It’s been a good start to the New Year for our family — a few busy weeks of basketball, several outdoor field trips, and a handful of snowdays spent at home with Buster.
We made homemade butter, ice cream, and yogurt one day, we stocked up on frozen cookie dough balls another day.
We caught back up on our piano lessons (we take off over Christmas break), did a little closet decluttering, and my favorite teenager finally got her bracess off!
We’re excited to see what the rest of 2026 has in store for our family, and I’m excited to share several more favorites below!
Favorite Moment = Cross-Country Skiing
Can you believe I’ve never been cross-country skiing before?
Honestly, I can’t believe it — but I’ll add it to the many things I’ve started, tried, and enjoyed since turning 40 this summer!
Thanks to a fun field trip with Simon, I was able to enjoy cross-country skiing on the most perfect day with tons of snow and not too bitterly cold.
Favorite Routine = Nightly Prep
Back in November, I shared that packing lunches the night before was one of my “favorite routines” — NOT because I love packing school lunches, but because I love how this evening routine simplified our mornings.
Similarly, I’ve found that whenever I’m able to start something the night or day before, it makes it so much easier for me to continue and/ or finish it the next day.
To be fair, I consider myself a “finisher”, not a “starter”.
Do you wonder which one you are? Answer the following questions:
Do you get more joy and satisfaction from using up the last of something and throwing the package/container away… OR… from opening a fresh new package/container of something?
Are you more prone to start a new project, only to let it drag on for days or weeks before you jump to the next project, even before you finish the first project… OR… do you sometimes dread starting a new project because you know how much work it will be, but once you finally get started, nothing can stop you from moving forward until all the loose ends are sufficiently tied up?
If you answer those 2 questions honestly, you should have a pretty good idea of whether you’re a “starter” or “finisher”.
As I mentioned above, I am a finisher.
I don’t love starting new projects, but once I start them, you better believe I will finish.
For me, one of the biggest factors in my productivity is forcing myself to get started.
I do this by starting many things before I go to bed… which naturally encourages my “finisher” mentality to finish them as soon as possible the next day.
- I make my to-do list the night before, and immediately want to get started on it.
- I prep breakfast the night before, so it feels very easy to wake up and get a hot meal on the table for my family.
- I often draft my weekly emails and blog posts the day before I plan to write them… giving me time to think about them as I go throughout my day, which makes the writing process so much faster and easier the next day.
- I plan my meals at the beginning of the week, so I don’t have to think about it during the week and can just “follow through” on the plan when it gets to be about 4:00.
- I signed up for a 25K race (many years ago), and even though I did not enjoy the training, I never skipped a day and ran the race with a pretty good time.
I could go on and on… the point is, if I can force myself to take the first step and start something, it’s almost a guarantee that I will finish it in the near future.
If you are also a “finisher”, the simple technique of starting the night or day before might be a game-changer for you!
RELATED READING: How to Jumpstart Productivity with Intentional Evening Routines
Past Favorite = Shark Cordless Vacuum
I purchased my cordless Shark vacuum on a whim in 2020… not really sure if I’d love it or even use it (I thoroughly enjoy sweeping my hardwood floors).
However, after just a few days, I realized this would be a new favorite cleaning tool. I’ve used it daily for years now!
It’s so lightweight and easy to maneuver — and the kids enjoy using it too.
It’s best for hard floors and low-pile rugs/carpet, but we have lots of hard floors and braided rugs in our home, so our Shark is a workhorse, for sure!
Like everything else, cordless vacuums have gone up in price over the years (I got mine for $75 and paid for it with Kohl’s Cash back in 2020). Now they are all close to (or over) $200… but I still think they are worth the price if you want a quick and easy way to clean your floors on a daily basis.
Sidenote: My main vacuum is a Sanitaire corded, bagged vacuum. I also LOVE this vacuum and the simplicity of using it.
RELATED READING: The Ultimate List of Cleaning Products I Use
Favorite Clothing = Long Black Vest
I’m a “vest person” — as in, I wear vests instead of coats as often as possible from early fall until late spring.
I have several shorter vests, but I wanted a nice long vest for the winter cold… and after 2 years of searching, I finally found one I really like (I’ve worn it basically every day for the last 2 months!)
I specifically wanted the following in my vest purchase:
- All black
- Length down to my knee.
- No hood, but a high collar to keep my neck warm
- Pockets
- Buttons or zippers on the sides of the legs (so I could move more easily)
- No “quilting patterns” (just plain squares or lines)
- Less than $50
I assumed it would be easy to find, but I’ve been looking for almost 2 years and hadn’t found anything I liked enough to buy it (even after raising my budget quite a bit).
But, patience is a virtue… and over Christmas break, my cousin texted me the link to this vest (she was helping me look), and I purchased it for $40!
I wasn’t sure if I’d like the fleecy top, but I actually love it.
I’ve worn it nearly every day since Christmas break — to the gym, to run errands, to school events, around the house just to keep cozy warm, etc.
It runs a bit big (the small is still very roomy for me), but that allows me to wear a large fleece or sweatshirt under the vest — even a light-weight winter coat easily fits under the vest.
My favorite thing about the longer vest is how warm it keeps my legs, especially in the car before our leather seats heat up!
Favorite Books = So Many!
January and February are big reading months for me… I’ve read (and listened to) a bunch of books.
Here are a few I enjoyed and would recommend:
An easy-to-read novel that mixes past and present memories, interspersed with tons of delicious bread recipes, and a lovely, well-written storyline. Our church librarian recommended it to me as she knows I’m into making bread… and although the recipes in the book are VERY involved, I still thoroughly enjoyed the book.
This novel follows 2 sisters (one is 20, the other is 14) during the Oklahoma Dust Bowl of the 1930s. They both overcome many trials (including abuse, poverty, and the death of loved ones) and learn several truths about themselves in the process.
I’ve had this on my “to read list” for several years, but didn’t think I should read it because it’s a novel based on the true stories of the Tennessee Children’s Home Scandal from the 1920’s – 50’s and includes stories of child abuse and neglect (I hate reading about that). This story also follows 2 sisters and their journey from being taken away from their birth family, abuse in the children’s home, being adopted out, and many “full-circle” moments that came later in life. It was hard to read at times, but also hard to put down!
This is the first of 2 books in a series (I’m currently reading the 2nd book). It’s a novel inspired by the true story of a newly married couple who were separated during a shipwreck in the 1850s, on their way from California to New York. I absolutely love reading stories set during this time period — all the better if they are based on something that actually happened! It was a quick read, and I’m excited to finish the 2nd book soon!
Favorite Kitchen Gadget = Half Gallon Bags
If you’ve never tried half gallon size zip-top bags, you are in for a treat… they are one of my newer favorite things (I was introduced to them this summer).
I haven’t found them in stores yet, but you can easily get them online — and they are such a great size for things that require more than a quart bag, but not a full gallon bag.
Fun Fact: They are the perfect size for 6 of my homemade rolls!
(Yes, I opened the bag after this picture to let the steam out. )
Favorite Hobby = DIY Hair Cuts
I’m not sure if this is an actual “hobby”… but I don’t get paid for it, and I have no training, so that sounds like a hobby to me.
The fact of the matter is, I save about $2000 PER YEAR with my hair-trimming hobby!
Boys + Dave = 24 haircuts (each) per year x at least $15 = $1080 per yer
Girls = 2 -4 haircuts (each) per year x at least $25 = $150-$200
Buster = 12 haircuts per year x at least $65 = $780
Not too shabby!
Any time kids ask me for a specific haircut, I just watch a YouTube video and try it out. I’m not perfect, but so far, they all say that they’d rather have me cut their hair than go to a salon.
The next thing I need to learn is how to do highlights or coloring… I’m still too chicken to try on my own hair, and Nora doesn’t have a huge interest in hair color!
Here are the fairly basic tools I use:
- This cordless trimmer for Dave and the boys
- These scissors and thinning shears.
- I found a salon chair on Marketplace many years ago.
- And a Bumbo chair is really nice for little babies and toddlers.
- I splurged on the FurMe grooming kit for Buster. It’s worth every penny as it sucks up all the hair, making his haircuts basically mess-free!
Favorite Recipe = Extra Cheesy Eggs
We have eggs nearly every morning — fried eggs, omelettes, hard-boiled eggs, scrambled eggs, egg sandwiches, etc.
We love eggs!
And one of our favorite ways to eat eggs is scrambled, with the addition of cottage cheese and shredded cheddar cheese (Here’s my official “recipe”).
It sounds weird, but we’ve been enjoying our eggs this way for well over a decade, and I know so many of you now add cottage cheese to your scrambled eggs too.
If you’re still not convinced, just try it based on the fact that it majorly boosts the protein (and everyone wants more protein these days 🙄).
TRY THE RECIPE: The Best Cheesy Scrambled Eggs.
Favorite Archived Post
Want to do a little extra decluttering this month but don’t know where to start?
Try asking yourself these 2 questions… Do I Love it? Do I use it?
If not, you can probably get rid of the item in question! This works every time for my kids.
Read the full posts here: Love It, Use It, or Lose It
That’s all for this month. 😆
If you’re interested, you may scroll through all my Favorite Things posts HERE!
Meg says
I love that you get excited about Ziploc bags! I do too! I love the half gallon bags, they’re so useful. I am REALLY interested in that dog grooming tool, thanks for the suggestion.
I can’t believe Nora is old enough to have completed braces! She looks fantastic! She’s so lucky – I had to wear braces from 5th grade to 10th grade and my teeth are STILL crooked
Andrea says
yes, it’s the little thing (like ziploc bags!) And yes, we love the dog grooming kit. It has saved us well over $1000 in our 2 years of pet ownership.
And just an idea, you could get invisalign as an adult. I actually know many friends/relatives/neighbors who weren’t happy with their teeth and now wear invisalign. Apparently, it really works.
Jessi S. says
Yay! Excited to know the half-gallon bags exist.
And good for you on the haircuts (especially the dog’s). I’ve been cutting my own hair for years, and I always feel great afterwards because I know how much money I just saved.
Andrea says
Yes, everyone is talking about the half gallon bags! LOL So funny!
Wow, you cut your own hair — that’s something I can aspire too 🙂
Jessi S. says
Yes, it’s long, all one length, and very thick and wavy. Not quite as important to get it perfectly even as it would be if it were really straight. With all the waves, it tends to look a little messy most of the time, so I’m not too scared to just chop away
Debbie says
Thank you for the hair shears recommendation. I often cut my own bangs in between salon visits. I would still not cut my own hair, but bangs I do. I’m definitely a finisher, and I can relate to the feeling of not wanting to stop until I finish a project. I think this quality has served me well over the years in starting a workout, changing eating habit, and home projects. I also like vests, but given I’m petite I tend to only like either cropped or one that hits just below my waist. When I do wear one during the winter I just can’t wear it by itself when going outside because I don’t like being cold. I know it can get cold in Michigan so my question is does it keep you warm enough when doing errands and exposed to the winter wind or blowing snow?
Andrea says
Yes, Debbie — I LOVE being a finisher!
As for the vest, I usually wear a long-sleeve shirt + a thick sweater/sweatshirt and then the vest. I also often wear gloves, a hat, and boots as well. So that keeps me plenty warm for running in and out of stores. If I were going to be outside for hours at a time, I’d definitely still wear my coat.
Robbi says
We started using our pet grooming kit for the boys too. So much easier since it vacuums right up as you go. My 11 year did his own hair, I just had to finish around the ears!
Andrea says
That’s amazing. We actually tried it for our boys too, but I can’t get the back short enough for them. They like it really short on the sides… maybe we could use it for the top though?
Deborah Keith says
My Walmart sells half gallon bags! I’ve been using them for decades!
Andrea says
Seriously — decades!!! How have I missed out on this fabulous find for so many years!?!
Catherine says
Any articles or advice to help those of us who are chronic “starters”?? 😀
Andrea says
haha!! know that you are not alone 🙂
Scott Young talks a lot about this and has many resources — you might find something there!
Catherine says
Thanks!!
JJ says
Your daughters look so much alike! Yay for braces off! Her smile is beautiful! You have captured Buster so well in the pics-adorable! Your sons are keeping busy! It’s fun to see progress.
You got me hooked on Lynn Austin books. I am reading one now–A Proper Pursiit. I just finished two of Tessa Afshar’s books– The Queen’s Cook and The Royal Artisan. Both were set during Queen Esther’s reign in Persia. I really enjoyed some of the Jewish history and seeing how their laws would be applied in everyday life. Fascinating!
You also motivated me to cut my kids’ hair years ago. I already did my husband’s. It really does add up fast, because I was throwing out so much money at the kids’ salon.
Doing things the night before absolutely makes a difference. Since we homeschool, our area of struggle was kids overdoing portions for snacks. They are old enough to get their own, but we were flying through snacks. So I bought Bentigo disposable(but we reuse them) containers that have sections. I have them pick from categories to make their “snackle boxes” the night before but let them eat whatever is in it whenever the next day(except at meals). IF they finish and are still hungry they have to eat fruits or vegetables. They normally have 1-2 proteins(nuts/cheese/yogurt), 1-2 grains(granola/cliff bars, pretzels, popcorn, goldfish), and 1-2 fruits/vegetables. I also let them have a small piece of candy(inspired by how you pack lunches ). They love it!
Andrea says
Your snack idea sounds like a great plan — we have a giant snack bin and they can easy choose 2 things (they are all portioned out as well). It works well for us too.
And yes, the kids still get a little cookie or candy in their lunches (if they want it — some don’t anymore).
Home haircuts are the BEST — so glad you are on board. And yes, The girls do look a like when I look back at 2nd grade picture of Nora 🙂
Lisa B says
Such a fun post. Your cross-county skiing adventure had me reminiscing. I set out to do 50 new things the year I turned 50 (I’m 57 now) to celebrate my life. Some of them were bigger (going to Alaska) and some were smaller (making my own 1,000 island salad dressing for Reubens!). What your post reminded me of was archery. I tried it and it was SO fun. The year was about being intentional. I took a picture every time I did or tried something new and just recently finished the mini-scrapbook. Have fun in your 40’s with your new adventures!
Andrea says
Sounds like fun Lisa! Our school just started offering an Archery team for the kids. It doesn’t fit well with our schedule, but it did look like fun! Glad you enjoyed your 50 new things — what a great idea!
Donna Marie says
I just love your blog! I am 72 with no kiddos at home, but I always find something I can use by reading it!!!
Andrea says
Thanks Donna Marie!! So glad to have you reading and enjoying!
Chris says
Oh, the half gallon bags sound awesome. We are empty nesters and usually have room left in our bags. I always enjoy your “favorites” posts. 🙂
Andrea says
Thanks Chris! Yes, you are a perfect candidate for half gallon bags
Cindy says
Love the half-gallon bags. Bought them by mistake but so glad I did! I purchased mine at Walmart.
Andrea says
Yes, I use the half gallon size all the time!
Deb says
Sam’s has the half gallon bags. I LOVE them. I also found pint sized freezer bags at WM. I love those too.
Jan says
I was just about to post to say the half gallon bags are available for shipping at both Sam’s and Costco… but Sam’s has the best price!
Andrea says
Good to know. Thanks Jan!
Andrea says
good to know — we do Costco, but I think my sister doese Sams 🙂