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Friday Favorites: January

Happy Friday! This week has been more routine than usual, and I’ve been trying to notice and appreciate all the ordinary, sweet moments: the kids playing with dolls on the trampoline, a little free library find I'm enjoying, So much Mo Willems, and my older daughter reading to her little sister. The news and current events are horrifying, everything wasn’t perfect, but there were lots of good moments in our little corner of the world.

In the spirit of noticing the good, I thought I’d share a roundup of some favorites this month. Here they are, in no particular order.

1.) Listening to the New Music Friday playlist by NPR on Fridays and throughout the weekend. One of my intentions this year was to listen to more new music and make a playlist of favorite songs for the year. One easy thing I’ve been doing is throwing on the New Music Friday playlist each week. I don’t listen to the entire thing since it’s really long, but I usually find one or two artists with new music that I enjoy including Jenny on Holiday and Courtney Marie Andrews.

2.) Having tea at the beginning of nap time. I started brewing a midday cup of tea right after putting my youngest down for her nap. While the tea steeps, I finish cleaning the kitchen from lunch. Then I usually sip my tea and read or work on a project, but the tea really helps to make the quieter time of day feel more enjoyable and gives me a mid-day burst of energy.

3.) Coconut & Hibiscus Shea Butter Curl Cream. When we were in Palm Springs, my sister-in-law bought some curl cream at the dollar store. She couldn’t fly home with it, so I brought it home and it makes my curls feel so much healthier and bouncy. I’m generally not willing to spend a lot of time on my hair, so anything I can put in after a shower and scrunch up and go is a win for me.

4.) Yoto players. Both my kids have yoto players. They are basically mp3 players designed for kids to listen to music, stories, audiobooks, etc. on little cards. My youngest has just gotten into the yoto player, and she’s been enjoying listening to The Gruffalo or The Frozen World while I make lunch. Having a few minutes to put on some music of my own or a podcast while making lunch feels really peaceful, and she loves listening to her favorite stories over and over again.

5.) The Lion Women of Tehran by Marjan Kamali. So far this is my favorite January read! I also loved The Stationary Shop by the same author, but I think this more recent title edges out that one as a favorite. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical fiction that follows a deep and complicated friendship over decades and wants to learn more about the Iranian Revolution as well as more contemporary protests. This book feels especially relevant right now.

What are some of your favorites this month? Were there any ordinary good moments that you noticed this week?
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Comments

  1. Lisa's YarnsJanuary 23, 2026 at 8:39 AM

    I have heard great things about Lion Women and plan to read it at some point! I finished "So Far Gone" by Jess Walter this week and really liked it. It's kind of dark as some of the plot is about Christian Nationalism, but it's feel accurate for the times we are living in... and it was short - I think 275 pages! I'm really liking shorter novels that really pack a punch!

    Your tea ritual during nap time sounds wonderful! And I cannot get enough Mo Willems! His books are always so good and fun to read - and short!! Will has gotten into the Berenstain Bears books and they are NOT SHORT!! :P

    A little highlight of our week was going to the library last night. Our library is open until 9 on Tues/Thur so I think we'll do our weekly visit on one of those nights. We used to go on Saturday mornings but Paul has golf at that time. It is nice to have an evening activity to get us out of the house as those evening hours can feel so long for us during our cold MN winters!

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    Replies
    1. SamJanuary 26, 2026 at 2:11 PM

      "So Far Gone" sounds good! Agreed that it's nice when books are short and well-done.

      Mo Willems is a delight! Right now it's great that my toddler loves the story and my 1st grader enjoys reading them to herself as she is building confidence and stamina in reading. I've brought in a lot of them to her class for them to read as scripts during reading groups, and they are a big hit! We don't go to the library in the evening too often, but it's fun when we make it!

      Delete
  2. SarahJanuary 23, 2026 at 11:35 AM

    I DNF that book, but maybe I need to give it another go...

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    Replies
    1. SamJanuary 26, 2026 at 2:12 PM

      It definitely grew on me as I read it, but also, life's too short to read books you don't like!

      Delete
  3. Mom of ChildrenJanuary 26, 2026 at 8:47 AM

    Hi Sam,
    Some favorites from January are....
    1. my YMCA membership and swimming laps!
    2. A snow day - today :)
    3. having a snow blower that works
    4. spinning classes at the Y
    5. NOT losing power during the snow storm
    6. My word of the year ;)
    What are some of your favorites this month? Were there any ordinary good moments that you noticed this week?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. SamJanuary 26, 2026 at 2:13 PM

      I love your word of the year, and I'm very glad you all kept power! One of my favorites, besides the ones listed above, is hanging out in our backyard and watching the kids play together. Sometimes I bring a book too and relax myself :)

      Delete
  4. Life of a Doctor's WifeJanuary 26, 2026 at 10:39 AM

    That curl cream sounds wonderful. I am a sucker for a luxurious curl cream.

    We are having a snow day today, so I am really leaning into Not Driving. Such a nice break!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. SamJanuary 26, 2026 at 2:13 PM

      That sounds great! I like living in a warm-weather climate now, but I do sometimes miss a cozy snow day!

      Delete
  5. StephanyJanuary 26, 2026 at 2:32 PM

    Your tea ritual during naptime sounds SO cozy and lovely. Good for you for giving yourself that!

    I have heard nothing but great things about Lion Women. I have the book on my shelf - just need to read it!

    ReplyDelete

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