavorful and tastes so good over mashed potatoes. I think next time I want to try it in the slow cooker instead of the oven.
- Jalapeno Popper Soup– We made this for Christmas Eve. It was very quick and easy to make which was perfect after church service. Very flavorful and not too spicy (we didn’t add jalapeno seeds).
- Crack corn salad– We made this for our family Christmas. It was a delicious side and I loved that we could make it ahead.
- Lemon Cookie Bars– I had these on our menu in November and finally made them. They were amazing. My husband loves lemon flavor and was a big fan. I might add something to the frosting next time to cut down on the sweetness though.
- Brussels Sprouts Gratin– We loved this! I added in the rest of our turkey and mashed potatoes to make it more of a main dish instead of a side and it worked well. We loved the flavors and it was easy to make, too.
- Peanut Butter fudge- So easy and quick! Great consistency and not overly sweet (doesn’t taste like frosting). I wish there was a version without peanut butter.
Currently (Life Lately December 2025) 
- Resolving- I really don’t believe in resolutions so I can’t say I have been resolving much of anything. I have been in the purging mood lately though. So maybe I’m resolving to get rid of clutter?
- Planning- Currently I am working to plan some Girl Scout meetings for both of the troops I lead as well as a weekend trip to Eagle Cave with the Cadettes. We went last year and you spend the weekend exploring the cave and area around it and sleeping inside it. It’s a fun adventure!
- Eating/drinking- I feel as if I have been eating and drinking everything in sight! Mostly it has been leftover Christmas cookies, sprinkled in with a dose of comfort food.
- Watching/reading- My husband and I are so excited to be watching High Potential next week. We love watching that show together. I’ve also been watching the most recent seeing of Only Murders in the Building. That show has a great cast of characters and so many good guest stars.
- Family Update
- Avie- Avie had a phenomenal swim meet in Deerfield finishing 2nd in the 25 free, 3rd in the 50 back, and 3rd in the 50 fly! She sang in the children’s choir for our Christmas Eve service, too. It was beautiful with all the children signing along to the music as well.
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- Claire- We officially have a teenager! WHAT?! Claire enjoyed celebrating her Christmas birthday with my side of the family and her favorite cousin. She wanted a crepe cake and has been savoring it with a piece each night. Now she can do spin classes at the Y with me! She’s survived one already. Haha!
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- Matt- Matt finally cashed in his birthday gift by going to the Bears v. Packers game on 12/20 with 3 of his friends. Back in August when we got the tickets, Matt worried the Bears would get crushed, but it turned into quite the game with the Bears tying in the last 2 minutes and winning in overtime! I’m not sure how I can ever top that!
- Me- Claire and I did our last 5K of the season in early December. The course had about 5 inches of snow throughout so times were very slow, but I still finished first female and ‘caught’ an elf to win a prize at the end so that was fun!
December Goals Recap
- List items on poshmark– Not done- too busy with the holidays.
- Schedule zoo lights- Done and enjoyed!
- Date night or self-care time- Scheduled and enjoyed a massage. Due to swimming practice and other plans, we weren’t able to have a date night yet.
January Goals
- Reorganize nail polish- Since I like to try a lot of new brands, I have too many products! I need to reorganize.
- Refinish table– I got a side table that needs to be refinished and stained. Hopefully I can start on this during January.
- Arrange spring break plans- We need to get flights booked.
- List items on poshmark– I’d still love to get this done.
Favorite December Posts
It seems like in your life lately, this past December 2025 has been full of fun social events and cute outfits. The most popular December posts were all outfit idea posts! Here are your top 3 favorites starting with the most favorite.
Elevated Winter Layers
Winter Holiday Outfits with Closet Staples
Overall, this life lately December 2025 recap perfectly reflects our busy, cozy, and packed month filled with moments we’ll remember!
LINKING UP WITH WHAT’S UP WEDNESDAY, Currently
