As January comes to a close, I wanted to reflect on what this slower, wintry month looked like for us. This life lately January 2026 recap is a mix of everyday moments, cozy routines, family milestones, and a few things that brought extra joy during a very full month. Between books I couldn’t put down, recipes we loved, planning upcoming trips, and settling back into routines after the holidays, January felt productive in a quiet, grounding way. It wasn’t flashy, but it was full—and sometimes those are the best months to look back on.
Books I’ve Read
- Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall– A haunting novel about love, loss, and the lasting impact of past choices, set in rural England where old secrets resurface and reshape the lives tied to the land. Not a book I’d typically pick, but kept my interest. Flawed, but likable characters for the most part. 4/5
- The Inheritance by Irina Shapiro– Katie unexpectedly inherits a Scottish estate, leading her to uncover family secrets and discover where she truly belongs. Not the best of Shapiro’s but decent. 3/5
- A Fall from Grace by Irina Shapiro– Nicole Rayburn agrees to help find out what happened to a missing Victorian playwright and faces personal obstacles and shocking revelations while unraveling the historical mystery. This is the final book in the Nicole Rayburn series for now. I really liked the mystery of this one and it kept me guessing. 4/5
Recipes I’ve Made
- Turkey and Cheese Sandwich with Caramelized Onion and Fig Jam– I saw these and was reminded of Claire. My intuition was right because she loved them! They were easy to make and I loved the flavors.
- Almond Marzipan Cookie Bars– Mine looked nothing like the picture, but they were so good! My family doesn’t care for chopped almonds, so I drizzled chocolate on top after baking instead. Matt is obsessed.
- Sausage Stuffing– I made a version of this before, but we liked this! It came together quickly and we liked the bit of crunch and cheese on top. I swapped the celery for broccoli and spinach instead.
- French Onion Sausage Rolls– These were so good! They were surprisingly quick and easy to make as well since the sausage does not need to be pre-cooked.
- Marry Me Shrimp Pasta– Matt made this. The kids hated the sundried tomatoes, but we thought it was really good! Very rich so not something you would have often though.
- Salmon tacos- I’ve made fish tacos before, but not with salmon. These were a nice change. We all liked the coleslaw with them.
Currently
Here’s a little snapshot of our life lately in January 2026, from what we’re watching and cooking to what’s been keeping us busy as a family.
- Loving- We were all loving the time we spent this past weekend with my parents. We all went to a magician/mentalist this past weekend and the show was really good! He was so talented.
- Baking/cooking- I have been favoring a lot of soups lately. The cold weather
- Watching- Veronica Mars was added to Netflix. I never watched the series before and it’s been a decent show to watch when I have to do treadmill workouts.
- Planning- There was a lot of planning going on this month! Matt and I planned our spring break trip. I also worked on our itinerary for the summer trip to Portland and the Redwood Forest.
- Savoring- I found Bigelow Pumpkin Spice Tea and absolutely love it! Every morning I savor my cup.
- Family Update
- Aveline– Avie presented at the Science Fair with an experiment on how temperature affects magnets. She did a wonderful job! Avie also got the chance to do a campaign for Moody Tiger. She had so much fun helping make the videos.
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- Claire– Claire completed her Service to Girl Scouting Award and worked with her troop to plan a 3 part ‘Journey’ badge (like a badge on steroids) for Avie’s Brownie troop. Claire was selected to be in the chorus for the musical and will begin practices next month.
celebrating report cards
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- Me- I’ve been on full organizational mode. I’ve been trying to do some purging and organizing. So far our basement, kitchen, Claire’s room, and dining room have been the target. I have a few more areas in mind!
Before/After of my china cabinet restyle
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- Matt- All the cold weather has been causing a lot of issues with Matt’s business travel. Hopefully, it all clears up soon! It was fun for him to watch the Bears get into the playoffs though. Much farther than anyone thought!
January Goals Recap
- Reorganize nail polish- Done.
- 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- Done.
- List items on poshmark– I’d still love to get this done.
February Goals
- Blogging upkeep- I’ve been having issues with Mailerlite- the tool I use to send out new blog posts. Since I’m practically useless with IT type things this should be really fun.
- Do 1 Valentine craft– I saw this cute DIY reel for Valentine’s Day decor. I really want to try it!
- List items on poshmark– Third time is the charm perhaps.
- Register for summer camps– Once we get the summer camps scheduled we can figure out when our vacation can be.
Favorite January Posts
Lately you all like to get the most from your closet! Favorite posts from January 2026 included
LINKING UP WITH WHAT’S UP WEDNESDAY, Currently
