Here’s a look back at our week:
January. My cooking this month has been less than stellar. We had so many "sick" days where only one or two of us was actually eating that I didn't actually cook a ton of real meals. We ate a lot of canned chicken noodle soup, fried rice, and chicken. I would guess that I cooked one "good" meal a week and that's about it! Not to mention schedule changes and me just not always feeling like cooking. I'm hoping as we enter into February I can get my groove back!
Here is a look at this weeks menu:
Friday - The guys are heading to a youth activity so Darryl and I will most likely grab something simple to eat after dropping them off.
Saturday - Dinner at my mom's. With my teens busy social life (ha!) we don't make it for dinner every week but we make it as often as we can and enjoy it (and a game normally) very much! So thankful my mom lives so close!
Sunday - Spaghetti (Homemade Sauce), French Bread, and green beans. I haven't made a batch of my homemade sauce in awhile so I can make a big batch and then freeze some for an easy meal on a Friday evening.
Monday - Swedish Meatballs and Noodles
Tuesday - Tortellini Soup and Bread
Wednesday - Youth Group
Thursday - Spaghetti Carbonara and French Bread
Looking at this menu . .. . apparently it is pasta week HA!
If you have followed this blog for any length of time then you are probably aware that I teach a class at our co-op every semester called Joyful. It is a class designed to have fun, build relationships, and, well, find Joy in every day things. Just before this semester started I came across the following post and shared it with the class on the first week. I thought I would share it here as well. It's a great reminder of the simple fact that Joy comes from Jesus and we can have joy even on the hard days.
I saw this meme this past week and laughed because it was true. HA!
January has been a long year ;-) LOL Anyway, with things this past month like sickness, weather, cancelling of lots of things, it would be easy to get down in the dumps for sure! I decided to take some time this past weekend and remind myself of the good - to find gratitude -- to be thankful for the things this month. Maybe you've struggled too so I thought I'd share some of mine.
1. I'm thankful that we are all feeling better. (Nate got sick January 6th with a head cold and then it just went from there - colds, coughs, stomach flu! As of 1.25.26 I do believe we are all feeling nearly 100%)
2. I am thankful that Darryl has been kept safe on the roads throughout some very treacherous driving this month. (And it is still treacherous!)
3. I am thankful that Nate had an amazing time at winter retreat! He just plain loves camp.
4. I am thankful for a very warm house.
5. I am thankful that our furnace runs faithfully.
6. I am thankful Josh decided to move his xbox to the living room - we've enjoyed lots of family time together in the evenings just all being in the same room. (Why? After being sick and stuck in his room he said he just needed to be in the living room where it was brighter)
7. I'm thankful Josh was able to go to my mom's when Darryl and Nate when down with the stomach flu. It's nice she lives so close.
8. I'm thankful for Zoom calls with my mom and brothers - we always laugh about something.
9. I am thankful Nate was able to earn his 2nd black belt!
10. I am thankful that Darryl, Nate and I "happened" to clean the church on a Saturday and discovered frozen pipes; they were repaired before any damage was done! (I normally clean on Thursday - but due to the bad roads, went in on a Saturday and my guys helped out!)
11. I am thankful we did not have frozen pipes at home.
It helps - it really does! When I first started writing things done it was slow going but the more I wrote, the more I thought of. So, if you are struggling take time to think of even small things you can be thankful for and remember to say thank you to God for those things! (A lot of times I say, "Thank you God for . .. ." and then list that item.)
Here’s a look back at our week!
Darryl and I went out to breakfast for our January “25th year of us” activity
Then our weekend took a turn. 🤣 we had dinner with my mom at Pizza Hut (which was great!). A few hours after we got home Josh went down with the stomach flu. Needless to say we stayed home the rest of the weekend! Here’s to crossing our fingers 🤞that maybe we are past sickness! 2026 has started out a little rough!
Not to mention weather! Snow Storms to start the week and bitter cold will round out this week. My guys tackled the driveway on Wednesday-the warmest day of the week (27 degrees/feels like 11).
I've had to rewrite this whole post on Thursday night because our plans have changed due to crazy winter weather! This was supposed to be a birthday party weekend for Nate but we have rescheduled that for March and will be home for the most part. It has been snowing here for a week; the roads are terrible; and now we are in line for wind chills of up to -30. (That's not a typo!) Everything has been cancelled this week -- or we made the decision to not go due to the road conditions. It's been kind of nice actually - except my husband still has gone to work. (Well, except Monday when it was an actual Snow Storm Warning!!!). Anyway, the goal this weekend is to stay warm and safe! We still have to eat though so I had to rework my menu plan; I also tend to "snow storm" buy when I place my grocery order just in case we are hungry for anything LOL It's ok though because anything I planned can be put into the menu plan either this week or next week!
This weeks menu:
Friday - Pork Roast in the crock pot with cheesy potatoes and green beans. A great "cold weather" kind of meal!
Saturday - There is still a question mark on today's plans but - we will either have dinner with my mom OR stay home and have leftover pulled pork.
Sunday - We are not sure if we will make it out to church; if so, they are having a potluck and I plan to take a taco salad to take since that is easy to put together kind of at the last minute. If we don't go, then I plan to make breakfast - probably eggs, toast, bacon/sausage, and fried potatoes.
Monday - Scalloped Potatoes and Ham in the crock pot. (Yes - the recipe I made a few weeks ago). This will use up the ham from Christmas.
Tuesday - Homemade chicken noodles soup. Last week I froze the leftover chicken and dumplings (minus the dumplings!) and will use that as a base for the soup. I like to add corn and noodles for a great soup! I will make some biscuits to enjoy with it.
Wednesday - Youth Group
Thursday - Roast, Noodles, and Corn
As can be expected, January goals are most exciting to write because it is a fresh new year and it is easy to plan! January is also a month of reflection, slowing down, and trying to put new habits into place. Years ago, one of my favorite things was putting together my new Franklin planner. Writing in all of the activities, birthdays and more. I still love my calendar (paper version!) but have moved on from my Franklin. It still brings me joy, though, to write in a fresh calendar and watch as the year unfolds. One of my mindful goals is to enjoy my teenagers to the fullest. Spending time with them, helping them make their future plans, doing fun activities together - all of it intentional and mindful. Even our school days - I do not take for granted that God has made it possible for me to be home with them through all of these years. To teach them, laugh with them, enjoy them. I want to make sure that I continue to enjoy the moments while they are in high school to continue to build a lasting relationship with each of my guys.
So, now, here are my goals for January.
1. Stage 2 of the basement - A) Count all of the bins and then write down what my goal # is by the end of Stage 2. I have a total of about 60 bins/boxes so I'd like to cut it down to 45 B) Spend 20-30 minutes 2-3 days a week sorting, emptying, organizing, and deep cleaning.
2. Scrapbooking - A) Scrapbook 31 pages (at least) in January (one a day). I even have a cute little chart to fill out for each month of the year. B) Reserve January 9-11 as my "scrapbooking weekend" with the goal to scrapbook as many hours as I can. C) Actual accomplish goals are -- Finish 3 months in 2011, Finish 3 months in 2025 and finish one month of memorabilia
3. Get my oven looked at (and hopefully it can be repaired!)
4. Monthly Habits - I find a photo recently that I'll post below:
Yes, boring habits but good habits to build on. Each month the focus is on one of them - starting it, getting back to it, or just continuing it. So, January's focus is the beds. Last year I made it a habit to make my bed every day and I never missed a day. I also want to add in a better routine of washing blankets and changing sheets as a habit (so a certain day each week). Other habits I am working to continue from last year are "swish and swipe", taking out all trash on Wednesdays, doing a Monday Morning Reset, and Home Blessings Friday.
5. Deep Cleaning Goals - Recently I downloaded a cleaning checklist to use to help me better plan for cleaning/deep cleaning each room. I like visuals and this printable is just that - a visual. Part of the plan if to list the top 5 cleaning goals of the month. I'm not sure I really have five. What I do have is what follows: A) Using the new pintable's, do the daily cleaning (For example, on Monday - clean the kitchen, Tuesday- the bathroom, etc.) B) Do my "pick a room" for decluttering/deep cleaning - January's room is the master bedroom. The goal is to get into every knook and cranny and deep clean it all. I think that means I only have 2 top cleaning goals HA!
6. 30 day decluttering challenge - this is part of the aforementioned pintable's. I'd like to tackle the list this month to help eliminate some of those "hot spots" that are always catching clutter.
7. Josh' room - Get everything hung up on his walls. This will help clean out some baskets in his room too.
8. Host Nate's 16th birthday party.
9. Complete projects in Nate's room.
10. Purchase a flash drive and move Solid Rock Documents to the drive.
11. Clean out the Joyfil bins in the basement and use things I have on hand for the coming semester. Done
12. Plan my lesson plans for both of my classes. Done
13. Put together my music binder with songs to play and sing throughout this year. Done
14. Memorize my verses toward my 101-1001 goal. The camp the boys attend with out church is posted verses every two weeks so I plan to use their program to get my verses in!
15. Chose an adventure to do with Darryl as part of our 25th year celebration - to complete in either January or February.
16. Read! My goal is 130 books this year. Maybe last year was a fluke and I won't read that many but since I read 128 last year I figured I would try again. Reading on Libby helps alot - I don't have to purchase books, I just borrow them, read them, and return them. I find I read more because of this since I'm not spending money.
17. Read non-fiction books toward my 101-1001 plan.
18. Find ways to unplug once a week. So, basically I want to find a way to stay off of electronics even just for an afternoon - but that is not completely accurate. I still need to be able to help with school work which is often on a computer, my books are on a kindle, etc. But I think it is more, just stop the aimless scrolling. Instead, maybe go for a walk, clean something, scrapbook, play a game with the family, or read a regular book (I have a bookshelf full!). I feel like it will help reset my brain, help with anxiety, and help me be more present with my guys.
19. My white paint project - First up, find my painting supplies and the white paint; purchase anything I need this month to tackle this project either by the end of the month or in February.
20. Figure out how to shorten the blinds. This has been on my list since we bought them HA! I'll start with the master bedroom - take them down, shorten them (it looks kind of easy) so they fit the window and then wash them.
21. Write my resume.
22. Undecorate Christmas - this will include going through my things (some still in bins) and cleaning out what we don't use/don't love. . Done
23. Write out my scripture verses each day. I found a great Facebook group where you journal scripture. I have found that it helps with my mindfulness if I take time to focus on scripture more.
24. Focus on Daily Devotions/Bible Reading - I am in an accountability group and we do group devotions 2-3 days a week; I'd also like to work on my own daily Bible Study as well.
25. Plan February Events before February 1st - Superbowl Snacks (HA!), Valentine's Day, Darryl's Birthday, and anything they guys need for Camp, 25th Anniversary activities, Date day with Darryl
26. Plan at least one date day with Darryl in January and plan a family fun activity to do this quarter (probably March due to winter camps) Done
27. Pick out dates for camping this summer/fall and get things reserved for at least one of them.
28. Do final research/planning on my Mediterranean Diet experiment - I'd like to maybe do week 1 the last week of January.
29. Write a true "Honey Do" list for Darryl with the extra things on it that I like him to do better than doing it myself :-) LOL
30. Complete taxes and file them by the end of January if possible.
31. Put together my "wish list" for the bathroom decor update since my room to deep clean in February is the Bathroom. Done
So much for trying to keep my monthly lists to 26 or less. January has a lot. Many of the ideas are "planning" which is what January is all about so that's ok!
** Even though this didn't post until today, I actually wrote this list back on January 1st. **
** Since it's already half way through the month I decided to note the things that are already completed**
We kind of had a quiet week. Darryl and Nate both went down sick. Josh “escaped” to my moms to avoid germs and I bathed in Lysol and hand sanitizer to stay healthy ha!!
Josh finally came home on Wednesday (but keeps attacking everyone either Lysol! ). Youth group was canceled due to snow.
We did take our tree down (yes, finally - the plaque in the house over the weekend derailed my plans)
One of my personal favorite "winter comfort foods" is Scalloped Potatoes and Ham. Last week, with leftover ham from Christmas I decided to try a Slow Cooker version. Now, let me preface this by saying that I have a tried and true oven baked recipe that I have made for years. Well, THIS recipe is far superior and my whole family agreed! It was super easy to throw together and cooked perfectly. Cook it on high like the recipe says and your potatoes will be perfect. I added larger pieces of ham on top for the last hour and, next time, I would add more cheese. Also, I added an additional 1/2 cup of milk or so after mixing everything together - it just didn't seem like there was enough liquid. (And I'm glad I did!)
Moving on to the menu for the coming week.
Friday - Guess what today is? The first day of our Co-Op! I've been doing this long enough that I know the last thing I will want to do is cook dinner after a full day! So, I am budgeting to get Little Ceasars Pizza for dinner.
Saturday - Nate heads off for his first weekend of Winter Retreat. My tentative plans are for Darryl and I to have a date but that is not set in stone as of yet.
Sunday - Slow Cooker Sloppy Joes, Chips and Dip, and Fruit and Dip
Monday - Meatball Soup and French Bread
Tuesday - crock pot Salisbury steak and mashed potatoes
Wednesday - Youth Group
Thursday - Olive Garden (Copycat) Chicken Alfredo with Fettuccini and Garlic Biscuits
Over the past few years, as I’ve written goals, I’ve written them more broadly but I have found that it is hard to see progress with those goals because they are not specific. So, this year, I’m writing more specific and, for the most part, measurable goals. That means I will have more than “26 for 2026” when it comes to goals. I am incorporating line items from my 101-1001 day goal list as well as just general goals.
So, here's my plan - I'll include some explanations as needed. There will also be some personal goals that aren't included.
1. Stage 2 of Decluttering the Basement - in 2025 I finally tackled the crazy cluttered basement by doing a "quick sort". I tossed, organized and donated things that were quick, easy decisions by spending 15-30 minutes in the basement 2-3 days a week. I made sure that things had a home and that the basement was useable. In 2026 I will tackle what I am calling stage 2 - First I plan to count the number of bins I currently have (all sizes) and then work to downsize by at least 1/4 of that number. I also have to go through the "bins of hard decisions" HA! The things that tug at your heart strings or are "special". Ultimately everything needs a home or it can't stay. Stage 2.5 is the cleaning of the basement - it is an old basement so it will always be dusty and such but I do plan to get rid of cobwebs and dust bunnies.
2. My list of scrapbook goals is always long. Here are my top goals: A) Put all memorabilia in albums that are completed. B) Completed 2011 (the oldest book not done). C) Complete 2025 (Because Nate has specifically asked me to get it done so he can look at it) D) Complete 2017 E) Stay current on 2026. F) Complete 2018. Then I also have goals on HOW to complete this: A) Scrapbook a page-a-day every month B) Reserve one weekend a month to be my own "scrapbooking crop". (That doesn't mean every second - but just being able to sit down and enjoy my hobby)
3. Learn to make Macaroons - I bought a kit back in 2020 and have yet to make them - this is my year!
4. Get my oven fixed. :-)
5. Eat a Mediterranean Diet - my 101-1001 goals is a month but my first goals is a week HA! I did actually research this in 2025 and came up with a weeks plan, now I need to actually do it. There is no reason behind this other than I saw the idea on a friends list and added it to mine. I should add that Josh has told me he wants to plan a week of meals for the family and do the shopping - I should have him do that as well.
6. Move my FIL's piano to Josh's room
7. Complete all the projects in Josh's room
8. Complete a few projects in Nate's room.
9. Figure out a make-up routine that is better for my skin and for me!
10. Host Nate's 16th birthday party.
11. Since I can't seem to get Google workspace to work for me, I need to updated and upload Solid Rock documents onto a flash drive so they are saved somewhere other than my computer.
12. Write out the job description for my job as secretary.
13. Clean the outside of the windows
14. Clean and either use or sell the pop-up
15. Watch a Lake Michigan Sunset
16. Visit the church I grew up in on a Sunday Morning. This is just on my list of 101-1001 items.
17. Teach Piano Lessons
18. Paint trim and doors white in the house (a freshening up of all things white)
19. Do touch up of paint in all the rooms as needed.
20. Deep clean and update the bathroom - wipe down walls, paint the ceiling (Josh has said he will help!), replace lights and mirror and get new decor
21. Put together a music binder with piano songs I want to master in 2026
22. Memorize my verses for 101-1001
23. Camp 1-2 times this year.
24. Purchase and hang curtains in my living room
25. Visit Metro Beach for our 25th year
26. Plan our 25th year getaway
27. Recreate several of our dates for our 25th year.
28. Repair our front deck ( a deer ran into it and broke a railing and posts)
29. Power wash the house
30. Take down our swing set (Makes me sad)
31. Improve the backyard - look at each section and clean it out, do anything to update it if needed and just make it enjoyable
32. Plan a small container garden or a small garden. I'd like to try to grow our own pumpkins
33. Repair the garage door opener.
34. There are some big ticket items that are on the radar - obviously these depend on finances but those include replacing boards on the garage, replacing the side door and replacing our slider.
35. Attend a Tigers game as a family
36. Plan a family vacation
37. Visit a college with Josh and help him with that process.
38. Make a cheesecake
39. Visit Canada with the family
40. Decorate the laundry room
41. Get family photos done in the spring and plan for Josh's senior photos as well
42. Visit Henry Ford Museum
43. Visit Belle Isle
44. Power wash/varnish my swing
45. Read 130 books in 2026
46. Read non-fiction books toward my 101-1001 goal
47. Turn off the cable box and find ways to watch TV while saving money
48. Find ways to unplug once a week.
So, now, I take these goals and write my monthly goals. Then, once I write the current months goals, I print them and write weekly/daily goals that help me reach towards accomplishing as much as I can each month. Sometimes I write the weekly/daily goals all at once for the week and print them. Other weeks, I write them daily on my phone and check them off that way. Both ways work, it just depends on what I feel like doing each week.
Here’s a look back at our week:
Welcome to 2026 meal planning!
This next week we start to get back into our full routine after a wonderfully relaxing holiday season. Youth groups, piano lessons, Centershot, TKD, and our Co-op! I’m thankful for such great activities for my guys but it keeps us running sometimes!
Here’s the plan for the coming week:
Friday - Broccoli cheese soup, ham, and French bread
Saturday- dinner at my mom’s!
Sunday - meatballs, baked beans and Mac and cheese
Monday - tacos
Tuesday - Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and green beans
Wednesday - youth groups
Thursday - Shrimp and grits and muffins
I debated doing a recap of 2025 but I will forget things. But, I figured this was a good way to wrap up touching on my December goals, my 2025 goals, and a look at the progress of my 101-1001 day goals. In the coming weeks I'll post my 2026 goals and January goals. Trust me, I know, you c.a.n.n.o.t. wait - can you? LOL
First up is a quick recap of my December Goals:
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I Here’s a look back at our week.
