Friday Favorites #35
Happy first Friday of January! Unpopular opinion: I love January. I know many dread this month, but it is just the reset this introvert needs after a very busy December. I enjoy the cozy, hibernating days of winter with a blanket of snow on the ground. We are expecting lots of snow next week (finally!). I am sure I’ll sing a different tune in March but for now I am of the mindset if the bears and trees need a rest, I do too.
We eased back into school routine this week with returning on Wednesday for a short school week. I have been busy unpacking, organizing, and cleaning since coming home from Ohio. I don’t have all my Christmas decorations down yet since tomorrow is the Epiphany but plan to take the remaining down this weekend. It’s always sad to put it all away but I do look forward to a decluttered, clean house.
We have absolutely nothing on the agenda this weekend (besides church) and I am totally fine with that. There is plenty to get done and I am sure we will make time for some fun, too.
It’s been a few weeks since my last Friday Favorites post so keep on scrolling for this week’s roundup. Have a great weekend!
The New Year
While the end of Christmas is always somewhat depressing, it is a feeling of renewal to begin the new year. Like I said above, I put Christmas away, declutter, and clean for a fresh start. I am not a New Year’s resolution girl. I simply try to make some gentle goals for the year like slowing down, being more present, to remain grateful for the small things (more time in prayer), and to enjoy simple adventures that embrace each season.
Horse by Geraldine Brooks
I added this book to my “Want to Read” list on Goodreads a while back. I actually checked it out at the library about a month ago and finally picked it up to read this week. It is a historical fiction novel with settings both in the 1850s and 2019. Horses are one of my favorite animals so I knew this book would captivate me. It revolves around the history of horse racing in our nation following the story of an enslaved groom and the bond he has with what comes to be the greatest racehorse in history. This book takes some time to get into but once you do it’s worth it. I am only about halfway through, but so far, it’s beautifully written and thought provoking. It’s already broken my heart more than once. I know this will be one of those books that stays with you.
Migration Movie
On Tuesday, the last day of break, I knew I wanted to do something out of the house with the boys. We have not been to the movie theater in a long time so decided to see the new Migration movie. I treated the boys to popcorn and Icees which of course they loved. The movie is about a family of ducks who have never migrated before but take on the adventure with lots of mishaps along the way. The boys laughed a lot, and it kept their attention. It was a good reminder to step outside of your comfort zone and take a leap of faith every now and then. It made me think about our big move to Michigan. Definitely worth the watch if you have little kids!
Mario Kart on Nintendo Switch
Santa Claus was very generous this year gifting Lucas and our family a Nintendo Switch for Christmas. It’s been mostly Lucas and Ryan playing but this week Ryan got me hooked on Mario Kart. I obviously grew up with the nostalgic game on both Super Nintendo and Nintendo 64. I wasn’t sure how I would do on the Switch but it was just like riding a bike. It also helped I had some beginner’s luck and won first place all four races. Ryan wasn’t salty at all haha! I’ll be honest and say I was a little hesitant about Lucas getting his first video game system, but it’s been really fun for the family.
GoWISE USA Air Fryer
My lovely mother-in-law gifted me this air fryer for my birthday last summer. It was right when we were packing to move so it ended up in storage for quite some time. I pulled it out this fall and finally decided to give it a go this week. Um, this thing is life changing for weekly dinners! I really wish I would have gotten it out sooner! We had some potatoes that needed eaten so I sliced and tossed in salt and olive oil. They tasted just like fries from a restaurant. I also air fried chicken thighs which came out tender and crispy. I am excited for all the future cooking with this thing!!