January Favorites

I am happy to see January go. I always am.

To me, it’s one of the most depressing months of the year. The holidays end. Another year ends. It’s freezing and gray and dreary.

I DO love how the month starts off on the “new chapter” high, and I love goal setting and re-evaluating my life. I really do. Making lists is one of my favorite things on earth, and I make a lot of big lists at the start of a new year. Don’t we all?

But this month took forever! I am happy to be on our second week of February.

This past month was much of the same. We’re still trudging our way through remote learning with Kieran and soaking up as much of Finn’s last few weeks as a one-year-old. The day-to-day feels mundane, but we’re getting through it.

We got some snow, which has been so much fun with the kids. They are loving it. We took them sledding for the first time (we haven’t really had much snow in recent winters, so it was Kieran’s first time!), and they loved it.

We also did a lot of this. Snuggling under big warm blankets (and dogs), enjoying as much family time as possible. As hard as this phase of life feels (for so many reasons), I know deep down in my heart that Dan and I will miss these days once they’re gone.

It’s easy to complain as a parent right now. My kids are always with me. I never get alone time. I am trying to work and build an at-home business while also tending to my kids 100% of the time ON TOP of remote schooling. Not to mention the regular day-to-day things like laundry, cooking, keeping my house from looking like an absolute war zone (I am failing horribly on that last one). My mind is running, and I never stop physically moving throughout a day. It’s exhausting.

But. My children are with me from the moment they wake up until the moment they go to bed at night. They hug me, kiss me, snuggle me, tell me how much they love me, and give me so many tender moments to be grateful for.

Yes, the days can feel long and difficult at times, and my children are definitely not always angels, haha, but I really try to savor every moment. I know that one day Dan and I won’t be the center of our kids’ worlds. We’ll just be a part of it. That mental shift makes all of this easier. Soak it up, moms and dads. It feels hard now, but it will be over before you know it. We WILL get back to normal again, and even though it sometimes feels really far away, I am so grateful to be in this weird limbo time with my people.

And that pretty much sums up January! Not much to report. And I’m sure February will be more of the same, haha.

Despite our lacking social lives, I did discover some fun new things this past month.

1. I fell victim to the Souper Cubes trend that is going on right now. With all the cooking I do, it’s near impossible for us to eat all the food. I give a ton of it away to family, but for soups and sauces, these freezer cubes have been amazing. You freeze whatever it is in the cubes, then pop them out and store in plastic freezer bags. It takes up way less room in the freezer, AND allows you to pre-portion out the frozen food. So, if I want soup for lunch, I can defrost one serving at a time, rather than an entire quart. I am sold. I have the one-cup and two-cup trays. Love them!

2. Every year, my girlfriends and I do a Secret Santa, and this year we kept it virtual. One thing I asked for was something I would never buy myself, but OMG am I obsessed: this little scalp massager! It seriously feels heavenly in the shower. I wash my hair, get it all lathered up with shampoo, and then run this all over my head. It feels amazing. Just what this tired mama needs. I already got them for my mom and sisters. Everyone’s a fan!

3. Another Secret Santa find: The Ordinary “Buffet” Serum. I am LOVING this stuff. It’s a peptide serum which helps lock in extra moisture, and I so need this sort of thing in the winter time. I slather it on before applying vitamin C serum and moisturizer. My skin feels plumper and like it holds in the hydration longer when I use this. Love it!

4. Dan and I signed up for Homechef meal delivery in early January. I know. Crazy for a food blogger, right? Well, sometimes in food blogger land, a typical work week looks like a lot of muffins, salad dressings, and granola recipes. Not a lot you can do with that when it comes to dinner. The Homechef meals have been an absolute godsend. I often don’t feel like cooking after cooking, photographing, and cleaning up the kitchen all day long. The oven-ready meal kits are amazing! They take all of 5-10 minutes or active time and then get popped in the oven for the rest. There’s really no cooking involved. It’s just what I need after working with food all day. They are absolutely delicious, as well! I get two every week to balance out our dinnertime. Some nights, we just need something super easy!

5. In an attempt to keep up with the demands of social media, I’m attempting to make more reels for Instagram. Filming recipes mostly. Going hands free with certain recipes is key, and this little iPhone tripod has been great for that. It’s super easy to set up, holds the phone with great support, and swivels all over the place for quick scene changes. It’s been a huge help!

6. My sister told me about this Olay Regenerist Night Recovery Cream, swearing it was working wonders for her winter skin. I am always down to try new things, particularly when it comes to dryness, so I gave it a shot. I love it. It’s super creamy and moisturizing, but not in a greasy or heavy way. When I know that I am going to be home and inside all day, I even wear this during the day. It doesn’t have SPF, so I wouldn’t wear it out of the house. It’s a great lightweight but effective moisturizer.

7. I have been a huge fan of Loft’s lou & gray signaturesoft loungewear line for YEARS now. I wear their sweatshirts constantly. I recently tried their “plush” line, and OMG, I am sold. It is insanely soft and plushy (as the name implies) and warm. I bought two of the sweatshirts, and I am considering getting another. They are so comfy but without being frumpy and bulky.

8. I just got a pair of these joggers from Old Navy, and I have to say, I’m a big fan. Joggers can be tricky. They’re either not comfortable (which defeats the purpose), or they fit awkwardly. These are just right! Comfy but still flattering!

9. I also got this cardigan from Old Navy and it is so pretty! The color is great, and the quality is wonderful. Old Navy has really been surprising me lately. I feel they have really stepped up.

Lots of fun stuff! Here’s hoping February is a good one! Xoxo.

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