Happy Monday! I’m starting the week with Holly and all of you! I hope you’ll link up with us for Hello Monday!
I was away this weekend, so I am going to join two other link ups and I’ll share more of our weekend later this week. On Saturday, Marsha hosted 10 on the 10th. The prompt for January is 10 things you probably won’t do in 2026. I thought I’d join in a few days late.
1-Clean out or organize my photos and online photo storage. I’ve tried a few times to delete at the end of the day or search by day each evening and delete photos. It sounds great in practice but then I miss a day or two and give up.
2-Start eating Brussels sprouts or sweet potatoes. I know they are healthy and have been all the rage for a little while, but I do not like them and I am not going to change my mind.
3-Start reading magazines. Every few years I subscribe to magazines I love to read and every time I end up with a pile of unread magazines. For example, on the plane Friday I was reading the Real Simple from February 2025. I enjoyed it, but I don’t need or want them piling up in my house.
4-Abandon my paper planner. I have started using a Google calendar because the boys’ school calendar is available and updated through Google Calendar. I also use it because all four of us can see appointments, practices, games, matches, and other things that we need to see. It’s convenient for sure, but I don’t love it and I will continue to use my paper planner and reconcile it with the Google Calendar.
5-Stop drinking diet soda. I know it’s not so great for me, but I love it. I don’t drink coffee or much tea, so the caffeine has to come from somewhere. I might cut back this year or I might not.
6-Stop buying books. I’ve cut back considerably on the number of books I’ve purchased in the past 5-6 years. I use the library a lot more. I love getting and reading ARCs. however, I will always buy books. I will probably never read all the books I own. It’s ok.
7-Knit anything but a scarf. I enjoy knitting scarves. Anything else feels more stressful than enjoyable. Once I get the first few rows finished, I don’t have to count stitches or pay too much attention. It is wonderful!
8-Stop enjoying the sunshine. I am better about wearing sunscreen and hats/sunglasses but I love being in the sun. It feeds my heart and soul!
9-Full grocery trips. I love grocery pickup and delivery. It truly saves me so much time each week. I do pop into our grocery store to pick out my own produce and I love a Trader Joe’s trip, but grocery pickup and delivery are here to stay!
10-Running a half marathon. I might start running a little more because I do love it when I get past the hard beginnings. I do not have plans or forsee a schedule in 2026 where half marathon training or running is happening.
I also want to link up with the Share Our Lives ladies, Jen, Joanne, Dara, and Adrienne. The January prompt is how to stay warm in the winter. This is perfect for today. My number one tip for staying warm in the winter is to go somewhere warm! This weekend, I went to Charleston, SC for my niece’s birthday party. It was unseasonably warm on Friday and Saturday with highs in the high 70s and I was loving it! We ate outside, exercised outside, and spent as much time outside as possible.
I also advise heading to the Caribbean or the Gulf in the winter to stay warm.
I also try to stay warm by exercising or moving when I have to be outside. I can really warm up walking for exercise when I have to be outside.
I asked for heated gloves and a vest for Christmas knowing that Luke was playing in an outdoor soccer league this winter and Jack’s golf matches started in early March. It can be so cold in Maryland in January, February, and March. I used my vest and gloves last week and they were game changers for sure!
Dressing for the weather definitely helps. I have a really warm Lands End coat and it keeps me so warm. I wear it all the time. It goes down to my knees and has a high collar with a hood. That thing is so warm and cozy. I have some fleece lined leggings from Zella that I got years ago that keep me so warm. I think there’s a Nordic saying that says “There’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing” or something like that. The more I have to be outside in cold weather, the more I feel that!
Jeff gave me an electric blanket for my birthday or Christmas a few years ago and I love that thing. It gets so warm and keeps me warm after I get up. Luke loved it so much that he asked for one, too. Now we have two of them and we are staying warm.
And my last way to stay warm is to enjoy every drop of sunshine. Have you heard of apricity? It keeps me going all winter long!
Well, I was thinking this would be a quick post to write in the airport, but I was wrong! It grew into quite a long one! I am looking forward to seeing new ways to stay warm in the winter from Share Our Lives. We had a cold front come through and the high today is in the 40s. If you blogged today, be sure to link up with us below! Have a great day full of warm sunshine and books!
